Jacob Jansen VAN METER

                   or Elizabethtown


In his fatherÕs will he is listed as the fourth & youngest son of his fatherÕs wife Margrit

Jacob Van Meter, who died in Hardin County November 16, 1798, was born in Somerset County, New Jersey in March 1723, a son of John Van Meter and his second wife Margaret Miller Mulinaur, grew up in Virginia where his father had settled in the Shenandoah Valley, and became a wealthy land owner and horse breeder. He drew up a lengthy will, (Will of John Van Meter, Winchester, Virginia September 3, 1745), in which Jacob Van Meter was called "my fourth and youngest son," by which he inherited an equal share of "all Staylen (stallions), geldings, mares, colts." He inherited land, but not the estate "Opequen" on which his father lived, since he was the youngest.


About 1768, Jacob Van Meter, together with John Swan, Sr., others, made a tour of the lands, then claimed as part of northwestern Virginia, since established as a southwestern part of Pennsylvania. They had decided to sell their property in the Winchester vicinity and locate on land which would be granted for service in the French and Indian War. They reached the vicinity of present Carmichaelstown (in present Green County, Pennsylvania) and 'tomahawked' (marked on trees) such land as they wanted along Muddy Creek in what is known as 'Ten Mile Country,' land lying along Ten Mile Creek, a tributary of that stream. Returning home, they brought back their families, slaves and such household goods as could be carried on pack horses. There were about fifty people in the party which settled along Muddy Creek.

Van Meter was granted 400 acres of land on the west side of the Monongahela, Application Number 2405, dated April 3, 1769, also a grant for 211 acres, a tract called 'Burgundy,' also on the west side of the river.

John Swan, Thomas Hughes and Henry Van Meter, brother of Jacob, were also granted land for services, and all four erected forts, located near each other on bottom land, not far from the mouth of Muddy Creek: Fort Van Meter, by Jacob VanMeter, on Muddy Creek; Fort Swan, by John Swan, on Swan's Run, and another Fort Van Meter, by Henry Van Meter, on Swan's Run. The location of Thomas Hughes' fort is not listed.

That Jacob Van Meter was a deeply religious man is attested by his actions in helping organize three Baptist churches in his lifetime. Ellis' 'History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania' relates the story of the forming of the Great Bethel Regular Baptist church: "This organization was formed in the year 1770, and is evidently one of the first religious societies established with the boundaries of Fayette County (Penn.)... In the oldest books of records...the following letter is copied verbatim, viz: 'The supposed in Province of Pennsylvania, holding Believers, Baptism, &c, sindeth greeting. 'To all Christian People to whom these may Concern,...Sign'd by us this Eighth day of November in the year of our lord Christ--1770.

Witness our hands, Jacob Vanmetre [sic]
Richard Hall
Zepheniah Blackford
Because we are few in number our sisters are allowed to sign.
Rachel Sutton
Lettice Vanmetre
Sarah Hall
N.B. "That this Church was Constituted by me, Nov. 7th, 1770, and that the Bearer was licensed to Preach before me, or in my Presence, as witness my hand this 8th day of Nov., 1770. Henry Crosbye'."

Jacob Van Meter was instrumental in the organization of another church while living in Pennsylvania: Goshen Baptist Church, organized in 1774 in Garrard's Fort, when he moved there. In that original body were found ten members of the Van Meter family: Jacob and his wife, Letitia, Rebecca and her husband, Edward Rawlings, Susannah and her husband, Reverend John Garrard, Mary and her husband, David Henton (who was the first clerk of this church), Elizabeth, and her husband John Swan, Jr.

Jacob VanMeters' Migration from Greene County to The Falls Of The Ohio
A list of the families who settled in the "Ten Mile Country" is of interest in that their associations did not end there, but through marriage and otherwise, continued in Kentucky: Van Meter, Swan, Strode, Hughes, Shelby, Harrod, Coleman, Brown, Rice, Biggs, Kincaid, Chenoweth, Garrard, Heaton (Henton). They doubtless regarded themselves as being "Virginians", living on the land claimed by both Virginia and Pennsylvania, and had a feeling of support for a "fellow Virginian," George Rogers Clark, not felt by the Pennsylvanians in Clark's military campaigns during the Revolution.

An Account of George Rogers Clark in the migration to the Falls of the Ohio (Louisville, Ohio which occurred about a year before the Van Meter party moved to Harden County, Kentucky. The Revolution had not ended but the men from "Ten Mile Country" had returned from the war in the Northwest Territory and some would be in the colony of over a hundred people organized by Jacob Van Meter, Sr., to move to "Kaintucke."

