PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES

Good genealogy depends on good sources. In the cut and paste internet age, bad genealogy reproduces faster than computer viruses. For that reason, accept no substitute for primary records personally examined. To illustrate the point, consider the following list of citations for Captain Peter Bell (1734-1778) followed by a critique of the quality and accuracy of the source:

1. Marriage Name: Peter Bell Year: 1765 Place: Annapolis, Maryland Source Publication Code: 321 Primary Immigrant: Bell, Peter Annotation: Marriage, birth and death notices taken from Maryland newspapers. Names 139 persons who must have arrived as ship passengers. Source Bibliography: BARNES, ROBERT W. Gleanings from Maryland Newspapers 1727-1775. Lutherville, Md.: Bettie Carothers, 1976. 72p. Page: 5

In the form appearing above, the citation came from a popular genealogical search engine. The compilation authored by Robert Barnes was also available in the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Library, a few blocks from my office at the symbolically apt address of 1776 D St. NW. The book does not identify the newspaper from which the information was "gleaned" or explain how the author deduced the date of marriage, the place or that Peter Bell "must have arrived as a ship passenger." You are thinking, no doubt, "Well, how else did he get here? Swim the Atlantic? Walk the Siberian land bridge?" Not likely, I suppose, but I want to know exactly what Robert Barnes found in what issue of what paper that warranted the assignement of a marriage date and the conclusion that he arrived through Annapolis.

2. The following is excerpted from History of Leitersburg District, Washington County. MD, Herbert C. Bell (1898) 3rd Ed. 1985, Caslon Press, Waynesboro, PA 17268, pp193-95:

Captain Peter Bell was probably a native of Germany and emigrated to America in early manhood. Definite information regarding his personal history begins with the year 1767, when he purchased from Peter Shiess a tract of 248 acres, part of the larger original survey called All That's Left, to which he gave the name of Bell's Choice. Its location in the northern part of the District adjacent to Mason and Dixon's Line and the Hagerstown and Waynesboro turnpike; the present owners are Daniel S. Wolfinger and Joseph M. Bell.

Although a secondary source, the beginning gets immediate attention and respect. It's a cautious start, alerting the reader that Peter Bell was "probably a native of Germany" and then transitioning to "definite information regarding his personal history." From other parts of the book we know that that author is a direct descendant and also that he reads German and that German was the language of the church and schools that the children of Peter Bell attended, all pretty good grounds for surmising that Peter Bell was probably a native of Germany as it came to be by the time the book was written. The definite information arises from a land record which the author had researched up to the time of writing. Confidence in the author increases when the land record is easily located in the Maryland Archives and when the stone house described is viewed and photographed at the location adjacent tot he Mason-Dixon line.

Near the turnpike on the Wolfinger farm there are several springs and here at the first settlement of the District there was a marsh, south of which on the slope of a hill near the line that separated his land from his brother Anthony's Peter Bell erected the improvements that constituted his residence. The main road from Hagerstown to Nicholson Gap passed through his land and the travel over this thoroughfare doubtless gave him advantages not enjoyed by his more isolated neighbors.

About the year 1775 he removed to Hagerstown, where he owned the lot at the corner of Franklin and Potomac streets now the location of the market house in that city. It is probable that he engaged in merchandising here, as the settlement of his estate shows that 225 persons were indebted to him in sums ranging from 1s. 3d. to 65 pounds.

Once again a primary source, the land record, is invoked followed immediately by another primary record, the estate inventory, both of which are located int eh Maryland archives.

On the 25th of November, 1776, he was elected a member of the Committee of Observation for Washington County, and during his connection with this body he served as a member of a subcommittee of seven appointed for the purpose of "licensing suits." It appears that the judicial functions of the Committee were intrusted to this sub-committee. On the 30th of December, 1776, the Committee ordered the militia of the county to march to the assistance of General Washington. Some who had served in the Flying Camp claimed exemption from this order, and it is entered in the minutes of the Committee under date of January 4, 1777, that "On motion of Captain Bell it is resolved that the Flying Camp are by no means exempt from marching with the militia." The following entry occurs in the minutes for January, 6, 1777: "On motion, Resolved, That Matthias Need serve as a committeeman in the room of Captain Bell, who hath resigned." His resignation is not difficult to explain.

In a letter from Colonel John Stull t0 the Maryland Council of Safety, January 11, 1777, he says: "The militia of my battalion have marched almost generally. * * * There are some of the former commissioned officers who have gone in the German battalion whose places are vacated in the militia; others have been elected to serve in their room, viz., Captain Peter Bell in the room of Captain William Heyser," etc. He requested the Council to forward commissions for these officers to Philadelphia. The following entry occurs in the minutes of the Counsil of Safety under the date of January 15, 1777: "Commissions issued to Peter Bell, appointed captain, Jacob Ott, first lieutenant, Michael Ott, second lieutenant, and William Conrad, ensign, of a company of militia in Washington County."

Their commissions were duly forwarded to Philadelphia, and Thomas Johnson, the first Governor of the State, writing from that city on the 29th of January informed the Counsil of the arrival of Stull's battalion. There can be little doubt that it proceeded to New Jersey, then the scene of Washington's operations. [The facts regarding Captain Peter Bell's military record have been obtained from the minutes of the Committee of Observation for Washington County, now in the custody of the Maryland Historical Society, and from the published Archives of Maryland, Journal and Correspondence of the Counsil of Safety, 1777, p. 42, etc.]

