BIO: B. F. CHILCOAT, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lana Clark <myclarkhistory@hotmail.com> Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 333-334 __________________________________________________________ B. F. CHILCOAT, Rock Hill, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born July 14, 1829, in Cromwell township, Huntingdon county. He is a son of William M. and Keziah (Long) Chilcoat. The first of the Chilcoat family to come to America was John, who was banished from England in early colonial times for participation in some insurrection of those troubled days. His property in England was confiscated. Soon after his coming to America, he was joined by his brother James. John and James Chilcoat bought from Lord Baltimore tracts of land of 100 acres each, where the city of Baltimore now stands. John had one son, who bore the same name as himself. John Chilcoat (2) had four sons: Robinson; John; Joshua; and Humphrey. The first named, Robinson Chilcoat, was the great-grandfather of Mr. B. F. Chilcoat. He removed with his family from Maryland to Huntingdon county, Pa., and had their home near Shirleysburg. About the beginning of the Revolution, the Indians in that vicinity became so troublesome that Robinson Chilcoat was obliged to sell his farm, and removed to North Carolina. In the earlier stage of the difficulty between the colonies and the mother country, Mr. Chilcoat sympathized with England; but later, becoming thoroughly convinced of the righteousness of the American cause, he gave his life for it. He became one of the "rebels," joining the Continental army; was captured by the British, and died while a prisoner, of camp fever. The sons of Robinson Chilcoat, so far as known, are: Nicodemus, who died of paralysis in Huntingdon county; John, the second son, went to Tennessee, reared a family, and died; Hethcoat, died in Licking county, O.; Joshua, settled in Cromwell township, Huntingdon county, and died; Humphrey, also settled in Huntingdon county, and died there; Benjamin, grandfather of B. F. Chilcoat, settled in Clay township, same county; and James, died in Cassville, Huntingdon county, about 1838. Benjamin Chilcoat settled on a farm near Three Springs, Huntingdon county. For several years he conducted a grist-mill at Saltillo. He married Comfort McLain. Their children are: Elizabeth, died unmarried; Nancy (Mrs. Christian Moore), deceased; Mary, married Samuel Hicks, and died March 29, 1868; William M.; Sarah (Mrs. Henry Huntsman), deceased; John, died in Orbisonia, Pa.; and Susan, deceased, was married first to John Cornelius, afterwards to Joshua Kelly. Mrs. Comfort Chilcoat died in Cromwell township, March 8, 1844; her husband died July 31, 1854, aged about ninety-six. William M. Chilcoat, who was born in Clay township, Huntingdon county, June 10, 1797, was more thoroughly educated in practical matters, especially such as pertained to the cultivation of the soil, than in the knowledge obtained from books. He was married to Keziah Long in Clay township, near Saltillo; a year later they removed to Cromwell township, where he passed the remainder of his life. Their children are: James S., deceased; John W., mail carrier, of Shirleysburg, Pa.; Sarah (Mrs. Daniel Heck), died in 1865; B. F.; Thomas L., farmer, of Cromwell township; Mary E. (Mrs. Thomas Webb), of Cromwell township. The mother of this family died October 3, 1847. Some time after William M. Chilcoat was again married; his second wife was Permelia Marlin, a native of Perry county, Pa. Their children are: Margaret J., married first to Lawrence Hagbloom, a Swede by birth, afterwards to George Doughman, with whom she now resides near McKeesport, Pa.; and Rebecca E. (Mrs. George Numer), of Ardenheim, Huntingdon county. Mr. William M. Chilcoat died April 12, 1880. He was a much respected member and class leader in the Methodist church. His third son, B. F. Chilcoat, was educated in the common schools, and brought up to carry on agricultural work. He was an active and venturesome youth, liking to spend what time he could spare in hunting and fishing. In September, 1835, his parents and some of their relatives emigrated to what was then the "far west;" that is, they made a journey of thirteen days, with a four-horse team, to Licking county, O., conveying with them their family and effects. Mr. William Chilcoat rented a farm in Licking county, four miles from Granville. But in March, 1836, the family returned to Huntingdon county by wagon, as they had left it, and consuming about the same time on the return journey as when they had gone out. B. F. Chilcoat remained with his father until May 23, 1854, when he was married at Orbisonia to Ruhama, daughter of Adam and Mary (Stevens) Miller. The young couple kept house in Orbisonia until April following. In the fall of 1852 he began teaching school, and continued to do so for about twenty- five terms. On February 27, 1864, Mr. Chilcoat enlisted at Norristown, Montgomery county, Pa., others from Huntingdon county accompanying him. Twelve or fifteen men left Orbisonia at that time, with the intention of enlisting; some went to Hollidaysburg, Pa., others to Philadelphia, whither they were induced to go by hearing of large bounties paid there. Those who enlisted at Hollidaysburg received only $225, while Mr. Chilcoat and others were paid $390. His enlistment was in Company B, One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. After joining his regiment in West Virginia, about March 20,1864, Mr. Chilcoat was for some time disabled for duty by illness. His first engagement was that of Hatchers Run, where he was slightly injured in the left arm by the explosion of a shell. He was discharged June 28, 1865, returned home July 4, and resumed farming. From 1876 to 1883, Mr. Chilcoat was engaged in hauling ore for the furnace, running one four-horse and three two-horse teams for that purpose. From 1883, for the next three years, he was traveling agent for a New York nursery farm. In May, 1895, he opened a general store at Rockhill, which he has ever since successfully conducted. Mr. Chilcoat's public services have been various. In 1854, and again in 1857, he was elected constable of Cromwell township. In 1873 he was elected justice of the peace for Rockhill borough, and has held the same position ever since. In 1893 he received his appointment as postmaster of Rockhill Furnace, and is still in office. On September 19, 1868, he was initiated into the I.O.O.F.; in 1869 he was chosen secretary of Orbisonia Lodge, and except during an interval of eighteen months, has ever since served the lodge in that capacity. He is a member of Col. Isaac Rogers Post, No. 252, G.A.R., of Orbisonia, and of the P.O.S. of A. His political tenets are Republican. The children of Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Chilcoat are: Edmund B., married Margaret J. Buchanan, resides in Rock Hill, Huntingdon county; Albert O., machinist, Rock Hill, Pa., married Sarah L. Barnett; Margaret A., went as a teacher of a school to Wheatland, Wyoming Territory in the fall of 1889, and was married in Denver, Col., to William Brown, a native of Canton, O.; Sarah E. (Mrs. Samuel O'Neil), Robertsdale, Huntingdon county; Rebecca E.; William M. C., machinist, of Rock Hill, married Margaret U. Pattison; and Mary C., at home, a school teacher, who had the distinction of receiving the best certificate given in the county. Mr. Chilcoat has been for more than forty years a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.