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The Best Family

of

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

by

Robert MacAndrew Best 5100 S. Cleveland Ave, 318-325 Fort Myers, FL 33907

August 2005

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Table of Contents

PageForeward 3Chapter 1 Summary of the Life of James Best 7Chapter 2 The Bests in History 9Chapter 3 James Best the Immigrant and Catherine Cruson 15Chapter 4 Children of James and Catherine 26Mary Best p 26Elias Best p 28John Best p 33Jacob Best p 37James Best Jr. p 40Peter Best p 41Catherine Best p 42Samuel Best p 43Jane Best p 43Chapter 5 Robert Cruson Best, Sr. and his descendants 44

Appendix I Family Tree Charts 64Appendix II Will of James Best Sr. 68Appendix III Records of Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church 69Appendix IV The story of Joseph and Jacob Best 72Appendix V James Bests in Colonial America 74Appendix VI Arguments 79Appendix VII Best Family Legends 90Appendix VIII The Cruson Family 95Appendix IX Sources 98Appendix X German Bests in Westmoreland County, Pa. 113Appendix XI Genealogies of Unrelated Bests 115Appendix XII Maps of land owned by Bests in West. Co. PA 123

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Foreward

Nature must endow us with a kernel of strong motivation directedtoward family matters that ensures survival of the species. As a result,we are much more indulgent toward family members than we would be towardstrangers. While writing this book I phoned many distant third andfourth cousins who gave me generously of their time, because I wasfamily, even though a minute earlier I had been a stranger. This kernelof motivation has pushed me to search out the roots of the Best familythat have been buried for two centuries.

After I began writing and calling my distant cousins and leaving myname and address at historical societies where other genealogy buffscould find it, I unexpectedly encountered a network of people who wereall descended from the same ancestor I was. Each person in this networktold me about still other people in the network. It was only then that Ilearned of the legends of James Best and Catherine Cruson that had notbeen passed down through my branch of the family. This network led me togenealogist Helen Brodine who during the 1950’s had collected a large

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amount of unpublished material on the Bests, mostly by writing dozens ofletters to elderly cousins, some of who were into genealogy and hadcollected material from earlier generations. It was my good fortune tohave reached Helen only a few days before she died. Her son Ernest thenpermitted me to make photo copies of her files which included more than300 family group sheets and 2000 descendants of James Best. Thispriceless material might have been lost forever had I waited only onemore week before calling her. I have added more than 1000 names to the2000 collected by Helen Brodine and have sent these names and familygroup data to the Mormons who have included them on their Ancestral File.

I never would have begun this book if I had known how much timewould be spent on it. It started as a few pages of notes I gathered asa teenager and letters from my late aunt Lucy. Like a crossword puzzlefanatic, I couldn’t put it down until the next, then the next, then thenext gap in the story was searched out. Once you get infected with thisgenealogy bug, the sicker you get the more you enjoy it, and I haveindeed enjoyed it. And it has changed my life in ways I could not haveforeseen.

When I began this book I was a confirmed old bachelor and had longago given up on marriage and children. Likewise my brother David andSheila his wife had decided not to have any children. But after I begandigging through the records of other people’s families and tracing thegrowth of their children through the years, I began to feel an emptinessin my life that only a family could fill. One thing led to another andnow I have a wife and daughter. I am very happy with the results of thisexercise in “applied genealogy”.

But family matters are infectious. After I sent baby pictures to mybrother every few months, he and his wife changed their minds abouthaving children. And so our branches of the family tree that were closeto becoming extinct, have sprouted new branches.

Robert M. Best

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HEREDITY

Somebody labored years agoWhose name I do not know,Who ploughed the ground or sailed the seaAnd loved a maidenThat I might be.

Two centuries ago or moreA woman at an English doorLooked fondly at a lilac treeAnd passed that bit of pride to me.

One stood enraptured when she heardThe music of a singing bird.And now, with each returning spring,I find I do the self same thing.

Could we untangle all our livesAnd learn how much in us survives,We might discover just how farGoes back that makes us what we are.

Edgar Guest

PLEA TO AN ANCESTOR

Ancestor, Ancestor, why be elusive,When all that I seek is of you proof conclusive?Your birth date, the place, the time of your passing,Your wedding, with whom? That’s all I am asking.

I spy and I pry into family tradition.Old letters I read - they’re in awful condition!Court records were burned in the War (as you know).To graveyards in brambles and briers I oft’ go.

Somewhere and somehow I’ll find you one day,With “preponderance of evidence” as we like to say.Then, Eureka! Rejoice! I’ll write me a book.I’ll cite all my sources, be you gentle or crook.So help me, do please; neither shy nor coy be.I wish I could send you an S.A.S.E.

Winston De Ville

Ville Platte, LA

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NO FOOTPRINTS IN THE SANDS OF TIMEor

Oh, For a Court Record onGreat-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandpa

It’s nice to come from gentle folkWho wouldn’t stoop to brawlWho never took a lusty pokeAt anyone at all,

Who never raised a raucous shoutAt any country innOr calmed an ugly fellow loutWith a belaying pin,

Who never shot a revenuerHunting for a still,Who never rustled cattle andWere pleased with uncle’s will,

Who lived their lives out as they ought,With no uncouth distractions,And shunned like leprosy the thoughtOf taking legal actions.

It’s nice to come from gentle folkWho’ve never known disgrace.But oh, though scandal is no joke,It’s easier to trace.

Virginia Scott Miner

“Those who do not treasure up the memory oftheir ancestors, do not deserve to beremembered by Posterity.”

Edmund Burke

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Chapter 1

Summary of the Life of James Best

The Best family whose history is recorded here are descended fromJames Best a Scotch-Irish immigrant from England who was born 1740-1750in Ireland or England. He was about 18 years younger than GeorgeWashington and about seven years younger than Thomas Jefferson. On July6, 1773 at an age between 23 and 27 James sailed for America from thePort of London, England on a sailing vessel the Snow Sally and landed atPhiladelphia on August 31, 1773. James and 60 other servants wereindentured to the ship’s Captain Stephen Jones in lieu of money fortravel fare. To be indentured was to be a slave for a fixed term. JamesBest’s term of indenture was 3 years. James was sold for 15 BritishPounds by Captain Jones on September 18, 1773 to David Rittenhouse thefamous clock maker and astronomer of Philadelphia. Rittenhouse hada successful clock making business near Philadelphia and was a friend ofBen Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

There lived nearby a teenage girl named Catherine Cruson, of HollandDutch descent. The Cruson family was wealthy according to familylegend. James Best and Catherine Cruson ran away together in late 1773or early 1774 and Catherine became pregnant in March 1774. Their firstchild Mary Best was born on December 11, 1774 in Pennsylvania. It seemslikely that Catherine and her baby stayed with relatives in Philadelphiawhile James was away during the Revolutionary War.

Although Best family legend says James Best was a soldier in theRevolutionary War and was captured by the British, in fact no record hasbeen found of James’s activities during the war, either on the Americanside or the British side. James may have been recorded under a variantspelling of Best such as Bast, Bess, Byst, Baest, etc. thus making himdifficult to trace.

After the war, James and Catherine were reunited after being separatedfor four years or more. They traveled west up the Susquehanna andJuniata Rivers to a wilderness settlement near present-day McAlisterville,Pennsylvania where James’s unmarried brother? Samuel Best had become aprivate in the Pennsylvania militia in March 1778 and a frontier ranger.McAlisterville was then in Cumberland County and both Samuel and JamesBest appear in the Cumberland County tax roll for 1779. Catherine becamepregnant again and James and Catherine’s second child Elias Best wasborn in early 1780.

In 1779 James Best owned 2 horses and a cow but no land. In 1781James sold the horses and bought or leased 50 acres of land which he helduntil 1787. During the 9 years that James and Catherine lived near

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McAlisterville, PA four of their children were born: Elias, John, Jacob andJames Jr. In 1787 Samuel Best returned and appeared on the tax roll againalong with James. In 1787 James sold his land and traveled west with hisfamily across the mountains. Family legend said they left Pennsylvaniaduring indian troubles and went to Ohio. This Ohio period was probablyaround 1788-1795. James Best does not appear on the Cumberland County orWestmoreland County, PA. tax rolls for 1788 and 1789 or in the 1790 Federalcensus, but his daughter Catherine was born in Pennsylvania on Jan. 31, 1789.

Around 1793-1797 James Best and his family moved back to Pennsylvaniaand settled on a farm on Chestnut Ridge, Westmoreland County, PA. The1798 Federal tax rolls show James Best Sr. on 143 acres of land owned byJoseph McLean in Donegal Township about 3 miles north-west of Stahlstown.

James and Catherine’s children were Mary, Elias, John, Jacob, James,Catherine, Peter, Samuel, Alexander and Jane. All of James Best’schildren were born in Pennsylvania and all except Alexander and Samuelmarried and raised one or more children. Sixty-five grandchildren areknown. After the war of 1812 James’s sons bought hundreds of acres ofland in Ligonier valley near Stahlstown. Elias bought 448 acres in 1819.John bought 150 acres in 1819. Jacob bought 103 acres from his brotherSamuel in 1821. James Jr. died on his farm in 1817. Peter bought 147acres in 1813. They raised oats, corn, buckwheat, wheat, rye and apples.They converted their surplus grain to whiskey.

James Best Senior lived to be over 80 and died in late 1830 or early1831. His will was probated on May 3, 1831 in the Greensburg, PAcourthouse, but there was no mention of his death in the Greensburgweekly newspaper.

By the mid 1850’s the Bests had migrated to many other statesincluding Iowa, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, & Illinois,although many Bests remained in Westmoreland County, PA. Completion ofthe Pennsylvania Railroad in 1852 brought in cheap grain and beef fromthe prairie states, making farm production in Pennsylvania less competitive.The summer of 1854 brought a severe drought and the winter of 1854-55 wasthe coldest within memory. These are probably some of the reasons thatmany of the Best’s left Ligonier valley during the 1850’s.

The legacy of James and Catherine Best continues to this day. They

have over 4330 descendents (including spouses).

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Chapter 2

The Bests in history

The name Best or Beste is an English name derived from Beaster, onewho took care of the beasts, a herdsman. The name Best appears inEnglish history before the Crusades. The Dutch name Beest appearedabout the same time. Paul Best was arrested for begging in the streetsof London in 1100. Richard Le Beste was listed as a juryman in CambridgeCounty in 1273 and William Best in Bucks County and Walter Best in OxfordCounty. Thomas Best is mentioned in 1379 and Agnes Best in 1379.William Best was Abbot of Gloucester in 1416. Robert Beast or Best wassheriff of Norwich in 1495. A navigator named George Best accompaniedMartin Frobisher on three voyages (in 1576, 1577, and 1578) to search fora northwest passage around Canada. In the third voyage Best was captainof the “Jane Anne” one of seventeen ships. A George Best, servant to SirChristopher Hatton, was killed in a duel about March 1583-4 by Oliver St.Johns. Another George Best, Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, wasinstituted to the vicarage of all Saints, Cambridge in 1572 and to therectory of St. Dunstan, London in 1596. He died in 1609.

A naval captain Thomas Best (1570?-1638?), probably the son ofCaptain George Best, commanded the Red Dragon, a ship of six hundred tonswith a crew of 200 men, which engaged in a three day battle withPortuguese galleons in 1612. Later he commanded the Bonaventure and theVanguard. Bests from Northamptonshire settled in Ireland in 1621. WhenWilliam of Orange came to Ireland, six brothers Best fought with his armyin 1690 at the Battle of Boyne. Three Bests survived: one settled atMoneymore in Tyrone County, one near Legacorry in Armagh County, and oneJohn Best who had in 1685, by his marriage to Mary Stephenson, acquiredthe Legacorry Mansion House (renamed Richhill by Edward Richardson), inArmagh County.

More than a dozen Bests have been knighted and had coats of arms.For example, James De Best of London, son of James De Best of Flanderswas knighted July 4, 1617. James Best was a member of the gentry in theNorth Riding of Yorkshire and moved to East Riding and lived in therectory house of Hatton Cranswick near Driffield, known as the burialplace of Alfred, King of Northumbia. In 1598 James purchased the manorof Emswell about two miles from Driffield. James Best died in April 1617and left his manor of Emswell and land at Beverly to his eldest son Paul.Paul Best (1590?-1657) became a controversial pamphleteer and was imprisonedin 1644 and sentenced to be hanged for distributing a pamphlet “MysteriesDiscovered” in which he attacked the doctrine of the Trinity. He wasreleased by Cromwell supporters in 1647.

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William Draper Best (1767-1845) was the first Baron of Wynford, ajudge, a Member of Parliament, solicitor-general to the Prince of Wales,chief justice of Chester, knighted in 1819, and served in the House ofLords as Lord Wynford in 1829. A Best family of Kent, England moved toIreland in the 1600’s and settled in Leinster (south-east Ireland).These Bests became prominent in Dublin, Carlow County (Leinster) andadjacent counties. Some of these Best families moved from England toAntrim, Armagh, and Tyrone counties in Ulster (northern Ireland) andsome moved to America. The given name Elias appears frequently amongthese Bests.

Best Coats of Arms and Crests

Burke’s “The General Armory” describes Arms and Crests for 16 Bestfamilies in Britain using traditional legal language and Latinabbreviations. For example, the Coat of Arms of William Draper Best(1767-1845) the first Lord Wynford is described by Burke as follows:Arms - Sa. a cinquefoil within an orle of crosses crosslet or, on acanton of the last a portcullis of the first. Crest - Out of a ducalcoronet or, a demi-ostrich rising ar. in its beak a cross crossletfitchee gold, gorged with a plain collar and pendent therefrom a portcullissa. Supporters - Two eagles reguard. wings elevated, each standing on aRoman fasces, all ppr. Motto - Libertas in Legibus.

Most of the Best crests show a silver ostrich rising out of a goldcrown. The ostrich has a gold cross or horseshoe or snake in its beak.Some Best crests show a human forearm holding a sword or an archer’s bow.Some show a griffen’s head. The crest of the Dutch village of Beestdates back to the Crusades and has an ostrich rising out of a crown witha horseshoe in its beak. The only Best listed in Burke for Ireland(1652) has Arms described as follows: Ar. a fess gu. betw. three leopards’faces in chief and as many martlets in base sa. Translated into ordinaryEnglish: The Best arms is a shield having a silver background and a redhorizontal band across the middle of the shield. The top part of theshield has three black leopards’ faces. The bottom part of the shieldhas three black birds (martlets).

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Best Family Soldiers in Revolutionary War

Soldier Ancestor of

Absolom Kent Rachel Kent m. Jacob Best ? Rickard Jacob S. Rickard m. Nancy Ann BestCharles Clifford Abram Clifford m. Margaret C. BestJohn Megaw Sr. John Megaw Jr. m. Catherine Best ? Reynolds William Charles Reynolds m. Sarah BestThomas Fairbrother William Z. Fairbrother m. Matilda BestThomas Nance Mary Ann Nance m. Samuel Best ? Ross John M. Ross m. Jane BestRichard Williams John M. Ross m. Jane BestAdam Nicely Sr. Adam Nicely m. Rachel BestDr. Felix Brunot Felix R. Brunot m. Gertrude J. Deal

The above list is from Helen Brodine’s papers and has not been

confirmed.

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American Bests

Several Best families emigrated to America from the British Islesduring the 1600’s and 1700’s. Christopher Best immigrated to JamesCity, Virginia in 1623. In 1635 Richard Best (age 18) and Thomas Best(age 33) immigrated from Gravesend, England to Barbadoes. Francis Bestcame to James City, Virginia in the ship “George” in 1635. John Best, atailor, came to Salem, Mass. in 1635 from Sandwich, Canterbury, Englandin the “Hercules”. Immigrants to New York in May 1661 on the “Beaver”included Peter Marcelis van Beest. Several members of the van Beestfamily immigrated in 1663.

In 1964 there were 33,430 individuals named Best in the UnitedStates. The name Best ranked as the 796th most common surname. In 1985there were 10,330 families named Best listed in telephone books of theUnited States, distributed as follows:

North Carolina 1092 Arizona 118California 850 Oregon 115New York 818 Minnesota 112Texas 597 Kansas 109Pennsylvania 596 Louisiana 90Florida 539 Arkansas 89Ohio 531 Nebraska 89Illinois 524 Utah 85Michigan 365 Connecticut 77New Jersey 270 District of Columbia 74Indiana 237 Montana 63Tennessee 221 Mississippi 56Wisconsin 207 New Mexico 55Missouri 204 Idaho 53Virginia 192 Delaware 33Washington 190 South Dakota 31Massachusetts 178 Vermont 28Oklahoma 178 North Dakota 26Kentucky 172 Maine 25Georgia 172 Alaska 24South Carolina 170 West Virginia 19Maryland 159 Nevada 18Colorado 154 New Hampshire 17Iowa 135 Rhode Island 15Alabama 131 Hawaii 14

Wyoming 14

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Scotch-Irish Immigrants to Pennsylvania

The Scotch-Irish were descendants of protestant Scots who had beensent by the English government to colonize Ulster (northern Ireland)during the early 1600’s. During the 1700’s the Episcopal gentry inDublin persecuted the Presbyterian Scots as they had persecuted theCatholic majority. One result of this was that many Scotch-IrishPresbyterians emigrated to America. The potato famines of 1729 and 1740and the economic depression starting with the panic of 1772 also resultedin massive emigration of both Irish Catholics and Ulster Scots toAmerica. Oppressive taxation, forced labor, evictions, beatings, etc.resulted in armed rebellions after 1760 which resulted in furtheremigration, especially from Ulster, and thousands of embittered farmersfled to America.

Prior to 1752 there were no non-indian settlements in the wildernessof western Pennsylvania. Immigration to western Pennsylvania by theScotch-Irish in mass numbers began with the opening of the land office in1769 when thousands of applications for warrants were filed. Thelargest number of settlers under the New Purchase were Scotch-Irish,coming either directly from Ulster, Ireland, or from eastern Pennsylvania,especially from the Scotch-Irish “nursery” in the Cumberland Valley, orfrom Virginia and Maryland. By 1775 Ligonier Valley was well settled,

mostly by Scotch-Irish families.

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German Bests in Westmoreland County

Among the earliest settlers of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvaniawere a number of German families named Best who preceeded arrival of theScotch-Irish Bests by 16 or more years. During 1738-1771 many Germanimmigrants came to Pennsylvania from Hesse and other German provinces,including Hans Yerrick Best and Johann Georg Best. German churchrecords for Westmoreland County, 1772-1791, list 13 babies named Bestbeing baptised to couples such as Cornelius and Elisabetha Best andWilhelm and Catharina Best. However, the 1790 census lists only sevenBest families in all of Pennsylvania (Frederick, Henery, Henry, Michel,Robert, Thomas, and William). Two of these Best families were inWestmoreland County: William Best (1733-1823) in Hempfield Township andRobert Best in Salem Township. William Best (not related to the writerof this history) born in Germany, was the eldest son of Wilhelm Bescht(1713-1762) who brought his family to America when William (1733-1823)was five years old (see Appendix X for a more detailed account of theseGerman Bests).

In 1773 or 1774 William Best (1733-1823) moved his family toWestmoreland County, Pa. where he purchased 338 acres in what is nownorth Greensburg, Pa. This land, which William called Beassburg, wasbounded on the south by the northern boundary of the original Borough ofGreensburg of 1799. Here William Best cleared and cultivated a largefarm and built a saw-mill and mill dam on the north branch of Sewickleycreek.

William Best (1733) had ten children: Henry, Nicholas, ElizabethWilliam Best Jr. (1779-1849), Catherine, Michael, George, Barbara, Susanna,and Maria.

In 1801 Henry Best moved to Beaver Township in Clarion County, Pa.and built a mill there. In 1818 William Best Sr. sold 208 acres of hisfarm including his mill to Matthew and William Jack for $55 per acre inbonds. William Jack was one of the founders of Greensburg. Then WilliamBest Sr. purchased several hundred acres for each of his children inClarion County. In 1821 William Best Sr. sold the remainder of hisproperty in Greensburg and moved to Clarion County where he lived thelast two years of his life near his sons and daughters.

Thereafter, the only Bests remaining in Westmoreland County, Pa.were the English family of James Best, Sr. and his children who were

living on Chestnut Ridge and in Ligonier valley.

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Chapter 3

James Best Senior, the Immigrant

The Bests that are related to the writer of this history aredescended from an English immigrant James Best, Sr. born 1740-1750 whomoved to Westmoreland County, Pa. about 1795, lived to be over 80 anddied before May 1831. Family legend, as recorded in 1906 by genealogistJohn Jordan said that “Mr. Best is of Scotch-Irish descent, the founderof the family, however, having come from England.” The birth-year rangeof 1740-1750 is derived from the 1830 census of Westmoreland County.

The only James Best listed in the Mormon records for Ireland in1740-1750 was born November 30, 1750 in the town of Donaghmore in TyroneCounty, Ulster, Ireland. This Ulster James Best was the son of David andJane Best of Donaghmore and died young. Since our James Best did notname any of his sons David, this Ulster James Best is probably not ours.

Our James Best named his first son Elias, which suggests that Jameshad a brother or father named Elias Best. There were several Elias Bestsin Dublin, Ireland and in Bestville, Carlow County, Ireland. There wasa Sir Elias Best, knight, whose 1687 will was probated in Dublin. Therewas an Elias Best born 1706 in Dublin who is the right age to be our JamesBest’s father, but no birth or baptism record has been found for James asupposed son of Elias. This Elias Best born in 1706 was a son of ArundellBest an attorney.

Alternatively, James may have been born in England. A search ofEnglish birth records has yielded the following candidates for years1740-1750: Old Swinford, Worchester, England

James Best, born April 7, 1740 son of John and Mary Best Rotherham, Yorkshire, England

James Best, baptised April 2, 1746 son of James Best Godstone, Surrey, England

James Best, baptis. Sept 30, 1749 son of William and Mary Best Saint Martin, Birmingham, Warwick, England

James Best, baptised April 14, 1741 son of Joseph Best Saint John Baptist, Gloucester, England

James Best, born Aug 28, 1748 son of Edward and Hester Best Saint Peter Cathedral, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England

James Best, baptised August 30, 1749 son of Abraham Best Saint Peter, Leeds, Yorkshire, England

James Best, baptis. Sept 6, 1749 son of James and Susan BestWe do not have enough information to decide which of these James Bests,if any, emigrated to America.

