This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: The following was submitted by CHARLES E CANNON, Wichita, Kan. in 1898 as information he had located. John Valentine House died in Bath, Co, KY year 1826. Thorton went east in 1836 to Shenandoah Valley and leased it to Sheriff for 99 years. William Barnes died July 1837. David Barnes, Richard's father was raised in Smithfield, Fayette Co. PA. Ruth Downs died in India, year 1862 at age 108. In 1826 married to Downs.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: The second half of House Heirs Claim letter from M S C to the House Heirs Organization. Continued: But I will tell you what a lawyer said once to me in Baltimore. "When I get ready to go at that Antietam, I will have it if I have to retain every lawyer in Maryland". I will not name the man, but I think you know that man. For his services, as our lawyer without any part of the land or estate of Andrew House, let it be great or small, I want to know how much will be expected to pay Anderson? That is the whole amount in total, with one half of the estate at Antietam, gives to him as compensation for his services. Let lawyer Anderson say, and then we will know whether we can raise the money or not. You can answer me as soon as you see him and he can do the same. I think the compromise plan will be the best, he will sooner find out how things are and see the land. He had better not commence that until he has all the papers with him and then commence at Harper's Ferry on the north side of the Potomac River and proceed up to Antietam Creek, then go over to Pleasant Valley and down the valley to Wenston, then up the river to Sandy Nook and back to Harper's Ferry. I have not had a letter yet from Downs in answer to the one I sent him. Have you heard from any of the heirs? Brother JOSEPH BARNES ! told me that JOSEPH HOUSE's heirs have some papers about Antietam. You had better find out all you can about the matter before you answer me. P.S> If there is any money required, please let me know as soon as convenient and I will send it to you. I think I can locate some of the claiments in MO. Leavenworth Kansas is my home although I am staying with friends in MO. Yours, signed M. S. C.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Early letters mention Joseph House, son of John Valentine House, as not married but this letter proves he had at least two daughters. Mr A G Russell, Connellsville, Feb 15th, 1893 Dear Sir: I received your letter last evening and was very glad to hear from you. I think you take a just view of the case, and I would say here I am willing to pay my five dollars now, and would be glad to see all the heirs do the same, but I will not bind myself to pay for other heirs as your five dollars and mine will not do the work, as Mr Anderson wants five dollars from each of the heirs. How does he expect to get that amount? Can you tell? I will execute the papers Mr Anderson sent to me when the money is raised. I will do all I can to get the heirs of our side to pay $5 dollars and if I fail then what? There is five of us< DAVID BARNES, WILLIAM A BARNES, HAMILTON BARNES, JOSEPH and Z. E. BARNES, that would be $25 dollars, then JAMES HOUSE and WILLIAM HOUSE. I never saw Uncle JOSEPH HOUSE and do not know how many children he had, you are mistaken about my saying that JOSEPH HOUSE told me about ANDREW HOUSE. It was my brother JOSEPH BARNES, that told me about the ANDREW HOUSE family., and CALVIN RICHARD of RUTH DOWNS family. They had been out in your neighborhood for some years as I was told. CALVIN RICHARDS met two of UNCLE JOSEPH'S daughters and brought me their photographs and I would like to hear from them if you know where they are? They had been consulting a lawyer in their neighborhood for some years, so I was told. CALVIN RICHARDS is dead and CLAYTON RICHARDS and WILLIAM RICHARDS are all that family living out here. WILLIAM is in the West now. You can find out whether they will give anything to start the matter. I have spent about five hundred dollars in my life in traveling from the East Kentucky and paying board at hotels in and out of Maryland, looking up a point to start from when I thought everything was ready, put it into Mr Ing's hands and he has done nothing and Judge Bond of Baltimore told me he would do nothing that he was too lazy. Now there never was anything done in the case, unless Mr Pigman of Cumberland had made the beginning in the life of my father DAVID BARNES as I have not seen his papers yet. I traced them to a Mr Shrivers, Commission