[52b-1] ABRAHAM HEYDRICK, bd Nov. 5, 1742; d Aug. 30, 1826; s Balthasar and Maria (Hoff-
richter) Heydrick [52b]; m May 4, 1767, by a Justice of the Peace, SUSANNA YEAKLE, b Oct. 8, 1744;
d Sept. 18, 1834; dau Christopher and Maria (Schultz) Yeakle [160-1].
Children (6):
[88-24] 1. Sarah, b Sept. 25, 1768; d Mar. 31, 1825; m Abraham Yeakle.
[52b-3] 2. Christopher, b Apr. 7, 1770; d Feb. 9, 1856; m Mary Care.
[52b-4] 3. Susanna, b Dec. 21, 1774; d Jan. 31, 1847; m Jacob Cress.
[52b-5] 4. Regina, b Sept. 2, 1775; m Edward Dowers.
[52b-6] 5. Abraham, b May 18, 1779; d June 16, 1866; m Susanna Neff.
Abraham Heydrick kept a store and farm at the foot of Chestnut Hill in Springfield Twp., Pa., later known as the “Wheel-Pump Hotel.” During the Revolutionary war, when the Continental Money was at a discount, it is said that Abraham Heydrick had so much money that he kept it in barrels, from which fact a tradition is current in the families of his descendants that he had a “barrel of money.” It is also said that after the Battle of Germantown, when Washington’s troops retreated to Whitemarsh, Mrs. Heydrick stood at the door of their store and handed out food and drink to the soldiers as they passed by. [C. Heydrick.]
According to tradition Abraham Heydrick served as a private in the Revolution.
It is also stated that when Abraham Heydrick built the stone house which stood opposite the Wheel Pump Hotel at Chestnut Hill, Mrs. Heydrick assisted him by carrying the stones to him in her apron. This house was built in 1767 and remained in the hands of the Heydrick family until 1896, when the heirs of Charles Heydrick disposed of it.
For much of the data regarding Abraham Heydrick and his descendants, the editor is indebted to the late Judge Christopher Heydrick [52b-43], and Dr. J. E. Burnett Buckenham [52b-53].
Abraham Heydrick, Sr., son of Balthasar Heydrick, lived at the foot of Chestnut Hill, later known as ‘“Heydrick’s Dale,’’ which consisted of a few houses. The tavern, or public house, was owned by Sebastian Neff in 1742. The survey deed to Neff shows that the tavern existed at that date. It was later owned by Jacob Neff, only son and heir of Sebastian, who bequeathed it to his son, Jacob, who married Susanna Heydrick. Jacob Neff, Jr., deeded this property to Abraham Heydrick and Susanna, sister of Jacob Neff. Thus it came into the possession of Abraham Heydrick, and upon his death in 1866 it was sold by his heirs, thus passing out of the family.
For a number of years this hotel was kept by Isaac Evans, brother-in-law of Abraham Heydrick, and later it was kept by a son-in-law, Amos Corson. The tract of land upon which the present house is located was part of a large tract purchased by Christopher Yeakle prior to 1767, at which time Christopher’s daughter, Susanna, married Abraham Heydrick, and they together built the upper half of the present homestead building. In 1795, Christopher Yeakle conveyed by deed to Abraham Heydrick a portion of a large tract consisting of four acres, on which the homestead buildings had been erected. There was a small stone house with the lower portion as a spring-house and the upper story as a smokehouse. Tradition says this house had been planned with a view to occupancy as a residence in ease of Mrs. Heydrick’s meeting with misfortune which would take away her home from her possession.
Abraham Heydrick, Sr., was the owner of a tract of land located in Chestnut Hill, fronting on Germantown Avenue and running westward a considerable distance to Graver’s Lane, then known as Union Avenue. [J. E. B.]