USA > Pennsylvania > Historic background and annals of the Swiss and German pioneer settlers of southeastern Pennsylvania, and of their remote ancestors, from the middle of the Dark Ages, down to the time of the Revolutionary War > Part 40
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1744-Conrad Weiser.
The most influential German, out- side of those who lived at German- town during the first half of the eighteenth century in Pennsylvania, was Conrad Weiser. His labors ex- tend over a long series of years, until he died in 1760. He was the leading spirit in all of the treaties held with the Indians of Pennsylvania, and at the great treaty in 1744. He was the chief interpreter and was implicitly relied upon, by the Indians. in all matters. He made a journey to Sha- mokin at the instance of the Province of Pennsylvania, in 1744 (See 4 Col. Rec. 680), to investigate the murder of James Armstrong by the Indians. Among his many activities, from about the year 1730, was his leading of the Indians to Philadelphia - his interpreting at Philadelphia-his en- tertaining the Governors at his house -his conferences with the Indians of Ohio-his dealing with the 6 nations -his work in the Cumberland Dis- tricts - his interest in missionaries for the Indians-his conferences with
Governor Clinton - his labors among the Mohawks-his opinions and activ- ities in the Connecticut dispute - his services at the Albany treaty - his purchase of provisions for the In- dians - his history of the Owandot Indians-his controversy with Sowers concerning some newspaper notoriety -his efforts to discourage scalping, and his trading business. All of these activities are found in Vol. 3 onward, of the Col. Rec.
In the first to the fourth series of the Pa. Archives are found a large number of his letters, his journals, accounts of his dealing in wampum, accounts of the transactions with the Indians, in buying and selling horses and dealing in their goods, etc., all of which are illuminating and show the wide range of activities of this man.
1744-Ship Records for This Year.
During this year we find 5 ship loads of these German-Swiss people. We find a total of 1080 people.
Among the common Lancaster County names, we find the following: 2 Bergers-2 Benders-2 Engles-2 Groffs-2 Harts-5 Klines-3 Kings -8 Myers-7 Millers-2 Michaels-2 Moores-4 Snyders-3 Smiths -3 Schaeffers-4 Wagners-6 Webers-2 Wises and 4 Youngs."
We also find one each of the fol- lowing :
Albright - Baker - Baer - Brown - Bernhart -- Bauman - Doebler - Herman - Hartman - Huber - Kautz - Kurtz -- Long - Lobach Lintner -Metzler Morgan Mosser - Mussleman - Roth Reith - Stein - Thomas - Werner Witmer and Steinmetz.
These German-Swiss people came over in the ship "Aurora." Robert Pickeman master - "Phoenix," Wil- liam Wilson master - "Friendship," John Mason master-"Carteret." Stevenson master - and "Muscliffe Galley," George Durell master.
2SC
GERMAN-SWISS ACTIVITIES.
1:44-Indians at Lancaster Bark Trees for the Germans.
One of the results, incidentally hap- pening, in connection with the Indian treaty of 1744 at Lancaster, was the depredation by Indians, upon the prop- erty of citizens. Among those injured was John Musser near Lancaster. July 31st, of this year, he made a com- plaint to the Assembly of Pennsyl- vania, that at the late Indian treaty he had considerable trouble and loss, by the Indians breaking several of his walnut trees, which they wanted to "bark" their cabins, and that he was told not to differ or interfere with them about it, but to hand in his bill to the Assembly, and that he now does so, and claims six pounds dam- age. August 2nd, the Assembly al- lowed him five pounds. (See 3 Votes of Assembly 555 & 6.)
Our German-Swiss ancestors also suffered by reason of the traders and others carrying rum to the Indians and then cheating them when drunk. When they became sober, these In- dians were inclined to be savage and threatening to the peaceful Germans among them, even though they were innocent. (Do. p. 549.)
1744-Praise for Lancaster County Germans Agriculture.
A traveller in Lancaster County states "We have been accustomed to hear the population of Pennsylvania, sneered at and continued as vulgar and ignorant; and our Germans branded as animals. But by their fruits ye shall know them. Thus tested, they are not surpassed by any population in any country. They are intelligent and honest; they under- stand perfectly the business that be- longs to them-they do all that they have to do in the best manner and with best results. There is no agri- culture in the United States like that of the Germans of Pennsylvania-
there is none superior anywhere. I have known farms on which other occupiers have starved and have been finally ejected by the Sheriff, and then they were succeeded by Germans, who, in a few years, covered the bar- ren fields with rich crops and became prosperous and wealthy." (6 Haz. Reg. 69.)