House on Prat Street in Baltimore city and found they were in barrels, and not being a lawyer enough to know just how to do the thing up, Brown told Lawyer! Ing where the papers were and asked him to do the work and he would not do it and there the case stands. What is in the papers I do not know, I hope Mr Anderson will have time and energy to take all the barrels of Mr Pigman's papers. and see if there is anything about Antietam and DAVID BARNES and Mr BRIN and MC PHERSON or SARAH HOUSE, for both Father and Mother were then at Barnes house when he lived in Cumberland, Maryland, and he told my father that he would have a Writ of Ejecetment served on Brin just as soon as the time was up at 99 years, and my mother the same thing, also told them that he had the thing fixed so that their children would get the property after they were dead, and not to fear about it. I do not want to go with anyone because all the people about Antietam know me, but brother JOSEPH BARNES, I think will go, at the proper time, when we get the papers fixed up in proper shape. Now you have the most of the heirs out there, write to all of them as soon as you can, telling them just what we propose to do in the case. Let us get to work and as you say, see what it will pan out. I think Mr Andreson is a man who will work up the case. ( end of page 2, will be continued) Posted just as written, misspelled words and all.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: House Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/SFk.2ACIB/1328 Message Board Post: My gr gr grandfather was Francis Edwin House. Married to Malvita Monford. Their son Charles Edwin House was my gr grandfather Born Nov. 11, 1849 in Boston, Suffolk, Mass. Married to Ida May Stewart Born Feb 23, 1865 in Hanska, Brown, Minnesota. Their son was my grandfather Clifford Earl House born Aug 11, 1906 in Wessington, Soth Dakota. There were several other children born to them as well, Florence C. House, Harry S. House, Carrol J. House, Bernice D. House, David A. House, Francis L. House and then my grandfather Clifford E. House. If you have any information you can add to this please feel free to email me @ littlebit_12822@yahoo.com. Thank you. Kathy

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/SFk.2ACIB/749.759.763.792.794 Message Board Post: Hi,My House family is from Searcy Co. to.My grandpa's name was John Henryb:1909,his dad was James Henry b:1868,his dad was Francis Marion b:1844,his dad was Joseph b:1815,his dad was Jacob b:1790,his dad was Adam b:1763,his dad was MattthiasHauss/House b:1740.Some of these dates might not be just right.Do any of these names look familar.My grandpa lived at Cozahome AR.I would be more than glad to share w/you what I have if you are in the same line of House's.Just e-mail me.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: This unsigned letter tells about location of Land Title and who had it. Dear Friend Russell: Connellsville, Fayette, Co PA I received your letter yesterday evening and hasten a reply. I am sorry to learn of your sickness, and am glad you are getting better. I hope that you will get well and that you, and family will prosper in this life, and in the life to come in the future. My health is not best I could desire, but am still going about, injuries when in the Army is the cause, when I was Chaplain 5th New York Vol. Arty., at Baltimore, and Harper's Ferry. The grave will take all our pains out of us, and the resurection day will give us new bodies and I hope a better life. And now about the matters you wish to know in regard to Antie and the House Estate. You doubtless remember first that JOHN VALENTINE HOUSE made a will and that will was probated in open court at the Court House in Bath Co. KY. I sent a copy of that will to a Lawyer, Mr Anderson at Richmond, Indiania and told him what I could think of about the House Estate. JAMES HOUSE of Sherburn, KT has copies of all the papers that were given to John H Ing of Fayette and St Paul Streets, Baltimore the place where Mr Ing had his office. After he was sold out, sometimes after my brother JOSEPH BARNES went to Baltimore and called upon Mr Ing, and he told brother JOSEPH BARNES the same story that you say Mr Anderson told you, that he was sold out and the House Papers, went with the other things, then my brother JOSEPH BARNES said to Mr Ing., "I will give you five dollars if you will let me those papers about the House Estate. Then Mr Ing pulled out a drawer of the table at which he sat and gave the papers to him