Isaac Reichart (1725)

Born 1725 in Germany

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Biography

Isaac or Jacob Richards Reichart. or Jacob Richards/Reichart. Found multiple versions of name. Using Isaac or Jacob Richards Reichart.

Note: #N16.

Notes

Note N16Conrad, Isaac and Jacob Richards were early pioneers of the Harrison CountyHacker's Creek area. They probably arrived from Rockingham (Old Augusta) County, as records there indicate a Jacob Richards having left the area about the time the Hacker's Creek area was being settled. The Lowther family history indicates a Conrad Richards and Isaac Richards travelled with Col. William Lowther to present-day Harrison County. The three names are present in the records of the generation of discussion, and the records of the generation of Magdalena Richards (brothers or cousins?). 1

Most sources indicate the Germannic name was Reichart, but became Richards in use. A Jacob Reichert married Maria Elizabeth Hoppes on 1 Feb 1739/40 in Heiligdreuz-steinach, Odenwald, Germany. Recorded as: REICHERT, Jacob m. HOPPIS, Marie Elizabeth b. 6 NOV 1712 Odenwald, Germany; Parents: Father: HOPPIS, Hans Michael and Mother: ZIMMERMAN, Anna Elizabeth. This would, if related at all, likely be a father to the Harrison County Jacob Richards. 1

Jacob Reichart is listed among the "Names of Foreigners Who Took the Oath of Allegiance, 1727-1775," p. 268. The list begins on p. 266 with "List of Foreigners Imported in the 'Two Brothers,' Thomas Arnott, Master, from Rotterdam, Qualified Sept. 14, 1748. 1 Reichart is listed in Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. 1, 1727-1775. List 120A begins on page 377, titled "List of Men Passengers on board the Ship Two Brothers, Thomas Arnott Master, from Rotterdam.". 1

By 1770, Jacob Richards was on the West Fork south of Lost Creek in Harrison County, His closest neighbors were Charity and John Cain, also from Old Augusta. Capt. Wm. Lowther's family (wife nee Hughes), the Hughes brothers, and Michael Stump III's initial explorations were made at this time. 1

Alexander Scott Withers' Chronicles of Border Warfare, Chapter 5, speaking of 1769 or 1770, states:

"In the last of April, a party of about twenty Indians came to the neighborhoods of Hacker's creek and the West Fork. At this time the inhabitants of whose neighborhoods had removed to West's fort, on the creek, and to Richards' fort on the river; and leaving the women and children in them during the day, under the protection of a few men, the others were in the habit of performing the usual labors of their farms in companies, so as to preserve them from attacks of the Indians. A company of men, being thus engaged, the firs week of May, in a field, now owned by Minter Bailey, on Hacker's creek, and being a good deal dispersed in various occupations, some fencing, other clearing, and a few plowing, they were unexpectedly fired upon by the Indians, and Thomas Hughes and Jonathan Lowther shot down: the others being incautiously without arms fled for safety. Two of the company, having the Indians rather between them and West's fort, ran directly to Richards', as well for their own security as to give the alarm there, but they had been already apprized that the enemy was a hand. Isaac Washburn, who had been to mill on Hacker's creek the day before, on his return to Richards' ford and near to where the Clement's mill now stands, was shot from his horse, tomahawked and scalped. The finding of his body, thus cruelly mangled, had given them the alarm, and they were already on their guard, before the two men from Hacker's creek arrived with the intelligence of what had been done there. The Indians then left the neighborhood without effecting more havoc; and the whites were too weak to go in pursuit, and molest them.". 1

-FORT RICHARDS- A strong fort on the west bank of the West Fork River, in the vicinity of the mouth of Sycamore Creek, now in Union District, Harrison County. Here Jacob Richards was granted 400 acres of land in 1771. He, with the assistance of Arnold, Paul, Isaac, and Conrad Richards, his relatives, erected and occupied this fort, within whose walls many of the pioneers and their families found refuge in time of danger. (Sutton's "History" describes it as "near the mouth of Sycamore creek, six miles from Clarksburg.". 1