1744-Germans Oppose War With France.
This year England declared war against France and the colonies in America became involved too. Our Germans were having a great deal of trouble with their servants, running away to war, whose time these own- ers had paid in advance from three to seven years. As many persons came to Pennsylvania not having money to pay the expense of their passage, our German farmers constantly bought these persons who were sold for a term of years to pay those expenses. Thus when war was declared and these servants found they could ob- tain ready cash for their services in the army, they joined the ranks. A great storm of opposition to the ef- fect of war on the servant question arose in Lancaster County and throughout the Province. The trou- ble had existed some years, and John Wright, Judge of our Courts, was dismissed by Governor Thomas, be- cause of his opposition to the War Governor in 1741. Then later came this new trouble. (Pa. Gazette June 14, 1744, etc.)
1744-Attempt to Burn the House of Conrad Weiser By His Enemies.
In the Penna. Gazette of December 6, 1744, the following appears: "By order of the Governor - WHEREAS some evil minded person or persons. did in the night between the 15th and 16th, inst., attempt to burn the dwell- ing house of Conrad Weiser in Tulny- hocken in the County of Lancaster.
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ATTEMPT TO BURN CONRAD WEISER'S HOUSE.
by means of a large bundle of straw, | a legal prosecution, in the premises, which was purposely laid and set on all such persons who shall cause the said Adam Haines to be apprehended and secured, shall be handsomely re- warded. And by his Honor, the Gov- ernor, special command is hereby given, that if any one of the accom- plices in the said crime shall give to the Secretary of this province, the names of the rest, so they may be per- secuted, and brought to condign pun- ishment for the same, he shall secure his pardon." fire, upon the roof of a low building joining the house, and at the same time fastened the door of the house, on the outside, with the intent to con- fine the family so that they might be unable to help themselves and perish in the flames. But the same was hap- pily prevented, through some of the family being awakened from the flames and great quantities of smoke from the straw, and the shingles beating on the roof, into the room It is to be observed in this article, that this good old German friend, ad- visor and counsellor, of the infant provinces of Pa. had his enemies for conscientiously doing his duty. Not only were there rascals among the younger people of this German Swiss ancestors here; but also among other nationalities. where they lay, and alarming the rest of the family. Then with difficulty they broke open the door, which had been fastened by a strong rope, and they extinguished the fire. (This at- tempt did not succeed; but a few years later this house was burned to the ground, as we shall note.)
Adam Haines, referred to above, seems to be a rascal. He was con- victed in Quarter Sessions Court of Lancaster County, February 5th, 1745. of stealing a cow, and being found guilty August following, was sen- tenced to pay 50 shillings, the price of the cow, 50 shillings fine, and the cost of the suit, and to have 21 lashes, the next day, across his bare back, at the public whipping post at Lancaster.
George Haines was prosecuted for stealing a ram and a ewe-and Adam Haines was also convicted of being the father of a bastard child, and sentenced to pay a fine of ten pounds and costs, and the woman received the same sentence.
1744 - Suffering in Switzerland and Holland from Oppression, Disease and Famine.
In Earnest Muller's Anabaptist History, p. 208, he states, that in 1744 one of the old fathers, by the name of Burkholder, wrote, that he and his people were suffering indescribably,
.
And whereas, one Adam Haines, a vile, profligate young man, in the neighborhood of the said Weiser, hav- ing committed a crime, which coming to the cognizance of the said Weiser, he as the next Magistrate, was by the duty of his office, obliged to bind him over to the Court of Quarter Sessions of Lancaster County. And refusing to accept a bribe of the said Haines, which he solicited him very much to take to suppress and keep back the recognizance, and for that and other reasons, the said Weiser having good reasons to suspect Haines and other of his accomplices, supposed to be of the same family, to have been guilty of that villanous attempt to destroy him and his family, he caused the said Haines to be apprehended by the Constable: but Haines made his escape and fled from the Constable and now absconds.
These are therefore, to give notice that if any person or persons will discover and find out, the said Haines, so that he may be retaken and com- mitted to some of the common jails of this Province, in order to undergo | because they were compelled by Eng-
288
HANS BURKHOLDER'S EFFORTS FOR HIS PEOPLE.
land, France and Austria to furnish supplies for them in their wars, and to quarter the troops of soldiers and take care of them and feed them. He states that these soldiers became un- bearable in their manner, insulting and threatening to the families of these non-resistant people, and often they had to support and quarter as many as five or seven soldiers, for a considerable time. Besides this they suffered from failing crops, and fam- ine. There were also epidemics among their cattle, and thousands of their young cattle died. Some of the brethren lost every head of stock they had. And to make matters all the worse, they were now living the best they could, since they were compelled to flee from Switzerland, when they began to take measures to expel all these Anabaptists or Mennonites.