to read. Brother Joseph read the papers and handed them back to Mr Ing, and gave him five dollars. JOSEPH BARNES said Ing put the papers back in the table drawer and locked it. Now remember this was sometime after Mr Ing was sold out. Mr Ing has doubtless all the papers yet in that drawer of the table in his office, if he has the same office near Fayette and St Paul Strees, Baltimore, Maryland. My brother JOSEPH BARNES will be glad to go with Mr Andreson as soon as he finishes the gas well he is now putting down at Belevernon, Fayette County, PA. The well is now down about one thousand feet and about four hundred feet more will finish it. In about 3 or 4 weeks he will be at leasure to go and get the papers, that Mr Anderson failed to get because he did not know how to bait the hook for such a man as Mr Ing is. Then I can prove the papers by the Supreme Judge of Maryland (Judge named Bond) who saw the papers before Mr Ing got them. You will have to be very careful and not attempt to get the papers till brother JOSEPH BARNES goes to Mr Ing's office. He will get them by bait or by law. The estate is the largest land estate in Maryland. As Judge Bond told me that the Brins & Mc Pherson and in fact all who had to do with property no doubt had tried to cover up all track to it in their day. You will have to find it out by going to England if you can not find out a starting point at some of the places of record in the State of Maryland. Washington , Maryland; Haggerstown County seat----then Washington County was divided and a new county called Frederick was made and Frederick a town in the county, or you might have to go to Upper Marlsbore, north of Washington City. Many of the old records were kept there, and you would have to go to Annapolis, Maryland, and see all the records there. Some of these places have the record of ANDREW HOUSE Estate doubtless under same cover. Ing never tried to find it out and no man can do it without searching the records to find all about the property from the beginning of it. These papers which Mr Ing has have many sworn testimony and affidavits of many people who kn! ew ANDREW HOUSE when he lived at Anteitam and Justice of Peace were qualified that ANDREW HOUSE owned the land on which he built a grist mill. He was the first settler of the land, lived on it, till he was driven off by twelve men who claimed to be sent by the authority of the State of Maryland. Letter unsigned but says he was a Chaplain in Civil War and brother of Joseph Barnes)

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: FAGGART * HOUSE * CROWELL Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/SFk.2ACIB/1327 Message Board Post: September 1850 Cabarrus County, N.C. Dwelling Number 408, Family Number 408 John Faggart, 52, male, farmer, value estate 2500.00 Elizabeth Faggart age 47 Daniel Faggart age 24 mining Jacob Faggart age 21 John M.Faggart age 18 farmer Saul Faggart age 16 Sarah Faggart age 13 Jonathan Faggart age 11 George H. Faggart age 9 JOEL HOUSE , AGE 37, MULATTO, LABORER note: PLEASE IF SOMEONE CAN EXPLAIN THE JOEL HOUSE PART ON THIS LISTING. I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT. WHO IS HE? EvansTurnstone@aol.com

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/SFk.2ACIB/972.1030.2.1.1 Message Board Post: Georgia, Sorry to take so long to reply. Email me your address and I will be glad to send you copies of what I have. Then I will email you my address. No $ needed! Glad to share and see what you have. Email me @ pad@swko.net Gotta run for now, looking forward to getting to know you. Bye for now, Paula

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1289.1 Message Board Post: Likely that daughter of John P House was Anna Mary House. She the only family member that would have been 8 years old in 1877. Considering she died 8 years later, maybe the injury was more severe than they thought. Maybe she was also mentally challanged. I have no way of knowing. But it seems to have been a possibilty.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/460.1 Message Board Post: With all the infomation that you have given me about House, I've been trying to match it up with my infomation. We both have a Daniel Webster House. You show him married to a Susan Petty. I have him married to Norma Burke and later to Ann Smith. My list of his children agrees with yours. You have children listed that I don't have. A daughter of his. Edna is married to a Doncette. I have an Edna that married Doucette. Are we talking about the same group of people?