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Why our James Best sailed from England rather than Ireland is notexplained in Jordan’s Westmoreland County history. The stay in Englandmay have been only temporary while James sought passage on an America-bound ship. The immediate reason for James’s decision to emigrate wasprobably economic. The economic panic of 1772 beginning with thecollapse in June 1772 of several London banks resulted in a depression incommerce and manufacturing in the British Isles that continued into 1773and 1774. Also by 1772 monetary inflation from the pre-1772 boom inducedlandlords to raise rents which ruined small farmers and resulted inunemployment in rural areas. A businessman in Glasgow wrote in a 1774letter: “Many hundreds of labourers and mechanics, especially weavers inthis neighbourhood, have lately indented and gone to America.”

Companies were formed in the British Isles to facilitate emigrationand promoters called “Newlanders” were hired to enlist emigrants. TheseNewlanders dressed in expensive clothes and gave lectures pitching thenotion that everyone could become rich if only they would emigrate toAmerica. And what if you had no money to pay for the voyage? No problem,just sign the Indenture form and work off your debt in America. Inprinciple, a person so indentured could redeem his freedom after arrivingin America. Hence they were called Redemptioners. In practice they werea temporary slave to whoever bought the Indenture certificate from theship captain. American businessmen wanted thousands of indentured servantsto work in wilderness settlements. Such businessmen bought whole townshipsof wilderness in America for a few shillings per acre and arrangedtransportation of servants and settlers from ports of entry. This tradein Redemptioners was a business, like the trade in slaves.

Frank R. Diffenderffer’s book The German Immigration into PennsylvaniaThrough the Port of Philadelphia, 1700-1775, describes Irish immigrationtoo and provides a poignant description of the process of indenturing,the filthy and diseased conditions of the ships (children under 8 yearsold and the elderly frequently died on the voyage), and the swindlingship captains and the Newlanders. A typical redemptioner’s certificatefollows, with the names changed to James Best and Captain Jones:

This INDENTURE Witnesseth that James Best a Laborer doth Voluntarily put himself Servant to CaptainStephen Jones Master of the Snow Sally to serve the said Stephen Jones and his Assigns, for and during the fullSpace, Time and Term of three Years from the first Day of the said James’s arrival in Philadelphia in AMERICA,during which Time or Term the said Master or his Assigns shall and will find and supply the said James withsufficient Meat, Drink, Apparel, Lodging and all other necessaries befitting such a Servant, and at the end andexpiration of said Term, the said James to be made Free, and receive according to the Custom of the Country.Provided nevertheless, and these Presents are on this Condition, that if the said James shall pay the said StephenJones or his Assigns 15 Pounds British in twenty one Days after his arrival he shall be Free, and the aboveIndenture and every Clause therein, absolutely Void and of no Effect. In Witness whereof the said Parties havehereunto interchangeably put their Hands and Seals the 6th Day of July in the Year of our Lord, One ThousandSeven Hundred and Seventy Three in the Presence of the Right Worshipful Mayor of the City of London.

(signatures)

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On July 6, 1773 James Best (at age 23?) sailed from Gravesend, the Portof London, on the snow Sally and landed at Philadelphia on August 31, 1773.This James Best was indentured to the ship’s Captain Stephen Jones. JamesBest’s term of indenture was 3 years. When the ship landed, Captain Jonessold the 60 or more servants to whoever paid the asked price. For James Bestthe price was 15 British Pounds. Sale of these servants began on September4 and continued through October 4. A snow was a type of sailing vessel withtwo masts like a brig and with an extra sail attached to a short mast at thebottom of the main (aft) mast. According to Lloyd’s Register of Shipping thesnow Sally of Captain Jones was of 140 tons net and was owned by Rodd & Co.It was built in New England in 1771 and was in A1 condition in 1773.

Whenever a ship arrived in Philadelphia with servants aboard, thecaptain would often advertise in the Pennsylvania Gazette, a weeklyPhiladelphia newspaper, that servants were for sale. Captain Jones didnot advertise in September 1773, perhaps because a competitor fromRotterdam, Captain John Osmond had already advertised in the September 1issue and Osmond’s ship was also named Sally. However, a year later theSnow Sally returned to Philadelphia and in the August 17, 1774 issue ofthe Gazette, Captain Jones did advertise as follows:

Just imported, on board the Snow Sally, Captain Stephen Jones,Master, from England,

A number of healthy, stout English and Welsh Servants and Redemptioners, and afew Palatines [Germans], amongst whom are the following tradesmen, viz. Blacksmiths,watch-makers, coppersmiths, taylors, shoemakers, ship-carpenters and caulkers, weavers,cabinet-makers, ship-joiners, nailers, engravers, copperplate printers, plasterers, bricklayers,sawyers and painters. Also schoolmasters, clerks and book-keepers, farmers and labourers,and some lively smart boys, fit for various other employments, whose times are to be disposedof. Enquire of the Captain on board the vessel, off Walnut-street wharff, or of MEASE andCALDWELL.

When a buyer paid the asked price to the ship captain, the captainhanded the Indenture certificate to the buyer and had the sale recordedby the city court clerk, just as with a sale of a slave.

The Philadelphia Mayor’s Court Indenture Book page 742, for September18, 1773 has the following entry:

James Best. Who was under Indenture of Redemption to CaptainStephen Jones now cancelled in consideration of £ 15,paid for his Passage from London bound a servant toDavid Riddinhouse [sic] of the City of Philadelphia& assigns three years to befound all necessaries.

James Best was sold on Saturday September 18, 1773 to David Rittenhouse(1732-1796) the famous clock maker and astronomer of Philadelphia.Rittenhouse was a friend of Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson and was State

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Treasurer of Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary War. Although Rittenhousecirculated in the highest social circles, he was not very wealthy. But hehad a successful clock making business near Philadelphia. Rittenhouse thenlived in a brick house on the southeast corner of Seventh and MulberryStreets then on the outskirts of the settled part of Philadelphia. Rittenhouse’ssecond wife Hannah was expecting her first child in October 1773 and wastaking care of her husband’s young daughters by his first wife, so it isobvious why Rittenhouse needed a servant in September 1773.

Family legend says that our James Best was a gardener or butler fora wealthy man and that James ran off with a sixteen year old girl namedCatherine Cruson whose wealthy relatives included two brothers who owneda shipping company. Family legend also says our James Best arrived atPhiladelphia. The assumption is usually made that James Best was aservant of Catherine’s wealthy relatives, but it is not necessary toassume that. The James Best who arrived at Philadelphia on August 31became a servant of a moderately wealthy man and therefore qualifies asthe James Best of family legend. He also arrived at just the right time.Since we know from a grave stone (Fairmont cemetery near Stahlstown)that James and Catherine’s first child Mary Best was born December 11,1774, Mary was conceived about March 1774. Hence James and Catherineprobably eloped in late 1773 or early 1774. Mary Best was born inPennsylvania according to three of her children in the 1880 census. Hermother Catherine was born in 1755-1765 according to the 1810 census.This is consistent with family legend that Catherine was a teenager whenshe married James Best. Women tend to become infertile in their early40’s which places a lower limit on when Catherine could have been born.It is very unlikely she was born before 1755 and probably not before1757. A birth year of 1758 would make Catherine 16 in 1774 when herfirst child Mary was born and 42 in 1800 when her last child Jane wasborn.

Family legend says they were married in “a little brick church inN.Y.” but a search of the marriage records for New York churches failedto produce such a record. There is also a family legend that the churchburned down. There was a church in New York City in 1773 named the BrickPresbyterian Church, founded in 1767. Unfortunately records prior to1809 are lost.

The 1774 tax roll for Philadelphia shows David Rittenhouse with noservants, but we know from the Indenture Book that James Best was hisservant in September 1773. That is consistent with the Best familylegend that James Best was a servant who ran away. Scotch-Irish immigrantswere generally considered unreliable by servant masters because theytended to run away and not complete their term of servitude. Servantmasters often advertised in the Pennsylvania Gazette offering rewards forreturn of runaway servants. However, a search of all pages of the Gazette for

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September 1, 1773 through September 28, 1774 failed to find such an advertisementfor the return of James Best.

In 1774 Philadelphia was a hotbed of revolutionary ferment. TheBoston Tea Party had occurred on December 16, 1773 and there were many inPhiladelphia who supported Boston’s stand against the British. Butservant James Best, being a recent immigrant from England, may havesided with the British loyalists, although his name is not listed inpublished lists of known Loyalists. Since his servant master Rittenhousehad sided with the revolutionaries and British army recruiters wereinviting servants to be free of their servitude by joining the Britisharmy, James may have taken this as his cue to run away. The term of JamesBest’s indenture would not expire until August 31, 1776.

We do not know exactly where James and Catherine Best lived duringthe Revolutionary War, but the 6 year gap (1774-1780) between the birthsof James’s first and second children suggests that James was separatedfrom Catherine during the war. Best family legend says James Best was asoldier in the Revolutionary War and was “captured” by the British.There were four James Bests who fought in the Revolutionary War on theAmerican side. None of these four can be our Westmoreland County JamesBest. There were also two British soldiers named James Best, but neitherof these could have been our James Best. A James Bett was listed among8000 prisoners on the British prison ship the Old Jersey according to“American Prisoners of the Revolution” by Danske Dandridge, 1967. Thelist was carelessly kept and is full of obvious mistakes in spelling thenames, according to Dandridge. The name Bett could easily be a corruptionof Best. But nothing more is known about these British prisoners.

James Best’s wife Catherine Cruson and their baby Mary may havebeen living with relatives during the war years, perhaps with the tworich uncles of family legend, while James was away from home. Perhapsshe was living in Philadelphia. The British had lost Philadelphia to theAmericans in June 1778 and Philadelphia was under military law. Wives ofBritish soldiers and other Loyalists were evicted from Philadelphia inearly 1779. On March 7, 1779 the Philadelphia City Council decreed thatLoyalist wives must go to their respective husbands behind British linesbefore April 15, 1779 and not return. If Catherine was living inPhiladelphia in 1779 she probably left before April 15, 1779.

If James Best and Catherine Cruson were reunited in early 1779 andif conception of their second child Elias took place soon afterwards,the birth of Elias would be in early 1780. According to the 1850 censusfor Westmoreland County, PA, Elias Best was born in late 1779 or early1780.

James and Catherine’s children Elias, John, Jacob and James Junior wereborn in 1780-1788 in Pennsylvania, but James did not move to Westmoreland

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County until around 1795. We do not know with certainty where James Best’sfamily lived before 1798. However, a James Best was paying taxes in 1779-1787 in Fermanagh Township, then in Cumberland County, now in Juniata County.The early records for Cumberland County are in Carlisle and the PA StateArchives. This James Best first shows up on the Cumberland County supply taxroll in 1779 the same year that our James returned to his wife Catherine. Itis therefore plausible that the Cumberland County James Best was the same asour James Best. No Fermanagh Township birth records exist for the 1780’s.Fermanagh Township was settled mostly by Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. Theearliest church there was the Cedar Spring church, but no records survivefrom the 1780’s.

The Cumberland County, Fermanagh Township 1778-1785 tax rolls arein the Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol 20, pages 154, 287, and 512.The 1785-1789 tax rolls are on microfilm RG4, PA Archives:

1778 no Best1779 James Best 0 acres 2 horses 1 cow and Samuel Best1780 James Best 0 acres 2 horses 1 cow1781 James Best 50 acres 1 cow1782 no Best1783 no information1784 no information1785 James Best 50 acres 1 horse 1 cow1786 James Best 50 acres 1 cow1787 James Best 50 acres 1 cow and Samuel Best1788 no Best1789 Fermanagh Township changed to Mifflin County1789 no Best1790 no information1791 no information1792 no information1793 no information1794 James Best 1 horse 1 cow

There was also a Samuel Best in the 1779 and 1787 tax rolls forFermanagh Township. Samuel owned no land but owned one cow in 1779 andone horse and one cow in 1787. This Samuel Best is listed in the PAArchives 3rd Series, vol. 23 as a frontier ranger for Cumberland Countyin 1778-1783, in the militia in March 1778 as a private under Capt. JamesMcConal (PA Archives Series 5, vol 6 page 252) and in 1780 as a privatein the militia in Capt. Hugh McAlister’s company. This Samuel Best mayhave been James Best’s brother, which suggests that the 50 acres of JamesBest may have been near McAlisterville, PA, (founded by Hugh McAlister)then in Fermanagh Township, now in Fayette Township. Prior to 1789 FermanaghTownship included land now in the townships of Fermanagh, Fayette, Walker,and Delaware west of of Cockalumus Creek and north of the Juniata River.

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No warrant, survey, patent, or deed has been found for the 50 acres of JamesBest. James apparently sold his 50 acres (or terminated a lease) in 1794 andmoved his family west across the mountains.

The 1779 Cumberland County tax roll also lists a William Crosson asowning 50 acres, one horse and one cow. William Crosson is listed in the1785 tax roll as not owning any land, but James Best is listed with 50acres. William Crosson or William Crawson appears in the tax rolls for1785, 1787, 1788, and 1789 with no land. It is possible that William wasCatherine’s father and William leased or loaned his 50 acres to his son-in-law James Best. But this is pure conjecture and no evidence has been

found to support it.

James Best and Catherine in Ohio

In 1794 James apparently left his land in Mifflin County, PA andtraveled west with his family across the mountains. Family legend saidthey left Pennsylvania during Indian troubles and went to Ohio. ThisOhio period was probably around 1788-1795. James Best does not appear onthe Cumberland County or Westmoreland County, PA. tax rolls for 1788,1789 and 1792 and does not appear in the Federal census of 1790 forPennsylvania. However his daughter Catherine was born in Pennsylvaniaon Jan. 31, 1789 according to Hanna’s Ohio Valley Genealogies. There isno 1790 census for Ohio and no record has been found of James Best inOhio. In July 1787 the U.S. Congress passed an Ordinance setting up theNorthwest Territory, now the state of Ohio. Companies were formed in1787 to establish settlements in the Ohio wilderness and publishedinvitations to settlers. James Best may have been attracted to Ohio bythis publicity. James Best disappeared from the Mifflin County, Pa taxroll in 1795. But he may also have found Indian troubles to be worse inOhio than in Pennsylvania.

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Who was Catherine Crusan?

Although Best family legend says that Catherine Cruson came fromHolland and James eloped with Catherine from England, this seems unlikelybecause in the passenger lists for 1770-1774 that mention immigrantsnamed James Best there is no mention of a wife and no mention of aCatherine Cruson. It seems far more likely that James met CatherineCruson of Holland Dutch ancestry after he arrived in America. PerhapsCatherine’s relatives were descended from the Holland Dutch immigrantGerret Croesen (1639-1680). In 1774 there were several wealthy Crusonfamilies descended from Gerret Croesen living in Bucks County, Pa, inPhiladelphia, in Maryland, and in New Jersey. Some owned slaves orservants. Since David Rittenhouse sold his expensive clocks to wealthypeople he probably knew most of the wealthy people in Philadelphiaincluding Catherine Cruson’s relatives. However, I could find no linkbetween any of these Crusons and the Bests. In American church recordsthere are two babys named Catherine/Catrina Cruson/Kroesen who were bornat the right time. Both of their fathers were named Derrick (Dutch forRichard) Kroesen and were cousins. If Catherine was born in 1757 shewould be 17 in 1774 when her first child Mary was born and 43 in 1800 whenher last child Jane was born.

No hard evidence has been found to link the Best and Cruson families,only family legend, but a sketch of the Bucks County Pa. and MarylandCruson families and the two Catherines descended from Gerrit DircksenCroeson (1639-1680) is included in Appendix VIII in case a link is foundlater. I found no evidence of the Best family legend about CatherineCruson being an heiress of millions of dollars inherited from twowealthy uncles who owned a shipping company in Holland. These storiesseem to have come from unrelated families.

In the 1830 federal census of Philadelphia County, Northern LibertiesTownship, page 146 is listed a Catherine Cruson age 60-70 (born 1760-1770) living with a younger woman (not Jane Logan) age 20-30 (born 1800-1810) but with no men or children. Our James Best’s Catherine Cruson wasborn 1755-1765 according to the 1810 census for Westmoreland County, PA,which overlaps the birth year range of the Philadelphia Catherine. ThePhiladelphia Catherine was only 4-14 in 1774 when James Best’s Catherinehad her first child. According to Cruson specialist Marie Metzgar, thisCatherine Cruson was Catherine Hartley, widow of Jacob Krewson (born 7May, 1767 Bucks County, PA) son of Derrick Kroesen and Margareta VanArsdalen. The younger woman was her daughter Elizabeth. I could find noland or tax records for Northern Liberties Township.

James Best’s wife Catherine was not in the 1830 census of WestmorelandCounty and James’s 1829 will does not mention a wife. Perhaps they weredivorced or separated or Catherine was dead by 1829. Family legend says

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Catherine’s wealthy relatives invited her and her family to return with themand she would never have to work again. But James refused, according tolegend. Maybe Catherine accepted the offer.

Two women with names similar to Catherine Cruson, who were theright age (16-18) to marry James Best in 1774 were both named CatrinaKroesen. These two Catrinas were second cousins and are further discussedin Appendix VIII.

The most likely candidate was Catrina Kroesen, daughter of DerickKroesen and Elizabeth Van Nuys, and baptised August 15, 1756 in the SixMile Run Reformed Church in Maidenhead, Franklin Twp, Somerset County,New Jersey, less than 60 miles from Philadelphia. This Catrina was 17years old in 1773, the year that James Best arrived in Philadelphia,which almost agrees with family legend. Derrick Kroesen and ElizabethVan Nuys moved to Berkley County, Virginia about 1776-1783. John Best’swife Margaret Cruson was born in Virginia in 1780. There may be noconnection.

The other candidate for the wife of James Best was Catrina Kroesen,daughter of Derrick Kroesen (Richard Crawson) and Elizabeth Vandegrift,and baptised April 13, 1757 in the Reformed Dutch Church, Churchville,Bucks County, Pa. The 1776 census for Harford County, Maryland liststhis Catherine age 19 and her sister Elizabeth living with their parentsRichard and Elizabeth Cruse and a Vandigraft child. Harford County isnortheast of Baltimore and is about 60 miles from Philadelphia. In 1776James Best’s first child Mary was one year old. Although a child oneyear old is listed in the 1776 census with Richard Cruse and daughterCatherine, the baby’s name was Elisabeth Stiles not Mary Best. Hence,this Catrina Kroesen was probably not the wife of our James Best.

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James Best and Catherine in Westmoreland County, PA

Around 1793-1797 James Best moved his family to Westmoreland County,Pennsylvania and settled on a farm on Chestnut Ridge in Donegal Township.The Federal Direct Tax List for 1798 lists James Best as head of the onlyBest family in Donegal Township. The 1800 Federal census also listsJames Best as head of the only Best family in Donegal Township.

Also in Westmoreland County, PA was an Alexander Best who appearsin the payrolls of the Pennsylvania Militia for 1792, 1793, and 1794 (PAArchives 6th Series, Volume 5 pages 689, 709, 775). We do not knowwhether Alexander Best and James Best were related. James named one ofhis sons Alexander, born about 1797.

In 1798 James Best Sr. was a farmer on 143 acres of land owned byJoseph McLean in Donegal Township about 3 miles north-west of Stahlstown.McLean bought this 143 acres and another 100 acres in 1795. The landpassed to Joseph McLean Jr. who sold it in 1854. This land is located onthe east slope near the crest of Chestnut Ridge in the northern tip ofDonegal Township just west of the Cook Township line. McLean’s landincluded the following buildings:

1 cabin 15' by 18'1 outhouse 15' by 18'1 stable 18' by 20'1 stable 15' by 18'

According to the tax list of 1798 for Donegal Township, McLean’s land wasvalued at $362 and the buildings at $16.

James Best Sr. and his wife Catherine had ten children: born died spouse

Mary Best Dec 11 1774 Nov 24 1844 Alexander HunterElias Best 1780 Dec 4 1850 Nancy Ann ArchboldJohn Best 1781-1784 Jan 31 1845 Margaret CrusonJacob Best Apr 1 1785 Aug 2 1866 Rachel Kent “ Elizabeth ShaleJames Best Jr. 1787 1817 Mary G. CampbellCatherine Best Jan 31 1789 Sept 9 1847 John MegawPeter Best 1791-1794 1847 Margaret Taggart “ Isabella BlazeSamuel Best 1794-1800 Mary LewisAlexander Best 1791-1800Jane Best 1800 after 1850 Joseph Logan

The Bests were Presbyterians and attended the Old Donegal PresbyterianChurch at Pleasant Grove. Pleasant Grove is in Cook Township on route711 about 3 miles north of Stahlstown, PA on the road between Ligonierand Donegal. Pleasant Grove was previously named Bottsville after William

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and Conrad Bott who operated a country store there from 1861 to 1893. ThePresbyterian church in Pleasant Grove was originally built of logs butwas rebuilt of stone in 1832 and is still being used as a church (as of1988). During 1836-1858 the Pleasant Grove church had about 110-140members, including about 30 Campbells and the same number of Bests. Someof the Bests are buried in the cemetery next to the church includingJacob Best (1785-1866) and James C. Best (1818-1899), son and grandsonof immigrant James Best Sr. respectively. The grave sites of James BestSr. and his sons Elias and John Best have not been located.

In 1823 James Best Sr. bought 100 acres of farm land one mile eastof Stahlstown from his son Elias Best. Since James was at least age 73 bythen, this land was clearly his retirement home.

When James Best Sr. died about May 1831, his 1829 will specifiedthat his land should not be sold for four years so that his youngestdaughter Jane Best Logan, a widow, would have a place to live. Afterfour years, the land was to be sold and the proceeds divided equallyamong his children. In March 1834 his son John Best Sr. bought the 100acre farm from James’s heirs for $350 and then in April 1834 resold itfor $550 to a Martin Miller who had also bought Samuel Best’s 20 acres.See Deed Book 26, pages 579-582 recorded 1843.

During 1819-1860 the Bests owned land east of Stahlstown, on theeast side and crest of Chestnut Ridge, on bottom land along Fourmile Run,and on McDowell Road east of Fourmile Run.

James Best’s wife is noted in the 1800 and 1810 census forPennsylvania, but James did not mention his wife in his will signed in1829. Hence, Catherine Cruson may have died during 1811-1829 at age of53-72, or James and Catherine may have separated.

The Cruson/Crusan name was passed down in the Best family fromgeneration to generation. At least three of James and Catherine’schildren named a daughter Catherine Cruson Best: Catherine Cruson Best d/o Elias Best married Michael Shank Catherine Cruson Best d/o John Best married Andrew Berry Catherine Cruson Best d/o Jacob Best married Capt. John Binkey

At least two of James and Catherine’s children named sons with middlenames of Cruson: Jacob Cruzen Best s/o Jacob Best married Harriet Walker Bitner Robert Cruson Best s/o John Best married Anna Barbara Bierer

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Chapter 4

Mary Best, daughter of James Best Sr.