Once again, Herbert Bell has accurately quoted from source documents.

No roster of Captain Bell's company is known to be in existence. The names of the commissioned officers have been given; John Eyerly was the drummer, and many years after the war with Private Black, Schultz, and Lock he visited Peter Bell, Jr., the Captain's second son. Eyerly was then living at Green Spring near Bath, W. Va. Frederick Bell, the Captain's oldest son, used to relate that he rode in front of his father on his horse when the militia marched from Hagerstown. It was called out to serve until the 15th of March, but probably continued in the field beyond that date.

Since the writing of the History of the Leitersburg District, several muster rolls have come to light and are now held at the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore Maryland.

Captain Bell did not long survive the hardships of the campaign. He died at Hagerstown in the spring of 1778, probably in February, as his will is dated January 21st and was admitted to probate on the 2d of March. The inventory of his personal property was the first to be entered upon the official records of Washington County.

All true and corroborated by the source documents cited.

Peter Bell married Elizabeth Leiter, a member of the family that has given its name to Leitersburg District. Their children were Juliana, who married Francis Bittle; Frederick; Elizabeth, who married Peter Krauth; Maragaret, who married Barnhart Lowman; Peter, and Daniel. Bittle and Krauth removed to the Shenandoah valley in Virginia; Lowman located at Middlebrook, Augusta County, Va., in 1880, and there he was engaged in business as a tanner until his death in 1846. He has numerous descendants in Shelby County, Mo. Peter and Elizabeth Bell were members of St. John's Lutheran Church at Hagerstown, and here the baptisms of several of their children are recorded. He was buried in the graveyard adjacent to the old church building; his grave is unmarked and its exact location cannot be determined, but it is supposed to be under the west wall of the present church edifice.

The first line of this paragraph has led many amature and professional genealogists into error by identifying Peter Bell's wife as the daughter of Jacob Leiter. No primary document supports that conclusion. Jacob Leiter does not refer to a daughter by the name of Elizabeth in his will. Johann Friederich Vogeler, on the other hand, names all of the children of Peter and Elizabeth Bell as his grandchildren and beneficiaries in his will.

3. Archives of Maryland, Volume XVI. "Journal and Correspondence of the Council of Safety, January 1, 1777" and "Journal and Correspondence of the State Council, March 20, 1777- March 28, 1778." http://www.mdarchives.state/. Hardcopy at DAR Library, 1776 D St., Washington, DC
p. 42: Gentn Washington County January 11th 1777.

The militia of my Battalion have marched almost generally. Colo Smith's Battalion are now ready, there are some of theformer Commissioned officers who have gone in the GermanBattalion whose places are vacated in the Militia, others havebeen elected to serve in their room, viz. Capt. Peter Beall in the room of Capt. Wm Heyser, Jacob Ott, 1st Lieut. Michael Ott2nd Lieut. and William Conrad, Ensign: likewise the followingGentlemen were advanced in Capt. Fackler's company, viz.Leonard Shryock to 2nd Lieut. in the room of Adam Smith and Michael Tomer, Ensign.It is earnestly requested that Commissions may be madeout for the foregoing Gentlemen, each respectively and sentby the Bearer Melcher Belsheever, who will meet the Bat- talion at Philadelphia. The men are spirited in the defenceof Liberty, and hope no delay will be made in forwardingtheir Commissions, otherwise I doubt confusion may arise intheir companies as they are agreeably elected, and havepledged my honour to be assistive in procuring their respec- tive Commissions, and send an express for that purpose. Ihope my request will be comply'd with, and am,Gentlemen,Your most obedt & Humbl ServtThe Honble Council of Safety John Stull.of Md at Annapolis

4. Archives of Maryland, Volume XVI. "Journal and Correspondence of the Council of Safety, January 1, 1777" and "Journal and Correspondence of the State Council, March 20, 1777- March 28, 1778." http://www.mdarchives.state/. Hardcopy at DAR Library, 1776 D St., Washington, DC
p. 50: C. S. J.

Wednesday, January 15. 1777. Council met. Present as on yesterday.
Commissions issued to Peter Beall appointed Captain, Jacob Ott, first Lieutenant, Michael Ott, second Lieutenant, and William Conrod, Ensign of a Company of Militia inWashington County. Also to Leonard Shryock, second Lieut. and MichaelTamer, Ensign of a Company in said County. Also to James Smith first Lieutenant of Captain William Brown's Company of Matrosses. Copy of Letter No 106 was sent to Col. Stull, and Copy of No 107 to Plummer Williams. Ordered That the Western Shore Treasurer pay to Mrs Sands (of John) three Pounds five Shillings. That the said Treasurer pay to Oliver Whiddon four Pounds ten Shillings. Whereas the odious Practice of forestalling and Ingrossing is more particularly at this Time prejudicial to the State by enhancing the Price of Provisions, so that neither the Army,on which the Fate of America depends, nor Individuals can be supplied on reasonable Terms, and the honorable Congress having recommended to the executive Powers of this and the neighbouring States to limit the Price of Provisions, It is there-fore earnestly recommended to all Committees of Observation, and other well disposed Persons, Inhabitants of this State, to enquire after and take notice of such as are guilty of the Offences aforesaid, and return their names, together with the names of the Witnesses who can prove the Charge, to the Council of Safety, or to the Justices of the several CountyCourts, that such Delinquents may be proceeded againstaccording to Law. Adjourned till next Day 10 O'Clock.