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: House Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/SFk.2ACIB/583.740 Message Board Post: Hello, I'm trying to find the baptism record for Thomas William House, born in Stoke St. Gregory Somersetshire, England on 4 Mar 1814. Thank you, Kathy Arth

Anyone out there looking for Levi House? I have a (unfortunately) Court Martial document for Brigadier General Levi House, dated 1809. If interested, I'll be glad to send the info or the document on. This is from the Bennington Headquarters. Gail, Milwaukee

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Petrie, House, Cramer, Boyer Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/SFk.2ACIB/154.725.726.741.1 Message Board Post: Thank you, but my Rhoda House married Reuben Petrie, and she'd have been born in the early 1800's.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: This letter brings into the House story some different names, including Andrew House Jr. This is a typewritten copy translated from the original by the H H O Secy and some words she could not determine so were left blank Mr A J Russell Connellsville, July 22, 1887 Dear Sir: I am very glad to hear from you and family. I suppose that there was something the matter as no letter came to me from yourself or Anderson, it had slipped my memory that you had written the last letter to me, and this is my apology. Well as to Antietam, I have something to say. There was a man by the name of Henry Scott who came to Connellsville last fall. He is a poor man, a carpenter, came here to get work at his trade. This Henry Scott several years ago was elected constable in Washington County, Maryland and was sworn in deputy sheriff at Hagerstown, Maryland. Mr Brown the present claiment of the Furnace property at Antietam, sold the part of the Antietam or House Estate to a party of capitalists in New York City (and we are trying to find out who they are) who sent a lawyer to Hagerstown to hunt up the title. ( Hagerstown, Washington County is the county town in Maryland). Mr Scott, Dep Sheriff went into the -blank- where the papers are kept and he -blank-that he must have turned over thousands and loads of papers before he found the title. Concerning the whole transaction between Brin and McPherson, and Herderson and Andrew House, as the owner of a very large estate in land, Mr Scott told me that he read the Patent from the King of England, that all the lines of survey are on the Patent and the exact number of acres he had forgotten, or the number of miles square. He thought about or nearly twenty. (Now that will amount to 120,000) that is just one hundred and twenty thousand acres that our Great Grand Father Andrew House owned). Mr Scott said the company to whom it was leased were to pay 14 pence per acre per year for 99 years and that it was leased from Andrew House about the year 1774, though he said he would not be sure of the date. Now those New York men had paid several thousands of binding money to Mr Brown, claiming the Brin, McPherson estate and when the lawyer found that Brin and McPherson were on a lease themselves, the Court said it was no use to go any further and Scott said he had to sell Brown out to get the money back that the New York men had paid to bind the bargain, the Brinn and Company failed to make a title to the land and as far as I know not one pence has ever been paid to the heirs of Andrew House; and that money is owed to we heirs, don't you think so? I will give ten dollars, Joseph will give ten dollars. Suppose you write Mr Ferguson and Mrs Washington Pearce and to Ellison, and to Mr Ellison to send the money to William A Barnes or send it to yourself, and you and me will go to Hagerstown and see just how the thing is. We would like to see you at Connelsville and you and me will start over in Washington County. You will have to -blank- and see the most beautiful farming land you ever behalf?? and the Antietam Furnace and see Mr Brown there and have a talk with him about the estate. I have never seen the man to know him, though I called at his house and was informed he was not at home. He lives at Atietam farm 4 miles from Shepard Town near the Potomac River, MD, where our Great Grandfather"s estate is located. It once was all Frederick County. Now, there is a matter I do not understand. Maybe you can explain it? You call ANDREW HOUSE JR. Now if he is Junior he must have been a brother to John Valentine House. our grandfather and therefore, must have been a very old man. Please explain that and tell us all you know about Andrew House as we want to do the fair thing and if you can make the matter straight we will make him an heir with us, and go to work and get our estate if it can be got. We expect soon to see the copy of the Patent. ( This page Numbered one) It is unsigned so hope to locate page two)

