| Biography |
Biography: Elias Redcay, Jr., only son of Elias, lived in Robeson Township, Lancaster County, PA, where he carried on farming and conducted a sawmill. He carried on operations on the two tracts which he had purchased from his father in 1773, up to 1804, when he decided to sell out. He was an extensive dealer in land and a large property owner, owning several good farms and a few timber tracts on which he operated sawmills. On April 29, 1791, he and his wife deeded to Valentine Geiger and Herman Umstead in trust for the inhabitants of this section a tract of land containing one acre, ten perches, it being part of the land he had purchased from his father. This land contained the private burying ground of the Redcays, who in later years allowed people of their section to bury their dead there. It was the intention to have a church built there, but this was not done until 1809, and it is known as St. John's Lutheran and Reformed Church. It is said that a log church was on the property before the present church was built. All Christian congregations which contributed to its support were allowed to worship in the building, and they were also to maintain and keep the graveyard. Late in life Elias Redcay lost most of his competency, through disastrous financial investments. He was a member of the General Assembly from Exeter in 1805-1806, and during the Revolutionary war he served as a lieutenant of militia from Pennsylvania in Capt. Adam Beard's Company, 3d Battalion, Lieut. Col. Jonathan Jones. He was a great reader and delighted to tell stories of the war. He died Jan. 3, 1829, and is buried in the old Redcay burying ground. On April 6, 1773, Elias Redcay married Elizabeth Hunter, born 1752, died Jan. 11, 1816, and their children were: Henry, born Aug. 13, 1775, married Mary Catharine Neykirk, of Exeter, born Jan. 25, 1779. He died May 22, 1848, and she Sept. 3, 1842, and both are buried in the Muddy Creek Cemetery in Lancaster county. (2) John. (3) Elias, born Dec. 28, 1782, married (first) Jan. 29, 1809, Sarah Harner of Exeter. She died and was buried in Muddy Creek cemetery, and he married (second) July 16, 1826, Elizabeth Strauss, of Bern, born Feb. 12, 1790. He passed away Jan. 28, 1867, and she died Aug. 19, 1875, and both are buried at Adamstown, Lancaster county. (4) Elizabeth married Samuel Ludwig, of Cumru, and they moved to Missouri in 1832. (5) Maria married June 9, 1805, Jacob Ludwig.
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1745 - 1829 (84 years)
, d. 1836, Exeter Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania