Bill,

My Rootsweb server is down today for upgrading, so I am sending my notes on Mary Barbara Greenawalt Walley, mother of Margaret married to Frederick Schillinger:  Note the date of birth for Mary Barbara.  I have her birth and baptismal records.

 

The Goshenhoppen Registers 1741-1819, page 56:  "Grünewald, M. Barbara, of John Grünewald and his wife Barbara, born October 1, 1775, baptized October 29, at John Joseph Riffel's house at Macungi; sponsors, Matthias Brucks and his wife Mary."

 

Mary Barbara's parents had been married ten years when she was born at home in what is now Macungie, Lehigh County, PA.  At that time Catholics were a distinct minority and had few churches.  Normally a priest from Philadelphia would make the rounds of the neighboring counties and say mass at the home of a Catholic. Thus it was that Mary was baptized in the home of John Joseph Riffel in Macungi by Father Schneider of St. Paul's Chapel, Goshenhoppen, now Bally, PA.   She never learned to read and write. She signed her 1868 will with an X.

 

Her family reacted to the rumor that there was better and cheaper farmland to the west of the Allegheny Mountains.  With other members of Saint Paul's Chapel in Goshenhoppen, now the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Bally, Berks County PA, they moved to Westmoreland County and helped found the church of St. Vincent, which later became a university and seminary.  Mary married Peter Walley, and at St. Vincent's recorded the births of their children Mary and Nicholas in 1799 and 1802 respectively. They lived in Toby Township of Armstrong County PA at the time, where Peter along with Mary's brother (Philip) Joseph were among the first to settle that part of what later became Clarion County.

 

Just before 1830 Peter and Mary Walley sold their land.  Evidently Peter died before 1830 and was re-buried in 1836 at the new church of St. Michael in Fryburg, Washington Twp, Clarion County.  Mary  moved north to what is now Crown in Farmington Township and was listed as head of household on the 1830 census there.

 

In the records of Bishop Kenrick of Philidelphia he reports that he said mass in the stone home of her daughter Mary Walley Moore and husband John Moore as well as in Mary Greenawalt Walley's log cabin.  Of Mary he said that she was a remarkable woman, "wise in years." This was in 1835.

 

The old part of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Crown was started in 1868 and completed in 1871, the year that Mary's will was probated. Earlier the church was called Lepanto.  In her March 1868 will Mary first bequeathed "to the Wilderness Catholic Church fifty dollars."  In a later codicil Mary deeded ten acres of land to the bishop of the Erie diocese for the purpose of building the church, and at the same time rescinded the monetary provision made in the will.

 

Mary Greenawalt Walley is buried in the cemetery in back of her church with her retarded son John, who lived with her until his death at age 72.  The white stone obelisk records only their names and ages without a date of death, but now there is a bronze plaque affixed to the stone with her full name and dates of birth and death. Mary died at age 96 at least forty years as a widow.

 

The book "A Proud People A Proud Heritage" erroneously gives her husband's name as Nicholas, who was her father-in-law.

 

Last Will and Testament of Mary Walley, Deceased:

 

In the name of God amen.  I Mary Walley of Farmington Township in the County of Clarion being in good health of body and of sound disposing mind and memory do make and declare this to be my Will and Testament in manner following that is to say: I order that all my just debts, funeral expenses and charges of proving this my Will be in the first place fully paid and satisfied and after payment thereof and every part thereof I give and bequeath to my son Thomas all the balance and remaining part of my real estate.  I give and bequeath to my son Nicholas one dollar.  I give and bequeath to my son Peter one dollar.  I give to my son William his heirs one dollar.  I give to my daughter Mary formerly intermarried to John Moore fifty dollars.  I give to my daughter Catherine intermarried to Shannon [or Sharrow] one dollar.  I give to my daughter Peggie intermarried to Frank Shillinger fifty dollars.  I give and bequeath to my daughter Lenah formerly intermarried to Ferry Heffron fifty dollars.  I give and bequeath to the Wilderness Catholic Church fifty dollars.  I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth formerly intermarried to Andrew Bostaph one dollar.  I give and bequeath to my Anna formerly intermarried to Victor Tchudy one dollar.  Said Thomas is to pay all debts, funeral expenses and the several legacies above named.  I give and bequeath to my grand daughter Margaret Shannon one spotted cow.  I give and bequeath to my grand daughter Catherine Heffron one red cow.  I further give said Catherine one new table.  I further give said Margaret Shannon [Sharrow?] one bed coverlet and one blanket.  I give and bequeath to Mary McAlay six hogs and ten sheep and all my chairs, and all my kitchen furniture and cupboard ware. I give and bequeath to Peter Heffron one mantle clock.  I further give and bequeath to my daughter Lenah one bed and bedding.  I further give and bequeath to my daughter Peggy one bed and bedding said two beds shall be equally divided between said Lenah and Peggy.  I further give and bequeath to my daughter Lenah one chest and its contents.  I give and bequeath to my grand-son David Heffron one cook-stove.  And all the rest residue & remainder of my goods chattels debts ready money effects and other my estate whatsoever and wheresoever both real and personal I give and bequeath the same and every part and parcel thereof unto Michael Toomy Executor administrator and assign, and I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint Michael Toomy of Farmington township Executor of this my will hereby revoking and making void all former and other wills by me at anytime heretofore made and declare this only to be my last Will and Testament.
   In witness whereof I the said Testator Mary Walley have to this my last Will set my hand and seal this Twenty-third day of March 1868.
               her
     Mary  X  Walley             Seal
             mark
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Testator Mary Walley as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in her presence and at her request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto.
        Lewis Greenawalt
        William Wilkinsen

 

Mary's long life spanned the Revolutionary War of 1775, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the American Civil War.  She lived through the presidencies of George Washington through the first term of U.S. Grant, the 18th President.

 

1800 Census, Armstrong Co., PA (now Clarion Co.) , Toby Twp.:
Peter Walhea male 26-45
[Mary Barbara] female 16-26
male under 10 [John]

 

1810 Census Armstrong Co., PA (now Clarion Co.), Toby Twp.:
1 female 25-45 (Mary Walhee) is found with her spouse Peter Walhee and children.

 

1820 Census, Armstrong Co. (now Clarion Co.) , Toby Twp.:
1 female (Mary) over 45, is found with her spouse Peter Walley  and children.

 

1830 Census, Venango Co. (now Clarion Co.), Farmington Twp.:
(Peter is presumably dead as Mary is the head of household)
Mary Walley, 50-60;
males: 2 15-20, 1 30-40;
females: 1 10-15, 2 15-20

 

1840 Census, Venango Co. (now Clarion Co.),., Farmington Twp.:
Mary Walley, 60-70;
1 son (John), 50-60

 

1850 Census, Clarion Co., Farmington Twp.:
Mary Walley, 76
son John, 50

 

1860 - Mary (88) and John (64) are found with her daughter Mary Walley Moore in
Farmington Twp. with Mary Moore's husband and family.

 

1870 Personal Tax Records, Clarion Co., Farmington Twp. - Mary Walley, farmer,
177 acres ($309 value).  Tax: $3.09

 

1871 - 129 acres (she gave 10 acres to the church and must have sold some)

 

Bernie