HISTORY OF THE MEESE FAMILY

The earliest history, which we have been able to obtain of the Meese Family, is that they came from Holland and were of German descent.

Baltzer or Balthester Meese was born about 1758. He fought under George Washington in the Revolutionary War. We have it that he carried the Flag in the Battle of Bunker Hill, at the age of 17 years, and was also in the Battle with the Hessians.

HIS MILITARY RECORDS – Baltzer Meese rendered five years of faithful service to his country during the Revolutionary War. We find his name on the roll of Captain Lewis Farmer’s Company of riflemen June 1^st, 1776. Commanded by Col. Samuel Miles after his name in brackets is printed “See Second Penna.” For the authority of this statement see page 420 Vol. 2^nd Fifth Series Pennsylvania Archives. A reference to page 417 same volume of same series says that he enlisted in second Pennsylvania Regiment April 1776 and further that the Regiment participated in the battle on Long Island on August 27, 1776.

On page 882 same volume, same series it records that he enlisted in 1776, was discharged in 1781 and resided in Somerset County in 1835, age 74. A reference to page 120, volume 4, fifth series Pennsylvania Archives shows that he received the depreciation pay, which was some time after the close of the war and money paid to these men to make good at least part of the loss occasioned by reason of the great depreciation of the continental money during the war.

Baltzer Meese testified that he enlisted in the Second Regiment of Pennsylvania Continental Line, Commanded by Col. Walter Stewart, 1776, and was discharged in 1781. Has a family. See Page 582, Vol. 4, fifth series of Pennsylvania Archives. Affidavit also on file in the Court House at Somerset, Pennsylvania and reads further that his company was commanded by Captain John Stoy. He held United States pension certificate #8458. After his death there was an effort made, and we think a successful one, to have the pension continued to his Widow.

Touching on this, there is an affidavit of Jonathan Knepper on file in the Court House of Somerset, Pennsylvania setting forth that he, Knepper, knew Baltzer Meese and that he was present at his funeral.

We are citing our authority for every statement made concerning the Revolutionary War Service of Baltzer Meese, and are showing that he is the Baltzer Meese that lived in Somerset County, because the records say the places that he lived in this County. We also find the name on the Roll of Captain Patrick Anderson’s Company of Pennsylvania Regiment of Foote the time covered by this Roll being from March 1, 1777 to May 1^st 1777. Captain Anderson evidently having become the successor of Captain Lewis Farmer who was promoted to Major, and later to Lieut. Col. The authority of this statement is to be found on page 261, Vol. 1st, Pennsylvania in the Revolution. (Published by State of Pennsylvania) his name is also found on a general roll of the Regiment. Captain Lewis Farmer was a citizen of Philadelphia and this makes us think that Meese may have come from that vicinity also; although Lancaster County is not so far away that he could have come from there, from these printed records it is quite plain that men were frequently transferred from on e Regiment to another during the process of the war.

Baltzer Meese died May 15^th, 1838. He had a son George living in Somerset Township, and probably died there, as Baltzer Meese and wife are both buried in New Centerville Cemetery, Milford Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. He also had a son and daughter living in Brothersvalley Township.

The “Archives” pension records show some discrepancies in giving his age, one says that in 1819 he was 74 years of age, another place his age at 74 in 1835 and this last one probably the correct one, but it would also seem to indicated that he could hardly have been over seventeen years of age when he begun his five years of service in the Revolutionary War.

According to the petition for a writ in the estate of Baltzer Meese as it is on file, his children were, John, George, Christian, Daniel, Sarah who was married to a man named Christian Forney, and who died before her father; and Margaret Meese who was first married to John Keagay or Salisbury; and second to David Steel, also of Salisbury, had several children by the first marriage, and one son Daniel by the second marriage.

About 1840 they all went to Ohio, one of the first sons was named Anthony who about the time of the Civil War, came back to Salisbury and remained there for a year or two. It is the writers’ impression that somewhere he had among his papers some correspondence with a grandson of Margaret Meese, who lived at Baltic, Ohio. Daniel Steel, the only son of the Steel’s marriage was killed in some accident when about 19 years old, this was about 1854.

John Meese, son of Baltzer we got to know about 1864, he was then quite an aged man, and the writer thinks he had been living somewhere in Fayette County Pennsylvania and had returned to Elk Lick Township where he had two daughters living, one of these was the wife of Peter L. Miller, and they lived about one mile south of Salisbury on the road to Maryland, and another daughter was the wife of Henry Glodfelty living on a farm near by. Mr. & Mrs. Glodfelty had no children, but in the Miller family, there was one son Francis who, had gone to war in 1864 and died while in the service, also a number of daughters, one of whom was the wife of James Maust, who became the owner of the Henry Glodfelty farm after the death of the old people. While Mr. Maust has since sold the farm, we think he still lives in Elk Lick. Of the other Miller girls, we cannot say anything.

John Meese had a son named Soloman, who eventually went back to Fayette County, whether there were still more in the family, the writer does not know.

Christian Meese, son of Baltzer, the writer knew quite well, like his father, he was a miller, his wife was a daughter of Adam Fodery, their sons were Baltzer C., Daniel C., (both millers) John C., Samuel Ca., (blacksmith) and Gillian C. (also a miller) besides two other sons, Christian and William.

Baltzer C. Meese, lived near Accident Garrett County, Maryland, he stood well in the community, he was a Justice of the Peace for quite a while, and died nearly fifty years ago. We think he left a family some of whom may still be found about Accident.

Daniel C. Meese, another son of Christian, operated the Engle Mill in Elk Lick for many years. His wife Susan Engle, both long since deceased.

They had a son John D. Meese, and a daughter Sadie. John D. was finely educated and died some years ago in California, Pennsylvania, where he had been connected with the State Normal School. His wife was Lillian Dom, and they had a family.

George Meese and his wife reared to maturity a family of ten children; namely Elijah, John, Nancy, Margaret, George D., Alexander O., Kesiah, Adeline, Charles O. and Louisa. Of the sons Elijah, John and Alexander went to Ohio. (John probably locating in Tuscarora County) Alexander was in the Civil War and died in the Service.

Of the daughters, Nancy was the wife of Samuel Huston, their family was William, Mary (Connelly) Emma (Kantner) Louisa (Cunningham) Lydia (Sanner) and Rose (Koonts & Zorn) Adeline Meese was the wife of Philip Smith. About the other daughters or George Meese, the writer know nothing.

Daniel Meese, son of Baltzer, the writer knows nothing; but there still remains this to be said, there lived in Greenville Township, a George Meese whom the writer saw once about 1859, then a man well on toward middle age. Whose son he was, the writer does not know except, that he must have been a grandson of Baltzer Meese.

To someone into whose hands this paper may in the future fall, it might be interesting at least to know the names of the other Meese’s who were mostly contemporaneous of Baltzer Meese.

Compiler Unknown (Submitted by: L. L. “Buddy” Duckworth) llduckworth@hotmail.com