Thomas Faith, Sr the son of Richard and Jane Leatherland Faith married about 1750 in Frederick County, Maryland, Ruth York the daughter of Thomas and Martha Potts Faith.

Children:
1. Margaret Faith 1751 -
2. William Faith 1752 - 1781 Died Louisville,Jefferson County, Kentucky
3. Elizabeth Faith 1757 -
4. Abraham Faith 1759 - 1837 Rev War Md Nancy Änn" Wright Bur: Union Cemetery, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. #13508367.
5. John B Faith 1761 - Was living 1830 Montgomery County, Indiana
6. Thomas Faith, Jr 1765 - 1840 Md Margaret Byerly Buried: Montgomery County, Indiana,#157709162
7. George Faith 1767 1840 Died Gibson County, Indiana
8. Jacob Faith 1768 - 1831 Md Elizabeth Hager Died Conermaugh, Cambria County, Pennsylvania
9. Henry Faith 1773 - 1861 Died Heth, Harrison County, Indiana
__________________________________________________
THOMAS FAITH, SR. along with his wife Ruth York Faith, and children moved from
Frederick County, Colony of Maryland to Brothers Valley Township, Bedford
County, Pennsylvania about the year 1772. The family was one on the earliest
settlers in the Allegheny Highlands of South-Central Pennsylvania in what
is now Somerset County, prior to the American Revolution. Four of the five
known sons accompaied their parents on the move to Pennsylvania, while, the
youngest, Henry, was born in Pennsylvania, 29 February 1773, following their
arrival.

The first documented record of Thomas Faith, Sr. in Pennsylvania was the
purchase of his homestead from the proprietaries of the Province of
Pennsylvania (John Penn and Thomas Penn). Bedford County Warrant number (F)22,
signed by John Penn, dated 8 December 1773 at Philadelphia, reads as follows:
"Whereas Thomas Faith of the County of Frederick, Maryland, hath requested
that we would allow him to take up three hundred acres of land, bounded by
the lands of James Black, on the headwaters of Cox Run and on both sides
thereof, in Brothers Valley Township in Bedford County....at the rate of
five pounds sterling for every hundred acres....."
According to the customs in Colonial times, Thomas Faith, Sr. named his
"plantation", "Faith and Hope".

The Warrant having been paid for, the land office sent surveyors to the site
on 30 May 1774, who established the boundary lines and computed the area
as 325 1/2 acres. A draft of this survey is found in Book C-55, page 193,
Bureau of Land Records, Harrisburg, PA. The location is futher described as
"situated on the south side of Glad Road in Brothers Valley Township, Bedford
County"
Thomas Faith never paid of the additional 25 3/4 acres, over and above 300
acres needed for in the Warrant; and therefore never received a final patent to
the land. However, the Warrant was a legal title which could be sold, deeded,
willed, or inherited.

The present location of Thomas Faith's homestead "Faith and Hope" is in the
Southeast corner of Somerset Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Prior
legislative locations changed several times. The changing political
subdivisions where "Faith and Hope" was located is as follows:

1771 Brothersvalley Township, Bedford County, Pa.
1773 Turkeyfoot Township, Bedford County, Pa.
1780 Milford Township, Bedford County, Pa
1795 Milford Township, Somerset County, Pa.
1796 Somerset Township, Somerset County, Pa.