Now they began to turn their at- tention towards emigrating towards Pennsylvania, as their Brethren in distress, had done more than thirty years earlier. Therefore, we see from this, that the difficulties and persecu- tions, both in Switzerland and in the Palatinate along the Rhine, were con- tinuing.
1744-John Armstrong an Early Resi- dent Killed by Indians.
In the Pa. Gazette of April 26th, 1744, it is stated, that news from Lan- caster reports, that John Armstrong, an Indian trader, and two servants, were murdered by three Indians, who waylaid them as they were going with goods to Allegheny. The chief of the murderers was taken to the Lancaster jail. He confessed the fact with all the circumstances. The Indians are of the Delaware tribe. It is stated that there had been some differences and difficulties, between the deceased and the Indian, that was taken to jail.
And in the same news appears, un- der May 10th, it is stated that the
Indian who killed Armstrong tells his side of the trouble, and says, it was about a horse. The Indian gave his horse and three belts of wampum, for goods, and found that he was cheat- ed; and when he went to get his goods back, Armstrong would not give them up, but got mad and hit the In- dian with a stick. The Indian then killed him with a tomahawk. The Indians then buried Armstrong by the side of the Juniata Creek, and threw the bodies of the two German serv- ants into the creek. The corpses of these two fellows were found by the crows and a bald eagle, hovering over them.
1744-Swiss Mennonite Patriarch Hans Burkholder's Letters From Germany.
Among the most active of the early Swiss Mennonites, was Hans Burk- holder, who nearly all his life, was a leader in everything that pertained to the welfare of our Swiss ancestors. There are records of his activities be- fore the year 1700, and these records continue down to the time of his death. We are fortunate in being able to present a translation of two let- ters, written by him, a very short time before he died in the year 1744, from Heroltzheim in Palatinate. giv- ing us again, a picture of the renewal of the difficulties that had arisen for these non-resistant followers of Men- no Simon, in the heart of Europe. Switzerland had driven the most of them out by this time, and they were strangers living in the valley of the Rhine, that is, in the Palatinate. The later difficulties seem to be famine and the necessity of furnishing quar- ter, for soldiers, while the regular run of difficulties that grew out of their religion, while religion in the heart of Europe generally was a State matter, controlled by the State, etc.
These letters are translations from a collection of what he called the "Dutch copies" in the Historical So-
289
LETTERS FROM HEROLTZHEIM.
ciety at Philadelphia, and are here in- tant from us, with a great army so serted for the purpose of giving a that we must again, do compulsory service that can no longer be en- dured. After this, the army broke camp and went to Weyer. Then we have had the headquarters of the Austrians twice among us, so that Your Honors can well see how things have gone with us, and that we passed this summer in great cares and under unbearable burdens. picture of the difficulties in the ancient home of our ancestors, from the mouth of one who was going through the difficulties himself; and one who is an ancestor of the great family of Burkholders, of our County and Pennsylvania, and other parts of the United States. These letters are written to Johannes Deknatel . who was an official somewhere in Hol- land, likely one of the officials of that Government, who was friendly to these Mennonites; and perhaps, a member of the Swiss Mennonite com- mission or Chamber of Holland's Government, kept up for the sake of helping the Swiss and Mennonites, to better their condition and to go to Pennsylvania, and to America in gen- eral.
The first letter is No. 1495 and is as follows:
Heroltzheim, Jan. 4, 1744.
Bartholomens von Lowenig togeth- er with other fellow-servants of our Taufgesindten (Mennonite congrega- tion) in Amsterdam -May (E. L.) Your Honors be blessed.
Very dear and worthy friend and brother in Christ Jesus, we cannot well omit giving you word, Your Honors, about our sorrowful condition and of how we have found this past summer. So you must know that the French have oppressed us with many and great burdens, compelling us to give supplies which we can hardly accomplish. To comfort us, we are told that everything shall be paid, but we have not, as yet, received a single Stuber (silver coin). And besides we have been loaded with so much com- pulsory service (villainage Frohn- drenst), that it is no longer possible to bear it. If one comes home at night, one must go away again in the morning. Besides these the English have also come and for four long weeks remained, only two hours dis-
Now dear friend, these troubles have come to an end: but the great God has visited us with another pun- ishment, a contagious disease and death have come among the horned- cattle so that many thousands of them have fallen and many of our brethren have not a single one left so that the poverty is very great among the friends and many know not how to help themselves. Besides the lord- ly (Herrschaftlich) oppressions are very great and no remission to be hoped for.
