From: Crumrine, Boyd, 1882. History of Washington County, Pennsylvania with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Hungerford, Austin N., Philadelphia: H.L. Everts & Co, pp. 970-971.
Col. Thomas Crooks came into the Territory of West Bethlehem Township, and on a Virginia certificate took up a tract of land on Pigeon Creek, which was called "Richard's Valley." This property was surveyed to Mr. Crooks Feb. 25, 1785. Col. Crooks was a man prominent in all local and public affairs, and held many offices of importance and trust. He died Feb. 25, 1815, aged eighty years, and his widow, Mrs. Judith Parr Crooks, died April 30, 1823, at the age of eighty-three years. The homestead upon which they lived and died is now owned by Jacob Swagler. At the death of Col. Crooks the Reporter, of Washington, published the following:
"Richard's Valley, Feb. 25, 1815.
"Died. -- This morning, at his place, in his old mansion, at half-past five o'clock, that worthy old patriot, Thomas Crooks, of West Bethlehem township, where he was among the first emigrants in the western country, and was early on the stages of public business. In the militia he was an officer of high rank at the beginning of the Revolution, was alert in routing the savages to the westward, was a zealous patriot throughout the Revolutionary war, and presided many years as a justice of the peace. He was a very warm friend and an implacable enemy. He bore a severe and lingering illness with resigned patience."
Col. Crooks' gravestone is at the edge of a cornfield near Scenery Hill, Washington Co., PA. The locals all know where it is, so if you want to visit, ask around. The History of Washington County (pp. 974-975) says: "In the year 1797 measures were taken by the earliest religious society known in West Beth-
lehem township toward erecting a house for worship. This was known as the " Redstone" church, and was built upon land purchased of Thomas Crooks for that purpose. The trustees of the society were Joshua Davis, Leonard Roberts, William Allen, John Welch, Thomas 'Richardson, and James Eaton, who, on July
11, 1797, purchased of Thomas Crooks a jjieceof land containing one rood and thirty-seven perches, "situated on the Redstone road," for which they paid a consideration of five shillings on that date. A proviso in the contract granted to those attending church the privilege of passing to and from a spring on other land of Mr. Crooks. This church was built under the charge and supervision of Rev. Joseph Doddridge, and was located about half a mile below the site of the village of Hillsborough. It was entirely abandoned many years ago, and by some it is thought to have been identical with the Episcopal Church which was pulled down some thirty years ago, the logs being used to construct the house now occupied by Edward Taylor. The graveyard in connection with this church is called the Crooks Graveyard. It was originally well laid out and cared for, but is now unfenced and neglected. In passing through it one sees that the first interments date back more than eighty years. From the inscriptions it is seen that Judith Parr died in October, 1802, aged seventy-nine years; Col. Thomas Crooks died Feb. 25, 1815, past eighty years of age; Judith Crooks died April 30, 1823, nearly eighty-four years of age ; Henry Huntsberry died Feb. 7, 1830, seventy years old ; Robert Rigle died Oct. 1, 1848, aged ninety years ; Lieut.-Col. Roger S. Dix, U.S.A., died Jan. 7, 1849; William Dickerson died Aug. 13, 1859, ninety-two years of age.
Col. Thomas Crooks came into the Territory of West Bethlehem Township, and on a Virginia certificate took up a tract of land on Pigeon Creek, which was called "Richard's Valley." This property was surveyed to Mr. Crooks Feb. 25, 1785. Col. Crooks was a man prominent in all local and public affairs, and held many offices of importance and trust. He died Feb. 25, 1815, aged eighty years, and his widow, Mrs. Judith Parr Crooks, died April 30, 1823, at the age of eighty-three years. The homestead upon which they lived and died is now owned by Jacob Swagler. At the death of Col. Crooks the Reporter, of Washington, published the following:
"Richard's Valley, Feb. 25, 1815.
"Died. -- This morning, at his place, in his old mansion, at half-past five o'clock, that worthy old patriot, Thomas Crooks, of West Bethlehem township, where he was among the first emigrants in the western country, and was early on the stages of public business. In the militia he was an officer of high rank at the beginning of the Revolution, was alert in routing the savages to the westward, was a zealous patriot throughout the Revolutionary war, and presided many years as a justice of the peace. He was a very warm friend and an implacable enemy. He bore a severe and lingering illness with resigned patience."
