The Nesbit family likely originated in Scotland and served in several military roles while living there. Around 1640, several branches of the family immigrated to Ireland where they served the King of England. In 1754 they came from Ireland to Philadelphia. The group consisted of four brothers and two sisters, three of whom became distinguished in the provincial and revolutionary history of Pennsylvania. From their business connections and the disposition of the eldest brother’s estate it is presumed they were of the Donegal branch of the (Conyngham) Nisbet family. They are said to have come from Letterkenny, Donegal, but John Maxwell Nesbit was born in 1728 at Loughbrickland, near Killyeagh in County Down. Upon his arrival in Philadelphia, he entered the mercantile house of Redmond and David Conyngham, which was known in revolutionary times as the firm of Nesbitt and Conyngham, and eventually as the J. M. Nesbitt Company. John Maxwell Nesbitt held many offices of trust and honor in the crucial period of American history. He was treasurer of the Board of War and paymaster of the Navy, a member of the City Troop in 1777 and the Council of Safety for Pennsylvania. He subscribed five thousand pounds to the Bank of Pennsylvania to help supply provisions for the Continental Troops. In 1781 he assisted Robert Morris in founding the Bank of North America, of which he was a director. He was the first president of the Insurance Company of North America. This is the same Robert Morris who went on to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Our local ties to his family start with James Nesbit who first shows in Chester County Pennsylvania in 1707. His son John (who later moved to Warrington Township) was born at Springton Manor Farm in Chester County PA. This structure seems to survive and is currently being used as a wedding venue listed as Springton Manor farm.

Our closest local ties start with John Nesbit, Esq., of Warrington Township and Jean, wife of William Ross for whom present day Rossville is named. John Nesbit, Esq., son of James of Springton Manor, was a resident of Kennett Square, Chester Co. in 1754, at which time he sold some lands in East Marlborough Township and shortly after, purchased ‘'Hibernia Plantation”, lying next to his other lands in Warrington Township, York Co., Pa. There is a tradition that the Nesbits at one time owned all the land from the mansion house at Hibernia to Entry’s Mountain near Dillsburg.

John Nesbit of Warrington Township was one of the foremost patriots of York County. He gave generously of his talents, time and means to the cause of Independence. He was a government agent for York, and in 1774 he was appointed a justice of the Court of Common Pleas for that county, but resigned the following year owing to the stress of other business. In 1775, he was appointed a member of the Committee of Safety and, as outlined in a resolution passed in March of 1776, assigned by the Committee of Safety to disarm those opposed to the new government. Additionally in 1776 he served on the Committee of Correspondence for York Co. In 1776, he was appointed agent to collect money and clothing for the Continental Army and in the same year was instructed by the Committee of Safety to collect blankets from those who had not taken the Oath of Allegiance or had aided the enemy. On October 27, 1779, Chief Justice McKean appointed him one of three agents to pass upon forfeited estates in York Co. He served as judge of elections for the Fifth Division of York Co. for members of the Constitutional Convention and was commissioner for York in 1782.

John Nesbit, Esq., was married three times: first, to Hannah, daughter of John Wickersham of Londonderry Township, Chester Co., Pa., by whom he had three children:

• Hannah, born in East Marlborough Township, Chester Co., married Samuel Mateer;
• Alexander, born in East Marlborough Township, Chester Co., Feb. 4, 1754 (This Alexander went on to become Captain Alexander Nesbit of Warrington Township); and
• Jean, Alexander’s twin, born in East Marlborough Township, Chester Co., Feb. 4, 1754.

By Mary Creighton of Chester Co., Pa., his second wife, who was born at Crichton, Scotland, and who died at Hibernia,York Co., Pa. in 1767, he had six children:

• John Creighton Nesbit, Jr., Rebeckah, Martha, Mary, William, and Nancy.

A sandstone tombstone erected over Mary’s grave in the Quaker Burial Ground at Rossville can still be seen, bearing the joint inscriptions: Mary Nisbet, 1767 John Nisbet, 1801.

Captain Alexander Nesbit, son of John, was born in East Marlborough Township, Chester Co., Feb. 4, 1754, and came with his parents to York Co. as an infant. He was ensign of the Seventh Company, Third Battalion of York Co. Militia when the Revolutionary War began and was ordered to New Jersey in July, 1776, where his Company was attached to the Flying Camp. He took the Oath of Allegiance to Pennsylvania June 27, 1777. On April 5, 1778, he was made second lieutenant of the Fifth Company, First Battalion of York Militia. In June, 1779, he was advanced to the rank of captain of the Third Company, Sixth Battalion. In 1779, he received £227-15s-6d for services rendered to the government. In 1782 he received £6 for warning the Militia to march Apr. 7, 1781. In 1791 he served as a field officer in Brig. Gen. Henry Miller’s Company.

At the close of the war Captain Nesbit settled at Carlisle, Pa., but in 1801 he moved to Northumberland Co. where he bought the rights of and operated a ferry opposite Lewisburg, Union Co., long known as Nesbit’s Ferry. His house and buildings where he carried on a general merchandise business were destroyed by fire Dec. 24,1802.  His land warrant below:

Alexander Nesbit was married twice; first in 1783 to Ann or Sarah Ann Davidson, daughter of Samuel and grand-daughter of Patrick and Ann Davidson of North Middleton Township, Cumberland Co. Ann Davidson Nesbit died in 1807, leaving ten children. Captain Nesbit married, secondly, Nancy Jane McKay, by whom he had four children. Captain Alexander Nesbit died on November 8, 1823, and is buried at Lewisburg, Pa., near the site of the Presbyterian Church.

John and his son are indicative of the type of people our predecessors were. They were people of means and influence but they still risked everything for freedom. For more information on the Nesbit family, see “A Genealogy of the Nesbit, Ross, Porter, Taggart Families of Pennsylvania” (1929) available at the NYCHAPS library.

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