USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > A history of the Goshenhoppen Reformed charge, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (1727-1819) > Part 9
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Meanwhile Rev. John Wilhelmi [Wilhelmius] of Rot- terdam wrote also to Switzerland, to the Rev. John Bap- tista Ott of Zurich, to learn more of Goetschy's past. On February 5, 1735, Mr. Ott replied to him. He sketched Goetschy's life as student in the Zurich Gymnasium, as deacon at Bernegg and as pastor at Salez. He praised him for his scholarly attainments, as an evidence of which he states that it was popularly reported that he conducted family worship with the Bible in the original language before him. He acknowledged that he had been guilty of immorality, but expressed the hope that as the authorities in Zurich had dealt leniently with Goetschy, simply dis- missing him as a minister, so the Dutch people would find him worthy to send him out as their missionary.112
Whether this letter reached Holland before the time of the departure of the emigrants is doubtful, as Ludwig Weber states in his report that after his return to Switzer- land he heard that the party had left Holland on February 24, 1735.
When Goetschy had received from Mr. Felss the assur- ance of his appointment as minister to Pennsylvania, he returned to Rotterdam and acquainted his party of emi- grants with his changed plans. Most of them readily ac- cepted his proposal to change their destination from Caro- lina to Pennsylvania. There were, however, some who refused to have anything to do with him. Weber reports 112 All these letters referred to above are in the city library at Zurich.
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History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
88 as taking ship to England, but what became of them is unknown. The rest, 143 persons, signed their names for passage to Philadelphia. They agreed with the owner of a ship [Schiffpatron] to pay six doubloons for an adult and three for a child. If any of them should die, the sur- vivors pledged themselves to pay their passage money.
The names of those who registered to sail for Pennsyl- vania were, according to Weber's report, as follows:
EMIGRANTS IN GOETSCHY'S COLONY.
Home in Switzerland.
Name of Head of Family.
Number.
Appenzell
Jacob Mettler
I
Bachss
. Jacob Bucher, shoemaker
4
Basserstor ff
. Heinrich Brunner I
Basserstorff
Heinrich Dübendorffer
5
Basserstorff
· Jacob Dübendorffer
2
Basserstorff
. Kilian Dübendorffer
5
Basserstorff
. Heinrich Hug, wheelwright
I
Bertschicken
Rudolph Walder
3
Buchss
. Jacob Schmid
6
Buchss
. Jacob Murer (Maurer) 5
Buchss
Heinrich Huber
4
Buchss
. Conrad Meyer
3
Diebendorff
Jacob Dentzler 6
Esch
Rudolf Egg
I
Flunteren
.Balthasar Bossart 5
Flunteren
. Jacob Schellenberg and servant
2
Greiffensee
. Johannes Heid
2
Hirsslanden
Caspar Nötzli and his children
Illau
Rudolf Hotz
I
Iloten
Verena Kern
3
Langenhuet
Hans Ott
I
Luffingen
Abraham Weidemann, blacksmith 2
Hennidorff
Hans Ulrich Ammann
I
Mülliberg
. Jacob Possart
6
Opffikon
Barbara Eberhardt I
Riesspach
. Heinrich Schreiber, “ blatmacher " 4
Rumlang Rudolf Weidman, tailor
3
Steinmeer, Upper Hans Meyer
4
Stein
Conrad Geweiler, and second wife. 2
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Colony of Goetschy
Sultzbach
Jacob Frey
5
Wallisellen
Heinrich Merck
6
Wallisellen
Martin Schellenberg
3
Wallisellen
Ludwig Lienhardt
Wallisellen · Jacob Wüst
Wallisellen
Hans Rudolf Aberli
Wallisellen
. Conrad Keller
3
Wallisellen
. Jacob Näff
5
Wallisellen
. Conrad Näff 5
Wallisellen
Jacob Näff
2
Wangen
. Caspar Guntz
I
Windli
. Hans Ulrich Arner
6
Winckel
. Jacob Meyer
5
Zummikon
Jacob Bertschinger I
Zurich
Heinrich Scheuchzer I
N .-
Hans Müller
4
N .-
. Jacob Müller and brother
2
N .-
Abraham Wäckerli
4
N .-
Hans Kübler 4
This company with some others who evidently joined them after Ludwig Weber had started on his return jour- ney to Switzerland, and whose names he could not there- fore record, reached Philadelphia on May 29, 1735, in the ship Mercury, William Wilson, master. It carried in all 186 passengers, 61 men, 5 1 women, 37 boys and 34 girls. The above list forms an important supplement to the list in the Pennsylvania Archives, as it gives in each case the place in Switzerland from which the several per- sons came.