Now dearest friend, we must make known to Your Honors, yet another gloomy situation. On the death of our most gracious Elector and lord, we have, as at all times proper, made application in a moral moving peti- tion, to the present reigning illustri- ous Elector, regarding the confirma- tion of our Confession. So far we have received no answer and have also little hopes that we shall receive a favorable one, for a command has gone forth from the the high govern- ment of all bailiwicks regarding the burial of our dead that they shall no longer be buried in the churchyards: which seems to us very hard and burdensome. I have, myself spoken about it to several gentlemen of the Government who said to me that we must have patience and first see what protection we receive from our grac- ious Elector. I have been myself to five of the most eminent ministers and have also spoken with them. They gave good answers, but as yet
290
MORE HANS BURKHOLDER LETTERS.
we know nothing about how the mat- ter will end.
We beg dearest friend, Your Hon- ors will in this give us good counsel how the matter may best be brought to a close, for we are so embarrassed in the matter. It has almost the look as if they would drive us from out of the land. The great God will have pity on us. So much for desired news of us and we hope for an agree- able answer from you, Your Honors.
Wherewith I close for the present and remain with friendly greeting and recommendation to the divine protection, your Honor's affectionate friend and brother in Christ Jesus. In the name of the other fellow workers of our Mennonite Congregation, I have written this Adieu.
HANS BURKHOLDER.
Hans Burkholder Letters continued No. 1496.
"Heroltzheim, February 17, 1744. Johannes Deknatel:
Dear and worthy friend and brother in Christ Jesus. May you be blessed. Dear and worthy friend and brother your (E. L.'s) Excellency's agreeable letter of the twenty-fourth of Janu- ary has been duly received, wherein we perceive with love, that you also have duly received our letter of Jan- uary fourth, the which we were pleased to know. We have also seen by your (E. L.) Honor's letter, that you are very sorry for our afflicted condition, but for this time can give us no advice, regarding our letter of protection (safe conduct). You should be informed that so far, we have as Dear friend, I am growing old and infirm and travelling grows tiresome to me. When however, we have any- thing to do for the Master and Mis- tress (Hunschaften) the other sery- yet received no answer to our letter and request, which surprises us, as we were given favorable information by word of mouth. Also we as yet know nothing, dear and worthy ants always think that I should take friend, how it will go with us. We precedence. Because I am an old have to give so many promises be-| man and have a white head, they fore the Muhwaltung to the eminent think that my words are worth more minister (or so many promises of
painstaking care to the eminent Min- ister) that we do not know well how to accomplish them, since we have suffered so much damage by the war and the death of the horned cattle, and besides, had to advance the large sum of money so that we do not know how to help ourselves while the poverty is so great here in the land, and yet no understanding or sym- pathy is to be expected, so that we do not know what we should do. Dear friend and brother, it is the wish and intention of some of our friends, to travel to Pennsylvania. We cannot very well advise them against it since we dwell so uncertainly ourselves and do not yet know how we shall be sus- tained. But we do not wish to bur- den and trouble your (E. L.) Excel- lency, in the matter. We hope that they may be able to cross and thus not trouble your (E. L.) Excellency ; but we would like very much to know your advice and opinion, if indeed you could advise to go there. Dear and worthy friend, we have judged from your letter, that you would like fur- ther information of where there is the greatest poverty and need, on account of the cattle. They might each one try to help himself as much as possi- ble, so we advise you that we do not wish to trouble you much in the mat- ter outside of three or four families that cannot help themselves. If your (E. L.) Honor, seem inclined to help them according to your pleasure and as you deem proper, it would be very kind and agreeable. So far for de- sired news.
than theirs, which I have also discov-
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HANS BURKHOLDER LETTERS (Continued).
ered, myself, but my sight and hear- ing are failing me fast.
(E. L.) Your Honor, you are how- ever, by me, most cordially greeted and committed to God's good care, with which we then close for the present and remain with friendly greeting and recommendation to the protection of God, your affectionate brothers in Christ.
HANS BURKHOLDER, CHRISTIAN STAUFFER, JACOB HIRSCHLER."
