Phillip Bishop Sr. (abt. 1753 - 1831)

Died Dec 1831 at about age 78 in Litlestown, Adams County, Pennsylvania

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Biography

• Born 1753, Mount Joy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
• Died December 1831, Littlestown, Adams County, Pennsylvania

Notes

N1758

Per father's will: He wished him gone because he had married an Anabaptist wife. Must be the reason he settled in the area he did.

Will of William Bischoff, of Mount Joy Township, found in Book X, p. 45: "If Philip and Godlys (Godlieb) should incline to change thier religion on account of their wives who are not baptised then the other Brothers shall drive them out and they shall have but Ten Pounds for their share and no more and if one or the other of my said children should renounce the Evengelical Confession of Faith such child shall be entirely excluded and shall have nothing. . . . ."

Brothers must have obeyed father because he is found in Littlestown, Adams County in the United Brethren Church,.

Part III, History of Adams County, page 417:

SIMON S. BISHOP, justice of the peace, notary public and farmer, Littlestown,

was born on a farm, adjoining the southeastern part of Littlestown, February 10,

1817. He is a son of Philip Bishop, Jr., a son of Philip Bishop, Sr., a native

of Lancaster County, who bought the farm (where our subject was born) of 183¬

acres, in 1809, for œ2,300. Philip Bishop, Sr., died in 1831, and Philip, Jr.,

in 1856. Our subject was reared near Littlestown, and in 1841 began keeping

store there, in a building that still stands just opposite the Catholic Church.

After conducting this store three or four years he sold out, and in 1845 bought

forty acres of the old homestead, where he now resides. Since the above date he

had been engaged in farming and attending to the duties of the various offices

he has filled as Democrat. In 1865 he was elected a justice of the peace; is

the present incumbent; and has filled the office ever since the above date, with

the exception of four years. During his official career he has tried between

600 and 700 different cases. In 1867 he was elected burgess of Littlestown, and

in 1868 was commissioned as a notary public by Gov. Geary; again commissioned by

Geary; once by Gov. Hartranft; and, lastly, twice by Gov. Pattison, under which

commission he is now serving. Squire Bishop was married in September, 1842, to

Catherine Stonesifer, a daughter of Solomon and Susan (Swope) Stonesifer, old

settlers of this county, and both deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop have one child,

Laura Virginia Bishop, who lives at home with them. Mr. Bishop was a member of

the United Brethren Church for forty years, and a trustee of the said church,

built by his grandfather, Philip Bishop, Sr., and deeded to trustees for a

preaching place for the United Brethren Church and other purposes. About this

time the pompous presiding elder of the United Brethren Church had grown a

little too big for his boots, thought he ought to have entire control of the

church property, and, by his under officials, made demands on Mr. Bishop for the

title papers, which were, however, refused. They then resorted to litigation,

in which they also failed. Mr. Bishop is at present trustee; holds the title

papers, and will hold them; but since the agitation he, with his family, have

worshiped elsewhere.

Sources

• Source: S38 Title: Father's will; Accessed LancasterHistory.Org, December 2014
• History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania, Part III, History of Adams County, Page 417; Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886; Accessed LancasterHistory.org, December 2014