I am currently working on trying to sort out the Carsons in PA prior to 1775 by
collecting all the documented records of their presence there. Below is the
first installment which covers the townships that became Adams Ct. i 1800.
I would greatly appreciate any additional information that is based on records/
documents. There has been so much misinformation and assumptions, it's
impossible to tell what is factual. if we can get the facts straight, them
maybe
we can get them back to Ireland.
YORK/Adams County: (part of York Ct. PA until 1800; Carsons located in
what is now Adams Ct. PA townships in York documents/records)
1. William Carson (Menallan Twp)
b.
d. 1749/1750 (July 20, l749 will written/June 11, l750
probated
Menallen Twp, Adams Ct. PA)
m. Mary Moore (wife Mary on will) Jul 6, l742 (Quaker record)
b. 1718 (Quaker record)
d. before March 1764 (not mentioned in will of 2nd
husband written
Mar 23, 1764)
m. 2nd James Hamel of Warrington 8 Nov 1753
Menallan Meeting House
(Quaker Record)
o James Hamel requested
certificate from East Nottingham
MM May 20, 1751; Rachel Carson was a witness on this
certificate. He was disowned Dec 11, 1762
CDR: Mary Hamel
b. 18 Nov 1756
d.
m. record of a
Mary Hamel m. Hugh Johnson 3 May 1786
o Mary Hamel
witnessed a will 1785 Adams Ct. PA
o record of Mary Carson
requesting certificate to Sadsbury
Lancaster Ct. PA 20 Aug 1750; record of Mary Carson
requesting certificate to Warrington MM 1751.
o there is a Quaker Record
of Mary condemning herself for "outgoing"
(marrying outside the church) 2/6/1742
o there is a Quaker record of William
Carson requesting to come under the
care of the Friends (Quakers) March 3, l742. He, therefore, converted to
become a Quaker, at the Lancaster MM)
o Mary wife of William Carson is proven to be daughter of
Andrew Moore by virtue of
mention in his will probated Aug 14, 1753 Lancaster PA
plus in the estate papers, one of
his executors paid James Hamel money
o Sep 1, 1742 William Carson secured a warrant for 300
acres; secured a patent for 271
acres under this warrant
CDR: (listed in will)
1, William Carson
b. 1743
d.
m.
o record of a guardian being
appointed for William, "age 16 last spring in
document dated 8 Aug 1759). On 22 Feb 1759,
James Hamel obtained a
warrant for 150 acres of land in order to comply
with the will of William
Carson; this land was conveyed to
William Carson Jr. 10 Sept 1763
o there is a William Carson
who dies as a result of a lightening strike
without a will in 1789 who married
Catherine Scoggins (see below).
There is, however, no proof/documentation
establishing that this William
is the son of William d. 1750. There are
three William Carsons in Adams
(son of Samuel, son of Walter and son of
William d. 1750), with
documentation that William, son of Walter,
moved to the Carolinas.
2. Rachel Carson
b.
d.
m. Jasper Rodgers 6 May 1760
Christ Lutheran Church of York PA
o Rachel was apparently a
practicing Quaker yet married outside the faith
o there is a Rachel Rodgers
listed in the 1790 Census for Fayette Ct. PA
One male under 16 and one
female
o there is a will listed on
the York County Index (unavailable) for Andrew
Rodgers d. 1757
3. Ann Carson
b.
d.
m.
2. Walter Carson (Menallan Twp)
b.
d. 1767-1772
m. Agness
o Walter Carson was listed as a supervisor of Menallan Twp 1762
o Court of Quarter Sessions 1749-1754 lists:
- a petition for a road Menallen 30 Nov 1749 Walter
Carson signer
- petition to grant John Wierman a liquor license
Apr 1751 Walter Carson signer
- petition for road Menallan Apr 1752 Walter Carson
signer
- petition for a road Cumberland Jul 1754 Walter
Carson signer
o Walter Carson listed as inhabitant of York for 1762 but
not on next surviving Tax List in 1772
o Walter Carson secured a warrant for 100 acres July 21,
l741, no record of patent
On Mar 1, 1743/44 Walter secured a warrant for 300 acres
then released the claim later.