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: This the third page of a six page letter submitted as a claim to the estate of Andrew V House . Continued: Streams could be condemed for furnaces, provided they were not in use for milling purposes. When it was desired to establish this furnace near the mouth of the Antietam, the parties tried to purchase the land of Mr House, the value of which was considerably unhanced by reason of his fine mill, probably the best in that region. But he refused to sell. The question, after, in the country at this time was a miller to shut down the mill or shut off the water when he went dinner. The lawyer of the party desiring to construct the furnace had the jury hidden in the woods, watched his opportunity and when the miller went to dinner brought forth his jury and by the writ of AD QUOD DAMNUM had the stream condemned, because it was not in use for milling purposes????? This outrageous trick made the old man furious, and no wonder. Who the parties were that established the furnace, I do not know. I understand that a man by the name of "Brown" built it.. It afterwards came into the hands of a man by the name of Brien, who called it the Harriett Furnace. Brien was Irish ( I presume Scotch-Irish) and a young Scotchman or Scotch-Irishman named McPherson became his clerk and married his daughter, the firm becoming BRIEN (pronounced Brinn) and Mc Pherson. THE HARRIET FURNACE!!! I remember, well this legend of the old-fashioned ten-plate stoves in use when I was a boy. Of course there were few persons in this country in those days who understood the mining and manufacture of iron.. A qualified person was sent for and CHARLES CLINTON came over from England to take charge of matters. The manufacture of stoves, kitchen utinsels, etc and last of nails was added. Chas Clinton, married a daughter of House and their daughter, Susan Clinton, afterwards became the wife of Daniel Cameron who came from Scotland in 1774 and was in the Revolutionary Army. They were my grandparents. My father, John Cameron, was one of eight children, born in Shephardstown, VA. Old Mr House was never satisfied and eventually moved to Kentucky, settling on the Kentucky River near Harrisburg, I think. Persons of the name of House, signed a petition to the Legislature of VA, before Kentucky was a state, and some of the land was given to Clarke(of Lewis and Clarke) for his western service and also to Tennessee. But you know more than I as to this. ( end of page 3) My father was born in 1796. When he was a boy (say 14) and about 1810, the members of the A.V. House family, whom I mentioned came east to see about this Antietam Estate. They came to Shepardstown VA.: visited my grandmother, and my father accompanied them to view the land. They found the metes and bounds, trees, rocks, streams just as their father and grandfather had described them. The ninety-nine years for which the land had been condemned had not yet expired. There was still sixteen years more for the completion for the term. Where was the record???? Washington County, had not then been cut off from Frederick, so they went to Frederick City, but could not find it. Then to Annopolis, but it was not there. Then to Baltimore with like result. Thirty years afterwards (say about 1840) the record was found in Marlborough (Upper, I think) Prince George's Country, fourteen years after the 99" had elasped, but the property had not been in undisputed possession for twenty years. But suddenly that book of records mysteriously disappeared and was never recovered. Make your own inferences??? This is the story as told to me by my father. How large the estate was, I never heard. Chestnut timber was used as fuel. Sixteen thousand acres were needed for this purpose. Each year the timber was cut from a thousand acres and as chestnut grows again from the stumps, the supply was inexhaustible, being renewed in sixteen years. The battlefield and other land covered more that this House Estate. The House ever owned any part of the battlefield of Fredericksburg is, I think, a pure invention. Now to sum up briefly, Andrew Valentine House(Haus) came to this country, as it appears, from Palatinates or eastern side of the Rhine, on the first quarter of the 18th century. His wife was French, a member of a Hugenot family, who escaped from France just after the revocation of the Edit of Nates at the close of the 17th Century. Time and place of marriage unknown to me. He purchased land on the Antietam near its mouth in what was Prince George's Country (now Washington Co. MD). It may have been bought from the Chaplin family, who owned a large amount of land in that part of the county. His purchase was the more ( end of page four) valuable on account of the water-power, which had led to the erection of a mill near the mouth of the Antietam. About 1725 parties desired to establish an iron furnace ( know today as a foundry) and when he declined to sell his property, a jury was hidden in the woods and while the miller was at dinner and the mill closed, the property was condemned for ninety-nine years, for a furnace, by the old writ of ad quod damnum, because the stream was not in use for milling purposes. Robbed by this fraud he subsequently removed to Kentucky and settled on the Kentucky River near Harrodsburg. His descendents were scattered in the adjoining states and a daughter of Charles Clinton, who came from England to take charge of the furnace and married his daughter, was married to Daniel Cameron of Shepardstown, MD. He left a large family but the name has died out in that state. About 1810 three of A V House's family came east to make inquiries about the property. My father that a! bout 14 (If 1810 was the correct date) visited the land and found all the metes and bounds as their father and grandfather had described them. The term of 99 years had still about 16 years to run. The search for the record was made at the various county seats, but the quest was fruitless. Thirty years afterwards and a few years before the property had remained in undisputed possession for twenty-one years, the record was found at Upper Marlborough, the county seat of Prine George's County, which formerly covered the whole western part of Maryland bordering on the Potomac. Measures were then begun to recover the property when the book containing the record mysteriously disappeared and has not been seen since, so far as I have heard. If the condemnation took place in 1725 as I have conjectured from the fact that my father as a boy (say 14) went with his relatives to