Mary Best (Dec. 11, 1774 - Nov. 24, 1844), the eldest child ofimmigrant James Best Sr. married Alexander Hunter (April 20, 1772 -April 30, 1852) and had nine children:

born died spouseThomas Hunter 1797 1864 Isabella McKlveen b. 1807Catherine Hunter 1799 1878 never married d. in fireMary Hunter 1800 1890 her first cousin James J. BestJames Hunter 1803 1861 never marriedElizabeth Hunter 1805 1880+ never marriedElias Hunter 1810 1878 not married in 1861 d. from fireJane Hunter 1812 1884 John Peebles/PeoplesHanna Hunter 1810-1820 Joseph McMillenMargaret Hunter 1820 1870 John Alexander b. 1815 d. c1870

Three of Mary Best Hunter’s children believed she was born inPennsylvania as reported in the 1880 census: Elizabeth Hunter age 75 andMary Hunter Best age 80 in Lincoln Twp, Lucas County, Iowa, and JaneHunter Peebles age 68 in Unity Twp, Westmoreland County, Pa.

Alexander and Mary Hunter are buried in adjacent graves in Fairmontcemetery north of Stahlstown, Pa. His will is on file in Greensburg, Pa.Will Book No. 3 page 363, 1852.

There were three closely related Mary Hunter’s:1. Mary (Best) Hunter wife of Alexander Hunter.2. Mary Hunter, born in 1774-1775 and still alive in the 1850 census and living with James J. Best (1804-1870) was probably Alexander Hunter’s sister. James J. Best, who is also buried in Fairmont, was the eldest son of John Best Senior, the brother of Mary (Best) Hunter # 1.3. Mary (Hunter) Best (1800-1890), daughter of Alexander Hunter, and wife of James J. Best. In 1850 Mary Hunter # 2 was living with her niece Mary (Hunter) Best #3.Note that Mary Best married a Hunter and Mary Hunter married a Best. Wecan be sure that Mary Hunter #2 was not the daughter of James Best Sr.and Catherine Cruson because the family Bible of Mary Hunter Best #3,daughter of Alexander Hunter and Mary Best, gives the death date of hermother as December 1844. This comes close to the cemetery date ofNovember 24, 1844, but differs by one month which indicates that thecemetery stone was not the source of this family Bible data. Thedescendants of Alexander Hunter retell the legend about the wealthyCrusons. Therefore Mary Hunter #1 was the child of James Best andCatherine Cruson.

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Alexander Hunter was not listed in the 1792 tax assessment list forDonegal Township, Westmoreland County, Pa. He was taxed in DonegalTownship in 1802, in 1804-1808 as a warrantee for 100 acres, and in 1810on an improvement of 300 acres.

One of Alexander Hunter’s children Margaret Hunter married JohnAlexander and had 6 children including Elizabeth Creighton Alexander(1838-1907) who married her cousin Joesph Best son of Jacob Best.

After Alexander Hunter died in 1852, his wife Mary Best Hunter andsome of their grown children moved to Chariton, Lucas County, Iowa. On20 Nov 1878, there was a fire in their house in Iowa and their grownchildren Catherine Hunter (1799-1878) and Elias Hunter (c1810-1878) diedin the fire at the ages of 79 and 68 respectively. Although Mary BestHunter returned to PA and was buried next to her husband Alexander inWestmoreland Co, PA, at least four of their children died in Chariton,Iowa: Mary (1800-1890), James (1803-1861), Elizabeth (1805-c1880), andMargaret (1820-c1870). These were sisters and brother of the two whodied in the fire.

When their house burned, all papers and family Bible in the house wereprobably destroyed. Hence the only chance of James and Cathy’s storybeing passed down in writing through Mary’s line is if the story waswritten down after the fire in 1878 from the memories of the Hunter’s andBests in Iowa. Such a written story has not been found. Some of thechildren of Mary’s brother Jacob Best (1785-1866) also settled in Chariton,Iowa.

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Elias Best, son of James Best Sr.

Elias Best (1780-1850), the second child and eldest son of immigrantJames Best Sr. was born in Pennsylvania and was a farmer. He served inthe Pa. State Militia as a Sergeant. On May 12, 1812 when he was 32 yearsold, he was mustered to fight in the War of 1812 as a sergeant in the 13thdivision (Westmoreland County) 63rd Regiment, lst Brigade under CaptainJohn Hill and Lt. Isaac Mickey (Pennsylvania Archives 6th Series, Vol 7,p715)

In 1809 and 1810 Elias Best and his brother Jacob were living inOhio in Jefferson (now Harrison) County, Greene Township. Elias marriedNancy Ann Archbold (1781-c1878) who was the daughter of John and SarahArchbold of Harrison County, Ohio.

Elias’s children were:born died spouse

John A. Best 1805 1862 Elizabeth MonticueJames Best 1808 1852 Rebecca Jane [Hawkins?] KYMary Best abt 1810 Mr. Snyder or SlaterSarah Best abt 1812 James RamseyCatherine C. Best 1815 1891 Michael Shank from MarylandJacob Best 1818 1901 Sarah Louise Morgan from ALWilliam M. Best 1820 1892 Catherine Campbell “ Mary Magdalene RickardAlexander W. Best 1822 1885+ Sophronia from Grafton W. VaElias L. Best 1823 Nancy Glass in KY b. 1832Samuel S. Best 1824 1885 May Ann Nance from TNNancy Ann Best 1826 1891 Jacob S. Rickard b. 1826Peter Best 1829 1906 Caroline Hamill in KY

In 1819 Elias Best bought a 448 acre parcel (that is 7 tenths of asquare mile) of partly cleared farm land located east of the land ofEnoch Stahl which is now Stahlstown. The land bought by Elias Best hadbeen sold at a sheriff’s sale in 1816 and straddled the line which laterdivided Cook Township from Donegal Township. Elias sold 100 acres of thesouth eastern part of this land to his father James Best Sr. in 1823.The southern half of this 100 acres is good flat farm land. Running downthe middle of the 448 acres in a northeast-southwest direction is a stripof hilly woodland that was and is unsuitable for farming. In 1828 Eliassold 20 acres of this wooded strip to his brother Samuel Best and another24 acres to other people, leaving Elias with 304 acres of gently rollingfarm land on which he grew rye. In 1838 Elias owned six cows and threehorses. In 1830 Elias Best’s extended family included 14 members.

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Nancy Ann, Elias’s wife inherited 160 acres in Harrison County from herfather John Archbold who died May 16, 1826. Several heirs sued Elias andNancy Best in 1843 over this land. Elias and Nancy sold this land to RobertC. Best (Elias’s nephew) and John J. Campbell in 1849.

In 1841 Elias was in a hurry to sell his farm and move to the stateof Indiana where he had business activities. He signed a power ofattorney to his son Alexander Best who sold the 304 acre farm under acontract to Jacob Roadman and Joseph Lloyd for $2500. But later thenorthern 118 acres of the farm (excluding the low land south of FelgarRoad) reverted back to Elias. In 1850 Elias sold this 118 or 117 acresto his sons James and Jacob Best. Elias Best died Dec 4, 1850 ofgallstones. Nancy Ann, Elias’s wife was blind for 15 years before herdeath at 96 in about 1878.

In the 1850’s four of Elias Best’s sons and one daughter were inBarren County, Kentucky: Alexander W. Best (1822-), Elias L. Best (1823-) who married Nancy Glass (1832-), Samuel Best (1824-1885), Peter Best(1829-1906), and Catherine Crusan Best (1815-1891) wife of WilliamMichael Shank (1813-1894).

Elias’s first son John A. Best (1805-1862) married Elizabeth Monticueon May 22, 1835 in Donegal Township, Westmoreland County, PA. Elizabethwas a daughter of Nathaniel Monticue (1785-1860+) and Mary ElizabethBoon (1782-1860+) both from Maryland. John and Elizabeth Best moved toDarlington Township, Beaver County, PA where John was a coalminer.After the outbreak of the Civil War, at the age of 57 John joined theUnion Army in Company I of Regiment 100 of the Pennsylvania Volunteers.Several weeks later on September 21, 1862 John was killed at the battleof Bull Run or Antietam. Elizabeth applied for a widow’s pension whichwas granted. John and Elizabeth had 9 children: Mary (1835- ), William(1838- ), Elizabeth (1839- ), Robert (1841- ), Susanna (1844- ), Hannah(1848- ), James (1851- ), Emelia (1854- ) and David who died young.William joined Regiment 134 and died in the war on August 11, 1862.

Elias’s second son James Best (1808-c1852) was a farmer and marriedRebecca Jane [Hawkins?] (1825-) from Kentucky who was about 18 when shemarried James (17 years older). They had five children: Elias HawkinsBest (1844- ), Nancy Ann Best (1846- ), John Archibald Best (1847-1924),Mary Jane Best (1949- ) and Comfort Tilly Best (1851-). James Best diedabout 1852 in Westmoreland Co. About 1858 Rebecca Jane married JacobGrove Jr. (b. 1823) and the 1860 census shows the Best children in theJacob Grove family in Westmoreland County, PA. Rebecca had three morechildren by Jacob Grove. The Grove family including the Best childrenappears in the 1870 census of Conemaugh Borough, Cambria County, PA.

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The names J. Best and W. Best appear on an 1857 map of Cook Township atthe site of the 117 acre farm east of Stahlstown. Jacob was paying taxes onthe 117 acres until 1859. In 1859 Elias’ son William Best sold the 117 acresto Moses Hartman M.D. for $464, a large drop from its 1850 value of $1200.This land was later owned by Silas and Barbara (Binkey) Ross, grandaughter ofJacob Best.

Jacob Best (1-11-1818 - 7-29-1901), son of Elias Best, was a stonemason, married Sarah Louise Morgan (1823-1862) from Alabama, and hadchildren Elizabeth Ann (1844- ), Amanda Jane (1846-1893), Elias Alexander(June 1848- ), Nancy Ann (1849- ), Josephine (1852?-), Mary Caroline(Oct 1853- ), John James (Sept 1856- ), William, Margaret, and Samuel.

William Best (1820-1892), son of Elias Best, moved to a farm inLigonier Township and in the 1860’s moved to Derry Township. WilliamBest’s first wife was Catherine Campbell who bore him three children:Frances Molly Best (1843-c1855), Margaret Catherine Best (1844-1889) whomarried Abraham B. Clifford (1841-1932), and Samuel P. Cummins Best (10-7-1845 - 1928) who married (11-15-1882) Arvil B. Reid. William and hissecond wife Mary Magdalene Rickard (1818-1903) who was mentioned in his1892 will had two children: Sarah Nancy Best (1854-1941) who marriedMilford S. Utts (1856- ) and Susanna Mollie Best (1859-1941) who marriedRussell Kunkle (1865-1932).

Samuel P. Cummins Best was named after the family doctor. He livedin New Derry, PA and was a private in the Civil War in Capt. Thomas D.Black’s Co F, 21st Regiment, Pa Vol Cavalry, enrolled Feb 17, 1864,discharged July 8, 1865 at Lynchburg, Va.

William had a successful contracting business in Latrobe buildingbridges for the Pennsylvania Railroad and later constructing coke ovens.Elias’ widow Nancy Ann lived with her son William Best and his family aslate as the 1870 census, by which time Nancy Ann was 89 years old. In1880 Mary’s mother Sarah Richards (1797-1891) was living with William’sfamily.

Samuel B. Best (1824-1885), son of Elias Best, ran away as a boy fromLigonier Valley and settled in Tennessee. Sam owned a store in Winchesterand is said to have owned coal land. In 1860 Sam was living with hisbrother Peter Best and his family in Tennessee. On April 12, 1864 at theage of 40 Sam enlisted to fight in the Civil War in Company C, 25th N.Carolina Infantry, on the Confederate side. He was in Samuel C. Bryson’scompany and fought at Petersburg, Richmond, Crater, Globe Tavern, andAppomattox. Sam had chronic bronchitis and was hospitalized in Farmvilleand Petersburg. He was paroled as a prisoner of war at Appomattox CourtHouse, VA on April 9, 1865 and surrendered the following day by GeneralRobert E. Lee.

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After the war Samuel returned to Tennessee where on April 17, 1866 hemarried May Ann Nance (1833-1905) who was a teacher at a girls seminary. Shewas the daughter of Archibald Nance and Sarah Stevens. Sam was 42 and May was33 when they married. Their first child Saidee Best (1867-1928) was born inTennessee. Around 1868 they moved to Westmoreland County, PA where Samuel’sbrother William gave him a job in his construction business. Sam and Maywere charter members of the Derry Presbyterian Church where May taught SundaySchool. Sam and May had three more children: William Peter Best (1869-1926)who married Mary Mowry, John Samuel Best (1871-1961) who married JeannetteMacAuley (1872-1955), and May Elizabeth Best (1874-1960).

John Samuel Best was born in Derry, PA on Dec 2, 1871. He lived inYoungwood and worked 33 years for the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1920 inpartnership with John C. Lowe he founded the Best and Lowe Coal Co.John also founded and was president of the Penn Valley Coal Mining Co.He also served on the boards of the Fulton Coal Co. of New York and thePenn Valley Supply Co. John also owned a controlling interest in theStauffer Connellsville Coke Co. He helped organize and served as adirector of the Savings & Trust Co, of Youngwood. John was a Democratbut was not active in politics. He was a member of the Knights ofPythias lodge. John Best married Jeannette McAuley June 1, 1893 and hadfour children: John Raymond Best, Hazel Jean Best who married Floyd C.Kepple, Nellie Louise Best who married Newton Stairs, and VirginiaFrancis Best.

Peter Best (March 1829-1906), son of Elias Best, became a member ofthe Pleasant Grove Presbyterian church in Feb. 1847. Peter appears onthe Westmoreland County, Donegal Twp. tax list in 1849 and 1850 as asingle man. In early 1850 Peter and his sister Catherine and her husbandMichael Shank moved to Barren County, Kentucky where Peter met CarolineJ. Hamill (1836-1897) a native of Kentucky. Peter and Caroline weremarried April 3, 1851 in Barren County. Peter owned a distillery inKentucky. Peter and Caroline’s children were

John R. Best (1852-)Elias Samuel Best (1853-)William Best (1858-)Arthur Best (1860-1927)Laura Best (1863-1898)Elizabeth Best (1863-1948)Alexander Best (1873-1942)Clarence Best (1876-1942)

Peter and Caroline moved to Tennessee around 1854 and appear in the 1860census for Tennessee. Their children Samuel, William, Arthur, and Laurawere born in Tennessee. There is a family tradition that Peter killed avisitor in his home when he made suggestive remarks to Caroline and Petergrabbed a red hot poker from the fireplace and put it down the visitor’s

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throat. That may explain why Peter moved to Tennessee. Peter moved hisfamily back to Kentucky around 1863-1864 which was the same time thatGeneral Grant’s army occupied Kentucky and Tennessee. In 1867 Peter andCaroline purchased land in Barren County, Kentucky and in 1870 PeterBest and his family were living in Glasgow, Kentucky next door to Peter’ssister Catherine Cruson Best and her husband Michael Shank and theirfamily. By 1880 Peter and his family had moved farther north to HartCounty. In 1888 Peter bought property in Larue County, Kentucky. In1890 Peter bought another tract of land four miles east of Magnolia,Kentucky where he set up a whiskey still. In 1895 Larue County refused togrant him a liquor license for retail sale in a saloon. Peter got aroundthis problem by entering into a partnership with saloon owner H. C.Williams and later in 1896 by buying out his partner. Peter Best died in1906 in Larue County, Kentucky and is buried next to Caroline who died in1897.

Catherine Cruson Best (June 1, 1815 - Aug 28, 1891), daughter ofElias Best and Nancy Ann Archbold, married (on July 31, 1840) WilliamMichael Shank (1813-1894) a stone mason. Their children were: JohnArchbold Best Shank (1841-1864) who died a sergeant in the Civil War,Cyrus Shank (1843-1905), Elias Shank (1845-1916) a private wounded inthe Civil War, Nancy Ann Shank (1848-1854), Oliver Shank (1851-1854),and Barbara Jane Shank (1852-1943). William and Catherine and theirchildren appear in the 1850 census for Donegal, Westmoreland County, PA,In June 1854 William and Catherine and their family moved to Glasgow,Barren County, Kentucky with Catherine’s brothers Elias Jr, Peter,Samuel, and Alexander Best. Nancy Shank (age 5 years) and Oliver (age 3years) did not survive the June 1854 trip to Kentucky. That was duringthe drought in Pennsylvania which may have been the reason they moved.Perhaps Kentucky was also hit by drought and the family was starving. InKentucky, Michael and Catherine had two more children: Mary Sarah AnnShank (1855-1933) and Emma Shank (1857-1941).

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John Best, son of James Best Sr.

John Best, second son of James Best Sr, was born in Pennsylvaniaperhaps near McAlisterville, between 1781 and 1784 and died Jan 31, 1845in Westmoreland County, PA. John Best was brought as a boy by hisparents to Ligonier valley, PA. prior to 1798. John Best was raised andlived his life as a farmer. John’s wife Margaret Cruson was born inVirginia in 1780. Margaret was illiterate as many people were then. Shewas 23 years old in 1803 and died after 1860.

John Best Sr. and his wife Margaret had six children: born died spouse

James J. Best 10-27-1804 11-26-1870 Mary Hunter b. 1800Mary Best 1806 Thomas W. DavisonJohn Best, Jr. c 1810 1846+Robert C. Best, Sr. 1812 March 1, 1865 Anna Barbara BiererCatherine C. Best 1823 after 1880 Andrew Berry b. 1827Thomas C. Best 1825 after 1850

In 1800 John Best was still a teenager living with his father James.In 1805 John Best was married and was taxed in Donegal Twp. for 2 cattle,and in 1806 for 2 cattle, 1 gelding. In 1807 he owned 1 cow and 2 maresand was improving 100 acres. In the 1810 census, John’s household islisted separately from that of his father James Best Sr.

John Best fought in the War of 1812-14 with the fourth class men No.138 in the 8th company, 118th regiment of the Pennsylvania Militia(Pennsylvania Archives 6th series, Vol 7, page 555 and Vol 9, page 117).John and Jacob Best fought in the same company.

John Best lived on a 60 acre farm located a few miles west of theroad between Donegal and Ligonier on Fourmile Run (creek), about 4 milesnorth of Stahlstown, 2 miles due north of Mansville. John was a tenantfarmer on the north end of a 210 acre parcel owned by Thomas Campbell Sr.on which Campbell also resided. In 1818 Campbell deeded the north 60acres to John Best in exchange for John Best’s agreement to pay Campbell’slegal costs in a suit brought by another tenant Hugh McDonald againstCampbell. The apex of this triangular-shaped piece of land lying west ofthe road is steep and wooded. The tillable part of the 60 acres isbottom land lying east of the road and straddles Fourmile Run. This landwas called “Big Bottom”.

In 1819 Thomas Campbell sold the remaining 150 acres of Big Bottom toJohn Best and John’s sister-in-law Mary G. Best for $1976, but they soldit back to Campbell in 1821 for the same price. John Best kept title tothe 60 acres until 1827. But in 1820 apparently something happened tomake John want to leave Ligonier valley.

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In 1820 John Best bought 133 acres (20 acres cleared) on the crest ofChestnut Ridge for $100 and received title to the land in 1823. Thisland is less than two miles north of the McLean land where John wasraised as a boy. The 133 acres, now part of land owned by the BenedictineSociety (a Roman Catholic monastery), encircled the spot where fourtownships join: Unity, Mount Pleasant, Donegal and Cook. The cleared 20acres were accessible from the Mount Pleasant side of Chestnut Ridge.John was thereafter considered a resident of Mount Pleasant Township andappears as such in the 1830 and 1840 census. John built a cabin houseand barn on this ridge land and lived there for the rest of his life.When John died in 1845, 100 acres were cleared.

In 1827 Thomas Campbell still owed John Best $185. Best suedCampbell in 1827 for the money. Best won a judgment against Campbell,but Campbell had no liquid assets. Campbell’s 150 acres (of which 85acres were cleared) were sold at a Sheriff’s sale to pay the debt. Thisproperty included 25 acres of meadow, 3 cabin houses, 3 barns, and 2apple orchards. But the 150 acres was not sold to John Best. It was soldto Joseph Burkholder for $751. By then John Best was living on the crestof Chestnut Ridge.

John Best owed money to his brother James Best Jr. who died in 1817leaving a widow Mary G. Best and a baby son James. In 1827 John assignedhis 60 acres of bottom land to his sister-in-law Mary G. Best to pay offthe debt to her late husband James Best’s estate.

During 1833-1837 a wave of land speculation swept the United Statesfinanced by easy bank credit which ended in the Panic of 1837. John BestSr. seems to have been caught up in this speculation.

In 1834 John Best Sr. bought 640 acres (one square mile) of rawforest land on Chestnut Ridge in Donegal Township for $150. This strip ofland was two miles long and half a mile wide. It adjoined the easternboundary of John’s 132 acre farm and extended in a northeast/southwestdirection just east of the Unity/Cook township boundary. See Deed Book29, page 640, recorded 1847. Much of the terrain is steep and rocky andeven today is accessible only by logging roads. John gave pieces of thisland to his relatives. John kept the western 180 acres of the squaremile for himself and merged it with his farm to form a combined parcel of312 acres which John still owned when he died in 1845.

John sold 171 acres of his square mile to his eldest son James J.Best who still owned it when he died of a heart attack in 1870. James J.Best (1804-1870) married his first cousin Mary Hunter (born 1800, daughterof Alexander Hunter and Mary Best) and had only one child named Melissa(1837-1859) and she never married.

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In 1840 John Best sold an additional 131 acres to his son-in-law ThomasW. Davison (1804-1850+), a school teacher married to John’s daughter MaryBest. Thomas and Mary Davison had children: John (1826- ), Margaret (1828-), Robert (1830- ), Henry (1832- ), Ellen (1834- ), Catherine (1838- ),Thomas (1841- ), and Mary (1843- ). Davison enlarged his 131 acres onChestnut Ridge by buying 40 acres of adjacent land from Thomas Dougherty. In1850 they were living in Derry Township, Westmoreland County, Pa.

John Best added another 110 acres to his square mile by arrangingwith his brother Peter Best to petition the state in 1841 for a resurveyof unclaimed land bordering the square mile. This resurvey was completedin 1842, but Peter had already sold this land to John on April 18, 1840.

In January 1844, John Best sold 100 acres of his square mile toMichael Shank who was married to John Best’s niece Catherine CrusonBest, (not to be confused with John Best’s daughter Catherine CrusonBest who married Andrew Berry).