On Feb 18, 1744/45, Walter secured a warrant for 200
acres. On Jun 30, 1763 Walter
Carson sold 150 acres to Hance Hamilton (Walter's Mar 1,
1743/44 warrant). Walter and
Agness Carson sold to Robert McIhenny a tract acquired by
Walter from John Steel.
Date on transfer Sep 7, l767
CDR: 1. John Carson
b.
d.
m. Mary
o there is a John Carson on the 1762
Tax List of Straban which most probably is
this John Carson since there are no others in
Adams Ct.
o John Carson sells land to Rev.
Alexander Dobbin (Associate Presby Church)
in 1779 which had been in his possession
in 1765. It appears to be located in
the borough of Gettysburg. Notation about
sale of land says that John Carson
left for the Carolinas. Letter to him
from his nephew in Franklin Ct. places
him in North Carolina by 1783 along with
his brother William Carson
CDR:
2. William Carson
b.
d.
m.
CDR:
o see note below about the multiple
William Carsons
o established as being in North
Carolina by 1783 with brother John Carson
3. Agness Carson
b.
d.
m. Henry Maxwell
o there is an Agness Carson
identified as a cousin in the will of John McCall
Hamiltonban Twp Adams Ct. written May 1, 1780
CDR: (established by Will of Walter Carson
1. Henry Maxwell m.
Elizabeth Dixon
2. Thomas Maxwell m. Jane
Meek
3. Samuel Maxwell m.
1st ?, second Jennie Edie
4. Robert Maxwell m.
Mary Polly Edie
5. Walter Maxwell m.
Rachel ?
6. John Maxwell m. ?
7. James Maxwell m. ?
o Henry and Agness
Maxwell had 48 grandchildren, names established
by will of Walter Maxwell
4. Elen Carson
b.
d.
m.
CDR:
o Walter Maxwell in a letter to his
Aunt and Uncle, John and Mary Carson in
the Carolinas, referred to his Uncle
Andrew Morrison who lived near him in
Franklin Ct. PA. Quite possibly, this is
husband of Elen Carson.
3. Samuel Carson (Mt. Pleasant)
b. 1699 (tombstone says age 60)
d. 1759 28 Sep (Jul 30 1760 will probated Mt. Pleasant Twp,
Adams Ct. PA; written Sep
8, l759; buried Conewago Presbyterian Church Straben Twp,
Adams Ct. PA)
m. Jeanet
o record of Samuel Carson as a Constable Mt. Pleasant Twp 1757
o March 9, l742/43, Samuel Carson secured a warrant for 100
acres
CDR: (established by Will)
1. David Carson
b.
d.
m. Susanna McBride
CDR:
o there is a David Carson Mt.
Pleasant Twp on 1762 Tax List and listed on the
1780 Tax List
o there is a record of David Carson
m. Susanna McBride no date plus mention
in will of Jean McBride probated 1786 Mt.
Pleasant Twp Adams Ct. Pa
naming daughter Susanna Carson; father
Andrew McBride named in marriage
reference document
CDR: 1. Mary Carson
b. 16 May 1756
(Baptismal record identified daughter of David Carson
2. William Carson
b.
d.
m.
CDR:
o see note below about multiple
William Carsons
o William Carson listed as an
overseer of Mt. Pleasant 1768
3. Samuel Carson
b. 1744 Nov
d.
m.