view the land, then the one hundred and twenty-one years ( 99 plus 21) had expired in 1845. Their visit must have been about 1810, or if he were sixteen, then at 1812, at the latest, for it could not have been after the War of 1812-14 broke out. I have heard 1845 mentioned as the date of the expiration and in view of all the facts I have mentioned, there cannot be a variation of more than about (end of page 5) two years one way or the other from 1845 (1843 to 87). How large the estate was is unknown. Who first had the furnace I do not know. Brien had it early and then Brien and McPherson. Whence the 16,000 acres of chesnut timber land, I know not. I think his Frederick battlefield land a myth for I do not believe he came from the German settlement on the Rapidan or Germania Ford. With respect, Yours truly, signed--- HENRY CLAY CAMERON ( Aug 17, 1899)

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Will continue to post on the House Message Board as long as there is still interest in this case. The next few letters are unbelievable, as House Heirs make all sort of claims and tell stories of what has happened. Some of the letters are hard to read but have family relationships as described by heirs. This letter is 6 pages long and tells how Andrew Valentine House was tricked out of his land. Will post in two segments. Mrs L R House, Sec: Keep Tryst, Washington Co MD Princeton, NJ Aug 17, 1899 Dear Madam: Three weeks, since I saw in the Washington Star, that an association had been formed by some of the descendents of Andrew Valentine House for the purpose of recovering large tracts of land, formerly owned by him; and in these last days, the scenes of the Battle of Antietam and Fredericksburg. As my paternal great grandmother was a daughter of A V House and my father, when a boy, went with three members (two sons and a grandson, or a son and two grandson), I forget precisely which at present, of A.V. House's family to visit the farm on the Antietam Creek and found the metes and bounds precisely as their father and grandfather had told them, I feel as if I am almost the missing link in the chain of evidence. I had the acount of the whole matter from my father and none of the four mentioned are now living--and probably none of their children---so that I am nearest to the facts in the earlist effort to recover the land. So let me tell the tale as it was told to me. I did not know that his name was Andrew also, as my father, in answer to my questions, said that his name was Valentine. Andrew Valentine House ( formerly translated Haus) came from the Palatinate (I think on account of religious persecution) arriving in America in the early part of the 18th century. His wife was a Hugonet, whose family excaped from France, at the close of the 17th Century, just after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. She continued to speak French all her life. I should be very glad to learn the name of her family and her full name. Can anyone help?? Where or precisely when the Haus Family came to America, I do mot know, but before 1725. A.V. House owned the land on and at the mouth of Antietam ( end of page one) Creek, where it empties into the Potomac, three miles below Sherpardstown, VA., (now W. V.) which was largely settlled by Germans and was at first called Mecklenburg. He probably purchased it from the Chaplin family, who owned a great deal of land in that part of MD, shortly after 1700. Neither do I know its extent. It was the more valuable on account of the water-power in the creeks, and what is now called Antietam Furnace ( The Harriet Furnace until lately) has been the site of the mill for nearly two hundred years( perhaps fully) years. I visited the place a few days ago and while it has been completely swept away( the corner stone with the name of its builder'"Brown" is alone perserved, and its place taken by a huge limekiln, an old mill still retains its place. The forge, nail-mill, and other buildings have disappeared; the dam is broken; the large race sends down but a small quantity of water; and a flourishing field of corn occupies a large part of the ground, where the bloody battle of Antietam or Sharpesburg ended, is two miles away from the furnace, and the Potomac, into which the Antietam empties though an aqueduct beneath the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal is but two hundred yards distant. Two miles further up the river, and one mile below! Shepardstown at Reynold's Mill, is Blackford's, a most remakeable rock formation by which Lee and his Army escaped after the battle of Antietam. But I am wandering from my subject' In the early colonial days we were greatly hampered by the Mother country. Our trade with other countries was forbidden or greatly restricted. We had to purchase articles manufactured in England and only after years of struggle were we allowed any freedom in this respect. The search for gold had been a failure; now the quest for iron, a much more useful metal for the colonists, began. Where found in sufficient quantities furnaces were established. The only power that could be used in connection with the manufacture of iron, was water-power. The law, however, very justly gave the flouring mills the preference. ( End of Page Two) Continued on next posting.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: House Heirs sent letters with their House ancestors to the Sec. of the H H O, some of which are 6 pages long. They tell some real family stories, how the members feel about the funds to be obtained from the government, and a lot of how aunt ????? feels that day. It is probably best I open a website with the letters rather than post them on the House message board. Several House researchers are following the letters, I really don't know how much interest there is? The website is www.geocities.com/tackleman1932/ and www.geocities.com/tackleman1932/house-heirs-association-requests.html

