The Tax Assessments
     Of Bedford County

For The Year 1779

  Please Note: During the year 1779, the number of Indian incursions into the region that had been created as Bedford County increased. Certain of the tax assessment returns bear the notations "absant" or "not in county" after the names of many residents, implying that those residents had fled eastward to escape the Indians ~ at least at the time of the collecting of the taxes. Despite that fact, most of the tax assessment returns for the county's townships are in existence.

   Describing the situation in Bedford County is the following letter from the Board for Bedford County to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, dated 16 February, 1779.

     To the Honourable the Representatives of the Freemen of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met:
     The Petition of the Board of commissioners, Assessors & Assistant Assessors of Bedford county, Humbly Sheweth:
     That the Petitioners have met in order to Lay the Taxes directed by Law to be paid by this county, but the situation of the greatest part of the county is such that Humanity forbids them to levy the same, and induces them to apply to the Honourable House for relief, and to represent That for eighteen months past the frontier Inhabitants have almost entirely been deprived of the fruits of their labour by the incursions of the Indians. Many of them are gone entirely out of the County, and when that part of the Petitioners whose duty it is to take the Returns of Property, went to the once chearful abodes of Humble Industry & content, the Inhabitant had fled to preserve his life, and nothing presented to their view but forlorn inhabitations and untilled fields, (in several of which the grave of the former owner, murdered by the Indians, was to be seen); and to levy Taxes off those would be adding distress to the afflicted and taking from the Poor that which he has not to give. That part of the Inhabitants who remained collected into forts - some formed into companies and Ranged along the Frontiers in order to afford some small Protection to the rest, who, at the hazzard of their lives, ventured out to save their scanty harvest and to prepare another; but they were so often driven in that it was little they could do. The Panic occasioned by one incursion was scarcely over till they were alarmed afresh by another. Many were deprived of sowing & planting, & not a few were prevented from reaping that which they had put in; In consequence of which, Famine stares us in the face. There is not Bread enough amongst us to sustain the Inhabitants till Harvest, & were it to be had for Money, which it is not, many of the Poorer sort have not wherewithal to purchase it. The great Plenty of money that is circulating in other parts of the Country is to them no relief, because their Savage Foe has prevented them from having anything to sell to acquire Money; and many of them have undergone such a variety of hardship & distress, and suffered such loss that they are realy objects of compassion, & if the Times would permit their situation would strongly Plead for Public assistance, to save the helpless families of those who have perished by the sword, and those who have been deprived of Providing Bread for their Families, from suffering by Famine. The few who have been permitted to remain at their Habitations, and reap the fruits of their industry, will chearfully pay their part of the Taxes, according to their circumstances; but should the whole Quota laid on this County be levied off them, it is so large and their numbers so few that they would be reduced to beggary by it. We, therefore, intreat the interposition of the Honourable House, and that they would grant such an exemption in the Premisses as to their Wisdom shall seem meet, & the Petitioners as in duty bound shall Pray, &c.
     James Martin, Sam'I Davidson, commissioners. Allen Rose, David Jones, Gideon Ritchey, John Canan, Wm. Goff, County Assessors. Henry Abram, Hugh Robinson, James Little, Absalom Gray, Tho's Crossan, Robert Moore, Township Assessors.

   During certain years there might be more than one copy of the return for the tax assessment. The returns were sometimes written out prior to the tax collector making his rounds, copying the previous year's return (assuming that the families that were there the previous year, would still be there this year). Then, when the tax collector made his rounds, he would add names in for the settlers who had moved into the region since the previous year, or cross out the names for residents who had left the region. If more than one return is in existence, the return from which the Pennsylvania Archives were transcribed will be included on the primary pages of the township, with the additional returns shown on an auxiliary page.

