Bios: John Heck Family Summary: Cumberland Co, PA Copyright İ 1997 by Douglas Heinlen. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. dheinlen@dundee.net USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. _________________________________________________________________ John Heck D: 1795 There are a number of mysteries surrounding John Heck (1st). According to a note from Inez Poe Smith he was born in 1711 and died in 1795. According to the cemetery records at the Cumberland County Historical Society there is a John Heck buried with John Heck (2nd), born 1731 and died July 2, 1795. The tombstone is no longer standing. Whose date is correct? There is a will for a John Heck who died in June or July 1795. This will does not describe any property but does mention children whose names are virtually the same as John Heck (2nd), i.e. Jacob, Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine, ?(daughter), John and William. In the will he lists currently growing crops that he is leaving to his wife (unnamed). Both John Hecks seem to have written their wills with death imminent. Another factor involving both John Hecks is their lack of mention in county histories. This is puzzling because they both seemed to have extensive holdings, based on their wills.. I found references in the county histories to John Fleck. The accounts describing him seem to fit my ancestor, John Heck. When I got copies of the wills with John Heck, written out I could easily see how the people compiling these histories at a later date might have misread the somewhat flowery written Heck as Fleck.. The following sentence, taken from a Bicentennial Publication in Cumberland County, PA probably refers to John Heck (1st). :John Fleck, who died at the age of 65, in the year 1795, was in his day the largest land-owner in this portion of the county, and must have settled here at a very early period.² In ³Peace Church,² a book written by Robert Grant Crist, another reference to John Heck (probably the first) is made. It refers to a German Reformed minister who in 1793 crossed the Susquehanna to help form a reformed congregation in Cumberland County. The congregation met in the homes of Jonas Rupp and John Heck. Frederick Long was also involved. A Jonas Rupp and a Frederick Long were executors for John Heckıs (1st) will. IV - 13 John Heck B. 1770 D. 3/3/1847 Cumberland County PA Bur. Near home Mar. ? Wife: Christina Gontner Children: Elizabeth B. 1819 D. 1907 Husb. Daniel Hart Mary Deceased daughter Husb. Joseph Rupp Catherine Husb. Abraham Rice William Daniel John Jacob George Information on children from will The farm lying due north of the Cedar Run at Eberly's Mills formerly belonged to John Heck, who was a very prominent citizen but in his latter days considered eccentric. He was quite wealthy, and it is said at one time he owned sixteen farms. He built a distillery about a hundred yards north of where the mill stands; also a large stone house on more elevated ground a little farther north.. This house was long his home. He was short of stature but possessed of remarkable powers of endurance and could do more work than any of his employs. He was particularly noted for his feats of walking. Besides owning a large amount of real estate he also owned a stable of horses that was the admiration and envy of all the country around. His team of six was driven by Andrew Gheer, who was justly famous as a teamster in that day of good teamsters and large teams. This team decked in ribbons and shining bells, drawing a big covered wagon attracted attention and caused comment wherever it went. With it John Heck - familiarly called "Jhonnie" Heck because of his size - shipped the whiskey he manufactured at Mill Town to Baltimore. He was a great walker and upon one occasion, after his team had left, he followed afoot and walked all the way to Baltimore. He attended the sale of his whiskey, secured a return load for his team and then started and walked home, having been absent about three days. He was not particularly religious but detested profanity and in his neighborhood were four boys who were noted swearers. "Johnnie" repeatedly expostulated with them on the subject but to no purpose, so after some consideration he concluded to try and frighten them into a sense of their sin. Knowing that they returned home every night through a dark wood near where now is Camp Hill, he rigged up a sheet to appear like a ghost and conceale3d himself near the path by which they usually came. Soon he heard them approach, vying with each other at coining horrible oaths, and gliding from his hiding place he in deep guttural tones slowly began, "Thou shalt not take the name" - but got no further. The leader of the party exclaimed, "Hello boys, here's the devil! Let's kill him!" And with clubs and stones they drove him out of the woods Sources: "Cumberland Blue Book", Jan., 1908 J>R. Schwarz, Publ Cemetery Records Cumberland County Historical Society John Heck's will Cumberland County Courthouse I have pictures of John Heck's house taken 20 and 40+ years ago. I also have a picture of his tombstone take 20 years ago.