The journey itself and some of the later experiences of the Goetschy family are given in a letter which John Henry Goetschy, then a boy of 17 years, wrote on July 21, 1735, to Mr. Werdmüller, deacon at St. Peter's church in Zurich. As this letter has never been published and is quite inter- esting, we present it in full :113
113 Original in Zurich library, see Zusätze zum Lexicon Geograph .- Herald-Stemmatogr., Vol. II, F-H, pp. 196-199 (Msc. E. 62).
V
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History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
LETTER OF JOHN HENRY GOETSCHY TO ZURICH, JULY 21, 1735. Very Reverend, Very Learned Mr. Deacon!
I, the most submissive servant of my very reverend, highly and very learned Mr. Deacon, cannot forbear to report to your Rever- ence, how we are getting along. After we had left Holland and surrendered ourselves to the wild, tempestuous ocean, its waves and its changeable winds, we reached, through God's great goodness toward us, with good wind, England within 24 hours. After a lapse of two days we came to the island of Wicht [Wight] and there to a little town, called Caus [Cowes], where our captain supplied himself with provisions for the great ocean [trip] and we secured medicines for this wild sea. Then we sailed, under God's goodness, with a good east wind away from there. When we had left the harbour and saw this dreaded ocean, we had a favorable wind only for the following day and the following night. Then we had to hear a terrible storm and the awful roaring and raging of the waves when we came into the Spanish and Portu- guese ocean. For twelve weeks we were subjected to this misery and had to suffer all kinds of bad and dangerous storms and terrors of death, which seemed to be even more bitter than death. With these we were subject to all kinds of bad diseases. The food was bad, for we had to eat what they call " galley bread." We had to drink stinking, muddy water, full of worms. We had an evil tyrant and rascal for our captain and first mate, who regarded the sick as nothing else than dogs. If one said: " I have to cook some- thing for a sick man," he replied: "Get away from here or I'll throw you overboard, what do I care for your sick devil." In short, misfortune is everywhere upon the sea. We alone fared better. This has been the experience of all who have come to this land and even if a king traveled across the sea, it would not change. After having been in this misery sufficiently long, God, the Lord, brought us out and showed us the land, which caused great joy among us. But three days passed, the wind being contrary, before we could enter into the right river. Finally a good south wind came and brought us in one day through the glorious and beautiful
109
Letter of John Henry Goetschy
Telewa [Delaware], which is a little larger than the Rhine, but not by far as wild as the latter, because this country has no moun- tains, to the long expected and wished for city of Philadelphia.
When we reached here our dear father, because of the great and tedious journey and the hardships so unbearable to old people, was very sick and weak. On the last day, when we were before Phila- delphia, the elders of the Reformed congregation came to him and showed their great joy over him. They spoke with him as their pastor, who had been appointed to that position by the ruling per- sons in Holland, as was shown by his testimonials which he had with him. They discussed one or other church affair with him and showed their great joy. He spoke heartily with them, as if he were well. The following day they came and took him to the land. When he reached the land he was so exhausted by his sick- ness that he could not walk alone, but was carried in a chair to the house assigned to him. When they were there, they wished to talk with him about one or other subject. Of his own people none were with him but mother, the children were yet on the ship on the water. Then he said: "It is so dark before my eyes, let me lie down and sleep." As they did not want him to sleep in that room, since people were coming in continually and he would have been unable to sleep, they carried him upstairs to the bed room. In the middle of the stairway he sat down, lifted his hands to his heart and his eyes to heaven, heaved a sigh and died. On the third day a very distinguished funeral took place in the prin- cipal English Presbyterian church in Philadelphia, with a large attendance of people. All the members of the consistory of the Reformed church and very many of the congregation were present.
Now we, his wife and eight poor, forsaken orphans, are in a strange land among strange people, who do not know us, poor and without comfort. We, therefore, commend ourselves most sub- missively to all those in Zurich to whom our misfortune will be- come known and whose hearts will be touched, in order that they may graciously grant us their assistance. It can easily be sent into this country, if they will only send it through Mr. Wilhelmius at Rotterdam, for which I ask most humbly, for the sake of the merciful Jesus.
