James and Sarah Scott SUMMERVILLE

James Summerville was born in County Tyrone, near Belfast, N. Ireland. He is interred with his wife in the Presbyterian Church cemetery, Cowansville, Pennsylvania. The cemetery where James and Sarah Scott Simmeral are buried is also called the Montgomery Cemetery or the Rich Hill Church Cemetery. The name is spelled "Summervill" on James' tombstone. His age appears as 87.

"James (Simeral - Irish Name) was born near Belfast, Ireland, in County Down, in 1764. James, it is reported, got into trouble over poaching rabbits, and to escape he took a ship to America in 1790 when he was 26 yrs. old. He married Sarah Scott at Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Sarah was born in 1774 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania and was a daughter of James Scott, who was born in Scotland." History of Clarion County, A. J. Davis, 1887. Shooting rabbits on the King's land was a hanging offense. (HIR)

"James Somerville came to Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and had nothing but an axe and a dog. He married Sara Scott at Greensburg, Pennsylvania. (She was a native of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.) when he was 26 years old. They lived two years in Fayette County and came to Worthington, Pennsylvania in 1796. Commemorative and Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, J. H. Beers & Co., 1898.

The following document was copied from the Armstrong County courthouse in Kittanning, Pennsylvania by Susan Mortimer in the year 2003:

TO THE HONORABLE, THE JUDGES OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

THE petition of James Summerall of Buffalo Township in said county.

HUMBLY SHEWETH,
That your petitioner is a native of Ireland and was heretofore a subject of the King of Great Britain. That he has resided within the limits, and under the jurisdiction of the United States of America, between the 18th day of June, 1798, and the 14th day of April, 1802, and since that period to the present time, within the state of Pennsylvania. Your petitioner, therefore prays, to be admitted a citizen of the United States. James Summerall

I, the above-named James Summerall do swear, that the facts set forth in the above, my petition, are true. And I do swear, that I will support the Constitution of the United States; and that I absolutely, and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty whatever, particularly the King of Great Britain whereof I was before a subject. James Summerall

Sworn and subscribed in open Court, June the 21AD 1808
Test
Paul Morrow

I, Gilbert Wright of Buffalo township, in said county, do swear, that the petitioner James Summerall hath resided within the United States of America twelve years last past, and within the state of Pennsylvania, twelve years, last past; and that during that time he has behaved himself as a man of good moral character, attached to the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same. Gilbert Wright

Sworn and subscribed in open Court, June the 21AD 1808
Test
Paul Morrow

"James Simmeral came from Ireland when he was 19 years old (that would be in 1783) and settled near Worthington, Pennsylvania, where he claimed 400 acres of land. He became lonely and went to Westmoreland County where he married Sarah Scott. While he was gone another settler (Hugh Lennington) settled on part of Simeral's original claim, leaving James only 210 acres. James died when 90 years old, which would be in 1854." History of Armstrong County, J. H. Beers & Co., 1914.

"Adjoining the Linnington-Titus tract on the west and 'Mt. Lorenzo' on the north is a hexagonal tract, 410 acres on the Gapen map, which had been surveyed by Gapen to 'Samuel Parr', on which James Simmeral made an improvement and settlement, March 5, 1796, which was surveyed to him by deputy surveyor Ross, July 6, 1801, which survey was disputed by Hugh Lennington to whom and Archibald McCall it was resurveyed '411 acres 8 perches', March 14, 1805, by virtue of previous improvement and settlement with 200 acres of which and 4 cattle, James Simmeral was assessed in 1805-6 at 82 dollars. Its central part is traversed in a westerly course by Lennington Run. It is not apparent from the records whether Hugh Lennington abandoned or sold his claim. The patent for the entire tract was granted to McCall & Simmeral as tenants in common, Oct. 29, 1829. They made partition and McCall conveyed to Simmeral 212 acres and 25 perches June 26, 1832, on which the latter (Simmeral) and his family resided until his death. By his will dated Sept. 18,1841, and his codicil dated Sept. 9, 1851, and registered Aug. 19, 1854, he directed his executors, John Craig and Thomas McCullough to sell 99 acres of the eastern part of the tract and divide the money equally among six of his sons and two of his daughters, which those executors accordingly conveyed to James, John, Joseph, and Josiah Somerville, May 22, 1856, for $1800. The Testator devised 100 acres 'off the south side of the Mansion tract' to his daughters, Fanny and Hannah.

On May 17, 1817, James Summerville bought 99 and three-quarter acres from Isaac Lennington for 455 dollars. This land was east of Simmeral's original tract.

