Person:Aaron Torrence (1)

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7. Aaron Torrence (Albert2 Sergeant Hugh1, was born in Londonderry County, Ireland, about 1722. The letter statement of the Reverend George Paull Torrence of Manon, Indiana, elsewhere given, makes it clear that Aaron Torrence "was a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian and came over from Londonderry at the same time as the Irwins, MeConnells Finleys, Brownsons, Smiths, Van Lears and McDowells, and settled in what is now Franklin County, Pennsylvania." In 1729, Franklin was a part of Lancaster County; in 1749 it was included in that of York; in 1750, it was a part of Cumberland, and became a county in 1784.

On April 2, 1756, a band of hostile Indians attacked McCord's Fort, situated on the banks of Conococheague Creek, along the North Mountain, within the present area of Franklin County. This was a private Fort, where the settlers assembled for protection and safety. The Indians set fire to the Fort and killed or carried into captivity all of the occupants. Immediately after this disaster, a large number of representative citizens of York County, which then included Adams County, signed a petition appealing to the Honorable Robert Hunter Morris, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and Counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex upon Delaware, for aid and assistance.'Note 43-2

Many among the two hundred signers were Scotch-Irish, or English Quakers. Among them: James Hamilton, David Watson, Alexander Brown, Anon Torens (Aaron Torrence) Note 43-1 , William Smith, the Rev. Thomas Barton, William Miles, John Gilleland, William Bard, Alexander White, George Latimer, William Lindsey, and Nicholas Bishop.

The family records of the Finleys and Torrences, show that in 1750 Aaron Torrence married Susannah Finley, daughter of Michael Finley of Sadsbury township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Michael Finley, of Scotch-Irish descent, baptized in the parish of Mullaghabrac, County Armagh, Ireland, May 7, 1683; married Ann O'Neill, daughter of Samuel O'Neill, of the same county, July 12, 1712. On September 28, 1734, he and his family landed in Philadelphia, first settling on Neshaminy Creek, Bucks County, and later locating in Sadsbury township. A detailed account of this family will be found in the Finley Chapter.43

Aaron Torrence and his wife Susannah made their home in that part of York which later became Franklin County, where their four sons were born. In or about 1768 they were living in the Redstone Settlement in Fayette County, neighbors of George Paull. This is confirmed by Miss Elizabeth Maxwell Paull, Blairsville, Pennsylvania, in her well known work, Paull-Irwin, a Family Sketch.Note 44-1 Here Susannah (Finley) Torrence died in 1772 and is believed to have been buried in the graveyard of Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church, set apart for such purposes in that year, with the Paulls, Cathcarts, Allens, McClellans and others.

In the summer of 1772, the Presbyterians of Redstone Settlement selected a church site on a hill commanding a beautiful view in all directions. The site was cleared. A square log house was built - the first Presbyterian Church west of the Alleghenies. Who were the charter members? There is no record.Note 44-2

On March 20, 1774, Aaron Torrence married, as second wife, Elizabeth (Irwin) McConnell. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. John King of the Upper West Conococheague Presbyterian Church. The entry may be seen on the original Parish Register at the Presbyterian Church of Mercersburg.Note 44-3

Elizabeth (Irwin) McConnell was a daughter of James Irwin, the pioneer 1704-1778, whose plantation, Irwinton Mills, with its old stone house, with handsome interior woodwork and panelled walls, is in Peters Township, Franklin County. Her first marriage was to Captain William McConnell, who died June 24, 1770, leaving her his widow, with eight children:

Alexander McConnell Jean McConnell, married Samuel Torrence, son of Aaron Captain James McConnell Rebecca McConnell, married Captain James McConnell Martha McConnell, married David Torrence, son of Aaron Mary McConnell William McConnell John McConnell On November 5, 1775, a daughter was born to Aaron and his second wife, Elizabeth (Irwin) McConnell Torrence. She was named Susannah, probably for Aaron's first wife, and baptized by the Rev. John King who married her parents.