Col. Crooks' gravestone is at the edge of a cornfield near Scenery Hill, Washington Co., PA. The locals all know where it is, so if you want to visit, ask around. The History of Washington County (pp. 974-975) says: "In the year 1797 measures were taken by the earliest religious society known in West Beth-
lehem township toward erecting a house for worship. This was known as the " Redstone" church, and was built upon land purchased of Thomas Crooks for that purpose. The trustees of the society were Joshua Davis, Leonard Roberts, William Allen, John Welch, Thomas 'Richardson, and James Eaton, who, on July
11, 1797, purchased of Thomas Crooks a jjieceof land containing one rood and thirty-seven perches, "situated on the Redstone road," for which they paid a consideration of five shillings on that date. A proviso in the contract granted to those attending church the privilege of passing to and from a spring on other land of Mr. Crooks. This church was built under the charge and supervision of Rev. Joseph Doddridge, and was located about half a mile below the site of the village of Hillsborough. It was entirely abandoned many years ago, and by some it is thought to have been identical with the Episcopal Church which was pulled down some thirty years ago, the logs being used to construct the house now occupied by Edward Taylor. The graveyard in connection with this church is called the Crooks Graveyard. It was originally well laid out and cared for, but is now unfenced and neglected. In passing through it one sees that the first interments date back more than eighty years. From the inscriptions it is seen that Judith Parr died in October, 1802, aged seventy-nine years; Col. Thomas Crooks died Feb. 25, 1815, past eighty years of age; Judith Crooks died April 30, 1823, nearly eighty-four years of age ; Henry Huntsberry died Feb. 7, 1830, seventy years old ; Robert Rigle died Oct. 1, 1848, aged ninety years ; Lieut.-Col. Roger S. Dix, U.S.A., died Jan. 7, 1849; William Dickerson died Aug. 13, 1859, ninety-two years of age.
From: Crumrine, Boyd, 1882. History of Washington County, Pennsylvania with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Hungerford, Austin N., Philadelphia: H.L. Everts & Co, pp. 970-971.
Col. Thomas Crooks came into the Territory of West Bethlehem Township, and on a Virginia certificate took up a tract of land on Pigeon Creek, which was called "Richard's Valley." This property was surveyed to Mr. Crooks Feb. 25, 1785. Col. Crooks was a man prominent in all local and public affairs, and held many offices of importance and trust. He died Feb. 25, 1815, aged eighty years, and his widow, Mrs. Judith Parr Crooks, died April 30, 1823, at the age of eighty-three years. The homestead upon which they lived and died is now owned by Jacob Swagler. At the death of Col. Crooks the Reporter, of Washington, published the following:
"Richard's Valley, Feb. 25, 1815.
"Died. -- This morning, at his place, in his old mansion, at half-past five o'clock, that worthy old patriot, Thomas Crooks, of West Bethlehem township, where he was among the first emigrants in the western country, and was early on the stages of public business. In the militia he was an officer of high rank at the beginning of the Revolution, was alert in routing the savages to the westward, was a zealous patriot throughout the Revolutionary war, and presided many years as a justice of the peace. He was a very warm friend and an implacable enemy. He bore a severe and lingering illness with resigned patience."
