Individual Details
Timothy FIDLER
(6 Jan 1741 - 20 Jul 1815)
1790 Bedford Co., PA, Timothy Fidler, head.
4 free white males 16 and over
8 free white females
1 free white mail under 16
1810 Bedford Co., PA, Timothy Fidler, head:
1-0-1-0-1 0-2-1-0-1
1 free white male 45 and over
1 free white female 45 and over
1 free white male 16 thru 25
1 free white female 16 thru 25
2 free white females 10 thru 15
1 free white male under 10
Bedford County Genealogy Project Will Board,http://www.pa-roots.org/cgi-bin/data/bedfordwill.cgi?noframes;read=178
Will of Timothy Fidler, of Bethel Township, dated 1 October 1814, probated 21 August 1815. Wife Anna, estate during widowhood and at her decease, the same to be divided amongst my eight surviving children and my ten grandchildren, the children of my two eldest daughters, deceased, Susanna Hixon and Elinor Jacques. Sons John, Daniel, Nathan and Noah to have double as much as my daughters. Daughters Sarah Henthorn, Anna Banister and Elizabeth and Mary Fidler. Grandchildren: Pamelia Fidler, Anna, Amos, Elizabeth and Timothy; children of Susanna Hixon, deceased. Anna Hixon, John, Mary, Rachel and Sarah, children of Elinor Jacques, deceased, and they to have their Mother's share. Executors: My sons John and Noah Fidler. Witnesses: Joseph Hixon and John Melvin.
(Source: Abstracts of Wills and Administration for Bedford County, Pa., Book #1, p. 430.)
Will of Timothy Fidler, of Bethel Township, dated 1 October 1814, probated 21 August 1815. Volume 1 page 430 of Bedford Co., PA, Wills. FHL #331358. Copy of will in file.
" In the [sic] of God Amen. I Timothy Fidler of Bethel township Bedford County and State of Pennsylvania, being weak in body but of sound mind & memory and understanding calling to mind the Mortallity of my body knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die Considering there fore the uncertainty of this transitory life do make publish & declare this my last will and testament in manner & form following Viz. first of all I Commend my soul to God who gave it and my body to the dust to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors thereafter named not doubting but I shall Receive the same in the morning of the Resurrection. Also it is my will that my funeral charges together with all my lawful debts be paid out of my estate by my executors as soon as may be Convenient Also it is my will and I do hereby give & bequeath the use of all my estate then Remaining after my funeral Charges & lawful debts are paid Real & personal unto my dear & well beloved wife Anna Fidler during her widowhood also it is my will that at the death or marriage of my wife that then my whole estate then Remaining Real & personal be divided amongst my eight surviving children and my ten grandchildren. to wit the Children of my two eldest daughters, deceased, Susanne Hixon & Elinor Jacques in the following manner. that is to say my Sons John, Daiel [sic], Nathan & Noah Fidler to have double as much as any of my daughters and that my daughters Sarah Henthorn, Anna Banister, & Elizabeth & Mary Fidler and Susanna Hixon & Elinor Jacques both deceased half as much as any of my sons and it is my will that Pemelia Fidler Anna Amos Elizabeth & Timothy Hixon, children of Susanna Hixon deceased shall have their mothers share evenly divided among them and also that Anna Hixon John Jacques Mary Rachal & Sarah Jacques Children of Elinor Jacques deceased shall have their mothers share equally divided among them and likewise let it be understood that if any of my children or Grand Children should die without a legal heir that his share shall be equally divided among their respective brothers & sisters and lastly it is my will that all my Book accounts standing open against any of my children shall be Recovered against them in principle only without intrest [sic] in the final settlement of my estate among them. And I do hereby give & bequeath unto my above named children & grand Children all my estate real & personal to be divided amongst them as has been before mentioned to them their heirs and assigns forever. And hereby nominate and appoint my two sons John and Noah Fidler executors of this my last will & testament hereby revoking all former will & wills by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this first day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fourteen. Signed Timothy Fidler
Signed sealed published and declared by the above named Timothy Fidler as & for his last will & testament in the presence of us who have hereunto set out names as witness thereto in the presence of the said testator and in the presence of each other.