In May 1844, John and his wife Margaret transferred two 82 acreparcels of their land for $1.00 each to their son Robert C. Best Sr, butJohn died (Jan 31, 1845) before notarizing the indentures. His wifeand heirs swore an oath as to their authenticity and recorded theindentures June 9, 1846. These two parcels had been referred to in deedsfor adjacent land as Peter Best’s land. But somehow these parcelsreverted to John Best who transferred them to his son Robert. Peter Bestwas dropped from the tax list in 1846.

When John Best Sr. died Jan 31, 1845, his debts exceeded hispersonal assets. His 309 acre farm remained in his estate that wasadministrated by his son Robert C. Best Sr. and John’s son-in-law ThomasW. Davison (married to Robert’s sister Mary Best). Davison owned 100acres between the two 82 acre parcels that John had deeded to Robert.The 309 acres together with its cabin house and barn were sold in 1847for 50 cents more than the unpaid debts to John Chambers who ownedadjoining land. Chambers also bought 105 acres in 1848 from MichaelShank who had contracted to buy this land for $400 from John Best Sr. ayear before his death.

In 1847 the Bests sued Shank who was forced to buy the land for $400as he contracted to do. Shank sold the land to Chambers for $151,clearly a distress sale. In late 1850, Michael Shank and his wifeCatherine Cruson Best daughter of Elias Best, and their children wereliving in Glasgow, Kentucky.

John Best’s daughter Catherine Cruson Best married Andrew Berry (1827-

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) who was a laborer in 1850, but by 1860 had become an ambrotypist, a portraitphotographer. Their children were John D. Berry (1847- ), Mary Berry (1849-), Robert M. Berry (1852- ), Malissa Berry (1855- ), and Margaret E. Berry

(1858- ).

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Jacob Best, son of James Best Sr.

Jacob Best (April 1, 1785 - August 2, 1866), the fourth child ofimmigrant James Best Sr. was born in Pennsylvania perhaps nearMcAlisterville. Jacob married Rachel Kent (1791-1845). Their 13 childrenwere:

born died spouseCatherine Crusan Best 1808 1886 Capt. John Binkey (1805-1888)Nancy Ann Best 1811 1853 B. McDowellRachel Ann Best 1813 1873? Adam Nicely (1812- ) “ Hugh MorelandMary Best 1815 1898 Levi Binkey (1808-1854)Jane Best 1817 1900 John Mathews Ross (1811-1889)Rebecca B. Best 1819 1890 John Shale Jr. (1816-1866)Sarah Ann Best 1820 1901 Anthony G. Nicely (1816-1867)Elizabeth Brough Best 1822 1886 John BryanJames Best 1825 1831Joseph Best 1826 1913 Elizabeth Creighton AlexanderJacob Cruzen Best 1828 1908 Harriet Walker Bitner 1827-1910Rosanna Young Best 1832 1892 Robert? McDowellElias Alexander Best 1834 1835

Jacob Best Sr. was born April 1, 1785 in Pennsylvania. He lived forawhile in Ohio where he met and married (May 7, 1807) his first wifeRachel Kent (1791-1845). Rachel’s father Joseph Kent was issued a landpatent July 14, 1806 for 640 acres (one square mile) in Harrison County,Ohio (Section 27, T10N R4W). Jacob and Rachel lived in Jefferson (nowHarrison) County, Archer Township, Ohio. Their first two children Catherineand Nancy were born in Ohio in 1808 and 1811. In 1809 and 1810 Jacob andhis brother Elias were paying taxes in Jefferson County, Green Township,Ohio. Jacob brought his family back to Ligonier valley, Pennsylvaniaabout 1811. In 1812 Jacob in partnership with his brother Peter Best andothers bought 167 acres of land in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.Jacob and his brother Elias were still paying taxes in Harrison County,Green Township, Ohio in 1816.

Jacob Best and his brother John Best served in the PennsylvaniaState Militia, 8th company, 118th regiment where Jacob was a private,(Penna. Archives Series 6, Vol 9, p118). In Sept. 1814 Jacob was draftedto fight in Captain Abraham Shafer’s company, regiment 71, PA militia,under Colonel Nicholas Nilegh and Lt. Colonel Christian Hutter (PAArchives Series 6, Vol 7, pages 208, 556, 782, 788, and Vol 9, page 118).

In 1819, 1820 and 1824 Jacob and his wife Rachel sold parcels of landthey owned in Harrison County, Ohio. In 1821 Jacob Best bought from hisbrother Samuel another 103 acres in Pa. In 1831, the year his fatherdied, Jacob bought another 342 acres on McDowell Road north of Stahlstown

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Pa. for $1090 from the heirs and creditors of George Hutchinson, by assuminga mortgage still held by the State of Pennsylvania. This mortgage was paidoff in 1837. This land is a few hundred feet east of Fourmile Run andadjoined the “Big Bottom” land that Jacob’s brother John Best had owned andalso adjoined land of Edward and James McDowell. During 1831-1849 Jacob BestSr. sold pieces of his acreage. In 1849 Jacob sold the remaining 160 acresof this land to his son Joseph Best. Jacob was a Democrat and a member of thePleasant Grove Presbyterian Church. Jacob and Rachel had at least 61grandchildren.

After Jacob’s first wife Rachel died in 1846, Jacob married asecond wife Sarah Elizabeth Preston Shale (1799-1876), the widow of JohnShale and the mother-in-law of his daughter Rebecca (Best) Shale. Sarahwas a native of England.

Joseph Best, son of Jacob Best Sr, was born Dec. 17, 1826 inLigonier valley. Penn. In 1851 at the age of 24 Joseph joined the goldrush to California where he worked for more than a year. He returned toLigonier valley in 1852. In 1853 Joseph sold his farm to his brother-in-law John Shale in preparation for a move to Iowa. Joseph’s decisionproved to be very timely, because the following year was to be a severedrought year in western Pennsylvania. Appendix IV gives the story ofJoseph and Jacob migrating to Iowa.

In March 1853 Jacob Cruzen Best and his wife Harriet moved toChariton (Lucas County) Iowa where they built a log cabin on the wildprairie about four miles north-east of Chariton. Jacob also built asecond cabin for his brother Joseph. But Joseph stayed behind inPennsylvania. On October 24, 1854 Joseph Best married his cousin (onceremoved) Elizabeth Creighton Alexander. Jacob Best Sr. and Joseph andElizabeth Best moved to Iowa March 1855. Joseph Best served in the CivilWar, Company B, 6th Iowa Volunteer Infantry 1861-1865 as a corporal.Joseph was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) an organizationof Union Army veterans. A picture of Joseph is on file with the IowaState Historical Library in their GAR files. Joseph and Elizabeth hadten children: Edward, Frank, William, Harvey, James, Minnie, Mary,Joseph, and two that died young. Joseph died Feb. 8, 1913 at Chariton,Iowa.

Jacob Cruzen Best and his wife Harriet Walker Bitner (1827-1910),the daughter of Daniel and Rachel Bitner, had seven children: Rachel,Mary, Albert, Elizabeth, Annetta Jane, Oliver Leonard, and Alexander,most of whom were born in Iowa. Jacob’s niece Minnie called him UncleCruze. Jacob Cruzan Best was a Lucas County judge in 1855 and a countysurveyor in 1862. In 1888 at the age of 60 Jacob and Harriet and theirchildren moved to Poway in southern California near San Diego to get awayfrom the Iowa winters. About 1897 they moved to near Santa Ana,

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California. In 1902 Jacob and Harriet again moved to Tulare, CA where Jacobdied on August 2, 1908.

Jacob Best Sr. when he was nearly 70 traveled to Chariton, Iowa withhis son Joseph and Joseph’s pregnant wife Elizabeth in March 1855 andappears in the 1856 Lucas County, Iowa census with Joseph’s family.Jacob’s second wife Sarah is not mentioned in this Iowa census. Jacobwas a founder and ruling elder of the Presbyterian church of Chariton,Iowa organized July 5, 1856. The founding members included Joseph Best,Jacob Best Sr, Jacob C. Best and wife Harriet, and Miss Elizabeth Best.Jacob returned to Pleasant Grove, PA in February 1858 and appears withSarah in the 1860 census for Westmoreland County, PA.

Jacob Best Sr. died August 2, 1866 according to his grave marker(August 15, 1867 in J.C. Best’s family Bible) and is buried in PleasantGrove, PA cemetery next to his first wife Rachel (1791-1846). Sarah diedin Shelby County, MO in 1876.

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James Best Junior, son of James Best Sr.

James Best Jr. (c1787-1817), the fifth child of immigrant JamesBest Sr. married Mary G. [Campbell?] who is listed in the 1820 census as“Widow Best” next to the names of John Best (her brother-in-law) andThomas Campbell. From this we can infer that James Best Jr. and his wifeMary G. lived on the “Big Bottom” farm on Fourmile Run, PA. See aboveunder John Best. James was listed as a single man (i.e. at least 21years old) in the 1810 tax roll for Donegal Twp. which means he was bornbefore 1789. In 1817 (between June and October) James Jr. was killed byhis horse on his own farm. His personal property was actioned to hisrelatives and neighbors for $591.59 and included 3 horses, 5 cows, 2calves, 2 sheep, 1 windmill, 4 haystacks, 112 bushels oats, 68 bushelscorn, 38 bushels buckwheat, 20 bushels wheat, 13 bushels rye, 5 gallonswhiskey, and 4 books bought by Mary G. Best, James’s widow. Mary, waspregnant when her husband died and her baby James C. Best was born April1, 1818. Mary could not sign her name in 1817, but she had learned tosign it by 1820.

In 1819 Mary G. Best and her brother-in-law John Best bought 150acres of the Big Bottom farm from Thomas Campbell for $1976 but they soldit back to Campbell in 1821 for the same price. John apparently decidedto leave Ligonier valley in 1820. John bought 133 acres on ChestnutRidge in 1820. Also in 1820 Mary petitioned the Orphans Court to haveRobert Campbell appointed guardian of the estate of her baby son James.

This son was James C. Best (April 1, 1818 - March 4, 1899) who wasborn after his father’s death. James C. Best married Elizabeth Campbell(April 16, 1817 - March 9, 1891). In 1848 James C. Best bought fromRobert Campbell a 90 acre farm near the crest of Chestnut Ridge onBaggaley road that now connects Stahlstown with Latrobe across ChestnutRidge, but which in 1857 was a dead-end road. The small stone farm houseof James C. Best appears on maps of Cook Township for 1857, 1867 and 1876and is still standing.

James C. and Elizabeth had four children: Harriett (c. 1843-),Uriah (March 10, 1845 - March 14, 1879), George (c. 1856- ), and James C.Best Jr. (Feb 9, 1859 - June 28, 1883).

In 1866 James C. Best got into a lawsuit with James B. Campbell andothers over 60 acres of land on Four Mile Run. The case went to thePenna. state Supreme Court 1869. Apparently James C. Best won. James C.Best sold the 60 acres to James Bruner in 1888.

James C. Best was an elder of the Pleasant Grove Presbyterianchurch during 1856-1875 and succeeded Robert Campbell as a ruling elder.In 1875 James C. Best got into a bitter argument with the other elders of

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the church. He refused to apologize and was excommunicated October 7, 1877.James and his wife then joined the German Reformed Church. They are buried

next to the Pleasant Grove Presbyterian church.

Peter Best, son of James Best Sr.

Peter Best (c1792-1847), the seventh child of immigrant JamesBest Sr. was a farmer and had two wives Margaret (Peggie) Taggart(died during 1830’s) and Isabella Blaze (born 1814). The children ofPeter and Peggie were:

born died spouseJane Ida Best 1802 1880+ Thomas WadsworthJames B. Best 10-9-1816 1908 Margaret WadsworthWilliam M. Best 4-8-1819 4-1-1892 Mary Eliz. WadsworthSamuel Best 1824-1831John Best 1824-1831 Harriet Margaret BestCatherine Best John Wadsworth m. Jan 31, 1839Eliza Ann Best

The children of Peter and his second wife Isabella were:born died spouse

Matilda Best 1840 1931 William Zera FairbrothersCaroline Best 1843 Robert S. RamseySusanna Best 1846

Peter Best first appears on the tax assessment records in WestmorelandCo. Pa. in 1813 as a warrantee of 147 acres of land in Donegal Townshipand remained there until 1836. Three of Peter Best’s children marriedchildren of Thomas Wadsworth (1771-1861) and Maria Thomas. This ThomasWadsworth married Jane Best, his third wife. Peter Best’s son Williammarried (1842) Mary Elizabeth Wadsworth (1821-1888) and moved to DerryTownship. Peter’s daughter Catherine Best married (1839) John Wadsworth.Peter’s son James Best married Margaret Wadsworth. Thomas’s brotherRobert Wadsworth (1785-1867) was an ancestor of US president RichardNixon.

During 1834-1842 Peter Best owned 60 acres or more and his familyincluded 9 members in 1830 including his wife. Peter also appears in the1840 Donegal Township census with his second wife Isabel who was 20 yearsyounger than Peter. Peter was removed from the Donegal Twp. tax list in1846 with the assessor’s notation “gone” and does not appear in theWestmoreland County 1850 census. Peter’s second wife Isabel and threedaughters do appear in the 1850 census living with a 60 year old couplenamed Workman, but not with Peter Best. Genealogist Helen Brodinebelieved that Peter Best moved to Indiana state, died August 1847 inTerre Haute in Vigo County, Indiana, and was buried at Woodlawn Cemeterythere. There are Bests buried in Woodlawn cemetery, Terre Haute. But a

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Peter Best appears in the 1840 census for Vigo County, Indiana while ourPeter Best was in the 1840 census for Westmoreland County, PA. A PeterBest also appears in the 1850 census for Tippicanoe County, Indiana, andwas born in 1810 in Ohio, and had a wife Sarah. He was clearly not ours,but he may be the same as the Vigo County Peter Best. Hence, the VigoCounty Peter Best is probably not ours.

It is also easy to confuse James’s son Peter Best with Elias Best’sson Peter Best who was born in 1829 and moved to Kentucky around 1850.James’s son Peter was old enough to have served in the War of 1812, butthere is no record of him in the National Archives. The only Peter Bestsin the Archives were in New York and Clinton County, PA. The latter wasa son of Conrad Best, no known relation.

Peter Best’s daughter Matilda married William Zera Fairbrothers andhad three daughters: Cecilia Hardesty (Pueblo, Col), Dorothy Gunn (Denver,Col), and Alice Young (LaGrange, Ill).

Catherine Best, daughter of James Best Sr.

Catherine Best (1789-1847), the sixth child of immigrant James BestSr., was born January 31, 1789 in Westmoreland County, PA. In 1812 shemarried John Megaw Jr. (1784-1865) and had seven children: Samuel, Jane,Sarah, John (died at birth?), James, John, and Jacob. John Megaw Jr. wasthe eldest son of John Megaw Sr. and Jane Hamilton. John and Jane came toAmerica from Tyrone County, Ireland in 1775. John Sr. served in theRevolutionary army immediately after arriving. He fought with GeorgeWashington and LaFayette and was among the soldiers who wintered withWashington at Valley Forge, PA. On Nov. 24, 1814 John Sr. received apatent for 160 acres of land in Harrison County, North Township, Ohio.In 1816 the extended Megaw family moved to this Ohio land, including JohnMegaw, Jr. and Catherine and their first child Samuel. The Megaws livedon the 160 acre farm for 6 years. They then exchanged the North Townshipland for land in Archer Township, Harrison County. The Megaws weremembers of the Presbyterian church at Cadiz, Ohio. John Megaw Jr. was aDemocrat and held many offices of honor and trust in his township. SeeHanna’s Ohio Valley Genealogies p89-90 and and Hanna’s HistoricalCollections of Harrison County, Ohio. Catherine died Sept. 9, 1847.Catherine and John Megaw Jr. are buried at Ridge cemetery, Hanover,

Harrison County, Ohio.

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Other children of James Best Sr.

Samuel Best (c1795- ), the eighth child of immigrant James Best Sr.married Mary Lewis daughter of Joseph Lewis. During 1835-1838 SamuelBest owned 50 acres and his family included 10 members in 1840. Thechildren of Samuel Best were Margaret, James, Jacob?, Elizabeth andpossibly others.

Jane Best (1800-1850+) youngest child of James Best married JosephLogan and had at least three daughters: Hannah, Mary, and Catherine, andone son. Joseph Logan died before 1829 and Jane lived on her father’sretirement farm east of Stahlstown, PA. In 1850 Jane and her unmarrieddaughter Hannah were living with Jane’s brother Jacob Best and hisfamily near Four Mile Run.

The Bests in Harrison County, Ohio.

Several of James Best Sr’s children lived in or had business inHarrison County Ohio: Elias Best Sr. lived in Harrison County, Ohio(then part of Jefferson County) during 1809-1810 where the parents ofhis wife Nancy Ann Archbold lived. However their first two children JohnA. Best born in 1805 and James A. Best born in 1808 were born inPennsylvania according to the 1850 census. Jacob Best Sr. lived inHarrison County, Ohio about 1807-1811 where he married his wife RachelKent. Their first child Catherine was born there in 1808. James Best Jr.(died 1817) was granted posthumously a patent for 80 acres in RumleyTownship, Harrison County, Ohio. Catherine Best, daughter of immigrantJames Best Sr, and her husband John Megaw and family moved from Westmoreland

County, Pa to Harrison County, Ohio in 1816.

Dispersion of the Bests

By 1850 Bests had migrated to Derry Township, Fairfield Township,Mount Pleasant Township, and Hempfield Township in Westmoreland County,Pa. Completion of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1852 brought in cheapgrain and beef from the prairie states, causing economic hardship forPennsylvania farmers. The summer of 1854 brought a severe drought and tocompound the misery, the winter of 1854-55 was the coldest in memory.These are probably some of the reasons that many of the Best’s leftLigonier valley during the 1850’s. Joseph and Elizabeth Best and Jacoband Harriet Best and Mary Hunter Best left for Chariton Iowa. AlexanderBest, son of Elias, left for Taylor County, West Virginia. Samuel Best,son of Elias, left for Winchester, Tennessee. Peter Best, his sisterCatherine Crusan Best and her husband Michael Shank left for Glasgow,Kentucky. Margaret Best and her sons Robert and Thomas and her daughterCatherine Crusan Best (married to Andrew Berry) left for Greensburg, Pa.

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Appendix II

Will of James Best Sr. #1036 Westmoreland County Courthouse WillBook 2, p247 signed April 4, 1829 (irregular spelling as in original)

In the name of God Amen. I James Best Sr of the Township of Donegall andCountey of Westmorland and State of pennesylvania, Being verey sick andweak in Body, but of Sound Mind & memory & understanding, Blesed be Godfor the same, but considering the uncertainty of this transitory life doMake and publish this my last will and Testament in Manner and formfollowing: principally and first of all I command my imortal Soul intothe hands of God who gave it and my bodey to the Earth to be buried in adecent and Christion like manner at the discretion of my Executorsherein after named, and as to such worley Estate where with it hathpleased God to bless me in this life i give and Dispose of the Same in thefollowing manners to wit: First it is my will and i do order that all myjust detes And Funerel Expences be duley paid and Satisfid as soon Asconventeley can bee after My decease i then give to and bequeth to Myyoungest doter Jane Logan widdow the use of My place for the full turmeof four yers From this dait and i do all so will and bequeth onto the SaidJane Logan My Mare and then i do will onto and bequeth to James Bestdeceseded his son and my granson the some of five dalers and i do willand bequeth onto these My childrin: Marey Hunter, Elias Best, John Best,Jacob Best, Cathren Megaw, Peter Best, Samuel Best, Alexander Best, JaneLogan, Each one Eaquel Shers of My Estate and after the full tarme orexpratishon of Fore yers then the place is to be Sold to the bestadvantige And for that purpose I do here by Authorize and Empowr My SaidExecutors John Best & Alexander Hunter both of the Township of Dinegalland Countey of westmorland and State of pensylvania to bee the Executersof this my Last Will hereby revoking all other wills, legaices andbequests by me heretofore made and declaring this and no other To be mylast will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have Signed, Sealed,published, pronounced and declared this My last will and Testament. Inprences of us who in his presence and at his Reqiest have Subscribed aswitnesses given under my hand & Seal this fourth day of Aprile, Eightteenhundred and twenty Nine.

James Best (Seal)Elias BestJames BestJohn A. Best

Westmoreland County Ct. Before me the subscriber, Register for theProbate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration in court forsaid County, came Elias Best and James Best two of the subscribingWitnesses to the forgoing written Will of James Best, late of DonegalTownship deceased, who on their Solumn oaths do say etc. Sworn & subscribedthis 3' day of May 1831. Elias BestBefore me. A. Johnstone James Best

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Appendix III

From Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church Records, Book 2.

The case of Robert C. Best, Sr. vs. John B. Campbell, slander suit. Trialbefore session of ruling elders: Campbell, Weaver, Withrow, Davidson andBurl, with Rev. A.B. Clark, Moderator.

Sept 10, 1847 - Robert C. Best [Sr] appeared before session and reviveda charge ... as follows viz; “I charge Mr. John B. Campbell with slander,in saying to Mary Ann Campbell and others at James C. Best’s, that Istruck and otherwise abused my mother, Margaret Best.”

Sept 25, 1847 - John M. Peoples testified as called by defendant —”Mr. William McFarland told me that he was coming up the Chestnut Ridgesometime in the year 1844 and was going to stop at Mr. John Best Sr, andas he was about to hitch his horse, Mrs. Best came running from the doorand cried ‘Murder’ and called upon the old man (her husband) John, ‘John,come back and settle this fellow, or he will kill us.’ ... He said therewas a dreadful racket in the house among the chairs.” [John Best Sr. wasRobert C. Best’s father.] Question by Robert Best: “Did Mr. McFarlandtell you I abused my mother?” Mr. Peoples: “He did not.”

Thomas Hanshy testified — “William McFarland...heard a great noiseor rumpus in the house, and directly the old gentleman came out of thehouse and went into the orchard quite fast. And directly Mrs. Best camerunning out and called out ‘John, Murder! My God! John, Murder!’ Shethen turned to go in and saw him [McFarland] and when in, or about goingin, she said, ‘There now, Robert, that is your fault.’ He [Robert]answered, ‘No, it is your fault.’”

Mr. Johnston testified, “He [McFarland] went to the door and sawsomeone in the house in a corner, he saw Robert Best also. I cannot becertain when McFarland told me this, but think it was the winter of 1844or 45.”

Mary Ann Campbell testified, “I heard my brother John say at JamesBest’s that...Bob Best licked [struck] his mother and she was cryingwith her hair down, and a strange man came along and relieved her.”

James C. Best testified, “John B. Campbell was at my house... JohnB. Campbell said there was a bad report out on Robert... This was told atmy house in the year 1844 May or June.”