Conrad, Isaac and Jacob Richards are on "A list of persons names, who voted at the Court House in Clarksburg for the County of Harrison, on Wednesday, the 7th of January, 1789, for an elector, agreeable to an act of General Assembly passed at Richmond, the -- day of October, 1788, for the purposes therein contained." At this election, George Washington was elected President. 1

"Chronicles of Border Warfare" includes: "In August [1782] as Arnold and Paul Richards were returning to Richard's fort, they were shot at by some Indians, lying hid in a cornfield adjoining the fort, and both fell from their horses. The Indians leaped over the fence immediately and tamahawked and scalped them.

These two men were murdered in full view of the fort, and the firing drew its inmates to the gate to ascertain its cause. When they saw that the two Richrads were down, they rightly judged that Indians had done the deed; and Elias Hughes, ever bold and daring, taking down his gun, went out alone at the back gate, and entered the cornfield, into which the savages had again retired, to see if he could not avenge on one of them the murder of his friends. Creeping softly along, he came in view of them standing near the fence, reloading their guns, and loking intently at the people at the fort gate. Taking a deliberate aim at one of them, he touched the trigger. His gun flashed, and Indians alarmed ran speedily away.". 1

Revolutionary War Pensions were issued to two Messrs. Richards of the pertinent area:

GEORGE RICHARDS.

LEWIS COUNTY.

INDIAN SPY.

VIRGINIA MILITIA.

.00 ANNUAL ALLOWANCE.

0.00 AMOUNT RECEIVED.

OCTOBER 16, 1833 PENSION STARTED.

AGE 75. 1

ISAAC RICHARDS.

HARRISON COUNTY.

PRIVATE

VIRGINIA STATE TROOPS.

.00 ANNUAL ALLOWANCE.

.04 AMOUNT RECEIVED.

MAY 17, 1833 PENSION STARTED.

AGE 74.

DIED APRIL 29, 1833. 1

These translate to birthdates of 1758 and '59; Magdalena Richards' generation. 1

Conrad, Isaac and Jacob Richards were early pioneers of the Harrison County/Hacker's Creek area. They probably arrived from Rockingham (Old Augusta) County, as records there indicate a Jacob Richards having left the area about the time the Hacker's Creek area was being settled. The Lowther family history indicates a Conrad Richards and Isaac Richards travelled with Col. William Lowther to present-day Harrison County. The three names are present in the records of the generation of discussion, and the records of the generation of Magdalena Richards (brothers or cousins?). 1

Most sources indicate the Germannic name was Reichart, but became Richards in use. A Jacob Reichert married Maria Elizabeth Hoppes on 1 Feb 1739/40 in Heiligdreuz-steinach, Odenwald, Germany. Recorded as: REICHERT, Jacob m. HOPPIS, Marie Elizabeth b. 6 NOV 1712 Odenwald, Germany; Parents: Father: HOPPIS, Hans Michael and Mother: ZIMMERMAN, Anna Elizabeth. This would, if related at all, likely be a father to the Harrison County Jacob Richards. 1

Jacob Reichart is listed among the "Names of Foreigners Who Took the Oath of Allegiance, 1727-1775," p. 268. The list begins on p. 266 with "List of Foreigners Imported in the 'Two Brothers,' Thomas Arnott, Master, from Rotterdam, Qualified Sept. 14, 1748. 1 Reichart is listed in Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. 1, 1727-1775. List 120A begins on page 377, titled "List of Men Passengers on board the Ship Two Brothers, Thomas Arnott Master, from Rotterdam.". 1

By 1770, Jacob Richards was on the West Fork south of Lost Creek in Harrison County, His closest neighbors were Charity and John Cain, also from Old Augusta. Capt. Wm. Lowther's family (wife nee Hughes), the Hughes brothers, and Michael Stump III's initial explorations were made at this time. 1