Joseph Hixson John Melvin
Bedford County ss. Personally appeared before me the subscriber register for the probate of Wills ss granting letters of administration and for said county Joseph Hixon ss John Melvin the subscribing witnesses to the within will who being duly sworn do depose and say that they were personally present and heard & saw Timothy Fidler (the testator within named) sign seal and deliver the within instrument in writing as and for his last will & testament that at the time of doing thereof the said testator was of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding according to the best of said deponoants knowledge & beliefs and that they subscribed as witnesses in presence of the testator. Sworn & subscribed this 21st day of August A. D. 1815.
David Mann [?] Register Joseph Hixson John Melvin
Filed and Registered 21st August 1815.
Excerpt from Fidler Lore: "Timothy Fidler Jan 6, 1742 Hopewell
Twp. N.J. died July 20, 1815 and was buried on his farm Poplar
Springs, near Warfordsburg, Bethel Twp. Fulton County, Pennsylvania,
four miles north of Hancock, Maryland; married about 1764 in N.J. to
Ann Wilson, daughter of Nathaniel Wilson and wife Eleanor. She was
born Jun 21, 1745 and died Aug. 1830 Licking County, Ohio.
In their community near Pennington, N.J. the Fidlers with their
relatives and friends were deeply impressed by Methodism, which
influenced migrations. John and William Budd were pillars of
Methodism thereabouts. In wagon trains they left 1776 Jersey for
northwestern Maryland where many settled. But the Fidler's group took
the trail from the National Highway at Hancock Town up to and along
the Northern Mountains, thinking they were still in Maryland, late
winter of 1783. [As told by Lulu Brooks-Field, Hancock, Md. Aug 8,
1952 to Hazel Kendall]
Timothy Fidler located in Bethel Township, Fulton County,
Pennsylvania near Warfordsburg on Conalloway Creek, four miles north
of Hancock, Maryland. For a while the family lived in the wagon in
which they had moved from New Jersey. He took up 150 acres from the
government, from the colonial representative from Crown of England.
He had keen perception and a true assement (sic) of values.
In May, 1783 Timothy Fidler moved his family into a small house
on cleared area of the Moses Reed farm as a tenant, but he later
bought that land. His daughter Nellie (Eleanor) and her husband
Joseph Hixon owned it later. [Mary W. Oliver note in margin of
manuscript: wrong dau Nellie married Wm Jacques - grand daughter Anna
J m. Joseph Hixon] In 1850 Joseph Hixon had to find(?) the earliest
date of the first improvement on that farm. He secured an affidavit
from 83 year old Mrs. Eva Snively on April 26, 1850 who said: "I am
now 83 years of age past --- at the age of sixteen I was present at
the time that Timothy Fidler moved his family on the land that said
Hixon now lives on and at the same time there was a small house
erected on the same and some cleared land --- and further say that the
said Timothy Fidler did move on the same as a tenant under Moses Reed,
the owner at that time and the reason I do recollect it so well is
that on that day me and my two brothers was there washing a flock of
sheep in the creek and I was 16 in April of that year and washing the
sheep in May of the same year and now 83 on the 19th of April last
past. (1850)
Moses Reed died late 1785 and the land was granted to the widow
Sarah Reed January, 1786. On April 18, 1793 it was surveyed and
patented to Timothy Fidler. This tract of land, known as the "Violin"
because of its shape was sold May 3, 1796 to George Peters Barnhart.
Timothy Fidler bought 150 acres from David Brooks. All his land
was on the Tonolway Ridge. His famous Poplar Springs farm on which he
is buried stayed in the family for six generations. On it he built a
large two-story frame home with four fireplaces on the first floor.