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: This is a handwritten letter from the House Heirs Sec to my great grandmother, who like many others continued to followup with their lawyers, even after the organization began to lose interest. My family invested a considerable sum in the House Heirs Association and copies of meetings and claims were furnished to my great grandparents. From: J. A. House Real Estate Office Chesterville, Illinois Dated Sept 26, 1906 Mrs. Ebenezer A Granger Nashua, Iowa Dear Madam, In response to you letter of Sept 10th, will say. The House Estate that we have heard about is really in existance and consists of vast tracts of land in Frederick, Washington County, MD, and for the past six or seven years there has been an organization known as the House Heirs Organization and there has been much time, money. and trouble, spent in trying to get things in shape, but it is very hard to get so many, over 450 heirs, to stick together and what a few has done a good deal, and got a great deal of valuable information. We have never been able to raise sufficient money to carry it through. Two years ago, this August our President, took an Atty, and went there and with what funds he had, received information that would have led to a compromise long ago, but he could not get the heirs to raise enough to return again and make a further investigation, so he wrote, he would resign, that if any any of the others felt like taking it up they could do so. I just let the matter drop at that, so I did not have the money to carry it on myself, though the information I have convinces me that the House Heirs are loosing a vast fortune but I have been the Secretary for four years and spent over two years of constant and hard work on it with out any benefit outside of a few stamps and some for sending out and having the reports printed and I thought if they could afford to loose it, I certainly could put my time in more profitable employment. Though I did hate to see it dropped for I knew it was ! theirs and could be gotten hold of if the heirs would only pull together and help. Of course a few could not furnish the money and do all the work, too. I think I know where to place you on the House Record. Do you know who your mother's grandfather was? Yours truly, Mrs J A House, Sect, H. H. O. PS: Is Mrs Fred Wright of Cotati, Cal a relative of yours? <End of Letter>

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/SFk.2ACIB/972.1030.2.1 Message Board Post: Yes on my papers ther are 2 dates for the birthdate on John Henry to.At the bottom of my papers,it says that on his tombstone it says he was born in 1831.So I am going to say that is proably more right.Surely who ever had him buried knew when he was born.I will send you some copies of my papers if you will e- mail me your address or I will e-mail you my address and you can send me some copies of yours and then I will send you some money for your help and the info. off mine that you do not have.Please write back and let me know how you want to do it.Either way is ok with me.I hope we can get to know each other.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: The only letter I can locate in House Heirs Files, is one that is often mentioned. It is dated December 18, 1899 as is as follows: The House records and estate of Andrew House by metes and bounds was first ceded to Count Frederick Edward Van Hautzen by Pudshers from the English Government, in the 16th Century, being attached as part of the Commonwealth of Maryland to the Calvert Government, which with the Estate of Lord Baltimore, it reverted back to the Crown, being regranted in the 17th Century to Andrew House, who was the Great Grandson of Count Frederick, from the latter Frederick County was named. This land was given to Andrew House as a birthday present, if he would enter this grant: he was also given the coat of arms: signatures and seals ( a different House Mediveael Coat of Arms) (Igout by you and me), cord and dagger. >>from Andrew House it decended to John Valentine House, the eldest child and his heirs. Neither patent or grant was ever recorded in Maryland, but a search of the British Colonies Offices in the 17th and 18th Century will reveal the Grant and old will of those records. The search for you will cost about ten pounds, or fifty dollars. But before coming to England, it might be well to satisfy that there was no assignment or quit-claim from John Valentine House, who was son of Count Frederick Edward Van Hautzen, who was a son of Andrew Van Hautzen, in times the last of the Counts of the Barony. Now this land coming from one country to another as a present, especially a present from the Royal Family, can never be taken away by time. If there is no assignment shown from Andrew House or John Valentine House, the estate is yet the property of their heirs by proving the grant which is in the records of the Colonial British Office of the 18th Century. No limitations laws passed by the States can bar title of grant, as the Law of Comity between Nations will demand that the grant be respected, unless assigned. If assigned it will become subject of limitation. If this is not yet assigned, it still remains an estate granted to Andrew House, his heirs, and assigns. Note: This a typewritten copy of a letter received from a London Law Office, which is often mentioned as the basis of the Andrew House/John Valentine House lawsuit which covered a vast estate in Maryland. This is posted just as the letter reads.