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Note N744 Index

Cause of death was dropsy.

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Note N745 Index

Occupation was school teacher. Fought in the American revolution; served as George Washington's bodyguard as replacement of original bodyguards after the "Hickey treason" See sources for more information. Served as Corporal and Sergeant in Von Heer's Independent Troop of Light Dragoons, Hummelstown school teacher for over 22 years, resident of Perry twp, Dauphin Co in 1793, has DAR monument at tombstone. Will was probated 12 Feb 1809 in Dauphin County, Pa.

The following is from George Zeller, Cleveland, OH, http://www.nacs.net/~georgez
It turns out that our David Eckstein is probably the most famous person who ever lived in
Hummelstown, while at the same time he is one of the biggest rogues in Hummelstown history. During the Revolutionary War there was an assassination attempt on Gen. George Washington by British intelligence. They recruited Washington's bodyguard, a guy named Hoxey, as a British agent. In cahoots with the Tory mayor of New York City, Hoxey attempted to poison Washington's favorite food, peas. But, Washington's housekeeper was a double agent, working both for the British and for the Continental Army. She tipped off Washington, who made up an excuse for not eating his peas on the fateful day. Instead, he ordered that Hoxey be arrested. He was, and then he was hung on approximately the site that later became the Polo Grounds. This was the first execution in the Continental Army. If it were not for this incident, we would have somebody else's picture on the dollar bills, or on the Pound notes.

Having a vacancy in his staff at bodyguard, Washington then ordered that a new bodyguard be found. This time he wanted a Hessian instead of the Irishman, Hoxey. Our David Eckstein was named to the job.

When I walked into the Hummelstown Historical Society, I was startled to learn about all of this. They had a whole exhibit on our David Eckstein in the main office and archives of their Society. In that exhibit is a copy of Gen. George Washington's original receipt book, open to the page where it is signed by his bodyguard, David Eckstein. Clearly, he was the most famous war hero in the history of Hummelstown. When he returned to Hummelstown after the end of the Revolution, he then served for decades as the teacher at the Hummelstown school. In this context, it gets even more unexpectedly interesting. There are numerous paternity suits filed against Eckstein in the Dauphin County, PA common pleas court records. All of the plaintiffs in these paternity suits were female students at the Hummelstown school. The one of greatest interest to us is Rosina Hummel vs. David Eckstein. Rosina was the daughter of Friedrich Hummel, the founder of Hummelstown, and thus the biggest of all local big shots. Interestingly, Friedrich Hummel paid Eckstein's bail in this case, so it appears that some sort of accommodation was worked out between the famous war hero and the founder of the town.

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Of Stouchburg, Berks Co, Pa.

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Note N747 Index

Of Michigan.

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Note N748 Index

A soldier of the war of 1812.

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Note N749 Index

Apparently the victim of a robbery/murder.

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Note N750 Index

Much older than his wife "Cal". Moved to Kansas a year after the Bryson's did. Bought up considerable land south of Osborne county, founded the town Emily City, still in existence in 1938. James distrusted banks and bankers and was known to carry large sums of money on his person. In about the spring of 1880, he started to a small town near Hays City on business, but never reached his destination. A few days later, search was begun and his body was found not far from Hays City. He had been robbed and murdered, but no trace was ever found of his assailants.

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Farming.

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Residence 104. Occupation listed as Student Medicine, household value $200, birthplace Ohio.