(Manuscript shows a floor plan of the four room first floor with
parlor, dining room, bedroom and long kitchen, as well as a barn and
springs, on the road between Hancock, Md. and Warfordsburg. Also
shows a sketch of an apparent knoll with the graphic note "Graves on
hill")
In New Jersey, Timothy Fidler married about 1764 Anna Wilson,
daughter of Nathaniel and Elenor Wilson, son of Daniel Wilson, made
his will May 1, 1779 Mercer Co., N.J.; proved Mar. 11, 1787 no wife
mentioned but children were Daniel, George, William, Thomas, Samuel,
Ann, Mary, Elizabeth, and Eleanor. Daniel was a son of Thomas Willson
married July 6, 1693 to Ann Silver of the House of Joseph Preckell by
Rev. Thos. Revell. Thomas was son of John Willson, who took up land
about 1670 near Middletown, New Jersey.
Families close to the Fidlers on Tonoloway Ridge were families in
1783 of Caleb Carmen, William Jacks, Joseph Warford, Thomas Reeder,
Moses Reed, David Adams, Levi Reed, Samuel Powel, Bethel Covalt, Elias
and John Stilwell. They had driven from New Jersey in the wagon
train, along with the Fidlers.
The will of Timothy Fidler is in Bedford, Bedford County,
Pennsylvania, because Fulton County was not yet created, not until
1850.
Will book I B p.430 in part: "I, Timothy Fidler, weak in body
but of sound mind and memory and understanding, calling to mind the
mortality of my body knowing that it is appointed for all men once to
die. Considering therefore the uncertainty of this transitory life
--- I recommend my soul"
NOTE: The Fidler Lore book has many errors in it, so all should be verified.
4 free white males 16 and over
8 free white females
1 free white mail under 16
1810 Bedford Co., PA, Timothy Fidler, head:
1-0-1-0-1 0-2-1-0-1
1 free white male 45 and over
1 free white female 45 and over
1 free white male 16 thru 25
1 free white female 16 thru 25
2 free white females 10 thru 15
1 free white male under 10
Bedford County Genealogy Project Will Board,http://www.pa-roots.org/cgi-bin/data/bedfordwill.cgi?noframes;read=178
Will of Timothy Fidler, of Bethel Township, dated 1 October 1814, probated 21 August 1815. Wife Anna, estate during widowhood and at her decease, the same to be divided amongst my eight surviving children and my ten grandchildren, the children of my two eldest daughters, deceased, Susanna Hixon and Elinor Jacques. Sons John, Daniel, Nathan and Noah to have double as much as my daughters. Daughters Sarah Henthorn, Anna Banister and Elizabeth and Mary Fidler. Grandchildren: Pamelia Fidler, Anna, Amos, Elizabeth and Timothy; children of Susanna Hixon, deceased. Anna Hixon, John, Mary, Rachel and Sarah, children of Elinor Jacques, deceased, and they to have their Mother's share. Executors: My sons John and Noah Fidler. Witnesses: Joseph Hixon and John Melvin.
(Source: Abstracts of Wills and Administration for Bedford County, Pa., Book #1, p. 430.)
Will of Timothy Fidler, of Bethel Township, dated 1 October 1814, probated 21 August 1815. Volume 1 page 430 of Bedford Co., PA, Wills. FHL #331358. Copy of will in file.