Col. Crooks' gravestone is at the edge of a cornfield near Scenery Hill, Washington Co., PA. The locals all know where it is, so if you want to visit, ask around. The History of Washington County (pp. 974-975) says: "In the year 1797 measures were taken by the earliest religious society known in West Beth-
lehem township toward erecting a house for worship. This was known as the " Redstone" church, and was built upon land purchased of Thomas Crooks for that purpose. The trustees of the society were Joshua Davis, Leonard Roberts, William Allen, John Welch, Thomas 'Richardson, and James Eaton, who, on July
11, 1797, purchased of Thomas Crooks a jjieceof land containing one rood and thirty-seven perches, "situated on the Redstone road," for which they paid a consideration of five shillings on that date. A proviso in the contract granted to those attending church the privilege of passing to and from a spring on other land of Mr. Crooks. This church was built under the charge and supervision of Rev. Joseph Doddridge, and was located about half a mile below the site of the village of Hillsborough. It was entirely abandoned many years ago, and by some it is thought to have been identical with the Episcopal Church which was pulled down some thirty years ago, the logs being used to construct the house now occupied by Edward Taylor. The graveyard in connection with this church is called the Crooks Graveyard. It was originally well laid out and cared for, but is now unfenced and neglected. In passing through it one sees that the first interments date back more than eighty years. From the inscriptions it is seen that Judith Parr died in October, 1802, aged seventy-nine years; Col. Thomas Crooks died Feb. 25, 1815, past eighty years of age; Judith Crooks died April 30, 1823, nearly eighty-four years of age ; Henry Huntsberry died Feb. 7, 1830, seventy years old ; Robert Rigle died Oct. 1, 1848, aged ninety years ; Lieut.-Col. Roger S. Dix, U.S.A., died Jan. 7, 1849; William Dickerson died Aug. 13, 1859, ninety-two years of age.
Col. Thomas Crooks came into the Territory of West Bethlehem Township, and on a Virginia certificate took up a tract of land on Pigeon Creek, which was called "Richard's Valley." This property was surveyed to Mr. Crooks Feb. 25, 1785. Col. Crooks was a man prominent in all local and public affairs, and held many offices of importance and trust. He died Feb. 25, 1815, aged eighty years, and his widow, Mrs. Judith Parr Crooks, died April 30, 1823, at the age of eighty-three years. The homestead upon which they lived and died is now owned by Jacob Swagler. At the death of Col. Crooks the Reporter, of Washington, published the following:
"Richard's Valley, Feb. 25, 1815.
"Died. -- This morning, at his place, in his old mansion, at half-past five o'clock, that worthy old patriot, Thomas Crooks, of West Bethlehem township, where he was among the first emigrants in the western country, and was early on the stages of public business. In the militia he was an officer of high rank at the beginning of the Revolution, was alert in routing the savages to the westward, was a zealous patriot throughout the Revolutionary war, and presided many years as a justice of the peace. He was a very warm friend and an implacable enemy. He bore a severe and lingering illness with resigned patience."
Col. Crooks' gravestone is at the edge of a cornfield near Scenery Hill, Washington Co., PA. The locals all know where it is, so if you want to visit, ask around. The History of Washington County (pp. 974-975) says: "In the year 1797 measures were taken by the earliest religious society known in West Beth-
lehem township toward erecting a house for worship. This was known as the " Redstone" church, and was built upon land purchased of Thomas Crooks for that purpose. The trustees of the society were Joshua Davis, Leonard Roberts, William Allen, John Welch, Thomas 'Richardson, and James Eaton, who, on July
11, 1797, purchased of Thomas Crooks a jjieceof land containing one rood and thirty-seven perches, "situated on the Redstone road," for which they paid a consideration of five shillings on that date. A proviso in the contract granted to those attending church the privilege of passing to and from a spring on other land of Mr. Crooks. This church was built under the charge and supervision of Rev. Joseph Doddridge, and was located about half a mile below the site of the village of Hillsborough. It was entirely abandoned many years ago, and by some it is thought to have been identical with the Episcopal Church which was pulled down some thirty years ago, the logs being used to construct the house now occupied by Edward Taylor. The graveyard in connection with this church is called the Crooks Graveyard. It was originally well laid out and cared for, but is now unfenced and neglected. In passing through it one sees that the first interments date back more than eighty years. From the inscriptions it is seen that Judith Parr died in October, 1802, aged seventy-nine years; Col. Thomas Crooks died Feb. 25, 1815, past eighty years of age; Judith Crooks died April 30, 1823, nearly eighty-four years of age ; Henry Huntsberry died Feb. 7, 1830, seventy years old ; Robert Rigle died Oct. 1, 1848, aged ninety years ; Lieut.-Col. Roger S. Dix, U.S.A., died Jan. 7, 1849; William Dickerson died Aug. 13, 1859, ninety-two years of age.
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