Author: James Edward Mitchell
Richard Mc Allister was born 5 Sep 1725 in West Pennsboro, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania (PA). His parents were Jean Mc Clure and Archibald Mc Allister, who died in 1768. His father, an early settler and farmer was buried in the Presbyterian Meeting House at Springs Graveyard mapped northwest of Carlisle, Cumberland County, PA. Richard’s physical build was athletic and his height was recorded as six feet three inches. He married Mary Dill in 1748 and they settled prior to 1750 on an early sizable tract, considered to be within the jurisdiction of neighboring Maryland. Richard opened a general store that was enlarged with a family operated Inn that still stands, today, known as the Richard McAllister Home, Hanover, PA. [In 1763 Richard Mc Allister founded Hanover which, after the Mason and Dixon Survey of the boundaries, established the family land patent within Pennsylvania.] Richard became eminent within York County from his farming and business investment. He was commissioned a County Lieutenant for York during 1775. Mary Dill Mc Allister and Richard’s daughter Elizabeth Mc Allister born in 1761 married a cousin, John. She became noted locally for her work as a copyist but, regrettably died at age 35 on 27 Oct 1796. Her slab grave marker appears online at Mount Olivet Cemetery in York Co., PA. Also, a daughter was Jean Mc Allister, 1750 - 1834; Nancy Mc Allister Hays, 1760 – 1824; *Sarah Mc Allister Orme, 1765 – 1806; and, Margaret Mc Allister, 1767 – 1773. Mc Allister sons were Abdiel born, 1752, a Revolutionary War Lieut., captured in the 1776 Quebec expedition and later, paroled. He returned home and to became a merchant and iron foundry owner and speculator in Continental Certificates. Abdiel died during 1792. Archibald born, 1756 was commissioned a Captain in the 8th Pennsylvania Rgt., and a successful farmer and storekeeper at York county; Londonderry Township, Lancaster; and, Fort Hunter on the Susquehanna River in Dauphin county, PA. Matthew born in 1758, re-settled as a merchant in Georgia at Savannah. He was grandfather to the renown (Samuel) Ward Mc Allister (1827-1895), arbiter of New York “Society” and the “Four Hundred.” Richard Mc Allister Jr., born in 1763. He re-settled to Baltimore, Maryland where his death was recorded during 1802. The youngest son was Jesse Mc Allister, born 1768 and, died on 15 Oct 1850. During 1775, York County men were raised for defense purposes into militia companies, and these companies were consolidated into 5 bttns., to form a regt. of Minute Men. On 29 Jul 1775 the rgt. chose their Major, David Grier and Colonel. Col. Mc Allister was designated that same year as Colonel of the York County Association. He was a member of the General Committee (Cmte.) of Safety, 30 Mar 1776, and a member of the Cmte. of York Co. for the Provincial Conference held in Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia on 18 Jun 1775. Col. Richard Mc Allister’s rgt. was ordered to join Gen’l. George Washington’s Continental Army at Long Island as an Independent Command attached with Brig Gen’l. James Ewing’s Bgde. of Pennsylvania Flying Camp. After the battle of Long Island and the loss of Fort Washington at New York, N.Y., Col. Mc Allister’s rgt., was noted as an Independent Command in the Orders of Battles at Trenton, 22 Dec 1776 and Princeton, 3 Jan 1777; source, book entitled: Trenton And Princeton 1776-77 Washington crosses the Delaware by David Bonk for Osprey Publishing, Great Britain, Midland House, Oxford, UK and 443 Park Ave South, New York, NY 10016, USA, pgs 21 -22. The Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol XIX (19) documented the Returns of Col. Richard McAllister’s bttn. at Perth Amboy on 8 Oct 1776 and Trenton, NJ, on 1 Dec 1776. A search of Find A Grave Memorial# 20273462 revealed a color picture of the granite slab grave marker inscribed, “Richard Mc Allister, Esq. Founder of the Town of Hanover, who departed this Life on 7th of Sept 1795 Aged 70 Years.” The colonel’s remains are interred at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 725 Baltimore St., Hanover, York Co., PA, 17331. An important side story to this biography exists! As the writer of the above biography, viewed the televised appraisal event of PBS “Antiques Roadshow,”Season 22, New Orleans, Louisiana, summer 2017, season 22, an anonymous, male, a direct descendant was televised in possession of two, small, separate portraits approx., seven inches by five inches. Both portraits were identified upon the reverse of their painted Mahogany panels at Georgetown, Kentucky by the artist, E. F. Goddard dated after 1840. Upon the reverse of one of the rare, beautiful portrait panels was a male identified as Henry James Osborne born 19 Nov 1820 at Coosawhatchie, (koos-uh-HATCH-ee) Jasper Co., South Carolina (SC). The matching painted panel was identified as Osborne’s wife, Susan Garrett born 7 Feb 1824 at Georgetown, KY. An appraiser advised observers that both portrait panels given their provenance and history, particularly by Kentucky appraisers familiar with the 1840s artist, estimated the value of both inscribed portraits, over $30,000.00 for insurance purposes. A separate online search of SAR Approved Applications located, Henry James Osborne, 1820 – 1881, 2nd Generation ancestor for grandson, Charles Dunlap Osbourne, SAR (Nat’l. Number) 50498 and Missouri Society (State Number) 623 approved for membership on 7 Mar 1934. Charles’ direct blood-line 3rd Generation ancestor was identified as James Gunn Henry Osborne 1796 – 1820, died at Savannah, Georgia. He married Eliza Mc Allister Orme at Hanover, PA at age 22 during 1817. Their marriage produced Henry James Osborne in 1820 at Coosawhatchie, SC prior to Eliza’s death in 1873. John Orme born 1763, died 1824, married Sarah Mc Allister Orme in 1785. She was a 4th Generation ancestor born in 1765, died 1806. Sarah’s parents, as the reader might guess, were Colonel Richard Mc Allister and his wife, Jean McClure.