The second is number 1499 and is as icliows :
"Heroltzheim, March 6, 1744.
Johannes Deknatel:
Very worthy and in Christ beloved friend and brother, May your (E. L.) Excellency be blessed here in time and hereafter in the blessed eternity -a friendly and brotherly greeting in the Lord, Amen.
Worthy friend, the cause of this writing to you, your (E. L.) Honor, is this, that some friends and broth- ers of our congregation are thinking of going to Pennsylvania, as I in- formed you in my former letter, and as we have found from the news- paper, and also otherwise, that it is very unsafe on the ocean on account of pirates and not very promising for the journey, we desire in. the most cordial and friendly manner, to beg your advice and opinion, regarding this journey and whether you approve of it, and whether it is also safe to start or not. If your (E. L.) Honor does not approve, the friends will re- main here. They have sold their things and prepared themselves for the journey, but will not further trouble your (E. L.) Excellency, than to know of the safety on the sea. Please, dearest friend, be not dis- pleased that I write to you: and write to me at once your (E. L.) Excellency. your advice and opinion
that they may govern themselves ac- cordingly.
Concerning our letter of protection, we have yet no news. I have been, myself, a short time ago at Manheim and have, myself, spoken with the president. He has given me very good news-all shall go well. So much for desired news.
"I await a speedy answer from your (E. L.) Excellency, with which I close at present and remain with cor- dial greeting and commending you to the divine protection your (E. L.'s) Honor's affectionate friend and broth- er in Christ Jesus,
HANS BURKHOLDER."
I call your attention to the fact that, in connection with these letters, the sufferers could find no apparent relief from their distress, except to migrate to Pennsylvania, which many hundreds of them did about this time. although the greatest flood of immi- gration was over. We observe too, the danger from pirates that existed in those days, as discussed in these letters.
1744-Our Germans and the Indian . Treatment.
Lehier in his book (p. 104) says: That from 1744 to 1748, while King George's War was going on here, the Germans had a hard lot of it-things were so war-like here that a fort was built in the neighborhood of Lancas- ter he says. Further he states, that the white traders used the Indians badly and cheated them, and the In- dians were very likely to take revenge jon the peaceful Germans that settled in Pennsylvania and Carolina, who were innocent of this kind of conduct towards the Indians. Also he states, that in South Carolina the Mennonites who had drifted down there had to bear the burden of a great deal they were not guilty of; and further he states, that it became worse when the French began to fight the Indians.
292
MEIHUISEN'S LETTER, ON HARDSHIP.
The situation was made all the worse, because the young, strong and hearty ones, to a certain extent, were taken away from their homes and left the homes unprotected; and besides this, a good many German servants ran away from their masters and joined the army. To show the extent of military operations, he says, there were fifteen companies of soldiers that were raised throughout Lancas- ter County, for these French and In- dian Wars.
1745-Samuel Peter Meihuisen's Let- ter on the Conditions and Treat- ment in Switzerland.
Müller, page 328, gives the sub- stance of a letter which a Swiss father wrote July 5th, 1745, giving ac- count of his son's trials on a trip back to Switzerland in 1745, a good many years after the father was driven out. He writes from Nooge- land in the Palatinate to his brother and sister in Gautenschwyl; and a copy of the letter is found in Huiz- inga, a historian of those times and events.
letter he states family news and news of friends. He then admonishes all to seek the Lord.
Among other things that he says in his letter, he states, that his son Mel- choir intended to see his fatherland (Switzerland) as they were now in Holland. It seems, that it was not possible for him to see his friends, which he would like to have done. Later he went to see them with one of his chums. While in Berne, they were in the great church (Cathedral), As the Apostle Peter had said "Prove everything and hold on to the thing which is good." Here he refers to the experience of his son, that is the boys wished to hear the services and learn how much good was in it. They heard the whole worship, and kept what they thought was good. Further he says his son and his friend were taken prisoners in Berne and put in the big dungeon in the Tower. Then he adds. that the Lord had said, that the child should not bear its father's sins. It was not right for this boy to bear the sin of his father, because his father fled from Switzer- land years before. Whoever sins should bear the punishment himself. They must determine for themselves whether this act was Christian or not. We leave it to you to consider. Clos- ing he exclaims, "Oh my dear father- land that I loved so well and wish well always" (Switzerland). Müller says that Huizinga thinks their boys had not got to Switzerland and that the other writers are mistaken. But the Manual of the Star Chamber or the Mennonite Court, contains a rec- ord that two Baptists came from Hol- land and were again expelled. But
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