Genealogical Gems

Susan Elizabeth Lefever, it was announced On This Day in 1880, purchased the “ Ark ” at a public sale. The sale was a public sale for the executors of the estate of the late Daniel Lefever, of Drumore Township .   Susan, Daniel’s widow, purchased a tract of land containing 39 acres with improvements known as the “ Ark ” for $143 per acre. She also purchased a 100 acre farm, also near Quarryville.   The auction was held on 30 November by B.F. Rowe. A third tract of land consisted on 201 acres in Drumore Township was purchased by Henry H. Lefever and Jacob Keen.   The “ Ark ” is Quarryville’s oldest building still in existence today. It was built in 1791 by Martin Barr. It is located on North Church Street .   Source Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. ( Lancaster , PA ), 1 December 1880. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical even...

The Barr line, though admittedly the one I am the least familiar with, is ironically one that I am the furthest back on. Ancestry.com indicates the majority of people with the Barr surname is Scottish or from Northern Ireland . England , Great Britain and Germany follow. Finally the New York Passengers List shows several from Switzerland as well, though comparatively not many.   The Barr name, at least in my husband’s case, is a Pennsylvania German name. Pennsylvania German names were generally either personal names, occupational names, or derived from whence they came or lived. Barr is an example of a personal name. Barr is derived from Berhard, according to “Early Life of the Pennsylvania Germans” by A. Monroe Aurand, Jr.   Susan Barr was the first Barr I came across in my research. She was born 15 May 1792 to Martin Barr and Maria Herr. She died in Providence Township , Lancaster County on 27 March 1849. She married John Longnecker and they had six children,...