Description of the Collection

This note book is 10.5 cm x 16 cm tan leather cover bound with black tape containing 24 pages. It is unpaged with loose, stained pages with faint blue lines. The text is written in black ink. Fifteen pages contain text and nine are blank. This text is a narrative of the locale the line passed through and the detailed surveying coordinates for the alignment of the wagon road.

The narrative encompasses several time periods. The first runs from March 14/15, 1759 to April 9, 1759 which the title describes as the line from Pottsville to Shamokin, Pennsylvania. The next date is February 9, 1770 which marked the beginning of a road survey from Ellis Hughes’ saw mill to Fort August by Francis Yarnall. Subsequent dates are the 1850 Jesse Lightfoot gift to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and a further presentation to the Pottsville Scientific Association by Townsend Ward March 30, 1860. Apparently this Townsend Ward presentation is the copy of the original manuscript copied by E.H. Ward Jr.

The leading edge of the leather cover is damaged with the visible title “Copy of Original Mss Note of a survey of a line from present Pottsville to Shamokin – in 1759 written in black ink. On the reverse side of this cover is a purple ink stamp Lehigh University Library Nov 2 1955.

The next paper page is badly damaged, stained and loose. What is readable on this page is in black ink “Presented to the Pottsville Scientific Association by Townsend Ward March 30. 1860. Copied by E.H. Ward Jr. 232 No 164? On the reverse of this page is a bookplate from Lehigh University Library as a Gift of Prof. Lawrence Whitcomb.

The next page contains text written in black ink Copy of the Original Mss Notes of Ben’j Lightfoot of a Survey of a line from present Pottsville to Shamokin in 1759 A gift to the Historical Soc’ty of Penna. 1850 By Jesse Lightfoot of Germantown. On the reverse of this page in upper center is 526.9 L724c.

Next page is headed Philada Feb 26 1850
This Mss book of Notes of Survey along the line from present Pottsville to Shamokin is presented to the Historical Society of Penna. By John F. Watson, as the gift of Jesse Lightfoot, now a Surveyor in Kinsessing, and are in the handwriting of his Grandfather, Benj Lightfoot, who was Deputy Surveyor for Berks Co and died at Maiden Creek in 1824 aged about 75 years. (Signed) John F. Watson (However, this dedicatory statement by John F. Watson in presenting the manuscript to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania attributing Benjamin Lightfoot as grandfather of Jesse Lightfoot -- it is possible that Watson confused the Benjamin (1726-1777), who laid the line in 1759, with Benjamin Head (1787-1824)). Also on this page is another purple ink property mark of Lehigh University Library Nov 2 1955. The reverse side is blank.

The narrative begins about March 14/15, 1759, the surveyor states that he received “a line from Amos Strittell (Strettle) and Joseph Morris (two representatives of the Commissioners for Indian Affairs) dated the 10th, acquainting that Teedyusking the Delaware Indians King had been acquainted with and approved of a proposal made of laying out a Road from the Inhabited parts of Pennsylvania to Fort Augusta in order to transport Goods to that place for carrying on a Trade with the Indians.”

At the end of this narrative is a note to R. Howit dated February 9, 1770 appointing seven Persons: George Webb Esquire, Jonathan Lodge, Henry Miller, Henry Shomaker, John Webb, Isaac Willits and Job Hughes to view and lay out a Road from Ellis Hughes’ Saw Mill to Fort Augusta sometime after this date a Road to be surveyed by Francis Yarnall. Following this statement are several pages of surveying coordinates for a road laid out from Finchers Ford to Reading noting Ellis Hughes House, the Gap at Tuscarora, to Schuylkill, Norweigen (Norwegian?) Creek, Broad Mountain, Mahonoy Creek, Shamokin Creek, Bear Hills, Shamokin, Fort August at the forks of the Susquehanna. The last sentence reads: The length of 39 Miles one quarter and nineteen perches (5 ½ yds). Then follow blank pages.

The next to the last page has a statement “Received Fort Augusta the 4th Month the 6th 1759 of Captain Levi Trump two hundred and ninety Pounds Beeff and one hundred and seven Pounds”

The last page reads “Jacob Ried (Reid), John Sesher, Casper Ried (Reid) and Xtopher (Christopher) Wolford left Fort Henry the 26th Day of 3rd Mo last. Came to Fort Augusta the 3rd of the 4th Mo and as they say have viewed most of the way between the two Places and made Marks. They say they came in Consequence of my letter to Jacob Kern and now agree to take such Pay as the commissioner for Indian Affairs will allow. Observed the bearing of the NW B of Susquehannah from Fort Augusta to be C.N. 42 ½ W. NE Ditto. NW46 E Down the river C S 35 W.”