Cross examined by Robert Best: “What did you understand this reportto be?”James C. Best: “That you had in some way abused your mother.”Robert Best: “Did John say how I would treat Rachel his sister, if Ishould marry her?” [Rachel Campbell was age 21 in 1844.]James C. Best: “He did say something, but only by way of jest, as Iunderstood it.”Robert Best: “Did you ever hear anyone say I whipped my mother?”James C. Best: “I did not.”

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William Campbell testified, “I never heard my brother John say thatRobert Best had injured his mother. I heard of the McFarland story, butdo not recollect if before or after the other. I said once in presenceof Mr. Davidson, that the whole matter likely grew out of the McFarlandstory. He said it was likely, for Bob was very unruly and he oftentalked with him, but it did no good.”Robert Best: “Did you ever hear any of your friends say that John toldthat I had abused my mother?”Campbell: “I heard Mary Ann [Campbell] say that John had said somethingabout it at James Best’s.

James T. Campbell testified; Question by John Campbell: “Did you hearRobert Best say that he would be the death of the individual upon whomthe report would rest?”James T. Campbell: “I did.”

After hearing the testimony in the above case, session are unanimouslyof opinion that Mr. John Campbell has been guilty thoughtlessly, as it isbelieved, of circulating slanderous report on Robert C. Best ...forwhich he shall be admonished, advised to be more guarded in future.

And as to Robert C. Best, They are of the opinion that while clearas of the charge contained in the report, he has been guilty of usinglanguage in saying that he “would be the death of any one upon whom thereport should fall.” [which is] entirely inconsistent with the professionof Christianity, and would therefore admonish him also to be moreguarded in the future.

A. B. Clark ModeratorMinutes of December 8, 1837:

Session having ascertained that their was a report against JohnBest Jr. a member of this church, that he was accused of the sin ofintemperance at a certain time... The committee appointed to conversewith John Best Jr. reported that they had conversed with him and that heconfessed that he was guilty. He being present expressed his sorrow forhis sin and gave evidence of his repentance for the same. Session haddecided that he be rebuked and admonished, to which decision he submittedand he was accordingly rebuked and admonished.

Minutes of January 11, 1839:(Jane Best was 19 years old in 1839.) Jane Best daughter of Peter

Best is understood by session to be charged by common fame of having beenpresent at a public party where there was dancing and other improperconduct and participating in the same. Session appointed Mr. Caven andMr. Ambrose [elders] a committee to converse with her in relation to thecharge.

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Minutes of March 11, 1839:The committee appointed to converse with Jane Best in relation to herattending and participating in a dancing party reported that report is[true], that she acknowledges the charge and professes sorrow for thesame. That they admonished her to be more guarded in the future, and asit was the first time that she was known to be guilty and as she wasunexpectedly drawn into the offence, they recommended that nothing morebe done in the case.

Minutes of June 27, 1839:Elizabeth Smith who had been suspended for some time from the communionof the church for the sin of fornication, came foreward of her own accordand professed sorrow for her sin and gave evidence of repentance.Session restored her to her former standing after admonishing and rebukingher. Resolved that the proceedings of the session in the above case bementioned to the congregation.

Minutes of January 22, 1842:Robert Best, who sometime since had been guilty of intoxication, profanityand quarrelling then approved before session, confessed his sin and gaveevidence of sincere repentance. He was therefore reinstated in theprivilages of the church and decided to be more guarded in the future.

Minutes of September 1850:Mr. Benjiman Grove and his wife who had been suspended for anti-nuptialfornication, were restored upon their confession of the sin and pentantence.

Minutes of October 3, 1852:Joseph Best had been accused by public fame of the crime of fornicationand having appeared before session being satisfied from a considerationof his upright life before and since, the alleged crime and etc. passeda vote that he is considered a member in good and regular standing, andthat this action be announced to the congregation from the pulpit.

Minutes of March ?, 1853:The following persons were at their request dismissed to join otherchurches: Robert Best to the church of Greensburg Pa... Joseph Best,Jacob Crusan [Best] & Harriet W. Best to the church in Lucas County,Iowa.

Minutes of March 3, 1855:Jacob Best, Joseph & Elizabeth Best, Joseph McDowell (elder) & Catherinehis wife were dismissed at their own request to join the church in Iowa.

Minutes of Feb. 27, 1858:Jacob Best a ruling elder of the church of Chariton, Iowa, was receivedon certificate from that church.

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Appendix IV

The story of Joseph and Jacob Best and their move to Iowa.

Joseph Best (1826-1913) and Jacob Cruzen Best (1828-1908) were sonsof Jacob Best (1785-1866) the fourth child of James Best Sr. (c1745-1831). All four were active members of the Presbyterian church inPleasant Grove, Pennsylvania. In 1851 Joseph joined the gold rush toCalifornia, but returned to Pleasant Grove in 1852. The Pleasant Grovechurch minutes for October 3, 1852 record that Joseph Best (age 25) wasaccused by public fame of the crime of fornication. He had to appearbefore a session of the ruling elders of the church who voted to forgivehim of the crime. Their decision was announced to the congregation fromthe pulpit. This humiliating experience was possibly one reason whyJoseph decided to leave Pennsylvania and move to Iowa. Joseph sold hisfarm in 1853 to his brother in-law John Shale. In March 1853 Joseph’syounger brother Jacob Cruzen Best and his wife Harriet moved to Chariton(Lucas County) Iowa where they built a log cabin on the wild prairie.Jacob also built a second cabin for Joseph. But Joseph, still single,stayed behind in Pennsylvania.

The decision to move to Iowa proved to be very timely, because inthe following year 1854 western Pennsylvania suffered a severe drought.From the early summer till long into August not a drop of rain fell, sothe cereal grain did not mature and was not worth harvesting, and thefall crops and fruits shared a similar fate. Live stock could hardly befed and there was no hope of feeding them during the coming winter, whichproved to be the severest known in the memory of the oldest inhabitants,both for its intense cold and for its duration. Farmers had no alternativebut to kill off their stock. The price of flour rose to four times itsprice four months before. With little farm produce to sell, money wasvery scarce. Idle farm workers flooded the labor market and wages werevery low. Many farm families were reduced to the verge of starvation.When the spring of 1855 arrived, Pennsylvania farmers had little or nomoney to buy seed. Those who could find money to borrow, became heavilyin debt which took years to pay off.

If Joseph Best had any doubts about moving to Iowa, the droughteliminated them. On October 24, 1854 Joseph married his 16 year oldcousin Elizabeth Creighton Alexander, a native of Ligonier, PA. InMarch 1855 Joseph and Elizabeth, four months pregnant and bearly seventeen,left for Iowa along with Joseph’s father Jacob Best Sr. and neighborsJoseph and Catherine McDowell. Iowa was mostly wilderness in 1855 andhad been admitted as a state only eight years earlier. Elizabeth wrotedown her memories of this journey which she read at the old settlersreunion in Chariton, Iowa in October 1907:

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“On the evening of March 24th, 1855 we started from Pittsburgh Pa.for what we then called the far west. We Pennsylvaneans thought Iowa wasalmost out of the world in those days, and as I stood on the back of thesteamer “Grey Eagle” and watched, through falling tears, the lights ofmy dear native city fade away in the distance, I felt as though I weregoing to the end of the world.

The river was low and we did not arrive in Keokuk, Iowa until aboutthe 6th of April. There we embarked on a Prairie Schooner [coveredwagon] for Chariton, Iowa.

It was an early spring and the grass was 7 or 8 inches high, justhigh enough to wave in the wind and I thought as I looked out over therolling hills and the prairies with their waving billows of green thatthis was the well named “Iowa Beautiful” country, for it was indeedbeautiful and to one raised in a large city it was grand beyond description.Little villages dotted the prairie at long intervals and the farm cabinswere few and far between. But it was beautiful, though not with thebeauty it now possesses of elegant farm buildings, fine barns and fieldsof waving grain, meadows full of fine horses, cattle and sheep, andorchards bending beneath their load of crimson and golden fruit, butwith the simple beauty of nature all its own.

Our trip from the river up was uneventful and we arrived at theplace of our brother, J.C. Best, four miles east of Chariton on theevening of April 12, 1855. Early the next morning, being anxious to seeour new house, we started across the prairie only a quarter of a mile asour farms joined and in a few minutes we came to a lonely little cabin.I had talked of it, thought of it, and being a romantic girl of not quite18 years, I had dreamed of that cabin, but when I saw the reality myheart failed me and I could scarcely keep back the tears.

It was a log house built of round logs, 16 by 18 feet, had a sodchimney, two clapboard doors, a clapboard roof and a puncheon [split andsmoothed log] floor. There were no windows at all, but being of adisposition to make the best of it all, we cleaned the little pen out,scrubbed the tiny puncheon floor till it was white almost as white paperand moved our stuff in.

Our furniture consisted of a bedstead which our brother J. C. Besthad made out of native Iowa poles, a table made of a store box in whichwe had our bedding packed, an old red chest we brought with us fromPennsylvania, and three linnwood stools made out of the ends of the floorpuncheons. We bought two split-bottomed chairs from an opulant neighborby the name of Willis Stephens who was moving farther west and did notneed them and when we got that furniture all arranged in our little cabinwe felt quite at home.

The summer was ideal. You old settlers all remember what lovelysummers we had in those days. The sun shined more brightly, the windblew more softly and the rain fell more gently. We were all young andhappy then, and our future lives seemed like a bright and beautifuldream. Have we all realized that dream?...”

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Appendix V

James Bests in the Revolutionary War

There is no mention of the Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania JamesBest in the U.S. Revolutionary War archives. The microfilm FederalArchives of the surviving records of Revolutionary War soldiers showonly 4 James Bests, one from Maryland and the other three from Virginia:

The James Best from Maryland fought and died in the RevolutionaryWar as a private in Lt. Claggett’s company, Third Maryland Regimentcommanded by Col. Ramsay and Col. Gist. This James Best signed his namewith an X and died in the war October 27, 1778.

There was a James Best who was born in August 1, 1753 in AugustaCounty, Virginia, married Mary Coulter. This James Best probably diedbefore 1820 in Augusta County, but he is said to have died March 17, 1831in Adams County, Ohio, just about the time that our Westmoreland CountyJames Best died! The many descendants of this Augusta County James Bestwere printed by John Vandamen on a three-page descendancy chart. Thenames on pages 1 and 2 of this chart were published in the genealogytypescript by Alice G. Graham (LDS microfilm) titled BEST - VANDEMAN -DOAK. The names from page 3 are missing in Graham’s typescript. ThisJames Best and Mary Coulter had children named Franklin, Isabelle,Irwin, Margaret, etc. This James Best appears in the 1810 census forAugusta County Va, and therefore cannot be the same as the WestmorelandCounty Pa. James Best. I have been unable to find John Vandeman’s sourcefor the death date of James Best. He may have mistakenly used the deathdate of our James Best.

There was another James Best who served as a private in the Virginiainfantry whose 1781 pay was claimed by a Kitchen Goodwin in 1783 (NationalArchives, film roll M-860). This was probably Kinchen Godwin who was amilitary officer and related to Kinchen Best (born about 1747) of NorthCarolina a son of Henry Best and Elizabeth Godwin a daughter of James S.Godwin and Sarah Kinchen. Henry and Elizabeth had a son James Best (1734-c1790). Some of the Bests and Godwins were wealthy and lived in Virginiaand in Wayne County and Greene County, North Carolina. A James Bestappears in the 1786 state census for Tyrrell County (Little AlligatorDistrict), North Carolina and in Currituck County in the 1800 federalcensus.

There was another James Best (1760-1836) of Virginia and Kentuckywho served as a private for three years (1776-1779) in the RevolutionaryWar in the company of Captain Reddick in the first Regiment of Virginiacommanded by Col. Richard Parker. James fought at the siege of Savannahand the battle of Charleston where he was taken prisoner and held 14

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months by the British and exchanged in Jamestown, VA. James received apension in 1818 from Kentucky. In 1821 James applied for bounty land.In 1822 he was granted Land Warrant #6497 for 100 acres in the VirginiaMilitary District of Ohio. This land is on Brush Creek in Meigs Township,Adams County, Ohio. By the time a patent was issued for this land in 1825James had sold the land to John Parille. James and his wife Susan weremarried Dec. 24, 1783. Susan was born Sept. 14, 1757. James and Susanwere Baptists and raised a large family in Estill County, Kentucky.James died May 10, 1836. This James Best is the basis for DAR applicationnumber 527792. James Best’s signature on his Affidavit for bounty land(at the Virginia State Archives, Richmond) is structurally identical tothe signature on his pension application (National Archives film roll0229 M-804).

There was a James Betts or Bettes from New York who was an ensign inthe 5th New York regiment November 21, 1776, and a lieutenant Sept 1,1778. He resigned March 1, 1780. This may have been the same James Bettwho was listed among 8000 prisoners on the British prison ship the OldJersey according to American Prisoners of the Revolution by DanskeDandridge, 1967. Nothing more is known about these prisoners.

There was a James Best who bought 400 acres of land in 1794, then inNorthumberland County, now in Clinton County, Chapman Township, and wasgranted warrant #1055 dated March 15, 1794. This land was adjacent toland of Michael Best. James and Michael Best were probably related tothe German Bests of Clinton County.

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British soldiers named James Best

There were two British soldiers named James Best who fought in theAmerican Revolution on the British side:

(1) James Best, Ensign, commissioned June 6, 1776 in Regiment 22 ofFoot when Regiment 22 was stationed at Halifax, Nova Scotia just beforethe regiment shipped out to Staten Island, New York. James was stationedat Newport, Rhode Island until he resigned April 13, 1779. Regiment 22was stationed in America July 1775-1782 under the command of Lt. GeneralThomas Gage and Lt. General William Howe and fought at Boston in spring1776, Long Island August 1776, and at Newport in August 1778. This JamesBest signed muster lists as payroll vouchers to certify that the soldierson the list had been paid. His signature is structurally different fromthe signature on the will of our James Best in Westmoreland County, PA.

(2) James Best, Ensign, commissioned Aug 6, 1778 in Regiment 49 ofFoot and resigned October 20, 1780. This Regiment 49 was stationed inAmerica 1775-1781 under the command of Lt. General Alexander Maitlandand fought at Boston, New York, Long Island, White Plains, and FortWashington. In 1777 it fought at Philadelphia, in 1778 it fought againat New York. During November 1778 - 1780 Regiment 49 was stationed inSt. Lucia, a Caribbean island. In 1781 Regiment 49 was transferred toIreland. This James Best cannot be the same as the 22F James Bestbecause their terms of commission overlap. Also this James was in St.Lucia where it is unlikely that he could be the father of Elias Best whowas born in Pennsylvania in 1780.

James Best Immigrants

Many passenger lists of immigrants have been lost, but some havesurvived for ships landing in America.

A man named John Best came to America on the ship Hercules in 1634.

There was a James Best convicted of a crime in England and shippedto America in December 1767 on the ship Neptune.

There was another James Best who sailed from the Port of London onthe ship Snow Sally and landed at Philadelphia August 31, 1773. He was anindentured servant and was sold on September 18, 1773 for 3 years toDavid Rittinhouse of Philadelphia. This James Best was probably the onewho settled in Westmoreland County.

A passenger list for ships leaving the Port of London duringJanuary 15-23, 1774 includes the name of James Best of Berkshire,

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England who sailed on the ship Peggy at the age of 22 and landed inMaryland. He is listed as a laborer and indentured servant. The year ofhis birth (1774 - 22 = 1752) does not quite match the year range (1740-1750) derived from the 1830 Westmoreland County census data for ourJames Best. Perhaps this is the same James Best who fought and died inthe Revolutionary War as a private in Lt. Claggett’s company, ThirdMaryland Regiment commanded by Col. Ramsay and Col. Gist. This JamesBest signed his name with an X and died in the war October 27, 1778. Notethat this James Best was from Berkshire, England, the same place that theLoudoun County John Best immigrated from.

In 1805 a James Best became a naturalized citizen in WashingtonCounty, Pa. according to the Circuit County Court Proceedings. ThisJames Best also appears in the 1800 census for Washington County, Pa andtherefore cannot be the same as the Westmoreland County Pa. James Best.

James Bests born in America

There was a James Best born May 1, 1747 and baptised in 1756 inChrist Church, Philadelphia. He was the son of Samuel Best and MargaretAlbert married Sept. 19, 1737. James had a brother Samuel Jr. born Dec.25, 1744 and a sister Margaret born April 19, 1749. There is no evidencethat this was the Westmoreland County James Best or that this James Bestwas born in Europe. However, the birth year 1747 for this James Best isconsistent with the 1830 census range of 1740-1750 for the WestmorelandCounty James Best, so we cannot rule out the possibility that these twoJames Bests were the same person. This James Best’s mother was Margaret,but our James Best did not name any daughter Margaret. Therefore, thesetwo James Bests are probably not the same person.

There was a James Best born August 1, 1753 in Augusta County,Virginia, married Mary Coulter and had children named Franklin, Isabelle,Irwin, Margaret, etc. This James Best appears in the 1810 census forAugusta County and is therefore not the same as the Westmoreland CountyJames Best.

There was another James Best who lived in Loudoun County, Virginia.He appears in the 1770 will of his immigrant father John Best in LoudounCounty and in the 1782 tax list for Loudoun County. This James Bestmarried Feb 27, 1766 Elizabeth Ross (1741-1793) and had eight children.Their son James Best appears in the 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850census for Loudoun County. These James Bests were clearly differentfrom the Westmoreland County, PA James Best. The most complete work onthe Loudoun County Bests is Data on Some Virginia Families by Dakota BestBrown, pages 2-22, published by Virginia Book Co. Berryville, VA 22611.

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There was a James Best mentioned by Nolan Rice Best in his Historyof Peter and Mary Best and Their Family, read before a reunion of theirdescendants, 1897, 20 pages, Library of Congress microfilm 84/7114.Peter Best (1797-1875) was the son of John Best (1759-1839) born in NewJersey and Mary Haas (1767-1822). John Best’s brothers were James,William, Cornelius, Michael and Daniel. John and Mary moved toNorthumberland County, PA where Peter Best grew up. Peter married(1823) Mary Trimmer (1802-1856) and lived in New Jersey 1823-1838 and inKnox County, Ohio 1839-1875.

The 1810 census for Kentucky shows two James Bests, one in MasonCounty and one in Clark County, KY. This Clark County James Best was thesame as the Estill County, KY James Best (wife Susan). The Mason County,KY James Best was born March 22, 1773 in Virginia and died March 6, 1853in Mason County, KY. His wife Sarah was born 1781, died December 31,1859. James and Sarah had children Elizabeth Best wife of ErasmusThompson, and Mary Best wife of Laban Letton. All are buried in MasonCounty on Clarks Run Road 2.4 miles from Route 68. The Mason CountyJames Best was a son of the Loudoun County, Virginia James Best.

There were at least four James Bests who were born in Virginia inthe mid 1700’s:

James Best born 1753 Staunton, Augusta County, VA, married MaryCoulter, moved to Bracken County, KY.

James Best born 1761 Nansemond County, VA, married Susan, moved toClark County, KY, then to Estill County, KY.

James Best born 1741 Loudoun County, VA, married Elizabeth Ross,moved to Mason County, KY.

James Best born 1734 Isle of Wight, VA, moved to Tyrrell County, NC,related to Kinchen Godwin, cousin of Estill County James Best.

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Appendix VI - Arguments

Question: Was James Best Sr. born in Ireland or England?

Answer: John Jordan in his 1906 History of Westmoreland County, Parepeated a family legend that the Bests were “of Scotch-Irish descent,the founder of the family, however, having come from England.” JohnGresham in his 1890 Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, Pa repeated thelegend that John Best [son of James] was a native of Ireland. During the1950’s genealogist Helen Brodine collected the following legends fromother descendents of James Best: from Oliver Leonard Best (1865-1956)who said about his grandfather Best “from stories I have heard supposedhe came from England.” From Jennie Shirey (1886-1986) “James Best wasEnglish.” From the 1830 census we learn that James Best was born 1740-1750. The Mormon International Genealogical Index (IGI) for Irelandlists several James Bests. The only one born in 1740-1750 is the JamesBest christened Nov 30, 1750, the son of David and Jane Best in the townof Donaghmore in Tyrone County, Ulster, Ireland. This James Best probablydied shortly after birth because David Best of Donaghmore named a secondson James Best christened on November 24, 1751 which is outside theallowable year range for our James Best. Hence there is no record in theIGI of our James Best being born in Ireland. Also our James Best did notname any of his children David.

Our James Best signed his name with a peculiar upstroke in the B inBest that I have seen used only in documents signed by people fromIreland. Thomas Best of Chester County, PA also signed his 1837 willwith the same upstroke in the B. This Thomas Best was from Irelandaccording to his 1795 Naturalization papers and was said to be fromArmagh, Ireland.

Our James Best named his first son Elias Best which was a popularname among the Dublin, Ireland Bests. However no connection has beenfound between our James Best and the Dublin Bests.

Question: Gresham states that John Best was a native of Ireland and wasbrought to America in his boyhood by his parents who settled in Ligoniervalley. How could his father James Best come to America in 1773 and bethe father of John Best in Ireland in 1781-1784? Was John really bornin Ireland?

Answer: John Best’s daughter Catherine who married Andrew Berry islisted in the 1880 census for Hempfield Twp, Westmoreland County, Pa.where she gave her father’s birthplace as Pennsylvania. John Best had anolder brother Elias Best who was born in 1780. Elias appears in the 1850census which says that he was born in Pennsylvania. It is thereforeunlikely that his younger brother John Best was an immigrant. It is more

likely that James Best their father was the immigrant. Gresham recorded

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the Best family tradition in 1889 that John Best was a native of Ireland.But Jordan recorded a conflicting tradition in 1905 that John Best wasborn in Scotland. The Mormon International Genealogical Index (IGI)does not show any Elias or John Best being born to a father James Best inIreland, Scotland, or England in their respective census birth years1780, and 1781-1784, with one exception: a John Best was born in Londonto a James and Hannah Best in February 1783. But James and Hannah weremarried May 1782 which does not allow time for Elias and his older sisterMary. There is also no record in passenger lists of James emigrating toAmerica after 1781, the earliest year consistent with Gresham. Althoughwe must be wary of drawing conclusions from the absence of birth andpassenger list records, especially since many records have been lost orare still not indexed, we must also consider the possibility that theBest family tradition recorded by Gresham may not be entirely correct.