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History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
Very Reverend Mr. Deacon, when I showed my testimonials, and the people saw that I had been engaged in study, they almost compelled me to preside over the congregations as well as I could. Hence, through the goodness of God, I preach twice every Sunday and teach two catechetical lessons. For this I make use of the books which I have brought with me and through good diligence I am enabled, thank God, to perform this in such a way, that each and every person is well satisfied with me. Now the first Sunday I preach in Philadelphia both in the forenoon and the afternoon and always give with it catechetical instruction. On the second Sunday in Schippach, which is a very large congregation, a sermon and catechetical instruction in the forenoon. In the afternoon at Old Goshenhoppen, two hours [six miles] from Schippach, a ser- mon and catechetical instruction. It is also a pretty large congre- gation, as large as any in the canton of Zurich. On the third Sunday I preach in New Goshenhoppen and have catechetical instruction there in the forenoon. In the afternoon at Great Swamp [Grossen Schwam], which is also one of the large congre- gations. All this I can do through the strength given me by God's spirit, to the great satisfaction of the people. I expect to be con- secrated next Christmas by the English Presbyterians, in order that I may be able to administer the communion, unite people in mar- riage and baptize children. With the help of God I intend to do this. I would be able to do this all the better and put forth greater efforts for the souls of abandoned and confused sheep, if I had my library, which is in charge of Mr. Gorchen [George] Kromer. I therefore ask your Reverence most humbly, if at all possible, to send it to me very kindly, not only for my sake and the large num- ber of poor orphans left by my sainted father, but also for the sake of the many thousand strayed and shepherdless sheep, who go about in error and in a destitute condition, yea for the sake of the many heathen, who thereby might be led to the Lord Jesus, as has already been done.
Given on the 21st of July 1735. HENRY GOETSCHIUS, Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.
III
Goetschy before Presbyterians
The condition of the land is as follows: There are in it English- men, Germans and French from all parts of Europe. Most of them are Reformed. The others are people of all kinds of imagi- nable sects, Atheists, Anabaptists, Quakers, Arians, Enthusiasts, Nestorians, Pietists, Mennonites, Waldensians etc., etc, many hun- dred kinds, for in this country there is perfect liberty of conscience. The Reformed are scattered through seven congregations and thus there is among many thousand sheep no shepherd.
This letter bears the following inscription :
Letter of Henrich Goetschi, minister at Philadelphia to Mr. Werdmüller, " Diacon " at St. Peters in Zurich.
In order to prepare himself for the next important step in his life, his ordination, Mr. Goetschy wrote on Septem- ber 26, 1735, to John Lavater, professor of Latin and Greek in the " Collegium Humanitatis " at Zurich, asking him for a certificate of his work and conduct while there. This certificate was written on May 28, 1736,114 and it testified to the fact that, after having been instructed in the fundamentals of the arts and ancient languages by his father he had entered the Latin school and spent there a year and that he had been "faithful and diligent in his studies, upright in his life and morals, modest and pious in his conduct."
On May 27, 1737, Goetschy applied to the Presby- terian Synod of Philadelphia for ordination. The min- utes of that meeting115 state that,
a letter was brought in from Mr. Henricus Goetschius to Mr. Andrews, signifying his desire and the desire of many people of the German nation, that he might be ordained by order of Synod to the work of the ministry, upon which the said Mr. Goetschius was desired to appear before the Synod, that they might see his cre- dentials and have some discourse with him; which being done, he
114 Archives of Classis, Pennsylvania Portfolio, new letters, No. 11.
115 Records of Presbyterian Church, Vol. I, p. 133.
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History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
produced testimonials from Germany, which were ample and satis- factory to the Synod respecting his learning and good Christian conversation ; whereupon he was recommended to the care of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, to act upon further trials of him, with respect to his ordination, as to them should seem fit.
Formerly it was supposed, without further investigation, as a matter of course, that the Presbytery granted his re- quest. But when the writer some years ago examined the unpublished minutes of the Philadelphia Presbytery, he discovered that this supposition was not correct.
On the same day, May 27, 1737, the Presbytery met and took up the case referred to them by Synod. The minutes state :116
The affair of Mr. Henry Goetschius his tryale and ordination, being by the Synod recommended to this Presbytery, they took the same under consideration and agreed to meet tomorrow morning at Mr. Andrews' chamber, in order to take his tryale and then conclude upon what is further to be done in his affair as things shall then appear and Mr. Andrews agrees to give him notice that he may be present at the above time and place. May 28, 1737.
Memorandum that three members of this Presbytery and three other ministers met at Mr. Andrews's chamber as above directed and having read an exegesis composed by Mr. Goetschius on the article of justification and discoursed with him largely in order to discover his qualifications for the ministry, they unanimously came to this conclusion, that tho' he appeared well skilled in the learned languages, yet inasmuch as they found him altogether ignorant in college learning and but poorly read in Divinity, his ordination to the ministry must at present be deferred. And therefore for his
116 Minutes of Presbytery of Philadelphia, Vol. III, 1733-1784, a manu- script preserved by the Presbyterian Historical Society at Philadelphia. The extract given above was printed, from copy furnished by writer, in Eccle- siastical Records of New York, Vol. IV, p. 2684 f.