Victor A. Young, of Red Lion, PA, a descendent, visited the
location of "Faith and Hope" in 1972, 200 years after it was settled. He
describes his visit as follows:
"Would you like to travel this dirt road and see where Thomas and Ruth Faith
settled 200 years ago? We take old Route 219 from Somerset toward Berlin, and
just a few hundred feet past where legislative route 55031 turns off to the
right toward Garrett, out little dirt road goes off to the left. We go up a
slight grade to the crest of a wooded ridge running N.W. to S.E., from which
the ground slopes down toward the N.E. to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The
Southern boundary of the Faith homestead was probably close to the crest of
this ridge, and as we proceed downgrade to the north, we are now on the site of
"Faith and Hope". Emerging from the wooded hillcrest, we find that the north
face of the ridge has been strip-mined for coal, but will backfilled and not
too unsightly. Next, we come to an old, stone farm house, beyond this bench our
dirt road drops down through a rocky wooded area and we cross a very
rocky, unnamed, little rill-- referred to on the warrant as the
"headwaters of Cox Run". Here there is a white pine, Hemlock, and
Rhododendron, suggesting the solitude of the virgin forest when Thomas
and Ruth Faith first arrived. It appears that Thomas Faith included
this northern portion of "Faith and Hope" in his warrant with the
objective of effecting a short common boundary with the claim of James
Black, his neighbor to the north, in order to preserve access to the
Glade Road traversing James Black's claim. Then we leave "Faith and
Hope" and arrive at the bottomland where we cross Kimberly Run which
flows west, just south of he Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Turnpike
Maintenance Garage is located here on the south side of the Turnpike,
and our road is now paved as we go through the underpass and intersect
with Pa. Route 31 just north of the Turnpike."

We wonder why Thomas and Ruth Faith left Maryland and moved to Bedford County,
Pennsylvania. Usually you would expect them to be in the company of relatives.
It is not apparent that any traveled with, before or after they arrived in
Penn. The area they selected to build "Faith and Hope" was very desolate and
is still the same today. They may have been moving to another area and got
caught in the winter of 1772 in the area and decided to stay. James Black, a
Single man was their only neighbor at the time. There was a Abraham Kimberlain
also to the north, however he disappears leaving behind only a name, which was
given to a small stream. Mostly Faith and Hope was surrounded by vacant land of
virgin timber. Names of warrantees of land ajoining Thomas Faith were:
James Black Bedford Co. Warrant #124 150 A 23 Nov 1784
John Gilmore Bedford Co. Warrant #80 300 A 17 Dec 1784
Jacob Schneider Bedford Co. Warrant #587 400 A 2 Apr 1794
Herman Craylech Bedford Co. Warrant #532 100 A 10 Sept 1794
Joseph Shannon Somerset Co. Warrant #9 140 A 8 Apr 1800
(Shown as farmer, of the County of Franklin)

In August 1776 Abraham Faith, eldest son of Thomas and Ruth, enlisted for three
years in Capt. Mann's Company, Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment. Abraham was
barely 17 when he went off to war leaving his brother Thomas Faith, Jr., about
age 12, as eldest son at home. By 1779 Thomas Faith Sr. was dead at an age
45. When he died is unknown, however it is unlikely that he would have been
dead when Abraham enlisted. The only indication that we have is that Ruth
Faith is listed as head of house hold on the 1779 Tax list for Turkeyfoot
Township. She was taxed for 1 cow (P.A. 3-22-166). There were no adult males
in the household. Futher evidence of Thomas Faith, Sr. death by 1779 exists in
a letter of Administation. Curously, this Letter of Administration has not
been found recorded in Bedford County Court House Records, but is printed in
"Genealogical Records" by the Quemahoning Chapter D.A.R., Vol. 4, page 215,
cataloged at the Pennsylvania State Library, Harrisburg, as 629.3-D 266. The
tax lists of 1779 show that James Black had then moved to Quemahoning Township.
(P.A. 3-22-198), but Ruth Faith, as a Widow, turned to William Black for help:
"Be it remembered: That Letters of Administration of the
Faith, of the Township of Turkey Foot in the County of Bedford, State of
Pennsylvania, deceased were granted to William Black by request of the
Widow upon her relinguishing her right to the Administration of the said
Estate. Inventory to be exhibited on or before the 1st day of November and
in account on or before the 16th day of October next.
Given under the seal of the Register Office for the County of Bedford
the 16th day of October in the year of our Lord, seventeen hundred and
seventy nine."