By 1889 when Gresham recorded the family tradition, John Best wasdead, his son Robert Cruson Best Sr. was dead and his oldest son had beenonly twelve years old when Robert died. So Gresham probably got the storythird hand from Bests who had heard the story from their father Robertwhen they were children. This family tradition is clearly unreliable.The essence of the story was that the Bests were Scotch-Irish, thefounder of the family sailed from England, and that John Best was broughtas a boy to Ligonier valley.

Jordan recorded another Best family tradition that “there is aromance connected with the emigrant ancestor to the effect that he andhis bride made a runaway match and fled across the sea to seek theirfortune in the New World.” If so they arrived in America before thebirth of their first child Mary Best in 1774. All of their children wereborn in Pennsylvania. Later around 1795 the family moved to westernPennsylvania and settled in Ligonier valley when John Best was still aboy. Since John Best was born between 1781 and 1784 (derived above fromcensus data) he would still be a boy (under 14) in 1798 by which time hisfather was paying taxes in Ligonier valley. Thus the essence of the Bestfamily tradition is consistent with the known facts.

Question: How do we know that James Best met Catherine Cruson inPennsylvania? Maybe she accompanied James on the journey from England.Doesn’t family legend say she was from Holland?

Answer: The Westmoreland County census of 1810 shows that James Best’swife was born between 1755 and 1765, but her name is not mentioned in theU.S. census nor in her husband’s 1829 will. Her first baby was born in1774, so she was a teenager when they married. No evidence has beenfound linking the Best and Cruson families. Best family legends say thatJames Best Sr. was from England and worked as a gardener for the Crusanswho were nobility in Holland. James eloped with his employer’s 15 or 16year old daughter Catherine Crusan and came to America. Another legendhas Catherine at age 18 being raised by her wealthy bachelor uncles

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because her parents were dead. These uncles owned a shipping company inHolland according to family legend. Searches by Amsterdam and Rotterdamgenealogists failed to find any record of a Cruson shipping company.

Part of this family legend is garbled, i.e. that the Crusons were inEngland or Holland and that James Best brought Catherine with him toAmerica. The Cruson families in America did in fact have Holland Dutchancestry, but their ancestor Gerret Dircksen Croesen immigrated toAmerica from Holland in 1660, generations earlier. Wealthy Cruson/Krusen families were already well established in Bucks County, PA andPhiladelphia and New Jersey in the 1770’s when James Best arrived fromEngland. Since James and Catherine’s first child Mary Best was born inPennsylvania according to the 1880 census, they probably met in America.Filby’s passenger lists of ships arriving from Europe in the 1770’s donot list a Catherine Best or Catherine Cruson. Hence James’s wifeCatherine was most likely born and raised in America. There was ashipping company owned by the Cresson brothers in Philadelphia, norelation to the Crusans. The idea that Catherine’s relatives owned ashipping company may have been started by someone who guessed that theCressons were the same as the Crusons.

Question: How do we know who Catherine Cruson was and who her parentswere?

Answer: Family legend has it that James and Catherine eloped whenCatherine was 15 or 16. If the James Best who arrived in Philadelphia in1773 was the one who married Catherine, and considering the fact thattheir first child Mary Best was conceived in March 1774, James andCatherine probably ran off together in 1773-1774. If she was 15 or 16 in1773-1774, she was born in 1756-1759. This is consistent with the 1810census which gives the birth year of James Best’s wife as 1755-1765.There are two candidates for Catherine/Katherine/Catrina born to aKroesen/Croesen family in Bucks County Pa, New Jersey, or Philadelphiaaround 1756-1759:

Catrina Kroesen, baptised April 13, 1757, daughter of DerreckKroesen (1726-1818) and Elizabeth Vandergrift (1727-). Catrina was baptisedin the Reformed Dutch Church, Churchville, Bucks County, Pa. which isalso where Derreck and Elizabeth were married in 1753. This DerreckKroesen (aka Richard Crues/Cruse) was the son of Nicolas Kroesen andMary Rowland who moved from Bucks County to Cape May, New Jersey about1750 and moved again to Maryland about 1760. Derreck their son stayedbehind in Bucks County until about 1760 when he moved with his family toMaryland along with his brother John. The 1776 census for HarfordCounty, Maryland lists Catherine age 19 and her sister Elizabeth livingwith their parents Richard (Derreck) and Elizabeth Crusen (Crawson) anda Vandigraft child. We would also expect a one year old child Mary Best.There was a one year old child Elizabeth Stiles listed but no Mary Best.If this Catrina Kroesen was the wife of James Best, she may have returned

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to live with her father while James Best was away during the RevolutionaryWar. The 1790 census for Harford County, Maryland shows this RichardCrawson as owning 6 slaves and he can therefore be considered wealthy.This Catrina was 16 in 1773 which agrees with Best family legend.Josephine Binkey (1880-1976) said the “Crusan home was in BaltimoreMaryland.” Catrina Kroesen, baptised August 15, 1756 at Six Mile RunReformed Church in Maidenhead, Franklin Twp, Somerset County, New Jersey,was daughter of Derick Kroesen and Elizabeth Van Nuys, and lived inSomerset County, New Jersey. Derick Kroesen was the only son of Jan(John) Kroesen (died Dec 9, 1775) and Breckje (Rebecca) Bergan. JanKroesen was wealthy and was the fourth son of Dirck G. Croesen (1662-1731) and Elizabeth Kregier of Bucks County, Pa. Dirck G. Croesen was ason of Gerret Dircksen Croesen (1639-1680) the immigrant. Catrina hadfour brothers: Jacob, Derrick (Richard), Cornelius, Isaac, and halfbrother John (Jan). Isaac and Richard fought in the Revolutionary War.Catrina was age 17 in 1773 the year that James Best arrived in Philadelphia,which almost agrees with family legend. The two Catrinas above weresecond cousins.

The first Catrina Kroesen, baptised in 1757 was 17 in 1774 when ourCatherine Cruson gave birth to her first child and 43 in 1800 when shegave birth to her last child. The second Catrina Kroesen, baptised in1756 was 18 in 1774 and 44 in 1800. Hence, either Catrina could have beenour Cathrine.

There was a Catharine Cruson listed in the 1830 census forPhiladelphia, who was born in 1760-1770. This overlaps the 1810 censusbirth year range of 1755-1765 for James Best’s wife. But this Catherinewas only 14 or younger in 1774 and could have been Catherine Hartley,widow of Jacob Krewson born May 7, 1767 in Bucks County, PA, son ofDerrick Kroesen and Margareta Van Arsdalen. Dutch families discouragedteenage marriages and so it is unlikely that this Catherine was JamesBest’s wife.

There was also a Catherine Crosson in the 1810 census for CecilCounty, Maryland, but this cannot be James Best’s wife who was counted inJames Best’s family in the 1810 census for Westmoreland County,Pennsylvania.

Question: How do we know that James Best the indentured servant was thesame as the Westmoreland County James Best?

Answer: Best family legend has James Best working as a servant orgardener for a wealthy man when James met teenager Catherine Cruson.Best family legend also says that James Best arrived at Philadelphia.There were two James Bests who arrived in America as indentured servants.One James Best who landed in Maryland was too young to be the WestmorelandCounty James Best. The other servant arrived in Philadelphia on August31, 1773 at just the right time to meet Catherine and get her pregnant inMarch 1774. This James was sold to David Rittenhouse on September 18,

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1773 and is most likely the James Best who settled later in WestmorelandCounty, Pennsylvania.

Question: Could James Best have been a British soldier?

Answer: There was a British soldier named James Best who joined BritishRegiment 22 of Foot in an “Additional Company” i.e. a recruiting companyand transferred to a regular company in Regiment 22F on June 6, 1776 whenit was stationed at Halifax, Nova Scotia. Since Regiment 22F had been atBoston only two months earlier, James could have joined the British armyat Boston or at Philadelphia where a deputy mustermaster was recruitingLoyalist soldiers. James was promoted to Ensign November 19, 1776 justafter the battle of New York City. This James Best resigned April 13,1779 when Regiment 22F was stationed at Newport, Rhode Island, in thesame year that a James Best began paying taxes in Fermanagh Township, PA.

For several years I held a theory that our Westmoreland CountyJames Best was the same as this British soldier. The chronology tiestogether almost perfectly. It was therefore with great reluctance thatI had to abandon this theory when I compared the signature of Britishsoldier James Best with the signature on the will of our James Best. Thesignatures were different. I obtained copies of the signature of soldierJames Best from the British Public Records Office where muster lists ofRegiment 22F are kept. Muster lists were used as payroll vouchers andwere signed by the 3 officers of each company to certify that thesoldiers listed had been paid. Ensign James Best was a junior officerand his signature appears at the bottom of the lists.

I took the two signatures to a handwriting expert who handlescontested wills, etc. He said they were probably not the same person,because the Westmoreland Co. James Best used a double-loop S in Best andthe soldier used a pointed top S. Also our James Best used an upstrokeloop to begin the B in Best, an unusual feature found in Irish signaturesbut not present in the soldier’s signature. The “James” is writtenidentically in both documents, but it has no peculiar features thatwould distinguish it from the copybook plates that both men learned fromwhen they were children.

Question: Is there any evidence that the Fermanagh Township James Bestwas the same as the Westmoreland County James Best?

Answer: The Fermanagh Township James Best disappeared from the taxroll in 1788. The Westmoreland County James Best appeared on the taxroll in 1798. Although there is an unexplained gap of ten years, atleast there is no overlap. The Fermanagh Township settlement was mostlyScotch-Irish. The settlement in Donegal Township, Westmoreland Countywas mostly Scotch-Irish. Donegal and Fermanagh are counties in northIreland. According to Ellis’ History of Susquehanna and Juniata ValleysAndrew Moore and his wife Margaret Banks moved from Fermanagh Township

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to Westmoreland County in 1784 via Fayette County. When one family movesto a new place and writes back to their relatives about how much theylike their new home, other families may follow.

Question: How do we know that James Best was the grandfather of RobertCrusan Best Sr?

Answer: The Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, published in 1890 byJohn M. Gresham & Co. states that Robert C. Best [Jr] was born in CookTownship in 1812 and that “His grandfather, John Best, ... was brought... in his boyhood by his parents, who settled in Ligonier valley.” In1812 Cook Township was part of Donegal Township. The 1790 census showsno Bests in Donegal Township. The 1800 census shows only one Best inDonegal Township, namely James Best. We know from James Best’s will 2WB-247-1830 that he had a son named John Best and we know from 30C-280-1847that John Best had a son named Robert C. Best. Since there was only oneBest family in Donegal Township in 1800, they must be the parentsmentioned in Gresham.

Question: John is a common name. How do we know that the John Best inJames Best’s will was the same as the father of Robert C. Best?

Answer: We know from Deed Book 26-580-1843 that the John Best who wasthe son of James Best Sr. had a wife named Margaret. And we know from30C-280-1847 that the John Best who fathered Robert C. Best had a wifenamed Margaret.

We also know from 30C-280-1847 that the John Best who fatheredRobert C. Best was a resident of Mount Pleasant Township. The 1830 and1840 censuses for Mount Pleasant Township, list only one Best, namelyJohn Best. His birth year range is 1780-1790 in both censuses. Greshamsays that Robert C. Best was born in Cook (Donegal) Township in 1812.The 1810 census for Donegal Township, which gives only age ranges foreach (unnamed) family member, lists only two Best families, those ofJames Best and John Best. This 1810 census John Best had a birth yearrange of 1765-1784. If Robert C. Best’s father John Best was same asthis 1810 census John Best then the overlap of the birth year ranges of1765-1784 and 1780-1790 yields a narrow range of 1780-1784 for JohnBest’s birth year.

From the 1850 census and from Pleasant Grove tombstones we know thebirth years of four children of James Best Sr:Mary Hunter 1774Elias Best 1780Jacob Best 1785Jane Logan 1800.

These names are in the same order as those written in James Best’swill and therefore support a theory that the children named in the willare given in the order they were born. Since John is named after Elias

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(1780) and before Jacob (1785), John Best son of James Best Sr. was born1781-1784. This result is almost exactly the same range as that derivedabove from the census data.

James Best Sr’s son John Best and Robert C. Best’s father JohnBest had the same name, were living in the same place at the same time,had the same age, and had wives with the same name. They were clearlythe same person.

Question: John Best the father of Robert C. Best is said to be aresident of Mount Pleasant Township in 30C-280-1847. But Gresham statesthat John Best, father of Robert C. Best “always resided near Bottsville.”Who is right? And how do we know that Robert C. Best had any connectionto the Bottsville Bests, other than from Gresham?

Answer: John Best’s Chestnut Ridge land was less than five miles fromthe church at Bottsville (Pleasant Grove). He was therefore living nearBottsville. The Bests attended the church at Bottsville and Robert C.Best appears in the minutes of that church.

Question: How do we know exactly where the farm of James Best Sr. waslocated in Westmoreland County, PA?

Answer: We must distinguish his two properties:A. where he lived until 1823, i.e. where he raised his children. This was 143 acres leased from Joseph McLean.B. where he lived from 1823 until he died in 1831. This is the 100 acres James Sr. bought from his son Elias in 1823 and which he mentioned in his 1829 will.Since James was at least age 73 when he bought parcel B, this was clearlya retirement farm, not the family homestead. The homestead parcel A wasleased from Joseph McLean who never sold it to the Bests. Parcel Apassed to Joseph McLean Jr. who sold it in 1854.

From the National Archives microfilm No. 372, roll 22 for thePenna. direct tax of 1798 for Westmoreland County, Donegal Twp. we learnthat James Best was paying taxes on 143 acres owned by Joseph McLean.Deed Book 2-376-1795 describes this 143 acres bought by Joseph McLean in1795. Fortunately the deed gives the metes and bounds of the 143 acres.The land passed to Joseph McLean Jr. who sold it in 1854 according toDeed Book 37-466-1854. By then the land had been split into two parcelsof 69 and 74 acres. The southern parcel of 69 acres was merged with a U-shaped 51 acre strip of land on the west, south, and south-east sides ofthe original 143 acres to form a merged parcel of 120 acres which was theone sold by Joseph McLean Jr. in 1854.

All four boundary lines of this 120 acres have remained almostunchanged to the present. A scale map of the 120 acres with the original143 acres superimposed on it matches the corresponding lines on moderntax maps 46-2 and 46-4 of Donegal Twp. and near where a 1857 map shows

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the name McLean. The boundary lines of James Best’s original 143 acres nolonger show on modern maps, but can be reconstructed from the deeds. Thissame technique was used to locate John Best’s 312 acre farm on ChestnutRidge and Elias Best’s farm east of Stahlstown.

Question: How do we know when the children of James Best Sr. were born,since several are not mentioned by name in the census.

Answer: The children that we do have birth years for, i.e. Mary 1774,Elias 1780, Jacob 1785, Catherine 1789, and Jane 1800 are in the sameorder as the living children named in James Sr’s will. So we are safe inassuming that the others are in birth order except for James Jr. who diedbefore the will was signed. We reconstruct the birth years of the otherchildren from the 1810 census for the reasons given below: male 1765-1784 Elias female 1784-1794 Catherine2 males 1784-1794 James Jr. and Peter male 1794-1800 Samuel female 1800-1810 Jane

Mary Best born in 1774 was not either of the above females. Mary wasliving with her husband Alexander Hunter long before 1810.

Elias Best born in 1779-1780 (1850 census) was probably the above1765-1784 male, except that Elias was in Ohio in 1810.

John Best was not any of the above males because John Best is listedseparately in the 1810 census as a family head.

Jacob Best born in 1785 was not any of the above males because hewas in Ohio in 1810 according to tax lists of Jefferson County, GreeneTownship.

Samuel Best was born in 1794-1804 according to the 1820 census and1790-1800 according to the 1830 and 1840 census. Therefore he was born1794-1800. Therefore the above 1794-1800 male was Samuel.

Although Peter Best was also born in 1790-1800 according to the1830 and 1840 census, Peter was older than Samuel and there was only onemale born in 1794-1800. Therefore Peter Best was one of the two 1784-1794 males and has a birth year range of 1790-1794.

Since Alexander was younger than Samuel, Alexander is probably notany of the above males, although he appears in the 1800 census with ayear range of 1791-1800.

Therefore, by a process of elimination, James Jr. was one of the twomales born in 1784-1794. The corresponding birth year range for JamesJr. from the 1800 census is 1784-1790.

1800 census: girl 1774-1784 Mary2 boys 1774-1784 Elias and John2 boys 1784-1790 Jacob and James Jr.3 boys 1791-1800 Peter, Samuel and Alexander

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Since James Jr. was born in 1784-1790 and Peter in 1790-1794 it isprobable that James Jr. was born before Peter. The possibility thatPeter and James Jr. were both born in 1790 is eliminated by the fact thatJames Jr. was counted with Jacob and not with the 3 younger boys in the1800 census.

James Jr. was born after John who had a birth year range of 1781-1784, because John was counted with Elias and not with Jacob and JamesJr.

We cannot decide whether James Jr. was born before or after Catherinewho was born Jan 13, 1789.

We cannot decide whether James Jr. was born before or after Jacobwho was born April 1, 1785.

Hence, there are three possible birth year sequences:Mary, Elias, John, James, Jacob, Cathy, Peter, Samuel, Alex, JaneMary, Elias, John, Jacob, James, Cathy, Peter, Samuel, Alex, JaneMary, Elias, John, Jacob, Cathy, James, Peter, Samuel, Alex, Jane

Placing James Jr. before Jacob or after Catherine leaves a 4-yeargap between Jacob and Catherine, so placing James Jr. between Jacob andCatherine is more probable:Mary, Elias, John, Jacob, James, Cathy, Peter, Samuel, Alex, Jane

Question: How do we know where the children of James and Catherinewere born?

Answer: Mary, Elias, John, Jacob, James Jr, Catherine, and Jane wereall born in Pennsylvania:

Mary Best Hunter - The 1880 census lists Mary’s daughter Jane underJane’s husband John Peebles in Unity Twp, Westmoreland Co, PA. JanePeebles gave the birthplace of her mother as Pennsylvania. Also MaryBest’s daughters Elizabeth and Mary appear in the 1880 census forLincoln Twp, Lucas County, Iowa where they both give their mother’sbirthplace as Pennsylvania.

Elias Best - Elias appears in the 1850 census for Cook Twp, WestmorelandCounty, Pa. where he gave his birthplace as Pennsylvania. His sonAlexander W. Best in the 1880 census for Taylor County, West Virginiagave his father’s birthplace as Pennsylvania.

John Best - John’s daughter Catherine who married Andrew Berry is listedin the 1880 census for Hempfield Twp, Westmoreland County, Pa. where shegave her father’s birthplace as Pennsylvania.

Jacob Best - Jacob appears in the 1850 and 1860 census where he gave hisbirthplace as Pennsylvania. He was in Donegal Twp. in 1850 and inLigonier Twp. in 1860 in Westmoreland County, Pa.

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James Best Jr. - James’s son James C. Best is listed in the 1880 censusfor Cook Twp, Westmoreland County, Pa. where he gave his father’sbirthplace as Pennsylvania.

Catherine Best Megaw - According to Hanna’s Ohio Valley Genealogies,page 90, Catherine Best was born in Pennsylvania.

Peter Best - Peter’s children James, William and Matilda were living atthe time of the 1880 census but this census has not been checked.

Jane Best Logan - Jane appears in Jacob Best’s family in the 1850 censusfor Donegal Twp where she gave her birthplace as Pennsylvania.

Question: Is there any evidence of the rich brothers who according tofamily legend owned a shipping business and who were Catherine Cruson’sguardians?

Answer: No evidence has been found linking the Bests and the Crusons.However, there were some wealthy brothers named Cresson who had ashipping business in Philadelphia around 1800-1843. Their great-grand-father Solomon Cresson (1674-1746) was baptised in the New York DutchReformed Church, was a chair maker and owned a carpenter shop. Solomon’sson John Cresson (1713-1771) was a whitesmith (tinsmith). John had fourchildren Jeremiah (1738- ), Ann, James (1740-1799), and John Jr. (1756- ).James Cresson Sr. (1740-1799) was a lumber merchant and had nine chil-dren including James Jr. (1776-1843), John (1779-1845), and Joseph(1781- ). The Pa. Archives 3rd Series XVI p772 for the Federal tax of1783 mentions Cresson and Co. board merchant in the Dock Ward west part.The 1791 City Tax (Archives Middle District p12) lists the tax on JamesCresson board merchant as 465 Br. Pounds, which was a fortune in 1791.James Cresson Jr. married Hannah Humphreys and Sarah Parrish and to-gether with his brother John H. Cresson were engaged in a shippingbusiness about 1800 for the importation and sale of china and queenware.They sold the business in 1830 and James retired to live in Columbia,Lancaster County where he died June 16, 1843. His will does not mentionthe name Best nor the name Catherine. (Lancaster County Will Book T, Vol1 p244). John Head Cresson died in January 1845. His will was probatedin Philadelphia (No 14 of 1845) but does not mention a Best or aCatherine. There is a Cresson Street in Philadelphia today. There isalso a Crowson Street in Philadelphia named after John Billings Crowsen(1823-1917) a realtor in Germantown, Philadelphia who arrived in Americafrom England in 1843 and is therefore unrelated to the Crusons we areinterested in.

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Question: Where is the $40,000,000 that Catherine Cruson was said tohave inherited from two wealthy brothers, according to family legend?

Answer: There were two wealthy brothers named John Crouse and DanielCrouse who owned a wholesale business 1825-1853 in Canastota and Syra-cuse, New York. John Crouse became a vice-president and director of aSyracuse bank and a director of a Canastota bank. His son John J. Crousecarried on the business and became mayor of Syracuse. John J. Crouse’ssecond son Daniel Edgar Crouse inherited his father’s fortune and liveda recluse in Syracuse. D. Edgar Crouse met a baroness named Grace Wilsonand lived with her for a short time. Later she moved to London where shemarried a wealthy German named Seigbert Koserlitz. D. Edgar Crouse died21 Nov 1892 leaving the bulk of his $4,000,000 estate to “the next ofkin” who were a collection of cousins. A Syracuse attorney hired byGrace Wilson made a claim that Grace and D. Edgar had been married inPhiladelphia and that her daughter Dorothea was the daughter of D. EdgarCrouse and therefore next of kin. The case dragged on for many years andkept bobbing back into the newspapers.

My source is a news clipping from a Syracuse newspaper dated Feb 28,1952 on the occasion of the death of Dorothea Crouse. The $4,000,000estate of D. Edgar Crouse sounds suspiciously like the $40,000,000estate of the Crusons in Best family legend. I do not know of anyconnection between the Bests and the Crouse millions. This is the kind ofstory that can become adopted as family legend by wishing it were true.