II3
Goetschy at Goshenhoppen
better instruction advised him (being willing to encourage him) to put himself under the tuition and care of some minister for some competent time, that he may be better accomplished for the work he is engaged in; and they also agreed, that, considering the neces- sitous condition of the people, that they desire his labours, he may sometimes preach to them in the meantime, as he has done for some time past.
The presence of Mr. Goetschy in the Goshenhoppen re- gion soon made itself felt in the activity of the people.
At Old Goshenhoppen, the Lutheran church record in- forms us,
in the year 1737, on January the 26th, the church land was sur- veyed and it was found to contain 3814 acres of land, with allow- ance for roads. In the same year, February 7th, [it was] entered in the office for Recording of Deeds for the City and County of Philadelphia, in Patent Book A, Volume VIII. p. 325, by Mr. Brockden. Anno 1738, January 12th, the expenses were paid by Mr. Michael Reiher in behalf of the Lutherans and by Jacob Keller in behalf of the Reformed. They were as follows:
I. For 381/4 acres of land. € S. D
2. To Surveyor General for warrant and return. 5 17. 9
9. O
3. For the patent to the Secretary of the Proprietor I. O
4. For the recording by Brockden 5.
5.
O
5. To Mr. Grashold for his trouble. 7 6
Total £8 4 3
At Great Swamp warrants for land were taken out on May 23, 1738, and
there was surveyed on the twenty-seventh day of September, fol- lowing unto Michael and Joseph Everhart a certain Tract of Land situate in Upper Milford Township, formerly in the County of Bucks, now Northampton ... containing one hundred and thir- teen Acres and seventy perches and the usual allowance of six Acres per cent for Roads and Highways ... in Trust for minister, 9
114
History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
Elders and Congregation for the time being of the said reformed Calvinist and their successors settled and to be settled from time to time in the said several Townships of Upper and Lower Milford, the said Congregation having now erected [1762] on the said Tract a Church and School House for the use of them and their successors. 117
At New Goshenhoppen John Henry Sproegel had do- nated a tract of land consisting of fifty acres. Unfor- tunately no deed was given and hence the date and the circumstances cannot now be determined. But that it took place at an early time is vouched for by the report of John Philip Boehm, written to the Synods of Holland on April 20, 1744. He writes :118
Regarding the congregation at Goshenhoppen, it has also a sui- table frame church upon a piece of land consisting of 50 acres, donated by some one, that all religions and sects should have the privilege of building a church thereon, and I lately learned from an old elder of theirs that the church is paid for. Two years ago four of them bought a plot. They intended to hand it over to the congregation for a parsonage if they were reimbursed for their outlay. How much it costs I do not know.
The fact that John Henry Sproegel118ª was the donor of
117 Printed by Dr. Weiser in his Monograph, pp. 42-46.
118 Minutes of Coetus, p. 26.
118a John Henry Sprogell (Sproegel) was born February 12, 1679. His father, John Henry, was an eminent Lutheran minister and head of a Lutheran Seminary at Quedlinburg, Germany. His mother was a daughter of the celebrated composer of music, Michael Wagner. Godfried Arnold, the church historian, married his sister. He came to Pennsylvania with his brother, Ludwig Christian, about 1702. In 1727 he is reported as having lived in the province twenty-five years, see Pennypacker, Hendrik Panne- becker, p. 86. In 1705 Pastorius says (see Pennypacker, Ilistory of Ger- mantown, p. 76) that "about two years ago one John Henry Sprogel arrived in this province." In the beginning of 1705 both brothers were naturalized. John Henry Sproegell purchased about 600 acres in Potts- grove, on which he settled with his family. The present Sprogel's run
II5
Donation of Henry Sproegel
this land is not only traditional but it rests on good docu- mentary evidence. The congregation still owns a draught made by the surveyor, David Schultze, of which we pre- sent a facsimile, which is described by the surveyor as "a draught of a tract of land divided into several tracts, sit- uate in Upper Hanover Township in the County of Mont- gomery and State of Pennsylvania, containing together Fifty acres and 26 Perches of land. Being part of 13,000 acres, in former Times belonging to John Henry Sproegel and afterwards to Thomas Tresse, Senior, deceased."
