Benjamin Franklin Grants Land to a Revolutionary War Soldier Who Served at an Important Munitions Laboratory

Isaac Craig was a Revolutionary War officer whose unit was posted to the ammunition laboratory at Carlisle, PA, where he and his men learned about munitions manufacturing. In April 1780 Craig was ordered to march a detachment of artillery and artillery artificers to Fort Pitt, where he was stationed for the remainder of the war. Conrad Hartman, a German immigrant, was stationed with Craig at Fort Pitt, and was perhaps in Craig’s unit much earlier. He was a private in the laboratory, responsible for helping to build, guard and maintain munitions, and was with Craig at Fort Pitt.

Pennsylvania had passed a law giving land in the west of the state to those PA soldiers who had fought in the Revolutionary War.

On October 18, 1785, Benjamin Franklin was unanimously elected the sixth President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania (essentially he was governor). He held that office for over three years, longer than any other person, and served the constitutional limit of three full terms. In 1787 he was elected President of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery. And on May 28 though September 17, he served as a delegate to the constitutional convention held in Philadelphia. At its conclusion, he signed the U.S. Constitution.

Document signed, Philadelphia, April 5, 1787, reciting “that in consideration of the services rendered by Conrad Hartman, late private, in the army of the United States,” land totaling 206 acres has been granted in Westmoreland County to Conrad Miller, presumably Harman’s heir or assignee.

These documents of Benjamin Franklin are increasingly uncommon.