Minutes of a Court held for Yohoghania County, Virginia March 23, 1779 (this prior to the date when that section was established as part of Pennsylvania) granted permission to pass unmolested to the Falls of the Ohio. On September 18, 1779, Jacob Van Meter and his family had been granted certificates of dismission by the Goshen Baptist Church. Soon twenty-seven house boats were, under the direction of Jacob Van Meter, Sr., floating down the Ohio, bringing the families and all their household goods, livestock and anything they could pile on the boats. All of the Van Meter children, with exception of daughter Eleanor, accompanied their parents, together with their husbands and wives. One babe in arms was in the party, the little daughter of Lieutenant John Swan, Jr., and his wife, Elizabeth Van Meter. Swan was sitting on deck on one of the boats with his little girl in his arms when he was struck by an Indian arrow, fired from the river bank. His wife grabbed his gun and began helping the men ward off the attack. Another tragedy struck the party. Mary Van Meter's husband, David Henton, fell into the river while helping unload the boats and was drowned. Henton's death left his widow with two children, Hester Henton, born January 9, 1775, who would marry Walter Briscoe, and John C. Henton, born November 9, 1778, who would marry Catherine Keith.

Stephen Rawlings, father of Edward Rawlings, who had married Rebecca Van Meter, together with his family, were in the party. So was Jacob Van Meter, son of Henry Van Meter, one time ensign in Clark's Illinois Regiment and later a captain of Jefferson County Militia. In the party were two families of slaves belonging to the senior Van Meter. In his will were provisions that they were to be set free upon the death of his wife. They were to serve her during her lifetime, but if she lived until they were thirty years old, they were to be given their freedom.

From the records of Goshen Bapatist church:

A Church constituted by Rev Isaac Sutton and Daniel Fristoe on 7th day November 1773 consisting of thirty members men and women which mutually gave themselves to each other by the will of God in covenant.

Jacob Vanmeter and wife
Edward Robins and Rebeck
Abraham Vanmeter and wife
John Vanmeter and Rebeccah
Underwood and wife
Eastwood and wife
Elias Garard and wife
David Henton and Mary his wife

At a monthly meeting 11th December 1773 Jacob Vanmetre chosen Deacon John Vantrees to Praise the Psalm David Henton to Keep the Records. The Friday Before the Second Sabbath in Feb'y to Be Church Meeting again. The Saturday to be Preparation Day Before Communion
In 1778 Jacob Van Meter was with George Rogers Clark in Kentucky. In early 1778, Clark went from Williamsburg to Fort Pitt to recruit men and supplies. He then travelled down the Ohio River. At the Falls of the Ohio River, he established his camp in May 1778.

Minutes of the Court of Yohogania County for March 23rd, 1779 which read in part:John Corbley, Jacob Vanater, Abraham Vanmater, Isaac Dye, John Eastwood, Abraham Hold, John Holt, Robert Tyler, having produced recommendations from the County Court of Monongehala to pass unmolested to the Falls of Ohio which was read and approved of.

Goshen Baptist Church Records -- 9/8/1779

Met according to appointment on Saturday the 18th of September and proceeded to business. First agreed by the voice of the church that Brother Jacob Vanmetre take his seat in the house of God as formerly.
[Indicates taht at least Jacob had left the community] Agreed by voice of the majority of the Church that Brother Alexander Briant/Bryant to be under censure for his not complying with the request of the Church.

We gave unto our beloved Brother Jacob Vanmetre, John Garard, John Ventrees, John Eastwood, Joseph Eastwood, John Gated, Isaac Dye, David Henton, Abraham Vanmetre, Jacob Vanmetre Junior, Rebecca Vantrees, Letitia Vanmetre, Hannah Dye, Mary Underwood, Mary Henton, Bambo and Dinah letters of dismission according to their request. We gave unto our beloved Brethren John Corblyand Elizabeth Corbly, his wife, Hannah Eastwood letters of dismission agreeable to their request.

Louisville, which had been established as a town at the Falls of the Ohio in 1780, saw great numbers of settlers from Virginia and Pennsylvania arrive by way of the Ohio River and scatter south into the country toward the Green River. Among them were Jacob Van Meter and his family who had arrived at the Falls in the previous fall and waited for the warm spring months before moving on to their new home.

In the spring of 1780, the colony under Jacob Van Meter arrived in Severns Valley. He immediately began construction of a fort for protection against Indians. Mrs. Sim's Van Meter information states that the Van Meter fort was located near the big spring at the power house on the Leitchfield road, for a long time the source of the Elizabethtown water supply. This site was very close to the site of Andrew Hynes' fort which was built about the same date. Others have placed the Van Meter fort at the site of the Van Meter house on Billy's Creek (the old Strickler place).

Jacob Van Meter built a grain mill on Valley Creek where Billy's Creek enters it. Others say he also had a still. (He had a still and a tavern license to keep travelers in his home at the time of his death.) He is said to have raised the first wheat in Hardin County, having brought the seed with him from Virginia.

Jefferson County records show that Jacob Van Meter, Stephen Rawlings and Edward Rawlings bought land from John Severns, who also sold 400 acres to Andrew Hynes in November 1779. Judge Otis Mather has written that John Severns, Andrew Hynes, Elisha Freeman and Thomas McCarty built crude cabins in Severns Valley in the summer of 1779, the year before forts were built in the Valley. There is a possibility that Banah (Benham) Shaw was in the Valley at that early date, also.

