Benjamin and Sarah Ace Courtright

BENJAMIN COURTRIGHT

When I was walking around at Zions Lutheran, Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe Co., Pa. a few weeks ago I saw this stone for Benjamin Courtright. I took this photo because I was interested in identifying who was buried next to him.  I didn't know at the time He was married to Sarah Ace. I'm always hopeful that I will find the Elizabeth Ace who had a child with a Benjamin Stunk, alas I knew who Sarah Ace is. Benjamin is Don Kintner 1st cousin 5x removed.

Courtright is one of those surnames that has been spelled a number of ways The Dutch: KORTIJK, I see is more often spelled KORTRIGHT in records of the 1700's also CURTWRIGHT. Here are a few others: Cartwright, Cartright, Cartwrite, Carthright, Kartwright, Kartright, Cartrite, Kartwrite, Chartwright, Cartrite, Catherick, Cartrait, Cartray, Ceterith, Cateray, Cautheret, Carterwright, Carterright, Carterrite, Chartright, Chartwright, Cardwright and many more.

Benjamin was born in New Jersey Oct 1806 he was the son of Abraham and Blandeah Kortright.  He spent most of his life as a stonemason and this is how he met Sarah Ace (1812-1879) She was the daughter of Jonh George & Barbara Boney Ace. Her brother Peter Ace (1789-1872) who lived next door to them while he lived in Middle Smithfield Township was also a stonemason. Benjamin and Sarah’s family were: George, b. April 1, 1831 Catherine b. Sept. 16, 1832 Anna b. Jan. 11, 1835 Oliver b. May 30, 1837 Moses b. Dec. 4, 1838 Susanna b. Nov. 10, 1841 Mary b. Apr. 8, 1844 John b. Nov. 11, 1845 (my great grandfather) William b. Apr. 5, 1850 Samuel b. Oct. 29, 1851 Jacob b. Feb. 10, 1853. When i was researching Benjamin, I found another Benjamin Courtright who lived in Plaines Township, Luzerne Co., Pa. who had a will probated in 6 July 1865, some think its the same man, but reading his will says differently.

Benjamin died June 1863, he and Sarah are bother buried at Zion cemetery. She has no stone. the stone next to his is of his son George who died in 1862.

If you decided to go to Zions Lutheran Cemetery, be prepaid to walk up a steep grade. Located north side of River Rd., on Churchill Road, just off River Road, 9 miles northeast of township line, approximately 4.2 miles northeast of the Shawnee on Delaware crossroads, in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Shawnee on Delaware vicinity. Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania.

Cron, Kern, Bellevue

It’s 2020, I repeat it again 2020…#tombstonetuesday I decided to start my new year off right and clean off my desk. Going through all those tiny pieces of paper I have. Smirk...I run across a note regarding a book; All Roads lead to Milford by Skip Gregory and Andy Leiser 2007. WHAT????... What a good way to NOT clean off the desk! A quick search in the card catalog @ Hughs Library and they have a copy at Smithfield library. Off I go, to read and enjoy this book that just takes you there very well written and informative. Since the main street of the town of Dingmans Ferry, Pa. went by by when the Tock Island project acquired or stole all the land depending on who you talk to. I have been interested in where the different builds where located in the town.

The Bellevue hotel a small boarding house which stood on Main Street could accommodate about 25. They like other hotels at the time sold fresh air, farm-fresh

food, and clean water. A Jas. Frick was the proprietor according to an advertisement in 1892. In the 1900 W.E. Kern and P.F. Mercier owned the Bellevue. It was thought that either of them could have built it, I'm thinking added on to it most likely.

In 1941 Fred Cron, a native of Dingmans Ferry, Pa, his parents Alonzo (1872-1955) and Caroline Martin (1886-1976) marries Ann Vanwinkle (1906-1973)born in New Jersey. Both are buried in Delaware Cemetery, Pike co., Pa. They would be the last owners of the Bellevue. They decide to remodel the hotel and discover a trunk in the basement. The trunk was filled with sketches and a notebook and charts of the 1840’s Fremont Expedition, belonging to the Kern brothers. So as you can imagine the thought of running home to clean off my desk was far from my thoughts!!! Who are the Kern brothers???? and what happened.

The Crons turned the artwork over to the Bank of Matamoras where they were stored and later sold to Harvard University. It was thought by Skip Gregory W.E. Kern was a nephew to Richard, Edward, and Benjamin Kern.

John Fremont was an American Explorer, he led five expeditions into the American West. I have a link below, fascinating man. So which one was the Kerns brother on? Edward Meyer Kern (1822-1863 see picture) his namesake is Kern River California, Richard Kern (1821-1853) and Benjamin Kern ( 1818-1849 was a doctor. It would seem the brother would join Edward on his expeditions. They were the sons of John Kern lll and Mary Elizabeth Bignell of Philadelphia. Edward was on the third expedition and the fourth with Fremont., he served as a cartographer and sketched landmarks. On one of Edwards's drawings, he documents Fremont's party murdering 30 Northern Paiute Indians. The papers the Crons discovered were used by David Weber for his book on Richard Kern. According to Wikipedia the diary and papers can be found at the Beinecke Rare Book and manuscript Library, part of Yale University. The W.E. kern was probably William born in 1812-about 1879 he was a drawing teacher and a brother. Benjamin and Richard were murdered by Indians in 1849. Edward is buried in Philadelphia, Pa.

https://books.google.com/books?id=YndGQ9qgbLQC&pg=PA21&lpg=PA21&dq=bellevue+hotel,+Dingmans+Ferry,+pa&source=bl&ots=olgaYoM3gI&sig=ACfU3U1fyZxBCvI4qfJVC4NJa98F5kW9kA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiGx6z_kJPnAhWxdN8KHVTtDpcQ6AEwAXoECAwQAQ#v=onepage&q=bellevue%20hotel%2C%20Dingmans%20Ferry%2C%20pa&f=false

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C._Fr%C3%A9mont

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beinecke_Rare_Book_%26_Manuscript_Library

https://pikehistorical.org/

https://www.amazon.com/Richard-Kern-Expeditionary-Southwest-1848-1853/dp/0826307701