Monday Is for Mothers: Elizabeth Brillhart (About 1745 - 1805)

When Peter Brilhart came to make his mark and put his seal on his last will and testament on May 21, 1782, in York County, Pennsylvania, he named his ten children in the document, including his daughter Elizabeth, my maternal fifth great grandmother, who was already married.*

["Pennsylvania, Probate Records, 1683-1994," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-28759-18574-54?cc=1999196&wc=9PM8-DPD:268493601,270353201 : accessed 10 August 2015), York > Wills 1779-1789 vol E-G > image 248 of 649; county courthouses, Pennsylvania.]

Tax records place the family in Heidelberg Township in York County through at least 1782, but by the 1790 U.S. Census Samuel "Bigsler" was living in Frederick County, Maryland and his household now totaled ten people.

[Ancestry.com. 1790 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: First Census of the United States, 1790 (NARA microfilm publication M637, 12 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.]

Although Samuel was feeling sick enough to make his will on May 15, 1797, it wasn't presented at the Frederick County Courthouse for probate until June 14, 1803. In it Samuel detailed the means by which Elizabeth was to have a comfortable widowhood.** She was also named an executrix along with their son Peter and her brother-in-law Samuel Flickinger.

["Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-24294-35843-50?cc=1803986&wc=SNYC-FM3:146535301,147314001 : accessed 10 August 2015), Frederick > Wills 1794-1803 vol 3 > image 309 of 332; Hall of Records, Annapolis.]

However, both Elizabeth and Mr. Flickinger declined to act as executors, leaving Peter Bixler in control. Both of them were able to sign their names to the court record.

["Maryland, Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999," images, FamilySearch ( https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-24294-37256-52?cc=1803986&wc=SNYC-FM3:146535301,147314001 : accessed 1 May 2015), Frederick - Wills 1794-1803 vol 3 - image 310 of 332; Hall of Records, Annapolis.]

Elizabeth is buried in the Jerusalem Lutheran Church Cemetery*** in Bachman Valley in that part of Frederick County which is now Carroll County, Maryland.****

[Find A Grave Memorial# 42069578; Created by: Donna Jones Photo: Ken Marsh (#48158187)]

Samuel and Elizabeth's son Emanuel is the grandfather of Delilah Grove who is my great great grandmother.


*Since Samuel and Elizabeth's first child was born about 1769, I'm assuming their marriage took place around that time but I haven't found any record of it.
**But if she remarries, everything is to be shared equally among his children.
***The church is located at the corner of Bachman Valley Road and Bixler Church Road.
****I have not been able to locate Samuel Bixler's grave.

© 2015 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.