History and Biography of Jehu Tyson
Jehu Tyson, the oldest son of Henry Tyson and his wife Sarah, was born around 1766 in PA. There are no baptismal records for him, nor have I been able to locate anything to verify his date of birth. It is also unclear where in PA he was born, since his father was born in Montgomery County and the earliest known record we have of Henry in York County is 1769, which is after Jehu was born. Jehu’s wife was named Magdalena.
In regards to his wife Magdalena, I believe the circumstantial evidence I have found points to her being the daughter of Herman Miller (1742-1817) and his wife Barbara. First, Jehu and Magdalena had a child named Barbara that was baptized at Saddler’s Church in 1799 and the sponsor of the baptism was Barbara Miller. Also, Jehu and Magdalena had a son named Harmon born in 1797. Back during this time, the name was sometimes spelled Harmon and sometimes spelled Herman (like it was in the 1850 census, where his name was spelled Herman, but other records show his name as Harmon). Regardless of how it is spelled, Herman/Harmon was a very uncommon name at the time, with only a Herman Updegraff living in Shrewsbury Township in 1788 as the only other Herman living in southern York County besides Herman Miller (who lived along with Hopewell Twp/Shrewsbury Twp line near what is now Spring Valley Park). I mention southern York County since Jehu is shown as living in Hopewell Township in 1798 and Fawn Township in 1800. Also there is a deed transaction in 1804 from Jehu Tyson and wife Magdalena of Fawn Township to Michael Miller. Herman Miller also had a son named Michael Miller, which means this could possibly be a transaction between Jehu and his brother-in-law. When Jehu, Magdalena and their family moved to Indiana County with several other York County families, two of the families that also moved were that of Harmon Miller and Thomas Stiles, and Thomas Stiles was married to Regina Miller, a daughter of Herman Miller and brother of Harmon. It appears 3 of the children of Herman Miller and their families moved to Brush Valley at the same time. The History of the Brush Valley Evangelical Lutheran Church, written in 1901 by Rev. J Milton Snyder lists as original charter members John and Magdalena Tyson.
Jehu and Magdalena seemed to live a number of different places before they moved to Indiana County, PA. The 1798 Direct Tax (or Glass Tax) has Jehu listed as being a resident of Hopewell Twp. The 1800 Federal Census lists him living in Fawn Township. There are two deed transactions for Jehu selling land in Fawn Township, one done in 1804 and the other in 1806. It appears he moved back to Windsor Township after the sale of the second parcel of land in 1806, because he is listed as living there in the 1807 PA Septennial Census and also the 1810 Federal Census. Local tax records show that Jehu lived in Hellam Twp from 1813-1817, which is when his daughter Susanna Tyson married John Dunckle/Dunkle/Dunkel on January 13, 1814 at Trinity Reformed Church in York, York County, PA. However, by 1820 Jehu and his family moved what is known as “Brush Valley” in Wheatfield Twp, Indiana County, PA. Several York County families moved to Brush Valley around, such as the Fry’s, Roser’s, Overdorff’s, and Miller’s (the Harmon Miller and Regina Stiles previously mentioned who are almost certiainly her siblings).
I have been able to verify five of the children of Jehu and Magdalena. The oldest child I have been able to find is Susanna, who married John Dunkel. Susan and John moved to Indiana County along with her parents, and they lived there until they both passed and were buried in Salem Methodist Cemetery in Indiana County, PA. As mentioned earlier, there is a marriage record from Trinity Reformed Church in York County, PA showing a Susanna Deiss married Johannes Dunckle on January 13, 1814.
The next child of Jehu and Magdalena is Harmon Tyson. In the church records of Brush Valley Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is the church Jehu attended, there is a marriage record for Herman Tyson marrying Anna Murphy on December 18, 1823. The Journals of Pastor/Minister Gabriel Adam Reichert 1822-1837 also show the marriage of Herman Tyson and Anna Murphy, and this record lists his parents as Jehu and Magdalene Tyson. His obituary also mentions that he was born in York County, PA in 1797. Knowing that Jehu is the only known Tyson to have moved his family to Indiana County, and the fact that he was probably named after his maternal grandfather, he is almost certainly the son of Jehu Tyson.
The third known child of Jehu and Magdalena is Barbara Tyson. The only record we have of her is her baptism at Saddler’s Lutheran Church in Hopewell Twp, York County that states her date of birth as September 19, 1799. This record lists her father as Jehu Theissen and the sponsor as Barbara Mueller, her probable maternal grandmother.
The fourth child of Jehu and Magdalena is Mary Catherine Tyson, who married Jacob Overdorff. In the biography of Francis T Overdorff in the History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume 3, it lists his parents as Jacob Overdorff and Mary Tyson. The history also mentions that Jacob and Mary lived in Brush Valley, Indiana County. Once again, being the only Tyson family in this area, she is likely the daughter of Jehu and Magdalena.
The youngest child is Lydia Tyson, who married Reverend Gabriel Adam Reichert. The book titled Indiana County, Pennsylvania her people, past and present mentions the marriage of Lydia Tyson of Brush Valley and Reverend Reichert on September 16, 1823. In fact, Jehu was living with his daughter and son-in-law in Philadelphia when he passed away. The Philadelphia Public Ledger on June 11, 1846 shows that Jehu died on June 7, 1846 at the home of his son-in-law G. A. Reichert.
Jehu Tyson was born around 1766 in PA and died June 7, 1846 in Philadelphia, PA. He married Maria Magdalena Miller, daughter of Herman Miller and Barbara. She was born January 3, 1767 in Shrewsbury Twp, York County, PA and baptized April 12, 1767 at Trinity Reformed Church, York County, PA
Children of Jehu Tyson and his wife Maria Magdalena Miller:
- Susanna Tyson born July 22, 1792 in York County, PA, died July 22, 1879 in Indiana County, PA and buried at Salem Methodist Cemetery in Indiana County, PA. She married John Dunkle on January 13, 1814 at Trinity Reformed Church in York, York County, PA. He was born January 14, 1790 in York County, PA, died August 23, 1866 in Indiana County, PA and buried at Salem Methodist Cemetery in Indiana County, PA
- Harmon Tyson born June 23, 1797 in York County, PA, died October 7, 1888 in Jefferson County, PA and buried at Olive Cemetery in Punxsutawney, Jefferson County, PA. He married Annie Murphy born December 6, 1806 in PA, died April 26, 1882 in Indiana County, PA and buried at Cresswell Cemetery in Brush Valley, Indiana County, PA
- Barbara Tyson born September 19, 1799 in York County, PA, recorded at Saddlers Lutheran Church in Hopewell Twp, York County, PA
- Maria Catherine Tyson born abt 1800 in York County, PA, died July 1845 in Indiana County, PA and buried at Fry Cemetery in Brush Valley, Indiana County, PA. She married Jacob Overdorff born February 11, 1796 in York County, PA, died April 18, 1884 in Indiana County, PA and buried at Fry Cemetery in Brush Valley, Indiana County, PA
- Lydia Tyson born 1806 in York County, PA, died 1886 in Armstrong County, PA and buried at Kittanning Cemetery in Kittanning, Armstrong County, PA. She married Gabriel Adam Reichert, born February 25, 1796 in Germany, died September 18, 1877 in Armstrong County, PA and buried at Kittanning Cemetery in Kittanning, Armstrong County, PA.