Ayr Township

~ Formed in the year 1754 within Cumberland County ~
1779Ayr01.jpg 1779Ayr02.jpg 1779Ayr03.jpg 1779Ayr04.jpg
1779Ayr05.jpg 1779Ayr06.jpg

Barree Township

~ Formed in the year 1767 within Cumberland County ~
1779Barree01.jpg 1779Barree02.jpg 1779Barree03.jpg 1779Barree04.jpg
1779Barree05.jpg 1779Barree06.jpg 1779Barree07.jpg 1779Barree08.jpg
1779Barree09.jpg 1779Barree10.jpg 1779Barree11.jpg TaxIcon.jpg
Duplicates

Bedford Township

~ Formed in the year 1767 within Cumberland County ~
1779Bedford01.jpg 1779Bedford02.jpg 1779Bedford03.jpg 1779Bedford04.jpg
1779Bedford05.jpg 1779Bedford06.jpg 1779Bedford07.jpg 1779Bedford08.jpg
1779Bedford09.jpg 1779Bedford10.jpg 1779Bedford11.jpg 1779Bedford12.jpg
1779Bedford13.jpg 1779Bedford14.jpg TaxIcon.jpg
Duplicates

Bethel Township

~ Formed in the year 1773 from Ayr ~
1779Bethel01.jpg 1779Bethel02.jpg 1779Bethel03.jpg 1779Bethel04.jpg
1779Bethel05.jpg 1779Bethel06.jpg 1779Bethel07.jpg 1779Bethel08.jpg
1779Bethel09.jpg 1779Bethel10.jpg 1779Bethel11.jpg 1779Bethel12.jpg
1779Bethel13.jpg 1779Bethel14.jpg

Brothers Valley Township

~ Formed in the year 1771 within Bedford County ~
1779BrothersValley01.jpg 1779BrothersValley02.jpg 1779BrothersValley03.jpg 1779BrothersValley04.jpg
1779BrothersValley05.jpg 1779BrothersValley06.jpg 1779BrothersValley07.jpg 1779BrothersValley08.jpg
1779BrothersValley09.jpg 1779BrothersValley10.jpg 1779BrothersValley11.jpg TaxIcon.jpg
Duplicates

Colerain Township

~ Formed in the year 1767 within Cumberland County ~
1779Colerain01.jpg 1779Colerain02.jpg 1779Colerain03.jpg 1779Colerain04.jpg
1779Colerain05.jpg 1779Colerain06.jpg 1779Colerain07.jpg 1779Colerain08.jpg

Cumberland Valley Township

~ Formed in the year 1767 within Cumberland County ~
1779CumberlandValley01.jpg 1779CumberlandValley02.jpg 1779CumberlandValley03.jpg 1779CumberlandValley04.jpg
1779CumberlandValley05.jpg 1779CumberlandValley06.jpg 1779CumberlandValley07.jpg 1779CumberlandValley08.jpg
1779CumberlandValley09.jpg 1779CumberlandValley10.jpg

Dublin Township

~ Formed in the year 1767 within Cumberland County ~
1779Dublin01.jpg 1779Dublin02.jpg 1779Dublin03.jpg 1779Dublin04.jpg
TaxIcon.jpg
Duplicates
1779TaxTableCell.jpg 1779TaxTableCell.jpg 1779TaxTableCell.jpg

Frankstown Township

~ Formed in the year 1775 from Barree and Bedford ~
1779Frankstown01.jpg 1779Frankstown02.jpg 1779Frankstown03.jpg 1779Frankstown04.jpg
1779Frankstown05.jpg 1779Frankstown06.jpg 1779Frankstown07.jpg 1779Frankstown08.jpg
1779Frankstown09.jpg 1779Frankstown10.jpg 1779Frankstown11.jpg 1779Frankstown12.jpg
1779Frankstown13.jpg 1779Frankstown14.jpg 1779Frankstown15.jpg 1779Frankstown16.jpg
1779Frankstown17.jpg 1779Frankstown18.jpg

Hopewell Township

~ Formed in the year 1773 from Barree ~
1779Hopewell01.jpg 1779Hopewell02.jpg 1779Hopewell03.jpg 1779Hopewell04.jpg
1779Hopewell05.jpg 1779Hopewell06.jpg 1779Hopewell07.jpg 1779Hopewell08.jpg

Quemahoning Township

~ Formed in the year 1775 from Brothers Valley ~
1779Quemahoning01.jpg 1779Quemahoning02.jpg 1779Quemahoning03.jpg 1779Quemahoning04.jpg
1779Quemahoning05.jpg

Turkeyfoot Township

~ Formed in the year 1773 from Brothers Valley ~
1779Turkeyfoot01.jpg 1779Turkeyfoot02.jpg 1779Turkeyfoot03.jpg 1779Turkeyfoot04.jpg
1779Turkeyfoot05.jpg 1779Turkeyfoot06.jpg 1779Turkeyfoot07.jpg