He was a member of the Seceder or Presbyterian Church, came early to America and settled in Pennsylvania. He married at the age of 26. Had 12 children. James the father of the American Summerville family was one of the first settlers west of the Allegheny River in Armstrong County, and there he and his wife lived all their lives and raised a large family on this the original homestead. He and Sarah lived to a very old age. Politically first he was a Whig, later a Republician. He was a successfull farmer and was a valued and honored citizen of his community.

More Than 400 Attend Reunion -- Descendants of James and Sarah Scott Summerville held their first reunion, June 25th [1954] at Clarion County Fairground, Clarion. James Summerville came to this country from County Down, Ireland, in 1783 settling at Worthington in 1796. Following are the children born to this union whose descendants attended the reunion: Jane Summerville Martin, John Summerville, James Summerville, Joseph Summerville, Josiah Summerville, Margaret Summerville Ferguson, Fannie Summerville Rankin, Azel Summerville. There were approximately 400 in attendance with twelve states represented. A basket dinner was served at 12:30 p.m., the afternoon was spent socially and in getting acquainted. Those traveling the longest distance were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Martin, Canon City, Colorado. Robert Henry Summerville, of Clarion, was the oldest member present and the youngest was Lynn Alan Hieber, grandson of Heber Rankin, of Etna. The John Summerville descendants had the largest attendance. The five sons of Thomas E. Summerville were all present and also the seven children of the late J. J. Martin, West Bridgewater. Heber I. Rankin of Etna, has been collecting history of the Summerville family and it was through him this reunion was made possible. It was voted to hold another reunion next year. The time and place to be decided later. The following officers were elected: Heber I. Rankin, Etna, president; Thomas Summerville, New Bethlehem, vice president; Geneva Myers, Rochester, Secretary and treasurer.

Descendants of James and Sarah Scott SUMMERVILLE
1 James SUMMERVILLE b: 04 Apr 1764 in County Down, Ireland (near Lisburn) d: 11 Aug 1854 in Armstrong County, PA
..+Sarah SCOTT b: 31 Jul 1774 m: 1796 in Greensburg, PA d: 06 Dec 1826
....2 Jane SUMMERVILLE b: 26 Dec 1797 d: Unknown
........+David MARTIN b: 1799 d: Unknown
..........3 Moses MARTIN
..........3 Margaret MARTIN
..........3 Somerville MARTIN
..........3 Mary Ann MARTIN
....2 William SUMMERVILLE b: 28 Feb 1799 d: Unknown
....2 John SUMMERVILLE b: 13 Mar 1800 in PA d: 1883
........+Catherine E. FERGUESON b: Unknown d: 1856
..........3 James Harvey SUMMERVILLE
..........3 John Ferguson SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Joseph Addison SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Emily Jane SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Samuel M. SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Sarah Catherine SUMMERVILLE
..........3 William Minteer SUMMERVILLE b: 04 Nov 1830 in Armstrong County, PA d: Unknown
..............+Ann Jane DICKEY b: 26 Jun 1840 d: Unknown
.................4 Viola J. SUMMERVILLE d: Bef. 1885
.................4 Anna Hulda SUMMERVILLE
.................4 Cora Belle SUMMERVILLE
.....................+Henry SMITH m: 1883
.................4 Sarah A. SUMMERVILLE
.................4 Jay Freeman SUMMERVILLE
.................4 Robert Oscar SUMMERVILLE
.................4 Calvin SUMMERVILLE d: Bef. 1885
.................4 John SUMMERVILLE d: Bef. 1885
.................4 William Alman SUMMERVILLE b: 1872 d: 1931 in Chillicothe, MO
.....................+Ila
.......................5 James William SUMMERVILLE b: 1915 d: 1919 in Chillicothe, MO
....2 Anne SUMMERVILLE b: 09 Sep 1801 d: Unknown
........+Samuel TITUS
..........3 Titus
....2 Samuel SUMMERVILLE b: 23 Mar 1803 d: Unknown
........+Jane MCGRANAHAN
..........3 George SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Azel SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Josiah SUMMERVILLE
..........3 David D. SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Margaret SUMMERVILLE
..........3 William SUMMERVILLE
....2 James SUMMERVILLE b: 04 Dec 1804 d: Unknown
........+Christina MILLIRON
..........3 Sarah Scott SUMMERVILLE
..........3 William James SUMMERVILLE
..........3 James SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Mary Ann SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Joseph SUMMERVILLE
..........3 John SUMMERVILLE
....2 Hannah SUMMERVILLE b: 06 Dec 1806 in PA d: Unknown
........+William MINTEER
....2 Joseph SUMMERVILLE b: 28 Apr 1808 d: Unknown
........+Mary DOWNS
..........3 James B. SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Thomas Downs SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Sarah Jane SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Lucinda Candace SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Mary Ann SUMMERVILLE
..........3 John SUMMERVILLE
..........3 Frances SUMMERVILLE
..........3 William Johnston SUMMERVILLE


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