" In the [sic] of God Amen. I Timothy Fidler of Bethel township Bedford County and State of Pennsylvania, being weak in body but of sound mind & memory and understanding calling to mind the Mortallity of my body knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die Considering there fore the uncertainty of this transitory life do make publish & declare this my last will and testament in manner & form following Viz. first of all I Commend my soul to God who gave it and my body to the dust to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors thereafter named not doubting but I shall Receive the same in the morning of the Resurrection. Also it is my will that my funeral charges together with all my lawful debts be paid out of my estate by my executors as soon as may be Convenient Also it is my will and I do hereby give & bequeath the use of all my estate then Remaining after my funeral Charges & lawful debts are paid Real & personal unto my dear & well beloved wife Anna Fidler during her widowhood also it is my will that at the death or marriage of my wife that then my whole estate then Remaining Real & personal be divided amongst my eight surviving children and my ten grandchildren. to wit the Children of my two eldest daughters, deceased, Susanne Hixon & Elinor Jacques in the following manner. that is to say my Sons John, Daiel [sic], Nathan & Noah Fidler to have double as much as any of my daughters and that my daughters Sarah Henthorn, Anna Banister, & Elizabeth & Mary Fidler and Susanna Hixon & Elinor Jacques both deceased half as much as any of my sons and it is my will that Pemelia Fidler Anna Amos Elizabeth & Timothy Hixon, children of Susanna Hixon deceased shall have their mothers share evenly divided among them and also that Anna Hixon John Jacques Mary Rachal & Sarah Jacques Children of Elinor Jacques deceased shall have their mothers share equally divided among them and likewise let it be understood that if any of my children or Grand Children should die without a legal heir that his share shall be equally divided among their respective brothers & sisters and lastly it is my will that all my Book accounts standing open against any of my children shall be Recovered against them in principle only without intrest [sic] in the final settlement of my estate among them. And I do hereby give & bequeath unto my above named children & grand Children all my estate real & personal to be divided amongst them as has been before mentioned to them their heirs and assigns forever. And hereby nominate and appoint my two sons John and Noah Fidler executors of this my last will & testament hereby revoking all former will & wills by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this first day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fourteen. Signed Timothy Fidler
Signed sealed published and declared by the above named Timothy Fidler as & for his last will & testament in the presence of us who have hereunto set out names as witness thereto in the presence of the said testator and in the presence of each other.
Joseph Hixson John Melvin
Bedford County ss. Personally appeared before me the subscriber register for the probate of Wills ss granting letters of administration and for said county Joseph Hixon ss John Melvin the subscribing witnesses to the within will who being duly sworn do depose and say that they were personally present and heard & saw Timothy Fidler (the testator within named) sign seal and deliver the within instrument in writing as and for his last will & testament that at the time of doing thereof the said testator was of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding according to the best of said deponoants knowledge & beliefs and that they subscribed as witnesses in presence of the testator. Sworn & subscribed this 21st day of August A. D. 1815.
David Mann [?] Register Joseph Hixson John Melvin
Filed and Registered 21st August 1815.
Excerpt from Fidler Lore: "Timothy Fidler Jan 6, 1742 Hopewell
Twp. N.J. died July 20, 1815 and was buried on his farm Poplar
Springs, near Warfordsburg, Bethel Twp. Fulton County, Pennsylvania,
four miles north of Hancock, Maryland; married about 1764 in N.J. to
Ann Wilson, daughter of Nathaniel Wilson and wife Eleanor. She was
born Jun 21, 1745 and died Aug. 1830 Licking County, Ohio.
In their community near Pennington, N.J. the Fidlers with their
relatives and friends were deeply impressed by Methodism, which
influenced migrations. John and William Budd were pillars of
Methodism thereabouts. In wagon trains they left 1776 Jersey for
northwestern Maryland where many settled. But the Fidler's group took
the trail from the National Highway at Hancock Town up to and along
the Northern Mountains, thinking they were still in Maryland, late
winter of 1783. [As told by Lulu Brooks-Field, Hancock, Md. Aug 8,
1952 to Hazel Kendall]
Timothy Fidler located in Bethel Township, Fulton County,
Pennsylvania near Warfordsburg on Conalloway Creek, four miles north
of Hancock, Maryland. For a while the family lived in the wagon in
which they had moved from New Jersey. He took up 150 acres from the
government, from the colonial representative from Crown of England.
He had keen perception and a true assement (sic) of values.
In May, 1783 Timothy Fidler moved his family into a small house
on cleared area of the Moses Reed farm as a tenant, but he later
bought that land. His daughter Nellie (Eleanor) and her husband
Joseph Hixon owned it later. [Mary W. Oliver note in margin of
manuscript: wrong dau Nellie married Wm Jacques - grand daughter Anna
J m. Joseph Hixon] In 1850 Joseph Hixon had to find(?) the earliest
date of the first improvement on that farm. He secured an affidavit
from 83 year old Mrs. Eva Snively on April 26, 1850 who said: "I am
now 83 years of age past --- at the age of sixteen I was present at
the time that Timothy Fidler moved his family on the land that said
Hixon now lives on and at the same time there was a small house
erected on the same and some cleared land --- and further say that the
said Timothy Fidler did move on the same as a tenant under Moses Reed,
the owner at that time and the reason I do recollect it so well is
that on that day me and my two brothers was there washing a flock of
sheep in the creek and I was 16 in April of that year and washing the
sheep in May of the same year and now 83 on the 19th of April last
past. (1850)
Moses Reed died late 1785 and the land was granted to the widow
Sarah Reed January, 1786. On April 18, 1793 it was surveyed and
patented to Timothy Fidler. This tract of land, known as the "Violin"
because of its shape was sold May 3, 1796 to George Peters Barnhart.
