Timeline of Deeds for the Hess Homestead

 

Bestlanddraft

Above: 1809 land draught showing the mill pond and property of Christian and John Hess

 

  • 1726:  Hans Hess (ca. 1683-1733) requests land from the sons of William Penn for the use of his son Jacob Hess (ca. 1706-1741). The land adjoins property owned by Hans Ulrich (Huber).
  • 1730:  200 acres in Warwick Township warranted to Martin Kundig (Kindig) and John Herr.
  • 1735:  September 24.  Jacob Hess receives patent for 200 acres from the sons of William Penn.
  • 1741:  February or March. Jacob Hess dies without a will. The land remains in the possession of his estate until 1761.
  • 1747: October 17. Michael Hess, Jacob's brother, has 27.5 acres in Warwick Township surveyed for the use of Jacob's children. (That property is located near the intersection of Clay Road and Newport Road.)
  • 1761: December 15. Heirs of Jacob Hess deed two tracts, being 200 acres and 27.5 acres, to the eldest son John Hess (ca. 1728-1778). Lancaster Court House Deed G-346 and M-417.
  • 1761: December 15. John and Susanna Hess deed two tracts, being 27.5 acres and 85.5 acres, to John's younger brother Christian Hess. The 85.5-acres tract was the eastern portion of the 200-acre tract, and included the log farmhouse. Lancaster Court House Deed N-30 and M-418.
  • 1762: September 22.  John Hess receives a second patent on his father's 200-acre patent. His father had died as an unnaturalized immigrant in 1741, so he could not legally have transferred real estate. John was safeguarding his title to the property. Patent Book AA Vol. 5 p. 47.
  • 1768: March 9. Christian and Elizabeth Hess deed two tracts of 85.5 acres and 27.5 acres in Warwick Township to blacksmith Michael Shallenberger of Earl Township, Lancaster County. Lancaster Court House Deed 0-22.
  • 1775: May 6. Michael Shallenberger deeds one tract of 54.5 acres in Warwick Township to John Hess, including the log farmhouse.
  • 1778:  John Hess dies without a will.
  • 1784:  October 16. Heirs of John Hess deed 278 acres in Warwick Township to the eldest son, Christian Hess, including 178 acres of the original Hess patent and the "oyl and hemp mill". Lancaster Court House Deed KK392.
  • 1790:  February 13. Christian and Anna Hess deed 96.25 acres in Warwick Township to Christian's younger brother John Hess. This is the eastern portion of the original 200-acre patent, including the log farmhouse. Lancaster Court House Deed KK395.
  • 1823:  October 2. John and Esther Hess deed several tracts in Warwick Township to their son Henry Hess, including the log farmhouse. This deed was apparently never recoreded but is cited in a later deed.
  • 1864: September 6. Henry and Catharine Hess deed to Jonas H. Hess, their youngest son, 137 acres in Warwick Township. The deed includes lengthy provisions for rights of Henry and Catharine concerning the house, stables, orchard, garden, spring house, smoke house, etc. Lancaster Court House Deed H-20-356.
  • 1920: March 20. Annie S. Hess, widow of Jonas H. Hess, along with Henry F. Hess and Christian F. Hess, deed farm to Henry F. Hess. Lancaster Court House Deed E-24-513.
  • 1923: January 10. Henry F. and Anna C. Hess of Lancaster Township deed 83 acres and 25 perches in Warwick Township to B. F. Grosh of Warwick Township. Lancaster Court House Deed X-25-432.
  • Later deeds not researched by Clarke Hess, who researched the earlier deeds listed above.
  • 1985:  March 29. Log farmhouse purchased by Clarke Hess from Robert and Margaret A. Fuller.
  • 1993: November 19. Stone farmhouse purchased by Clarke Hess from William Wrigley Jr. Company of Chicago, makers of Wrigley Chewing Gum. Wrigley previously planned to demolish the stone farmhouse, and build a chewing gum factory at that site.

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