Information obtained from:
New Jersey Colonial Documents - Calendar of Wills - 1751 - 1760
The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey
The Combined Registers of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Morristown, Morris Co., NJ
A manuscript by Mrs. Rose McIlrath - 1940
Correspondence with other Aikman descendants
'Early Lewis's of Northern New Jersey" by Ralph Kimball Potter
The New Jersey Post-Revolutionary Documents - Calendar of Wills - 1791 -1795
Somerset County N.J. Historical Quarterly "The Lewis Family of Somerset" by Howard S. F. Randolph
"Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania" by J.H. Battle 1887
"Early life in the Susquehanna Valley" - handwritten notes regarding early Centre Township & Hidlay Church

AIKMAN, ALEXANDER, son of John and Jean Aikman, was born in Arbroath, Scotland before 1740. His family came to America in 1740 to settle first in Somerset Co., New Jersey and later in Morris Co., New Jersey. Alexander's older brother, William, married Letitia Bayles in 1756; older sister Agnes married Samuel Niblak in 1746; older sister Janet married William Alexander in 1750; older sister Margaret married John Brown in 1753 and Alexander married Mary Elizabeth Lewis in the 1st Presbyterian Church of Morristown, Morris Co., NJ on 8 Jan 1764.

Alexander moved his wife and children, John, Levi, Jane, James Alexander, Mary, Elizabeth and William, to Fort Augusta (now Sunbury), Northumberland Co., in 1777 - traveling 140 miles across land hunted by Indians and wild animals. Leaving his wife and daughters in relative safety at Fort Augusta he took his three sons and headed out to find the 900 aces of land he had purchased which were near the confluence of Fishing Creek and the north branch of the Susquehanna River - about 25 miles from the fort. When he and the boys found their land there were few settlers in the area and his land, in the Briar Creek valley, was covered with a heavy growth of timber. They cleared some of the land , obtaining logs for a small cabin, and planted three acres of turnips before going back to Fort Augusta for the rest of the family. They were delayed in returning because of Indian raids, but after returning to their new home they never left again. Alexander died in 1795 and Elizabeth some time later. They are both buried near Light Street in Scott Township, but not in a regular cemetery as there were none in those days.

LEWIS, MARY ELIZABETH was born in New Jersey around 1744, the daughter of Eliphalet and Elizabeth (COSSART) Lewis. Her grandparents were: Samuel and Susannah (JONES) Lewis and Jacob and Hannah (COX) Cossart. She moved with her husband, Alexander Aikman, and their , to Columbia County, PA. in 1777. See Alexander Aikman for details.

AIKMAN, LEVI (SR.) was born in Morris Co., NY. in 1766, the son of Alexander and Mary Elizabeth (Lewis) Aikman. He was but a boy when the family moved to Columbia Co., PA.. He lived with his parents on their farm at Cabin Run until he married Margaret HUTCHISON. who was born in Northampton Co., PA.., the daughter of James Hutchison. They had Sarah (Mrs. George HiIDLAY), Esther (Mrs. Abraham WILLETT), Mary (Mrs. James DeWITT), John Wilson, Margaret (married Battis APPLEMAN), Levi Jr. (married Elizabeth OHL), Abram (died young) and James Emmett. Levi Sr. died in 1846 - eight years after the death of his wife. They are buried in the cemetery of Hidlay Union Church (Presbyterian).

AIKMAN, LEVI Jr. was born on 4 March 1816 in Centre Township., Columbia Co., PA. to Levi Sr. and Margaret (HUTCHISON) Aikman. On 24 April 1840 he married Elizabeth OHL. He took over the Aikman farm at Cabin Run from his father, Levi. It had been settled by his grandfather, Alexander Aikman, in 1777. Children: John Hervey born 5 June 1850 (married Laura BARTON), Lena Margaret born 29 August 1853 (Mrs.Arthur CREASY), Clara Elizabeth born 3 January 1856 (Mrs. Heister Vanderslice WHITE) and Mary Alvernon born 31 May 1860. Levi died 10 September 1888 and Elizabeth died 1 February 1908 and they are both buried in Hidlay Cemetery.

