The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-01-05


born is no longer to be seen; excepting
for a few siones which mark the out
lines Of the foundation Of the old place.
there is not trace Of It's eighteenth /
century architecture.
In the beautiful Donegal Valley, a
mong the rolling hills Of Lancaster
county, and looking down upon the
rapid waters Of the suGquehanna, lies
the village OF Donegal. where the Stew
ensons' built their long, low house, In
which the ancestor OF President was
born. The valley Is one OF the prettiest
In the State, and that Is saying a great
deal. for the State is filled with pic
turesque places lying among yerdant
hills. on the sides OF which cling tena-
ciously the most attractive OF wcll-kept
farms and whiteEt Of white-wailed farm
houses. Donegal lies about eighteen
miles northwest Of the town OF Lancas-
ter, and to get to II one had better
leave the train at Marietta. where
conveyance can be obtained to make the
i've mile journey still to be accom-
| pllshed.
Strictly speaking. Donegal Is not
village nor a town. and 1t IL doubtful
II II can claim to be a borough. for
there Is merely a sprinkling OF farm
houses upon the hills. too far apart al
most TO form a community. In the
midst OF this fertile spot lies embedded
In the trees. which hide Il, the old
Donegal Presbyterian Church. which
has been standing since early In the
eighteenth century. Il has been re-
modelled. OF course. In order to preserve
II, but Il stands practically the same
to-day as II did In the days OF George
II.
A tablet OF marble attached TO the
wall Of the church. gives about all the
history that Is known OF the old struc-
ture. From this Il seems the church
was founded by Arthur Patterson. In
the year l722. and In the year iIiO the
church received a patent from John
Thomas and Richard Penn. During the
Revolution the pastor OF the little
church was a Royalist. but one day his
congregation took him out and made
him swear bis a glance 10 the colonies.
under white oak In front OF the
church, and the tree. now mighty
king Of the forest. known as the wit
ness oak" on account OF this elrcum-
stance. Is loved almost as much as the
little white plasiored church itself
In the early part OF the last century.
at the time when George /. was King.
there was a large number OF lmml-
grants from the North OF Ireland. A.
bout that time the Ulster men were
having an irrCconeilable controversy a.
bout the rates for land rents. and as a
result they decided 10 leave the old
country and seek refuge In the New
World. The majority OF these settled
west OF the Blue Ridge. and a large
number Of them became the pioneers
OF the Western part OF Pennsylvania
Among those who came over at this
time was a certain James Stevenson.
who had also spoli his name "a stoph-
enson. and who had It spelled for him.
In the patent from the proprietor Of the
colony. Stinson
The precise date OF HIS arrival IA IN.
known, but Il was undoubtedly. from
appearances, while the frat George was
still reigning. n the year i7iO tho
same year the church obtained nat
ont. he received a patent for land ar-
gregating SSi acres In Donegal. lie
was consequently one OF the pioneers
In the State. and he must have been
one Of the earliest In Donegal. for his
property IL cholcely located. being as
described IN his will. north and ad-
joining the Donegal Church"
James Stevenson had two sons and
four daughters or these the eldest
son. Nathaniel. who died a bachelor.
Inherited the property. and at his death
II went TO the eldes, daughter. Anne.
who married John Watson. In whose