Alexander Scott Withers' Chronicles of Border Warfare, Chapter 5, speaking of 1769 or 1770, states:

"In the last of April, a party of about twenty Indians came to the neighborhoods of Hacker's creek and the West Fork. At this time the inhabitants of whose neighborhoods had removed to West's fort, on the creek, and to Richards' fort on the river; and leaving the women and children in them during the day, under the protection of a few men, the others were in the habit of performing the usual labors of their farms in companies, so as to preserve them from attacks of the Indians. A company of men, being thus engaged, the firs week of May, in a field, now owned by Minter Bailey, on Hacker's creek, and being a good deal dispersed in various occupations, some fencing, other clearing, and a few plowing, they were unexpectedly fired upon by the Indians, and Thomas Hughes and Jonathan Lowther shot down: the others being incautiously without arms fled for safety. Two of the company, having the Indians rather between them and West's fort, ran directly to Richards', as well for their own security as to give the alarm there, but they had been already apprized that the enemy was a hand. Isaac Washburn, who had been to mill on Hacker's creek the day before, on his return to Richards' ford and near to where the Clement's mill now stands, was shot from his horse, tomahawked and scalped. The finding of his body, thus cruelly mangled, had given them the alarm, and they were already on their guard, before the two men from Hacker's creek arrived with the intelligence of what had been done there. The Indians then left the neighborhood without effecting more havoc; and the whites were too weak to go in pursuit, and molest them.". 1

-FORT RICHARDS- A strong fort on the west bank of the West Fork River, in the vicinity of the mouth of Sycamore Creek, now in Union District, Harrison County. Here Jacob Richards was granted 400 acres of land in 1771. He, with the assistance of Arnold, Paul, Isaac, and Conrad Richards, his relatives, erected and occupied this fort, within whose walls many of the pioneers and their families found refuge in time of danger. (Sutton's "History" describes it as "near the mouth of Sycamore creek, six miles from Clarksburg.". 1

Conrad, Isaac and Jacob Richards are on "A list of persons names, who voted at the Court House in Clarksburg for the County of Harrison, on Wednesday, the 7th of January, 1789, for an elector, agreeable to an act of General Assembly passed at Richmond, the -- day of October, 1788, for the purposes therein contained." At this election, George Washington was elected President. 1

"Chronicles of Border Warfare" includes: "In August [1782] as Arnold and Paul Richards were returning to Richard's fort, they were shot at by some Indians, lying hid in a cornfield adjoining the fort, and both fell from their horses. The Indians leaped over the fence immediately and tamahawked and scalped them.

These two men were murdered in full view of the fort, and the firing drew its inmates to the gate to ascertain its cause. When they saw that the two Richrads were down, they rightly judged that Indians had done the deed; and Elias Hughes, ever bold and daring, taking down his gun, went out alone at the back gate, and entered the cornfield, into which the savages had again retired, to see if he could not avenge on one of them the murder of his friends. Creeping softly along, he came in view of them standing near the fence, reloading their guns, and loking intently at the people at the fort gate. Taking a deliberate aim at one of them, he touched the trigger. His gun flashed, and Indians alarmed ran speedily away.". 1

Revolutionary War Pensions were issued to two Messrs. Richards of the pertinent area:

GEORGE RICHARDS.

LEWIS COUNTY.

INDIAN SPY.

VIRGINIA MILITIA.

.00 ANNUAL ALLOWANCE.

0.00 AMOUNT RECEIVED.

OCTOBER 16, 1833 PENSION STARTED.

AGE 75. 1

ISAAC RICHARDS.

HARRISON COUNTY.

PRIVATE

VIRGINIA STATE TROOPS.

.00 ANNUAL ALLOWANCE.

.04 AMOUNT RECEIVED.

MAY 17, 1833 PENSION STARTED.

AGE 74.

DIED APRIL 29, 1833. 1

These translate to birthdates of 1758 and '59; Magdalena Richards' generation.

Sources