CDR:
o stated to be minor in will of
father; guardian appointed for him 27 Aug 1760
When he was age 15 "sometime
last November"
4. Elizabeth
b.
d.
m. Not married 1759 (will of Samuel
Carson d. 1760 Menallan)
CDR:
5. ? Carson
b.
d.
m. John Linn (in will of Samuel
Carson d. 1760 Menallan)
CDR:
o some have suggested John Linn was
a son of Samuel. Estate papers clearly
identify only David, William and Samuel as
heirs who are sons; many have
abstracted John Linn as a son-in-law
rather than son
o there is a will of John Linn,
Cumberland Twp, Adams Ct. PA written Nov 21,
l792 and probated Nov 14, l793.
o there is a record of Mary, wife of
John Linn Cumberland Twp Adams Ct. Pa
who was buried April 25, 1792 age 62 at
time of death
o John Linn is an executor of an
estate (Margaret Young) in 1767 in Cumberland Twp
CDR: (listed will of John Linn
probated Cumberland Twp 1793)
1. William
2. John
3. Samuel Linn
4. David Linn
5. Andrew Linn
6. Hugh Linn
7. Margaret
Linn m. William Reed
8. Janet Linn
m. ? Gibson
6. ? Carson
b.
d.
m. George Daborn (in will of Samuel
Carson d. 1760 Menallan)
CDR:
o some have suggested George Daborn
was a son of Samuel. Estate papers
clearly identify only David, William and
Samuel as heirs who are sons; will
abstracts show John Linn as a son-in-law
o quite possibly name is
misspelled. No records for this surname
4. William Carson (Menallan Twp)
b.
d. Oct 29 1789 (Adm. Bond Menallan Twp, Adams Ct. PA)
m. Catherine Scoggins
CDR: (established by Adm Bond; Estate papers)
1. John Carson (oldest)
b.
d.
m.
CDR:
2. Mary Carson
b.
d.
m. James Wierman
3. Andrew Carson
b.
d.
m,.
CDR:
4. James Carson
b.
d.
m.
CDR:
5. William Carson
b. 1778
d.
m.
CDR:
o minor at the time of father's
death; guardian appointed where age is given
allowing calculation of birth year
6. Catherine Carson
b.
d.
m.
CDR:
7. Naomi Carson
b. 1783 Mar
d.
m.
CDR:
o minor at time of father's death;
guardian appointed where age is given plus
identification of month in which born
PROBLEMS:
o tax list of 1762 shows three William Carsons (Mt. Pleasant,
Menallan and Straban) and there
are three William Carsons present (son of William d. 1750, son of
Samuel d. 1759, son of Walter).
Samuel's son most probably is the one in Mt. Pleasant but since
both Walter and
William d .1750 are in Menallan, impossible to know which son went
to Straban. What it
does mean is that all three were at least 21 and most probably
married. But, William son of
William d. 1750 was born 1744 (a minor at time of father's
death). He would have been only 19 in 1762.
o William son of William d. 1750 does acquire his inherited land (or
substitute therefore) from
James Hamel Sep 1762. It may be that if you owned land, you were
on the Tax List even though not of legal age.
o There is a John Carson in Straban 1762 Tax list who most probably
is the son of Walter Carson. That being the case, then the William in
Straban is probably also the son of Walter Carson
o There is a William Carson who signs a petition for a road in Tyrone
and Reading Twps Apr 1750. This could be William Carson d. 1750
or one of the other three Williams in the area (sons of William d.
1750, Samuel d. 1759 and Walter).
o There is a William Carson who signs a petition for a road in
Menallan Twp Aug 1750 which is either the son of William d. by
Jun 1750 when will probated or son of Walter.
o There is a William Carson in Menallan listed on 1780 Tax
List. This could be William son of William d. 1750 or William son
of Samuel died 1759..
o there is a William Carson identified as a grandson in the will of
Hugh McBride Adams Ct. PA probated Oct 25, l773 Twp Mt. Joy
o Samuel Carson Mt. Pleasant is on the 1762 Tax List. Samuel Carson
m. Jeanet d. 1759;
Samuel Carson son of Samuel d. 1759 was born 1744 and would have
been 18.