Person:George Bruce (8)

Biography

In 1747 he was not yet married, as his brother James was instructed by their father's will to help him build a barn and house on George's share of the land. He sold the land and bought land on Evan's Run from his mother-in-law Mary Ross Littler. Here he operated a mill and tavern, or Inn, and this became Bruce's Mills, and later Brucetown. Francis Asbury stayed there while he was preaching, and referred to George as "a Lily among the thorns".

Hugh Parrell willed land to John Bruce. As a result, George received 315 acres from Lord Fairfax on April 12 and 14, 1760. George’s land was located on what is now Ash Hollow Run, with part of Shenandoah Hills on the south leg of the land and Fairfax Road (Virginia Highway 7) and County Highway 656 on the southeast section of the tract. George and his wife Rachel Littler Bruce sold the 315-acre grant land he had inherited to Robert Rutherford for 150 pounds on April 4, 1761. On June 1, 1761, George purchased 255 acres from his mother-in-law Mary Littler for 200 pounds^[5]; this land was on the west side of the “Waggon Road,” part of a 420-acre tract situated on both sides of Evan Thomas Run.^[6] The property contained the grist and saw mills built by Rachel’s father. Here he operated a mill and a tavern (inn). This became Bruce’s Mills, later Brucetown. It may have been in this tavern where Francis Asbury (Bishop of Methodist Episcopal Church) stayed when he was making one of his “circuit rides” to spread the Gospel. He wrote in his journal in 1781, “Saturday, June 2. Preached at Martinsburg: afterward returned to Brother Bruce’s, he is a lily among the thorns.” Robert Ayres, in 1788, mentioned him as one of the “preaching places” in Berkeley circuit. Thomas Scott, a later circuit rider, referred to Bruce’s mills and said that one of Bruce’s brothers kept a tavern at Monroe, Highland County, Ohio.^[7] Rachel Bruce was disowned by the Quaker church in 1777 for “joining the Methodists.”

George Bruce was deceased by June 30, 1800 when his will (written January 25, 1797) was proved in Frederick County Court.^[8] He willed the “dwelling house and other houses with a one-acre lot” to his wife Rachel Bruce, “for her natural life.” He bequeathed the section of the plantation northwest of the Great Road (Highway 667), with grist mill and all buildings, to his son George. He willed the remainder of the plantation on the southeast side of the road, grist mill, sawmills and other improvements (including present-day Brucetown), to his son James. The will stipulated that James, who was downstream, was prohibited from raising the water level that would have damaged the property of his brother George. James was also to receive land adjacent to and on the south side of the Monongahela River. George was instructed to pay his mother Rachel Bruce one-third of the mill and plantation profits and James was to pay her 10 pounds annually for the use of the sawmill. George willed five shillings each to daughters Sarah Walker and Leah Hanry. After the death of Rachel, Bruce’s daughter Rebeckah Chenowith was to receive the house and lot.

More about Brucetown

Hopewell Friends History^[9]: “John Littler, 1332 acres in his own name, and 438 acres in partnership with James Wright. The first-named tract lies five miles north of Winchester, and here John Littler first established his home, on the stream first called Yorkshireman’s Branch, and then Littler’s Run. In 1728 he married at Nottingham, Chester County, Pa., Mary, daughter of Alexander and Catherine Ross. In 1729/30 John Littler was living in Nottingham, and kept a public house in his dwelling, Alexander Ross being his bondsman. The Chester County Tavern License Papers, Vol. II, No. 60, contain the following petition indicative of John Littler’s removal to Virginia: To the Onerable Cort of qurtersessions to be heald at Chester ye Last tuesday in August for ye sd County 1731. Your Peticioner humbly Shueth, Whereas John Littler having had a Lisens from this Coart to keep Publick house he now is going Away and your Peticioner Living upon ye same Road Joyning to ye sd Littler having a Mind to Keep Public House for ye Entertainment of travellers or all Such as Stands in Need your Peticioner humbly Desires yt this Onerable Coart would Greant Me A Lisencs for ye Same which I hope Shall be Performed with as Good Rule and Order as ye Law derects in Shuch a Case. And your humbel Peticioner will be very Muc ablidgs to this Onorable Coart. The humbel Peticion of Thomas Hughes.

“It is gratifying to know that this labored effort on the part of Thomas Hughes was successful, the petition being granted by the court. John Littler also kept tavern at his new home in Virginia, on the plantation which he named. ‘Rocktown,’ and also operated thereon a grist mill and sawmill. About 1740 he moved to a tract of land about four miles northeast and established a new home, leaving the old home in the possession of his sons. The new home, where he operated grist mills, sawmills, and carding and fulling mills, he named ‘New Design.’ This place eventually became the village of Brucetown, and after his death Mary, his widow, continued to operate his various enterprises until her death in 17__.