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Appendix VII

Family Legends aboutJames Best and Catherine (Cruson) Best

by Mrs. Helen Brodine

James Best was of Scotch descent and was in Holland farming. He metand fell in love with Catherine Cruson, whose family lived nearby andwere wealthy. They had picked a mate for their daughter who was anelderly man with a title. The wedding was to take place in a few weeks.But she was only 18 years old and was in love with James Best the farmer.They decided to run away together. She climbed out a second story windowand fled to the sea and across the channel to England so as not to becaught. They sailed from England for America, landing in New York.

For many years her family did not know of her whereabouts. When herbrothers finally located her in America, they came to WestmorelandCounty, Pa. where they tried to persuade James and Catherine (Cruson)Best to return to Holland. Catherine’s brothers told her that they wouldnot have to do any work for a living, if she and James would just return.James would not have to get his hands dirty again. But they refusedsaying that they were now Americans.

The two brothers owned a shipping line and wharves in Holland and ontheir death left money on interest in Holland for their “sister inAmerica”. Many years ago the American descendants tried to get legalproof to collect the money. They wrote to “the little church around thecorner” in New York and was told the church records had been beendestroyed so they could not prove relationship through marriage. Thisdoes not seem to be the church where James and Catherine were marriedbecause it did not come into being until 1848.

There was another story that a man came out from New Jersey tosettle the Cruson estate, but when he found out that Jacob Cruzen Best’ssister Nancy Ann had let her children destroy the family Bible, he wouldnot try to make a settlement, because there was no proof [of James Best’smarriage to Catherine Cruson].

I am trying to prove that our James Best was a prisoner of theHessian soldiers and taken to England about 1778. I heard this storyfrom the Hunter branch of the family in Westmoreland Co. This story tiesin with the Revolutionary record of a James Best from Maryland who wasnever officially discharged. So it seems that James was released inEngland and made his way to Holland where he worked on this Crusan estateand ran away with the daughter of a wealthy man, later returning toAmerica.

I am also checking the story of this vast estate of $40 million,that is supposed to be in Holland. Catherine (Cruson) Best was the heirof a shipping fortune. Her heirs have never successfully proven ancestryto her.

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James and Catherine are supposed to have arrived in America about1765 [?] and settled in Ligonier valley. During the Indian troubles theywould get on their horses and ride to Fort Williams for safety. Theylater went to Ohio for awhile (possibly Harrison County then known asJefferson County, Northwest territory) and later returned to WestmorelandCounty.

Analysis of Best Family Legends by Robert M. Best

Legend: James Best was a prisoner of the Hessian soldiers and taken toEngland about 1778.Correction: The lists of Hessian prisoners do not mention James Best.There was a James Best who was captured by the British at the battle ofCharleston and held for 14 months. He was released in a prisonerexchange in Jamestown Virginia. This James Best served in the firstRegiment of Virginia and received a pension in 1818 from Kentucky. He andhis wife Susan were Baptists and raised a large family in Estill County,Kentucky. Clearly he was not the same as our Westmoreland County, PAJames Best. According to the British War Department there was a JamesBett who was one of 8000 prisoners on the prison ship Old Jersey. A listof these prisoners was published in American Prisoners of the Revolutionby Danske Dandridge in 1967, but he does not know what happened to theprisoners.

Legend: There is a Revolutionary War record of a James Best from Marylandwho was never officially discharged and thus may have been taken back toEngland.Correction: There was a James Best who fought in the Revolutionary War asa private in Lt. Claggett’s company, Third Maryland Regiment commandedby Col. Ramsay and Col. Gist. But this James Best died in the war onOctober 27, 1778. That is why there is no discharge papers for him inthe archives.

Legend: Catherine Cruson and her father’s butler James Best eloped andcame to America.Correction: There were two related couples who eloped and their storiesseem to have become merged. The following is excerpted from a letterdated June 30, 1929 by Joseph Alexander Best (1882-1972) husband ofHazel May Badger: “I have heard of the Catherine Cruzen estate and alsoof the Betty Crieghton estate ever since I was a small boy... Mother usedto tell how Betty Crieghton, who was an only child (or daughter), ran offwith the butler and came to America and I think this butler’s name wasJohn Hunter, the father of Alexander Hunter. Mother always said thatthere was a vast estate in Ireland left by the parents of Betty Crieghtonthat was never claimed.”See Appendix XI for the Crieghton story. The butler’s name was AlexanderAlexander. Betty Creighton was not an only child.

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Legend: George Hunter (b. 1876) said his father James Hunter (1837-1931)told him that Catherine (Cruson) Best was raised by two batchlor uncleswho owned a shipping line in Holland. She was their only heir. He saidher parents were dead at the time she eloped with James Best.Comment: Catherine’s uncles may have had a family name other thanCruson, thus making it very difficult to search for information on them.

Legend: Martha E. Hunter Parke (b. 1879) said her father James Hunter(1837-1931) told her that Catherine (Cruson) Best was an only child oreldest child and her two uncles owned a shipping line in Holland. Shesaid the uncles were bachelors who left no descendants. She thinks thatJames Best was born in America and about 1778 was taken prisoner by theHessians and taken to England and later released, then went to Hollandwhere he met Catherine Cruson. Martha said James and Catherine weremarried in Holland and left at once for America.Correction: This story has James Best meeting Catherine four years aftertheir first child Mary was born. This is clearly false conjecture unlessMary Best was his adopted daughter. He refers to her as one of hischildren in his will.

Legend: Oliver Leonard Best (1865-1956) gave answers to questions put tohim by genealogist Helen Brodine:Brodine: Where was your grandfather Jacob Best born? In Ohio orPennsylvania?Oliver: Not known, but from stories I have heard supposed he came fromEngland.Brodine: Do you know where James and Catherine Cruzen Best sailed from?Oliver: Both grandmothers—paternal and maternal—were Holland Dutch, sofrom this they apparently sailed from Holland.Brodine: What do you remember about this fortune that your father was tobe an heir of?Oliver: Toward 1875, a man came to the home of my father [J.C. Best]searching for family records. As near as I could understand the fortuneconsisted of wharfage property in Holland. The property would havebelonged to my great grandmother, Hannah Crusen.Brodine: Did you ever hear the story of someone coming out from NewJersey to try to get proof of the relationship to establish claim to thisfortune?Oliver: I definitely remember someone coming out in 1875 when I was aboutten years old. My father and Uncle Joe worked with them on the records.Who it was or where they were from I do not know.Correction: Oliver made a common mistake of assuming that if a person wasEnglish or Holland Dutch they came from England or Holland. Oliverplainly labels this as conjecture by using the words supposed andapparently. The man who obtained family records from Joseph Best in 1875

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was probably collecting material for the History of Lucas County, publishedin 1881. When he wrote “Hannah Crusen” did he mean “Catherine Crusen”?Legend: Roberta Porch heard this story from her grandmother CatherineCrusan Annette Ross (1876-1970) who heard it from her grandmother CatherineCrusan Best (1808-1886) whose grandfather was immigrant James Best. Thesame story was heard from Annette Ross by her daughters Barbara Baumannand Eva Blansett. The story is this: “James Best was a revolutionarysoldier who was captured by the British, taken back to Europe where heworked as a gardener for the wealthy Crusan family in Holland. At theage of 15 or 16 Catherine eloped with James and came to America. Jamesand his bride arrived at Philadelphia.” Roberta also heard there weretwo Crusan brothers who came to America together.Correction: Since the Crusans were of Holland Dutch descent, someoneassumed that the Crusan estate was in Holland. And someone assumed thatservant James Best worked for the Crusans where he met Catherine Crusan.But this created a problem of how to get James Best to Holland to meetCatherine. Since James was allegedly “captured” by the British, someoneconjectured that the British took him to Europe. Having transportedJames to Holland to meet Catherine the story teller then had to transporthim back to America with Catherine. Thus conjectures are piled onconjectures, making the whole legend far-fetched. However, this legenddoes contain an important fact not mentioned in the other legends: Jamesarrived at Philadelphia. Both Barbara and Eva recall their mothertelling them that.

Legend: When the wealthy Crusan died, part of his estate was left toCatherine and her heirs. The lawyers interviewed the Bests in Ligoniervalley.Comment: I have not found any legal records linking the Best and Crusanfamilies.

Legend: Catherine (Cruson) Best was the heir to a $40 million shippingfortune willed to her by the Cruson brothers.Comment: As explained above, there was a shipping company owned by theCresson brothers whose wills do not mention a Catherine or a Best. The$40 million figure is probably derived from the $4 million estate ofDaniel Edgar Crouse. Although the Crusons sometimes spelled their nameCrouse, there is no financial connection between the Cresson, Cruson, orCrouse families.

Legend: In the booklet Lineage of James Best and Catherine Cruzen by TedRaymond Best (1904-1979) Ted says “James Best reputedly fought in theAmerican Revolution which would have separated him from Catherine for atime ... The possibility that James Best was an English soldier whodecided to stay in America is completely out as he would never haveeloped with Catherine.” Ted R. Best was descended from James Best’s sonJacob. Also descended from Jacob is Leona Marshall (born 1915) who

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confirmed that she had heard several versions of the James Best story,making him a soldier, or a gardener, or a butler.Comment: I do not agree with Ted’s non sequitur. Catherine’s husbandJames Best could have been an English soldier, but the only Englishsoldiers named James Best in the records were not ours. So there is noevidence to prove Ted wrong. All of Ted’s family data is in the Mormon’sAncestral File.

Legend: In the Boston Transcript genealogy column of June 1, 1925 therewas an inquiry #3084 asking who was the James Best who served in theRevolutionary War from Maryland as a private in Lieutenant HoratioClaggett’s company. It also asked if James Best was born in HunterdonCounty, N. J.Comment: The inquiry came from Cecelia Hardesty a descendant of ourJames Best. She apparently overlooked the fact that the Maryland JamesBest died in the War on October 27, 1778. There is also a strongtradition that our James Best came from England, not New Jersey. Ceceliaalso wrote to the Federal Commissioner of Pensions in 1932 about “mygreat grandfather James Best, Rev. War Soldier from Virginia who was apensioner living in Estill County, Kentucky.” She was mistaken on thistoo. The Estill County James Best and his wife Susan lived many years inKentucky while our James Best was living in Westmoreland County, PA.Clearly a different James Best.I have had genealogists search libraries and historical societies inColorado where Cecelia died, but have been unable to find her papers.Cecelia Hardesty corresponded with genealogist Helen Brodine during the1950’s and so it is unlikely that Cecelia had any important papers thatHelen did not know about. I have a copy of Helen’s correspondance fileand family group sheet file. I have sent all of Helen’s family groupsheet data on computer discs to the Mormon Family History Department andit is now on the Ancestral File.

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Appendix VIII - The Cruson family

No hard evidence has been found to link the Best and Cruson families,only family legend, but a sketch of the Bucks County Pa. and MarylandCruson families is included here just in case a link is found later.

The Bucks County and Maryland Kroesen/Cruson families were descendedfrom Gerrit Dircksen Croeson (1639-1680) who immigrated from Wynschoten,Groningen, North Holland before 1660 and settled in Brooklyn, New Yorkwhere he was listed as a cooper (barrel maker). In Oct. 1661 Gerritmarried Neeltje Jans Staats of New York. Their eldest son Dirck GerretseCroesen (July 1662 - May 1731) married in 1684 Elizabeth Kreiger (1662-)daughter of Franz Kregier and Wallburg de Silla. In 1677 Gerrit Croesonwas granted a land patent by the New York governor for 160 acres of landon Staten Island which he divided among his children. His son Dirckmoved to Staten Island, New York where he got involved in the LeislerRebellion against the British who had taken New York from the Dutch.When Jacob Leisler was executed by the British in 1691, Dirck Croesenleft Staten Island, New York and moved with his family to Bucks County,Pa. Some of his children changed the family name from Croesen toKroesen. In 1712 Dirck purchased around two thousand acres in Northamptonand Southampton townships in Bucks County. Dirck divided this land amonghis children, giving each one about 250 acres. The children of Dirck andElizabeth were Garret, Frances, Nicholas, John, Derick, Henry, Neeltje,and Catherine (who married Benjamin Jones).

Nicholas Kroesen (May 1696 - 1786), third son of Dirck G. Croesenand Elizabeth Kregier, married Mary Roland in Philadelphia Nov. 23, 1721and had at least five children: Derrick (Richard) Kroesen baptised 1726,John baptised 1730, Garret, Mary baptised 1735 and Catherine baptised1739. Nicholas moved from Bucks County, Pa. to Cape May, New Jersey about1750 and moved again to Maryland about 1760. Derrick, Nicholas’s son,stayed behind in Bucks County until about 1760 when he moved with hisfather and brothers John and Garret and with his own family to Maryland.

Derrick Kroesen (Richard Crawson) born about 1726 married (June 16,1753) Elizabeth Vandegrift (born about 1727) the daughter of FulkertVandergrift and Elizabeth VanStandt. Derrick and Elizabeth had at leastfive children:

baptised spouseMaria Kroesen May 26 1754 George VandigriftJacob Kroesen May 26 1754 Elizabeth KroesenCatrina Kroesen April 13 1757 James Best?? John Sharrats?Rebecca Kroesen Jan 29 1759Richard Kroesen after 1759

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Catrina (Catherine) Kroesen was baptised April 13, 1757 in theReformed Dutch Church, Churchville, Bucks County, Pa. which was alsowhere Derrick (Richard) and Elizabeth were married in 1753. The 1776census for Harford County, Maryland lists Catherine age 19 and hersister Elizabeth living with their parents Richard and Elizabeth Cruseand a Vandigraft child. Harford County is northeast of Baltimore and isabout 60 miles from Philadelphia. In 1776 James Best’s first child Marywas one year old. Although a child one year old is listed in the 1776census with Richard Cruse and daughter Catherine, the baby’s name wasElisabeth Stiles not Mary Best. Hence, this Catrina Kroesen was probablynot the wife of our James Best.

The 1790 census shows Richard Crawson in Harford County, Marylandas owning 6 slaves. George Vandigrift is listed a few doors away fromRichard Crawson.

On June 8, 1793 a Catherine Crouse and John Sharrats signed amarriage license in Maryland. If this was the same as the CatrinaKroesen born in 1757 she would have been 36 years old when she marriedJohn Sharrats.

Another candidate for the wife of James Best was Catrina Kroesen,baptised August 15, 1756 at Six Mile Run Reformed Church in Maidenhead,Franklin Twp, Somerset County, New Jersey less than 60 miles fromPhiladelphia. Catrina was a daughter of Derick Kroesen (1723- ) andElizabeth Van Nuys, and lived in Somerset County, New Jersey. DerickKroesen was the only son of Jan (John) Kroesen (1697 - Dec 9, 1775) ofMiddlebush, New Jersey and Breckje (Rebecca) Bergan. Jan Kroesen waswealthy and was the fourth son of Dirck G. Kroesen (1662-1731) andElizabeth Kregier of Bucks County, PA. Dirck G. Kroesen was a son ofGerret Dircksen Croesen (1639-1680) the immigrant. Catrina’s fatherDerick Kroesen had 8 children:

baptised died spouseJan (John) Dec 14, 1746 1770-1776 Blandina Van NortwickIsaac Dec 29, 1754 Elizabeth MorganCatrina Aug 15, 1756 James Best ??Elizabeth Sept 9, 1759Derrick (Richard) Jun 24, 1764Jacobus (James) Nov 16, 1766Cornelius Feb 26, 1769 Hannah Sheeley PhillipsJacob Jun/Jul 28, 1771

Jan (John) was the son of Derick’s first wife Catrina and wasbaptised in the Reformed Dutch Church, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Isaac,Catrina, Elizabeth, Derrick and Jacobus were children of Derick’s secondwife Elizabeth Van Nuys and were baptised at Six Mile Run church,

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Somerset County, New Jersey. Cornelius and Jacob were baptised atHillsborough Dutch Reformed Church. Isaac and Richard Kroesen fought inthe Revolutionary War. Catrina was age 17 in 1773 the year that JamesBest arrived in Philadelphia, which almost agrees with family legend.The two Catrinas above were second cousins. Derrick Kroesen and ElizabethVan Nuys moved to Berkley County, Virginia about 1776-1783. John Best’swife Margaret Cruson was born in Virginia in 1780. There may be noconnection.

Each generation of Krusens changed the spelling of the family name.Hence Croesen was changed to Kroesen then to dozens of different spellings.Derrick’s daughter Catrina Kroesen may have been Catherine Cruson thewife of James Best Sr. or maybe not.

The most extensive work on the Cruson family is The Croesen Familiesof America by Warren D. Cruise, 3 volumes (1998). An older work by FrankK. Swain is Kroesen and Allied Families 5 volumes, typescript (1935), noindex, at Spruance Library, Bucks County Historical Society, PA. Cruise’sbook (but not Swain’s book) mentions Catrina Kroesen, daughter of DerickKroesen and Elizabeth Van Nuys.

Marie Metzgar has six 4-inch notebooks of Crusan family groupsheets (in 1989) which she says will go to the DAR. She is transcribingthis data onto her small computer and is writing a book on the Crusanfamily.

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Appendix IX - Sources

Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Westmoreland County, John M.Gresham & Co, Philadelphia, 1890.

John W. Jordan, History of Westmoreland County of Pennsylvania Vols II &III, Lewis Publishing Co, New York, 1906.

Fenwick Y. Hedley, Old and New Westmoreland, Vol III, American HistoricalSociety, New York, 1918.

Atlas of Westmoreland County Pa. 1857, on file at Westmoreland CountyHistorical Society, Greensburg, PA.

S.N. Beers and D.G. Beers, Atlas of Westmoreland County Pa., publishedby A. Pomeroy, Philadelphia, 1867, map of Cook Township, on file atLigonier Valley Library, Ligonier, PA. and Westmoreland County HistoricalSociety, Greensburg, PA.

Martha G. Martens, A History of Old Donegal Church, Ligonier, Pennsylvania,1935.

Giovanni Costigan, A History of Modern Ireland, Bobbs-Merrill PublishingCo., Indianapolis, 1969.

Donald Dean Parker, Scottish and Scotch-Irish Ancestry Research

Worthington C. Ford, British Officers serving in the American Revolution,Historical Printing, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1897.

Jeannette newspaper, December 17, 1959, Banker-Attorney, R. Edward BestSuccumbs, obituary article.

Greensburg Wtmld. Repub. newspaper, January 31, 1839, marriage of CatherineBest [daughter of Peter Best] to John Wadsworth.

Greensburg newspaper, March 8, 1865. death of Robert Best on March 1,1865 in Hempfield Township.

Charles Best Benson, The Family of Best, Knickerbocker Press, c. 1909,Lib. of Cong. CS71.B56, LCCN 09026976. This gives biographical sketchesof people named Best in England in the 1500’s and 1600’s.

Charles A. Hanna, Ohio Valley Genealogies, 1900, see under Megaw

Wayland F. Dunaway, The Scotch-Irish of Colonial Pennsylvania, Univ. ofN. Carolina Press, 1944, pp 80-81.

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The Mormon International Genealogical Index (IGI) for Ireland, Scotlandand England, 1600-1809.

Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd Series, Vol 20, pages 154, 287, 512, CumberlandCounty, Fermanagh Township (now in Juniata County) for 1779-1785.1785-1790 are on microfilm RG4 at Pa Archives. Samuel Best also appearsin years 1779 and 1787.

Pennsylvania Archives, 6th Series, Vol 7, page 715 on Elias Best

Burke, The General Armory, 1884.

James Fairbairn, Fairbairn’s Crests of Leading Families in Great Britainand Ireland, 1963

Frank R. Diffenderffer, The German Immigration into Pennsylvania Throughthe Port of Philadelphia, 1700-1775, Genealogical Pub. Co., Baltimore,1979. This mentions Irish immigrants too and provides a detaileddescription of the process of indenturing.

Record of Indentures, Philadelphia, 1771-1773, Genealogical PublishingCo., Baltimore, 1973, mentions James Best 1773. This information wasextracted from the original Mayor’s Court Indenture Book at the AmericanPhilosophical Society in Philadelphia. The Society microfilmed theoriginal Indenture Book and copies of the film are available.

The Pennsylvania Gazette (printed in Philadelphia) now on microfilm,reel 16 (Jan 2, 1772 to Dec 28,1774) available from the University ofCalifornia at Riverside. The Pennsylvania Gazette of Sept. 8, 1773 page93 shows the ship Snow Sally out of London as arriving at the customhouse in Philadelphia with Captain S. Jones. Also in the Sept. 8 issuewas the following advertisement:

MARK FREEMAN Has just imported in the Sally, Captain Jones,from LONDON, A GENERAL assortment of broadcloths, coatings,duffils, Indian and rose blankets, imbossed flannels, half-thicks, swanskins, shaloons, durants, hair shags, and otherstuffs, which he will sell on the lowest terms for cash, orshort credit, at his store in Front-Street, the second doorabove Walnut-Street.

Also in the Sept. 8 issue was the following advertisement:GERMAN PASSENGERS Philadelphia, August 23, 1773

The Ship Sally, Captain Osman, is just arrived from ROTTERDAMwith Two Hundred fine young GERMAN Passengers, whose Passageis to be paid to Samuel Howell, in Water-Street, or theCaptain on board said Ship, near Chestnut-Street Wharff.

The Snow Sally and the Ship Sally were different vessels.

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Lloyd’s List (Lloyd’s of London) for 1773 lists the voyage of the snowSally under Captain Stephen Jones from Gravesend (port of London) toPhiladelphia. Lloyd’s Register of Shipping for 1775 lists the snowSally of Captain Jones owned by Rodd & Co. and classed as A1 from 1771,the year it was built. Both lists were deposited by Lloyds at theGuildhall Library, Aldermanbury, London EC2P 2EJ.

In the Mayor’s Court Indenture Book page 742, September 18, 1773:James Best. Who was under Indenture of Redemption to Captain

Stephen Jones now cancelled in consideration of £ 15,paid for his Passage from London bound a servantto David Riddinhouse [sic] of the City of Philadelphia& assigns three years to befound all necessaries.

Records of the Old Donegal Presbyterian Church, Westmoreland County,Pennsylvania, now Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church, typed from theoriginal record books (location unknown) by Mrs. E.H. Dickinson andretyped by genealogist Helen Brodine. A copy is with the WestmorelandCounty Historical Society, Greensburg, PA.Book 1, lostBook 2, August 1836 to June 1859Book 3, April 1859 to 1896

Military records at the Public Records Office, Kew, England:W025/33 Commission Books, Series 1 1776-1778, page 71

James BEST, Gent., to be Ensign in the 22d Regt of Foot,Commanded by Lt. Gen. GAGE vice PETERS promoted.6 June 1776 HOWE MACKENZIE GAGE

W012 Muster Rolls 1772-1784 hand-written on papers of irregularshapes and sizes and pasted into large books.

