Edward Hand was born in Ireland in 1744 and trained as a doctor. He came to Pennsylvania as a surgeon’s mate with a British regiment in 1767 and later left the army to practice medicine in Lancaster.
The Revolution
When the Revolution began, Hand joined a Pennsylvania rifle regiment. He fought at Long Island, Trenton and Princeton, and became a brigadier general. He later commanded at Fort Pitt and served in the Sullivan Expedition in 1779.
In 1781 George Washington named him adjutant general of the Continental Army, the officer responsible for orders and records. He was present at the British surrender at Yorktown.
Rock Ford
After the war Hand returned to Lancaster, practiced medicine and served in Congress and local office. Around 1794 he built Rock Ford, a Georgian brick house on the Conestoga River.
He died there in 1802.
The house today
Rock Ford is one of the best preserved 18th-century houses in the region, with much of its original woodwork. It is open as a museum, Historic Rock Ford, with period furniture and gardens.
The site hosts events through the year, including Revolutionary-era reenactments.