In 1779, Ruth's family consisted of her eldest son at home, Thomas Faith, Jr,
about 15, John age 13, Jacob age ll and henry age 6. There may have been
daughters, however none have been located in any record. In November 1779
Abraham Faith was discharged from the Eighth Pennsylvania Line, and returned
home to assume the position of head of the family, even though he was still
legally a minor at age 20. The next spring Ruth Faith, took her family to
Bedford and made provisions for the security of four of her sons. Bedford
Orphans Court Docket No. 2, page 3, contains the following record:
"At an Orphans Court held at Bedford in and for the County of Bedford
the fifteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and eighty, before Samuel Davidson, David Espy and Abraham Cable
Esquires, Justices of the same Court.
Came into Court, Abraham Faith an orphan of Thomas Faith deceased and
chose Jacob Cable of Brothers Valley Township to be Guardian of his
Estate.
Came into Court, Ruth Yock late Ruth Faith and prayed the Court appoint
Guardians for John Faith of the age of thirteen and upward, Jacob Faith,
of the age of twelve and upward, and Henry Faith of the age of six years
and upward, the Orphan Children of her late Husband, Thomas Faith.
Whereupon the Court appoint David Jones Esquire for Guardian over the
personal Estate of the three Orphans."

From the above Orpahns Court records we can determine the approximate age of
the children. We know from Abraham Faith's pension record that he was born
26 September 1759, so he was 20. John Faith age 13 would be born between 15
April 1766 and 15 April 1767. Jacob Faith, at twelve years would have been born
between 15 April 1767 and 15 April 1768, Heny Faith, six years old would have
been born between 15 April 1773 and 15 April 1774, which is close to the
reported date of 29 February 1773. Wonder why Thomas Faith, Jr. was not
listed. He may have already been provided for. Another mystery of sorts is why
Ruth is shown as "Ruth Yock" widow of Thomas Faith. It appears that possible
Language difficulties caused her to give her maiden name. All subsequent
records and her Will shows her to be Ruth Faith. No persons by the name of Yock
was living in the area at that time.

Two years later we find another record in Bedford County Orphans Court Docket
No. 2, page 5:
" Orphans Court Bedford 20th April 1782. Before Abraham Cable, David
Jones, Gideon Ritchie, Esquires.
Thomas Faith a minor son of Thomas Faith, Deceased above the age of
fourteen years came into Court and chose Samuel Wright of Milford
Township to be guardian over his person and estate who accordingly
accepted of by the said Court. John Faith another minor came into Court
being above the age of fourteen years and chose Philip Cable to be
guardian of his person and Estate."
At age 14 a minor can choose his own guardian which means both Thomas and John
decided to do so. Note this is guardianship of both their person and Estate,
which means that a minor is taken into the home of the guardian and bound to
serve his guardian until the age of 21, in return for mimimum necessities,
possibly the opportunity to learn a trade, and maybe a little schooling.

Abraham Faith became 21 in 1780 appears to have aserted the traditional right
of the eldest son to the family homestead. The 1783 Tax List of Milford
Township (P.A. 3-22-238) lists Abraham as owner of 300 acres, the Faith
homestead. Again in 1784 the Milford Township tax list (P.A. 3-22-285) finds
Abraham Faith the owner of 300 acres, and lists three white inhabitants, who
would be Abrahams with wife and first child, showing that all Faiths execpt
Abraham had left home.

Bedford County, PA Militia Roll of February 1789 (P.A. 6-3-41) lists both
Abraham Faith and Thomas Faith (Jr.) as residents of Milford Township. The
same Militia Roll (P.A. 6-3-39) find Jacob Faith listed as an inhabitant of
Quemahoning Township. John Faith should have become 21 in 1787, but John is not
on the Militia Rolls. He was probably already living in Breckenridge County,
Kentucky by that time. Henry Faith is not listed as he would have been only
16 years old in 1789.

The first census of Bedford County, PA is not divided by township, But Abraham
Faith and Thomas Faith (Jr.) are now both married and head of families on the
1790 US Census. (Page 24, Col.2). In each family there is an extra male over
the age of 16, which might account for two of the three other missing brothers.
Ruth Faith, while not head of a household is not listed. However, she must have
been somewhere in the area unless she too had already moved to Breckenridge
County, Ky where her son John was living.