Timothy Fidler bought 150 acres from David Brooks. All his land
was on the Tonolway Ridge. His famous Poplar Springs farm on which he
is buried stayed in the family for six generations. On it he built a
large two-story frame home with four fireplaces on the first floor.
(Manuscript shows a floor plan of the four room first floor with
parlor, dining room, bedroom and long kitchen, as well as a barn and
springs, on the road between Hancock, Md. and Warfordsburg. Also
shows a sketch of an apparent knoll with the graphic note "Graves on
hill")
In New Jersey, Timothy Fidler married about 1764 Anna Wilson,
daughter of Nathaniel and Elenor Wilson, son of Daniel Wilson, made
his will May 1, 1779 Mercer Co., N.J.; proved Mar. 11, 1787 no wife
mentioned but children were Daniel, George, William, Thomas, Samuel,
Ann, Mary, Elizabeth, and Eleanor. Daniel was a son of Thomas Willson
married July 6, 1693 to Ann Silver of the House of Joseph Preckell by
Rev. Thos. Revell. Thomas was son of John Willson, who took up land
about 1670 near Middletown, New Jersey.
Families close to the Fidlers on Tonoloway Ridge were families in
1783 of Caleb Carmen, William Jacks, Joseph Warford, Thomas Reeder,
Moses Reed, David Adams, Levi Reed, Samuel Powel, Bethel Covalt, Elias
and John Stilwell. They had driven from New Jersey in the wagon
train, along with the Fidlers.
The will of Timothy Fidler is in Bedford, Bedford County,
Pennsylvania, because Fulton County was not yet created, not until
1850.
Will book I B p.430 in part: "I, Timothy Fidler, weak in body
but of sound mind and memory and understanding, calling to mind the
mortality of my body knowing that it is appointed for all men once to
die. Considering therefore the uncertainty of this transitory life
--- I recommend my soul"
NOTE: The Fidler Lore book has many errors in it, so all should be verified.
Events
| Birth | 6 Jan 1741 | Hunterdon Co., New Jersey | |||
| Marriage | Abt 1764 | Anna WILSON | |||
| Census | 1790 | Bedford Co., PA, pg 233; 4 white males over 16, 1 white male under 16, 8 free white females. | |||
| Tax List | 1798 | U.S. Direct Tax List - Bedford Co, Pennsylvania | |||
| Census | 1810 | Bedford Co., PA, see Notes for detail. | |||
| Will | 1 Oct 1814 | Will executed. See Notes for transcription. | |||
| Death | 20 Jul 1815 | Bedford Co, Pennsylvania | |||
| Probate | 21 Aug 1815 | Will probated - witnesses filed with court., Bedford Co, Pennsylvania | |||
| Reference No | 843 |
Families
| Spouse | Anna WILSON (1745 - 1830) |
| Child | Elinor FIDLER (1767 - 1807) |
| Child | Susanna FIDLER (1764 - 1814) |
| Child | Daniel FIDLER (1771 - 1842) |
| Child | Nathan FIDLER (1774 - 1844) |
| Child | John FIDLER (1775 - 1830) |
| Child | Noah FIDLER (1778 - 1849) |
| Child | Elizabeth FIDLER (1787 - 1814) |
| Child | Anna FIDLER ( - 1814) |
| Child | Mary FIDLER ( - 1814) |
| Child | Sarah Sally FIDLER ( - 1814) |
| Father | John FIDLER (1684 - 1759) |
| Mother | Sarah SMITH (1700 - 1760) |
| Sibling | John FIDLER ( - 1799) |