A Short Bio on Martin Tschudy
Extracted from Baltis H. Kennard's Family Register
M argaret Spies the Mother of Louisa Kennard was a Tshudy of Swiss origin. One brother, John Jacob, was a bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church and for awhile had charge of a church in South Carolina. Her Father Martin Tshudy was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He lived to the age of 93 years. The writer remembers him well. He died about 1835 or 36. The writer was then a child. He came of Sturdy Stock, possessed genius, was a musician and made many curious instruments of his own design, which produced music of a sweet and novel tone of character.
T he latter years of his life he spent as a Horticulturist and Florist. His garden was on W. Market St. extended, nearly opposite where the Winans' estate now stands - now Baltimore Street. He occupied a large tract, but narrow in dimensions, and which it is said, extended N. easterly to considerable extent. Latterly the larger share of this land went into other hands, and a lengthy strip, it is said went to other possession, without proper title, but these theories are so common to future generations that they become. Little less than a phantom and even, had they an embodiment, lapse of time renders a recovery essentially impossible. Mr. Tschudy, however, died possessed of that portion which fronted on the north side of Baltimore Street and extended to an open way then called Park Lane, now Raborg Street. [Note of Lorelle Parrott Weidlein states that this street is now Fairmount] This property he gave to his daughter Margaret - Mrs. Spies then a widow, who nursed him and administered to his comfort in his decreasing years. It will not be uninteresting to note, that Margaret Spies created annuities out of this land, and in subsequent years, sold them and invested the proceeds, in a lot at the S. West corner of Pennsylvania avenue and Biddle Street, created thereout, an annuity of $100.00.
S he died in 1869. For quite 30 years thereafter it remained in her family, then under her Will by court decree, this annuity was sold together with a Certificate of City stock of the value of $1,000. And distributed among her descendents, who with intermarriages amounted to about 40 or 45 people. Her family immediate were then all dead, So that out of a small estate, at least for Sixty years, this portion remained in tact, and the worthy Mother, Grand, and Great Grand Mother reached ___ direct from herself, to her remotest descendent, and gave a testimonial to each, of her love and devotion.
A t the time Mr. Tschudy held this property, the land all around it was open commons, of vast extent. He was offered a large tract bordering his property on the east, chiefly known as Clem's lot for $500.00. Could he have bought it and held it, his descendents would have been immensely rich but then $500.00 was perhaps as unreachable as $500,000.00 at this day and, therefore, the what might have been, is not a tenable proposition.
Transcribed by Elizabeth Jeanne Rivers Peters, Baltis H. Kennard's Great-Great Granddaughter and Martin Tschudy's 5G Granddaughter.
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