A curious fate overtook the donation of John Henry Sproegel. He died without giving the congregation a deed. The same happened to the Falkner Swamp Lu- theran Church. As a result the New Goshenhoppen con- gregation was compelled to purchase the land of the heirs of John Henry Sproegel. For David Shultze states on his draught, above referred to, that " in the year 1749 [it] was by the Agents or Trustees of the said deceased Tresse's Family, sold to the settlers thereof, and the above tract was jointly purchased of them, by the Calvinists and Mennonists Congregations for the use of Churches, Meet- ing House, School House and Burying Ground." To an- was called after him and flows through this tract. From a stone in an ancient graveyard east of the borough line we learn that his wife, Dorothea, died August 7, 1718, aged forty years. A son, Frederick, died in 1716, one year old. (See Buck, History of Montgomery County, p. 110.) In 1719 John Henry Sprogell gave fifty acres of land to the Lutherans in New Hanover township. Hendrick Pannebecker surveyed it and laid it out, the survey being completed April 17, 1719, see Pennypacker, Hendrick Pannebecker, p. 73 ff.
His brother, Lodowick (Ludwig) Christian Sprogell, died at Philadel- phia in 1729. His will is No. 129 of 1729, Book E, p. 114.
His sister, known as widow Sprogell, lived on Second Street, Philadel- phia, see advertisement in Weekly Mercury of February 10, 1730, quoted above, p. 45. She died at Philadelphia December 20, 1760, see American Ancestry, Vol. IV, p. 5.
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History of the Goshenhoppen Charge
ticipate the later history, it may be noted here that in 1749 the congregation was again unable to secure a deed. Not before February 23, 1796, was the deed actually made out and the final transfer of the land to the congregation consummated.
The church at New Goshenhoppen reported by Boehm as standing on the Sproegel tract in 1744, can be traced to a still earlier date. It had been erected before January, 1739, for at that time Mr. Boehm reported to Holland :119
Goshenhoppen. As I have heard from people that live there, they have built a pretty large church at that place, which will be sufficient for them for some time, but it is poorly made of wood.
Of the ministry of John Henry Goetschy at Goshen- hoppen we have a somewhat extended description by John Philip Boehm in his report of January, 1739. Goetschy, like Weiss and Miller, soon after his arrival came in con- flict with Mr. Boehm, because he entered several of his congregations. Hence Boehm condemned his work se- verely. Continuing the history of the Goshenhoppen church after the departure of Miller, Boehm writes :120
After these men had failed, they arbitrarily made Henry Goetschi their pretended minister, when he was hardly eighteen years of age and but half a year before had received the Lord's Supper for the first time from Do. Rieger at Germantown. Goeschi then undertook to administer the Lord's Supper and to baptize, to install elders and to marry people. In short, he did what belongs to the office of a regular minister. Goshenhoppen has him at the present time [1739] as its preacher, and permits him to establish and to carry on all this disorder from Goshen- hoppen as a center, not only at Skippack, but at other places also. He has done this, at Oley, where he has misled the congregation,
119 L. c., p. 12.
120 L. c., p. 10; Life and Letters of Boehm, p. 277 f.
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Boehm on Goetschy
which was established by me in 1736 at their request, and he now also serves this congregation. At Tulpehocken he attempted to do the same thing through three un-called-for visits, but he was refused. Yet he continues such improper actions.
Meanwhile this Goshenhoppen is a congregation or a place where a faithful shepherd and minister is greatly needed, through whose wise administration a flourishing congregation ought soon to be established. There are also several places near Goshenhoppen which should be provided for, as Great Swamp and Saucon Creek. These, although they might be served by the minister of Goshen- hoppen with the administration of the sacraments and sometimes with a sermon, yet need to be provided with readers, who have the ability to catechise, especially at Saucon Creek, because it is a some- what out-of-the-way place and many Reformed people live there.
We learn more about the extensive activity of young Goetschy from the title page of the oldest New Goshen- hoppen Reformed Record, by which he informs us that he preached at eleven preaching places, namely at Skippack, Old Goshenhoppen and New Goshenhoppen in Mont- gomery County; Great Swamp and Egypt in Lehigh County; Saucon in Northampton County; Maxatawny, Moselem, Oley, Berne and Tulpehocken in Berks County. In four of these places church records, begun by him, or containing at least entries by his hand, are still in existence.
In New Goshenhoppen he entered 60 baptisms, begin- ning on April 25, 1736, and ending on September 24, 1740. He also wrote the title page of this record, prob- ably in 1736, when he began his entries. Moreover, we have from his pen the first list of members at New Gosh- enhoppen, 45 in all, written about 1736; and the first list of elders, elected April 25, 1736, namely John Steinmann, John Bingemann, J. Georg Welcker and Henry Gallman.
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