A year after arrival in Severns Valley, Jacob Van Meter assisted in organizing the Severns Valley Baptist Church, the oldest church west of the Allegheny Mountains, still in existence and one of the largest Baptist bodies in Kentucky at this date [1976].

Jacob Van Meter accumulated much land in Kentucky. At the time of his death, November 16, 1798, he owned 7,891 acres. The inventory of his estate covers four pages of Will Book A, pages 80 to 84 and 216, Hardin County Court.

VanMeter came to Severn's Valley and later settled on the farm known as the "Strickler Place,' about two miles from Elizabethtown on Billy's Creek, near where it joins that main stream of Valley Creek. He built a fort near Haycraft's soon after his arrival. In the party with VanMeter were his three sons, Jacob, Jr., Isaac, and John; seven daughters, and two sons-in-law, Samuel Haycraft, husband of Margaret, and John Gerrard [Garrard], husband of Susan. One son-in-law, David Henton, the husband of his daughter, Mary, was drowned in the river on the trip down the Ohio.

The elder VanMeter was an extensive landholder, having fourteen grants of land from the Virginia government, dated 1783 and 1784. One was a preemption Treasury Warrant signed by Beverly Randolph. Doubtless, some of the land was divided among his children and members of his family. The Auditor's office has no record of land granted to his son-in-law, Samuel Haycraft.

VanMeter built a small grist mill at the mouth of Billy's Creek for grinding corn and wheat. Corn was ground there for the small distillery operated by Samuel Haycraft. Samuel Haycraft, Jr., who wrote the "History of Elizabethtown" mentions that, as a young boy it was his duty to go with a bag of corn three times daily (Sunday excepted) to the mill of his grandfather.

VanMeter was in the original constitution of the Severn's Valley Baptist Church. His wife, his son, Jacob, Jr., and his Negro man, Bambo, were also members. Many of his descendants have become noted in carrying on the work of the church.

Jacob VanMeter died at his home on November 16, 1798, having lived a long life of usefulness. He was buried on the farm near his home. His son, Jacob, procured a sandstone rock for a tombstone and cut the following inscription on it: 'Here Lizes The Body of Jacob VanMeter Died in the 76 Yare of His Age November the 16, 1798,' the letters of which are today readable.


There were three Jacob VanMeters living in the Severn's Valley community at the one time, the elder Jacob, his son, Jacob, Jr., and Jacob Van Meter, the son of Henry Van Meter, the elder Van meter's brother. To relieve the confusion, the elder Van Meter was called 'Valley Creek Jake' and his nephew, 'Miller Jake,' both men operating mills in the Valley.

Jacob Van Meter, Sr., died in 1798 and his wife, Letitia Stroud, who died the following year saw the little settlement in its earliest years and did not live to see it grow into the important position it was destined to occupy in the new state. Many of their descendants live within the borders of the county they helped settle, others moved on to other frontiers in the developing country.

From "Haycraft's History of Elizabethtown" by Samuel Haycraft, "originally serialized in the 'Elizabethtown News' in 1869, also during the 1880s and early 1890s. And for the third time in 1905." Copyright 1960 by the Hardin County Historical Society.

Jacob Vanmeter, Sr., with his family, emigrated from Monongahala [sic] (called by the old folks "Monongahale,") in 1779, landing at the falls of the Ohio that fall, and in the year 1780 came to Severns Valley and settled on the farm now owned by George W. Strickler, two miles from Elizabethtown, on Valley Creek, at the mouth of Billy's Creek, on which last- named creek he built a grist mill for corn and wheat; and although there remains at this day not a vestige of that mill, yet I ought to know where it stood, as my father carried on a one-horse distillery, and when I was about eight years old it was my daily business (Sunday excepted) to go with a bag of corn three times a day. My grandfather continued to reside there until his death, which occurred on the 16th day of November, 1798. He was in the original constitution of Severns Valley Baptist Church on the 17th day of June, 1781. His wife (my grandmother), his son, Jacob, and his Negro man, Bambo, were also members.

At his death he left a large family, all grown. It is now nearly seventy-two years since his death, and, like the old patriot Jacob, his descendants have multiplied like a fruitful vine that ran over the wall, for they are scattered East, West, North and South, and may be found in every State and territory in the Union, and from the least calculation that can be made they now amount to at least 3,000 souls. And that will not appear so surprising when you are informed that one out of his numerous grandsons had his thirtieth child born the night of his death. But that was over the average of the family, as the number of the most of his descendants to each family ran on an average from nine to eleven children, but frequently exceeded those numbers. My mother had eleven.

My grandfather was buried on his own farm, I was present at his interment, being then three years and three months old, and have a distinct recollection of the occasion. His son Jacob