AIKMAN, JAMES ALEXANDER, the son of Alexander and Mary Elizabeth (Lewis) Aikmna, was born in Morris Co., NJ on 11 May 1770. He came with his father and family to Columbia County in 1777 (see Alexander Aikman) where he grew to manhood. His first wife was "Nell" ADAMS whom he married circa 1799. They had at least three children: John (married Catherine NEFF), Levi and Mary Elizabeth. His 2nd wife, whom he married before 1812, was Esther HUTCHISON. They had at least 4 children: Robert Davison (married Sarah Ann FINCH), twins Oliver Perry (married Elizabeth ALBRIGHT) and Henry Harrison (married Henrietta JOHNSON), and Mary Ann (#1 Mrs. William LEWIS and #2 Mrs. Stephen LEIGHTON). James moved his 2nd wife and all his children to Ontario,Canada.

AIKMAN, JOHN HERVEY was born in Centre Township, Columbia Co., PA. on 5 June 1850 to Levi Jr. and Elizabeth (Ohl) Aikman. He married Laura BARTON on 28 December 1882 and they eventually took over the Aikman farm at Cabin Run. He served as a justice of the peace, its treasurer and one of the directors of the White Milling Company of Bloomsburg, and was associated with the Briar Creek Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance Company. They had: , Henry Barton Aikman, born 17 July 1884. John Harvey Aikman died 29 March 1920 and is buried in Hidlay Cemetery, Columbia Co.

AIKMAN, CLARA ELIZABETH was born 3 January 1856 to Levi and Elizabeth (OHL) Aikman of Cabin Run, in Briar Creek Valley, near Bloomsburg, PA.. She married Heister Vanderslice WHITE on 3 January 1884. Their daughter, Elizabeth Aikman White, was born 2 April 1893.

HIDLAY, GEORGE was born 17 June 1789 to Henry and Sarah (McMURTRIE) Hidlay in Centre Township, Columbia Co., PA.. He married Sarah Aikman, daughter of Levi Sr. and Margaret (Hutchison) Aikman. Their children were: Levi (married Janet REYNOLDS), Margaret (Mrs. Frederick HAGENBUCH), Sarah (twin of Margaret who died young), Jane (Mrs. Levi CREVELING), Abram (who died young), and George (married Sarah ROUP). Both George and Margaret are buried in Hidlay Church cemetery.

HIDLAY, HENRY was born in New Jersey on 17 March 1765, not far from Easton, PA.. He was the son of George and Sophia Hidlay. He moved to Centre Township, Columbia Co., PA. and settled on land near what became known as Hidlay Church. He was very religious and donated the land for the Hidlay Presbyterian Church, the first Presbyterian Church in the valley. His wife was Sarah McMurtrie, daughter of Abraham and Amelia (BARTON) McMurtrie. Their children: George (married Sarah Aikman), Amelia born 24 Dec 1791 (married John FREAS), Abraham born 19 March 1794 (married Elizabeth GEISINGER), John, Henry Jr. born 11 Sept 1798 (died young), Sarah born 25 January 1801 (married a SMITH) and William born 25 June 1803 (married Mary WHITE). Henry died 4 March 1848 and is buried in Hidlay Cemetery.

OHL, ELIZABETH was born 12 March 1820 in Hemlock Township, Columbia Co., PA. to John and Lena (GIRTON) Ohl. She married Levi AIKMAN Jr. on 24 April 1849 in Hemlock Township, Columbia Co., PA.. They farmed at Cabin Run, Centre Township,. She died 1 February 1908. See Levi Aikman Jr. for family details.

BARTON, LAURA was born in Scranton, PA.on 10 December 1857, the daughter of Henry Clay and Mary Francis (LOW) Barton. She married John Hervey Aikman (see). Laura (Barton) Aikman died 12 June 1932 and is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Columbia Co., PA.