W012/3872 1776 paper headed “H.M. 22d Regt of Foot commanded byLieut. Gen The Honble Thomas Gage”

Lt Gen Thos GAGE Col & CaptRobert LINDSAY) Capt. Lieut.Mich. LEIX)Wm PROCTOR ) Tfrd to C. BRABAZON 6 JunJas BEST) Ensign Recd from Additional Com 6 JunThis paper has the file date: Rhode Island 20 Oct 1778

Similar muster for the same company. Against the name ofJames BEST, Ensign, is written “Resigned 13 Apr 1779”.This muster has file date: Long Island 8 Dec 1779.

W065/30 Printed Army List 1780, reg 22F Ensign James Bestdeleted; John Smith, 13 Apr 1779 inserted.

Ian Charles Cargill Graham, Colonists from Scotland - Emigration toNorth America, 1707-1783, Cornell University Press, NY, 1956.

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Federal Direct Tax List, Donegal Twp. for 1798, National Archives microfilmNo. 372, Roll 22. James Best is in Volume 691.

Tax Lists, Donegal Twp. under BEST, for 1828-1833, in privatehands (Ernest Brodine, Wierton, West Va.)

Tax Lists, Donegal Twp. under BEST, for 1834-1854, at WestmorelandCounty Courthouse annex.

Tax Lists, Hempfield Twp. under BEST, for 1849-1856, at WestmorelandCounty Courthouse annex.

Philip R. N. Katcher, Encyclopedia of British, Provincial and GermanArmy Units 1775-1783, Stackpole Books; describes each regiment and whereeach was stationed.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Land Warrant H-22-260, March 9, 1831,(survey C-86-89) to Jacob Best for 342 acres for $171.03 plus interestunder a mortgage held by Pa. Land in Donegal Twp. adjoining land ofMcKinney and Edward and James McDowell.

1792 Tax List for Westmoreland County, Donegal Township, is in privatehands, published in Old Westmoreland, Vol 10, No. 1, 1990. This is thelatest tax list for Donegal Township prior to the Federal Direct Tax of1798. Best is not listed. Hunter is not listed. Joseph McClean islisted.

Federal Census for Pennsylvania for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840,1850, 1860, 1870, 1880

Federal Census 1880 Lucas County, Iowa Lincoln Twp. born parents born

Elizabeth Hunter 75 single PA PA PAMary Best 80 sister PA PA PAAndrew Alexander 26 farmer, nephew PA PA PAFrank Alexander 21 farmer, nephew PA PA PA

This is the Mary Hunter who married James J. Best and her single sisterElizabeth Hunter. Both were daughters of the Mary (Best) Hunter (1774-1844) who was the eldest child of James Best Sr. and Catherine Cruson.This shows that James and Catherine’s eldest child Mary was born inPennsylvania.

Records of Christ Church, Philadelphia, 1708-1768, PH 2E:1, page 447Joseph, son of Samuel & Margaret Best, born October 20, 1738Baptisms dated Sept. 16, 1756Samuel, son of Samuel & Margaret Best, born December 25, 1744James, son of ditto May 1, 1747Margaret, d. of ditto April 19, 1749

See article by Captain Young about this family.

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Records of First Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PH 1P:1, page 153Marriages dated Sept. 19, 1737 Samuel Best & Margaret Albert

Patricia P. Ellingson, A History of the Mounticue, Best, Lockard, andHess Families, 1974, The State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madi-son, Wisconsin. A copy is also at the Westmoreland County HistoricalSociety, Greensburg, PA

Pleasant Grove Cemetery - north of Stahlstown, Pa.Jacob Best d. Aug 2 1866 81-4-1 calc b. Apr 1 1785Rachel Best d. Dec 4 1846 55-3-28 calc b. Aug 6 1791James C. Best b. Apr 1 1818 d. Mar 4 1899Elizabeth Best d. Mar 9 1891 73-10-21 calc b. Apr 18 1817Uriah Best d. Mar 14 1879 34-0-4 calc b. Mar 10 1845James Best d. Jun 29 1883 24-4-17 calc b. Feb 19 1859Eleanor Best d. Feb 9 1891 16-10-2 calc b. Apr 7 1874

Fairmont United Presbyterian Cemetery - north of Stahlstown, Pa.James Best Died Nov. 26, 1870, Aged 66 yrs & 28 days

[eldest son of John Best, Sr.]Malissa, Dau. of James J. & Mary Best, Died July 26, 1859,

Aged 22 years & 17 days [see 1850 census, 3 Mary Hunters]Mary [Best], wife of Alexander Hunter, Died Nov. 24, 1844, Aged

69 years 11 Mos. 13 Days. [calculated birth Dec. 11, 1774]Alexander Hunter, Died April 30, 1852, Aged 80 Yrs. & 10 Days.

Unity Cemetery, southwest of Latrobe, PABest, Samuel 1824-1885? [son of Elias] “ May A. Nance 1833-1905 “ May E. 1874-1960 “ Saidee Aug 7, 1867 - June 29, 192X “ William 1821-1892 [son of Elias] “ Mary 1816-1903 “ Susanah 1859-1941 [dau of William Best]Russell Kunkle 1865-1932Reynolds, Mary E. Best 1874-1960 “Aunt”

St. Clair Cemetery, Greensburg, Pa.Best, Robert C. 1858-1917 “ Aletta E. 1864-1944 “ Anna May 1891-1918 “ Robert H. 1902-1972 “ baby boy Nov 1, 1930Hile, William 1838-1922 “ Lucinda 1841-1918 “ Anna 1867-1944 “ Susan C. 1862-1933

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“ Jessie J. 1863-1891 “ Cyrus M. 1863-1944 [Aletta’s brother] “ Lucy J. 1891-1971

St. Clair Cemetery, Greensburg, Pa.Reamer, John 1810-1886 “ Annie 1816-1888 “ Barbra E. 1842-1863 “ James B. 1852-1853 “ Catharine 1855-1899 “ Sivelle 1847-1931 “ R. C. 1860-1930 “ Sarah 1860-1921Crusan, McClure 1886-1952 “ M. Pearl 1883-1946Sistek, E. Gertrude Best Dec 27, 1898 - June 22, 1983Jessie Quindora Jamison wife of C. M. Hile

Aug 23, 1863 - Oct 26, 1891Pool, Zach T. Dec 21, 1837 - Dec 7, 1912

Lucy Lillian Best Bromer was cremated. ashes are buried with Edward S.Bromer in Swenksville, Pa. July 17, 1890 - March 14, 1969

Hillview Cemetery, Mount Pleasant road near GreensburgAnna B. Best died Jan 19, 1909 age 79John Best 1853-1922Emma E. Lewis 1876-1956Elmer Best 1891-1894William D. Best 1860-1922Alice J. Best 1856-1915Robert G. Davison 1830-1914

Brush Creek Cemetery - near Adamsburg, Pa.Best, Chas. McComber 1881-1952 “ Bessie Myers 1880-1968Best, David H. 1870-1921 “ Nettie wife 1868-1935Best, Earl S. 1900-1969 “ Mary A. 1903-19__Best, Emma Caroline Beamer 1853-1922Best, Jacob S. 1855-1947 ?? “ Ellen M. Beamer 1860-1890 ?? “ Jacob S. 1890-1890Best, Joseph 1840-1919 “ Caroline H. 1844-1920 “ Va. Best Hunter 1914-1933Best, Paul K. 2-22-1880 4-22-1949 Cuban War

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Family Bible of Robert Crusan Best, Jr. and Aletta Hile - Births,marriages and Deaths pages. The birth year for Robert Crusan Best [Jr]is given in the family bible as 1857. But all other sources give it as1858. These include Robert C. Best Jr’s headstone at the St. ClairCemetery, Greensburg, PA and two genealogical books (one published in1890) and the 1860 and 1880 censuses.

Robert Crusan Best born July 13, 1857? died Mar. 19, 1917Aletta Ella Hile born Oct. 27, 1864 died June 23, 1944Lucie Lillian Best born July 17, 1890 died Mar. 14, 1969Anna May Best born Dec. 4, 1891 died Nov. 6, 1918Elsie Gertrude Best born Dec. 27, 1898 died June 21, 1983Robert Hile Best born Mar. 4, 1902 died Oct. 23, 1972Dorothy Rebecca Best born Dec. 9, 1904 died

MarriagesJuly 30, 1888 Robert C. Best and Aletia E. Hile at Camden, N.J.Sept. 4, 1926 Robert Hile Best and Ruth Millicent MacAndrew

Family data of Jacob Best Sr. (copied into Joseph’s and JC’s Bibles)Jacob Best born April 1, 1785 died Aug. 15, 1867 [sic]Rachel K. Best born Aug. 6, 1791 died Dec. 4, 1846Catharine Best born Sept 4, 1808Nancy A. Best born Feb. 6, 1811 died July 25, 1853Rachel Best born Aug. 18, 1813Mary Best born Sept. 15, 1815 died Aug. 23, 1898Jane Best born April 27, 1817 died Sept. 8, 1900Rebecca Best born May 8, 1819Sarah Ann Best born Dec. 14, 1820 died Nov. 1, 1901Eliz. Brough Best born Nov. 11, 1822 died May 20, 1886James Best born Jan. 26, 1825 died Aug. 9, 1831Joseph Best born Dec. 17, 1826Jacob Crusan Best born Dec. 8, 1828 died Aug. 2, 1908Rosanne Best born Feb. 26, 1832 died Aug. 15? 1836Elias Alex. Best born April 14, 1834 died Sept 22, 1835

MarriagesMay 7, 1807 Jacob Best and Rachel Kent

Family Bible of Jacob Cruzen BestJ. C. Best born Dec. 8, 1828 died Aug. 2, 1908Harriet W. Bitner born May 19, 1827 died April 2, 1910Rachel Best born June 18, 1852 died Sept. 8, 1897Mary B. Best born Dec. 15, 1854 died Dec. 21, 1935Albert L. Best born April 3, 1857 died Jan. 12, 1935Lizzie Best born June 18, 1859 died Sept. 27, 1861Annetta Jane Best born Jan. 28, 1862 died July 19, 1954Oliver Leo Best born Feb. 14, 1865 died April 11, 1956Alexander M. Best born Apr. 23, 1867 died Feb. 17, 1914

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Family Bible of Jacob Cruzen Best Marriages

August 27, 1851 Jacob C. Best and Harriet Walker Bitner d/oDaniel Bitner of Germany and Rachel Ambrose of Pennsylvania

June 15, 1870 Rachel Best and J. M. W. FosterSept. 29, 1875/6 Mary Best and W. L. Dorsey

1903 Mary Best and T. D. Cheney of Santa Ana, CAJan. 21, 1880 Annetta J. Best and G. W. WrightAug. 4, 1880 Albert L. Best and Emma A. WrightDec. 5, 1894 Alexander M. Best and Susan C. BardsleyNov. 26, 1914 Oliver L. Best and Winnie Myrtle Smith

Jacob Crusan Best and Harriet W. Bitner were buried in Tulare, CA

Family Bible of Joseph & Elizabeth Creighton (Alexander) BestJoseph Best born Dec 17, 1826 died Feb 8, 1913Elizabeth C. Alexander born Jan 11, 1838 died Dec 9, 1907Edward H. Best born Aug 5, 1855Frank Best born May 8, 1857Margaret Best born May 24, 1860 died Nov 6, 1860William Best born Sep 20, 1861Joseph Best and Elizabeth C. Alexander were married 10-24-1854.

Later data on Joseph’s family not in his BibleHarvey Best born May 14, 1866James Best born Nov 23, 1868Joseph Cruzen Best born Nov 15, 1871 died Aug 11, 1873Minni Lulu Best born Jan 22, 1876Mary Elizabeth Best born Apr 6, 1879Joseph Alexander Best born Aug 3, 1882

Mechesneytown Cemetery, Latrobe, PAWilliam Best 1819-1911? [son of Peter Best] [d 4-1-1892]Elizabeth Best 1821-1888 [Elizabeth Wadsworth d 9-30-1888]Edward Franklin Best 1855-1881Ida Jane Best 1859-1895E. B. Best

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Notes by Emma Lewis:Mary E. Best married James D. Lewis of Pittsburgh Oct 14, 1874Mary E. Best born April 26, 1857Mary E. Lewis died March 18, 1883Anna Barbara Bierer Grandma born September 19, 1830Anna B. Best died Jan 19, 1909Anna B. Bierer married to Robert C. Best Oct 11, 1851Robert C. Best died March 1, 1865Andrew G. Best born March 20, 1863 “ died Feb 8, 1932 (Jesse’s handwriting)Emma E. Lewis born Dec 4, 1876James D. Lewis born March 30, 1878 M. Nettie Lewis born Oct 3, 1880 “ died August 31, 1940 (Jesse’s handwriting)Jesse R. Lewis born March 2, 1883

Ever Glorious, The Story of the 22nd (cheshire) Regiment, by BernardRigby, pub W H Evans & Sons Ltd, Chester, England, 1982 pp 11-89,covering years 1774-1782.

Weaver, Kiehl, Pool, Bierer, Muller Families, by Samuel P. Weaver 0503-9A, Closson Press, 1935 Sampson Drive, Apollo, PA 15613

Rumor that Shakespere in one of his plays mentioned “Best the tanner’sson.” not confirmed.

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Tax records of Westmoreland County, PA, Donegal Townshipshowing acres of taxed land owned by Bests

James James Elias John Jacob Samuel Peter James Sr Heirs of John

1828 70 60 100 100 1001829 100 80 20 1001830 page missing 80 page missing 20 1001831 page missing 80 page missing 20 1001832 100 191 300 300 20 1001833 100 191 100 300 100 1001834 ——— 100 191 300 20 100 1001835 Robert 185 200 280 50 60 1001836 100 165 100 280 50 60 1001837 100 165 100 280 50 60 1001838 300 150 261 50 60 1001839 ——— 300 150 261 John Jr 60 1001840 James C. 300 100 231 100 1001841 145 300 150 230 160 1001842 100 50 60 1001843 80 145 100 100 225 1001844 145 113 100 200 50 1001845 80 145 113 ——— 100 50 1001846 160 145 113 Mary A 20 50 “gone” 1001847 80 60 115 200 200 80 1501848 160 60 115 200 150 “gone” 1001849 160 60 115 200 155 ——— 1501850 162 80 111 247 150 Jacob 1501851 162 90 died 247 150 117 1501852 sold 90 247 150 117 1501853 80 150 1571854 now Cook Township sold1855 year missing1856 80 117 1571857 80 117 1571858 80 117 1571859 80 117 157

James C Jacob James

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Passenger List for the 1773 Snow Sally from London

The snow Sally of Captain Stephen Jones sailed from the Port ofLondon, England on July 6, 1773 and arrived at Philadelphia, PA on August31, 1773. At least 61 of the passengers were indentured servants.

James Batling John JohnsonJohn Bayley Lydia JohnsonPeter Beaty Margaret JohnstonSarah Bennett John Jones

* James Best Thomas JonesHenry Botting Francis KingJohn Brixey William KingHenry Brown John LowFrancis Burleigh Jean McLeanDorothy Candy Ann MullenSusanna Chipperfield Cornelius John Don OudenMary Clayton Thomas PrestonThomas Cock Luke RaceyJane Colling Philip RaceyNicholas Peter Coster Susanna RixAmbrose Croker Burnet SavageWilliam Davidson Frederick Reim SchniderCatherine Davis David ScottAston Dixon Joseph SibsonWilliam Dorrington Thomas SmalesAndrew Durand William SoareRobert Falsett Joseph SweatmanFrancis Farrar John Godfrey SwingWilliam Gray George ThorntonAnne Elizabeth Hackett John TurnerFaban Hamerly John WallaceGeorge Harvey John WardJohn Heath Nicholas WebsterCharles Hobart Frederick WeidelighThomas Howard Robert WilsonJohn Wood Jefferson

The above list of passengers on the snow Sally in 1773 has been reconstructedfrom the names of indentured servants recorded in the Mayor’s Court IndentureBook in Philadelphia. This book also includes indentures of local servants andapprentices and passengers from several boats. The various boats can bedistinguished by the name of the captain which is usually mentioned in eachindenture. The Indenture Book is now at the American Philosophical Society,Philadelphia from which a microfilm copy can be obtained. Extracts from theIndenture Book were published by the Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore in1973, but this publication did not list the names of the captains. The 61servants who were recorded as having been indentured to Captain Stephen Joneswere passengers on the snow Sally. There may have been other immigrants onthat voyage whose names are not known to us because they were not indentured orbecause Captain Jones was not mentioned in the Indenture record.

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Wills & Probate - Westmoreland County Courthouse, Greensburg, Pa.:Volume-page-year.recorded

1WB-426-1817 James Best decd: 6 Oct 1817, Ltr admin. to Mary G. Best,George Campbell, & John Best.

10C-210-1820 James Best Jr. decd. - Admin. George Campbell, John Best &Mary Best.

10C-211-1820 Petition of Mary Best of Donegal Twp - petitioners husbanddied leaving issue one child James Best a minor under 14 years.

2WB-247-1830 Will of James Best Sr. signed April 4, 1829, probated May3, 1831, lists names of his children.

Aad-374-1845 John Best decd. Letter Admin. Estate - March 6, 1845 -Johnlate of Mt. Pleasant Twp. to Robert Best and Thomas W. Davison

30C-270-1847 Petition of Robert C. Best & Thomas Davison, re estate ofJohn Best decd. - land in Mt. Pleasant Twp & part in Donegal Twp - 309acres to be sold for debts.

30C-280-1847 - re debt of Michael Shank to estate of John Best, 100 acresin Donegal Twp, John Best decd leaving widow and 6 children who arenamed, including Robert C. Best.

8WB-527-1892 Will of William M. Best, wife Mary M. Best, childrenMargaret C. Clifford, Samuel C. Best, Nannie Utts, Mollie S. Best

Deed Books, Westmoreland County Courthouse, Greensburg, Pa.:

2-376-1795 - John Mordock and George McDonald to Joseph McLean Sr. 143acres for 1 pound per acre. This is the land James Best farmed as atenant farmer. A second parcel of 100 acres deeded by George McDonald toJoseph McClean. Metes & bounds are given, Donegal Twp.

13-80-1818 - Agreement, William Best & Mathew & William Jack, re Mill &land near Greensburg.

13-236-1818 - Thomas Campbell, Dong Twp to John Best, Donegal Twp, resuits of Hugh McDonald & wife against Thomas - 60 Acres to Best.

13-435-1819 - Thomas Campbell to John & Mary Best, Donegal Twp, 150 acresin Ligonier Valley called “Big Bottom” for $1976.

14-479-1821 - John Best & Mary G. Best to Thomas Campbell Sr. 152 acres“Big Bottom” for $1976.

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16-517-1827 John Best to Mary G. Best, for money owed estate of JamesBest [Jr] decd, 60 acres.

26-72-1841 Agreement Elias Best to Jacob Roadman and Joe Lloyd Jr.,304 acres for $2500, adjoining land of Enoch Stahl.

26-579-1843 March 14, 1834, estate of James Best Sr. decd. to JohnBest his son, then John Best to Martin Miller, 100 acres. John Best’swife is Margaret.

29-35-1846 John Best & wife Margaret to Robert C. Best, Dong TWp,land on Chestnut Ridge, 82 acres for $1 - not notarized

29-640-1847 Deed dated August 27, 1834, McKinney, Carpenter, andHitchman to John Best of Mount Pleasant twp. One square mile on top ofChestnut Ridge, rectangular parcel 2 miles long and half a mile wide,adjoining land of Thomas Dougherty and John Young, 640 acres for $150.

30-33-1848 Robert Campbell to James C. Best, 90 acres, part of 297acre grant to Rohrer in 1814, Donegal Twp.

31-248-1849 Elias Best & wife Nancy, James Best & wife Rebecca, toRobert C. Best & John J. Campbell, land in Ohio.

34-21-1852 Deed dated April 11, 1820, 133 acres (20 acres cleared)on top of Chestnut Ridge from John Chambers to Daniel Armel to John Bestfor $100.

34-22-1852 Deed dated Nov. 24, 1847, 309 acres on top of ChestnutRidge from estate of John Best, decd. to John Chambers, land partly inMount Pleasant and partly in Donegal (Cook) Twps, 100 acres cleared,cabin house and barn, for $251.50 bid at auction. Administers wereRobert C. Best and Thomas W. Davison.

34-25-1852 Deed dated March 1851 for 312 [or 309] acres previouslyowned by John Best, decd. and sold to John Chambers, then Samuel Hall,then Benedict Haindle and Lucas Weimer, gives metes and bounds for JohnBest’s farm and includes the west end of John’s square mile.

37-466-1854 Joseph McLean Jr. to Daniel Shawley, two tracts in DonegalTwp. totaling 120 acres including part of the original 143 acres on whichJames Best was a tenant farmer.

40-208-1857 Robert C. Best & wife Ann Barbara, release to executorsof John Bierer Sr decd, $1029, dated Aug. 30, 1855.

41-487-1858 Deed April 11, 1858 John Denholm to Robert Best [Sr], 5+acres on Greensburg and Pleasant Unity Road for $850.

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48-484-1863 dated Feb. 17, 1859 filed May 1863, William Best to MosesHartman M.D. 117 acres for $464, land adjoining John Binkey, U. P. Laird,Jacob Roadman, George Thompson, James Mathews, John Park. William Bestwas guardian of the estate of Elias Best for Nancy Ann Best, John Best,Mary Jane Best and Comfort Lilly Best (minor child of James Best decd.)Cook Twp.

70-593-1871 Land of James J. Best and wife Mary sold to David Kuhn,171 acres for $684, gives metes and bounds for the parcel [part of thesquare mile] that John Best sold his son James J. Best. See Deed bookVolume 1933 (not year), page 22 for current owner (1966-1985).

164-595-1883 Dec. 15, 1883, lot 6 from Anna B. Best to Robert C. Best[Jr] for $250.

354-578-1903 March 30, 1903, Elizabeth Bush sold house and lot 17 onAlwine Ave. to Robert C. Best [Jr] for $3000.

446-132-1908 Sept. 30, 1907, lot 6 from Robert C. Best [Jr] to AndrewG. Best for $250. Robert and Andy swapped lots.

456-36-1909 Sept. 30, 1907, lot 9 from Andrew G. Best to Robert C.Best [Jr] for $250. Robert and Andy swapped lots.

PM-17-528 thru 536 Anna B. Best died on January 19, 1909 intestate,estate to her children and grandchildren; includes a plat map anddetails of who got which lot. The heirs of Anna B. Best are listedincluding the heirs of Jacob S. Best who is said to have died in 1892 andthe heirs of Mary E. Best Lewis.