After the marriage of Aaron and his second wife, they and his four sons lived on the plantation where his wife and her family of eight hadNote 45-2 44 been living. It is not surprising that two of his sons married two of her daughters. This plantation, a part of the estate of James Irwin, consisted of 400 acres, with buildings, etc. On this tract in Peters township, Aaron Torrence paid taxes in 1778-79-80.Note 45-1 This is somewhat further substantiated by an extract from the will of James Irwin, dated May 26, 1776:

I will that the plantation where on my son-in-law, Aaron Torrence, and my daughter Elizabeth live, be sold at the direction of my executors, one third of the value thereof be given to my daughter Elizabeth and the remainder to be equally divided among her children born to William McConnell and to my daughter Elizabeth Irwin McConnell.

Sometime after the sale of this property, according to the terms of the testator who died in 1778, Aaron Torrence and his second wife, Elizabeth, removed to Washington County, his sons having entered the Revolutionary Army.

Here a warrant is of record to him for 50 acres at Silver Spring Run, dated June 4, 1788. This laud was situated in Strabane Township, near the present towns of Houstonville and Canonsburg. It was surveyed, September 7, 1789, under Aaron Torrence's Warranty of June 4, 1788.Note 45-2 A copy of the survey follows.

Washington County Court House, Washington, Pa.

Deed Book I-D, p 273. KNOW ALL MEN that I, Aaron Torance, of the County of Washington, State of Pennsylvania, have remised and released and forever quit claimed, for the consideration of five shillings, paid by David Redick, of Washington County, State of Penna. ALL my right claim to that certain tract of land in Washington County, situated on the waters of Chartiers Creek, adjoining lands of Lund Washington, David Clark, Thomas Stokeley, Esquires and others, on which said land I now live.

In witness etc. my hand and seal . . this 17th. day of September 1788.

AARON TORANCE (SEAL)

Witnesses:

ALEXANDER CUNNINGHAM JOHN REED Surveyed Sept 7 1789, collected from the lines of the adjoining land, in pursuance of Aaron Torrence's Warrant, dated 4 June, 1788, containing 50 acres with allowances, named SILVER SPRING RUN.

Signed David Redick

45 Among papers in possession of Mr. Ridgely Torrence, the poet, writer, and descendant of Aaron Torrence, through his son John, is the statement that "John Torrence son of Aaron, after the Revolutionary War, preceded, or followed his father to Lexington, Kentucky. That Aaron afterward lived there with his married daughter, Mrs. Susannah Frost, until his death."

DAVID REDICK, ESO. Note 46-1

It would appear from the foregoing that Aaron Torrence somewhat promptly after the disposal of his Washington County lands went from there to Lexington, where he died after 1795.

The oldest living member of the family, Miss Elizabeth Findlay Torrence, of Cincinnati, Ohio, born 1856, says that Aaron was buried in Lexington. A search has been made for his resting place without success.

The earliest cemetery in Lexington was abandoned years ago, due to a plague of cholera in 1833, when bodies were buried in tiers. No care was taken of it after that time and it ceased to be used. But few stones remain. It is believed that Aaron Torrence and his wife, Elizabeth, were among those buried there.

Children of Aaron and Susannah (Finley) Torrence, born within the then confines of Cumberland County,

four: ¶12. Joseph Torrence4 married Mary Paull. ¶13. Samuel Torrence4 married Jean McConnell.46 ¶14. John Torrence4 married Jane (McConnell) Jolly. David Torrence4 born in 1762; married Martha, daughter of Captain William and Elizabeth (Irwin) McConnell, and sister of Jean McConnell, wife of his brother Samuel. He is presumed to have accompanied or followed his brother John Torrence to Ohio, where he died without issue, near Xenia. Child of Aaron and Elizabeth (Irwin) McConnell Torrence:

Susannah Torrence4 born in Franklin County, November 5, 1775, baptized by the Rev. John King; married a Mr. Frost; accompanied her parents to Lexington, Kentucky, where, at her home, her father died, presumably after 1795.

1.   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ancestral File (TM). (July 1996 (c), data as of 2 January 1996).