“John Littler was a man of great energy and enterprise, and amassed what was in his day a very considerable fortune. He frequently appears in the Frederick County records, in various business transactions, and as being by the court intrusted with laying out new roads and altering and improving old one. His will is dated August 30, 1748, and was probated December 6, 1748; so he must have died between these dates. He mentions his sons Samuel, John, and Nathan, and also provides for an expected child; makes a bequest to his niece Rachel, daughter of his brother Samuel, and appoints his wife executrix and Joseph Lupton, John Milbourn, and Evan Thomas Junr. executors. Only his wife qualified, with George Ross and Evan Thomas as sureties.

Mary Littler seems to have been a successful business woman, and among other activities operated a tavern, which entertained the officers of General Braddock’s army on May 3, 1755. The diary of Mrs. Brown, a nurse with the detachment of sick following Braddock’s army, has the following entries for June 7 and 8, 1755: At 4 we began to march. Left Mr. Falkner behind, who did not choose to March with an empty stomach. Great Gusts of Rain. My Wagon and every thing in it wet, and all the Sick almost drown’d. At 4 we halted at my Friend Laittler’s who bid me Wellcome, but had no whiskey which was the Soldier’s first enquiry; for they were still in the Opinion that they could not live without it. We now live high, had for Dinner a Qr. of Lamb and a pye, to drink, my Friend’s temperate Liquor – Spring Water. I spent the Evening very agreeable; Mr. Falkner favored me with several Tunes on his Flute. Chatted till 10 and then retired. June 8th – I slept but poorly, laying on a deal Feather Bed. Having had no sleep for 2 Nights did not hear the Drum. We march’d at 4. At 9 we halted at my Friend Bellinger’s who bid me wellcome. My Brother set off for Winchester, 8 m off, But Mr. Falkner said he would do himself the Pleasure of staying with Me. We spent the Day very agreeably; had for Dinner some Veal and Greens, to drink french Wine, and for Supper Milk Punch.

“Mary Littler left no will, but the appraisement of her personal estate, amounting to 505 pounds, 16 shillings, and 10 pence, a large sum for that time, was made by an order of Frederick County court, November term, 1771. The appraisers were John Rees, Thomas McClunn, and Richard Carter. The lands of John Littler remained in the possession of his descendants for over 100 years, but passed to other hands when the owners joined the migration to the West. The large stone mansion-house built on the “Rocktown” plantation by Nathan, grandson of John Littler, is one of the show places of Frederick County. . . . The last home of John Littler, ‘New Design,’ with its mills and tavern, has become the village of Brucetown. Nearly on the site of his house stands the residence now occupied by Mr. O. F. Snapp, and known as the “Tanquary House.” Littler’s Tavern stood a few hundred yards west, on the Braddock Road, and is now the property of the Timberlake estate.”

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Lee R. Drew. Family History.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Judy & Gary Griffin, jerseygriff@gmail.com. Hutchinson - Laird - Griffin - Eggleston and Related Families.
3.   Annette Fisher Albin. The Albin’s of Harrison County, Indiana. (1990, Revised 1992, Revised 1994).
4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 Bruce, William, 1776-1853. Memoirs of The Bruce Family. (Bruceville, Knox, Indiana, United States : Rainbow Class, Bruceville Christian Church, 1954).
5. ↑ Gilreath, Amelia C. (Amelia Cleland). Frederick County, Virginia, deed books : abstracted. (Nokesville, Virginia: A.C. Gilreath, c1989-)
   Book 6, pp. 220. 365.
6. ↑ Gray, Gertrude. Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants 1742-1775. (Baltimore [Maryland]: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1988)
   11-126, 3 April 1756.
7. ↑ Bennett, William Wallace. Memorials of Methodism in Virginia. (Richmond, Virginia: Published by the author, 1871)
   p. 139.
8. ↑ Frederick County, Virginia Will Books
   Book 6, p. 508.
9. ↑ Society of Friends. Hopewell Monthly Meeting (Frederick County, Virginia : Orthodox), and John Walter Wayland. Hopewell Friends history, 1734-1934, Frederick County, Virginia: records of Hopewell Monthly Meetings and Meetings reporting to Hopewell, two hundred years of history and genealogy. (Strasburg, Virginia: Shenandoah Publishing House, 1936)
   pp. 31-33.

   http://books.google.com/books?id=9zUkpoA7Xl0C&lpg=PP1&pg=PA31#v=onepage&q&f=false

10. ↑ Based on date/place of christening, was twin of John