In 1795 Somerset County was created from Bedford County and the Faiths are now
living there. By 1796 the last of the five sons of Thomas and Ruth Faith had
become 21, so it is apparent they decided to sell the Family homestead
warrented by Thomas Faith, Sr. in 1773. Somerset County Deed Book 1, page 172,
dated 11 June 1796, records the sale of "Faith and Hope" by the five sons,
heirs of Thomas Faith, Sr, deceased, to Robert Philson and John Fletcher,
Merchants, for the sum of $1,303.00. A portion of the deed reads:
"Abraham Faith and Thomas Faith of the County of Somerset in the Commonweath
of Pennsylvania yeomen, John Faith of the State of Kentucky yeomen, Jacob
Faith of the said County of Somerset, and Henry Faith of the County of
Northumberland of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania yeoman, sons and heirs
at law of Thomas Faith late of the said County of Bedford, deceased. "

This deed is signed by all five sons of Thomas Faith; John Faith by his mark,
and the other four by their own signatures. This indicates that John Faith
returned temporally from Kentucky for the sale and Henry Faith came from the
central area of Pennsylvania to unite together for the sale and divide the
proceeds. John Fletcher paid the State of Pennsylvania $15.93 for the extra 25
3/4 and received the final patent in March of 1804 (Patent Vol. P-53, page
372-Bureau of Land Records).

The second deed arising from the sale of the family estate proves conclusively
that Ruth Faith was the wife and widow of Thomas Faith, Sr. Somerset County
Deed, Book 1, page 175, also dated 11 June 1796, reads in part:
"I Ruth Faith, widow and relict of Thomas Faith late of Bedford County,
deceased....fir and in consideration of the sum of one hundred dollars....
to me in hand paid by the said Robert Philson and John Fletcher....have
granted, remised, released, and for ever quit claim....all my dower of
thirds, and all my right and title of dower and thirds of in to or out of
all or any part of the plantation....."

By 1800 Abraham Faith and family were living in Somerset Town, the only son to
remain in the vicinity of the homestead. The 1800 census finds Thomas Faith,
Jr. and Jacob Faith living with their families in present Jenner Township in
the Northwest portion of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. In 1800 John Faith,
Henry Faith and Ruth Faith were living in Breckenridge County, Kentucky. After
the sale of the family homestead John must have persuaded his mother and
brother to accompany him on the trip back down the Ohio River to Breckenridge
County, Kentucky.

In Kentucky, Ruth Faith wrote her will, dated 3 Sept 1799, probated 20 Oct
1800. (See Ruth Faith notes for the copy).

By 1820 Thomas Faith, Jr. had moved to Harrison County, Indiana across the Ohio
River from Breckenridge County, Kentucky. (See his notes for his information).
His brother Henry Faith had also joined him there. (see 1820 Census)

Note added 16 May 2009
Thomas and Ruth Faith purchased land in 1773 in Bedford County , Pennsylvania from John and Thomas Penn. Warrant # (F) 22, dated December 8 1773 at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania. This is present day Somerset County, which was connected to their land in Frederick County Maryland. This purchase added in their possession 300 acres and was located on both sides of the head waters of Cox Run in what was then Brothers County Township. The payment was 5 pounds sterling for each 100 acres. The present location of the farm which was called "Faith and Hope", is in the southeast corner of Somerset Township, Somerset County Pennsylvania, about 3 miles southeast of Somerset, just north of old Pennsylvania Route 219, and less than a mile south of the Pennsylvania turnpike.

Thomas Faith Pennsylvania, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993
Name Thomas Faith
Residence Place
[Turkey Foot Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, USA]
Turkey Foot Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, USA
Probate Date 16 Oct 1779
Probate Place Bedford, Pennsylvania, USA
Inferred Death Date
1779
Inferred Death Place
Pennsylvania, USA
Item Description Vol 001-003, 1771-1849
Individuals Listed 3

Father: Richard FAITH b: ABT. 1700 in South Berstead Sussex England (Christ. Apr. 22,1701)
Mother: Jane Leatherland b: ABT. 1705 in England