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 47
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Lombach - Weiss - Gitt - Reiff . Krombach - Rau - Jager - Rup Freiberger - Nieder - Helidz - Spitzer - Lampart -- Michel - Buh- ler - Kaintz - Menges - Fishler. The Ship "King of Prussia," Capt. James Robinson, from London, Octo- ber 3, 1764, carrying 4S passengers: among the familiar names in the list
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338
LANCASTER COUNTY GERMANS AND HEMP CULTURE.
are: Muller - Apffel - Haffner Deisert - Dippel - Mattes - Suder
--
Schell - Horst - Stutz - Specht
- Breszler - Steinmetz - Reinbold - Fischer - Kilb - Hart - Gantz - Koster - Wagner. The Ship "Rich- mond," Capt. Chas. Younghusband, from Rotterdam, October 20, -764, car- rying 106 passengers; among the
familiar names in the list are: Jacoby - Gulcher - Kuhn - Staufftr - Schott - Seitz - Jacob - Haffner
Bardon - Kamerer - Gerhard Rupert - Bockle - Runckel - Heiser - Gluck - Reiner - Satzler - Mul- ler - Minger - Feikert - Thiel - Mayer -- Henrich - Beckel - Harn - Muller - Knoblauch - Kolb - Pfeiffer - Henrich - Heiss. The Ship "Hero," Captain Ralph Forsttr, from Rotterdam, October 27, 1764, car-
rying
180 passengers;
among
the
familiar names in the list are: Hufer - Weiss - Wolff - Muller - Lud- wig - Durr - Walter - Klein Berg - Hass - Etter - Will - Honig - Gress - Durr Bauer - Schiff Sellheim - Wittig - Daniel - Bren- nemann - Lutz - Schantz - Weiden- meyer - Frietsch - Baum - Schad - Beck - Seybirth - Brubacher - Bruchauhser - Becker - Weber Volck - Hess - Nagel - Weiss - Peter - Buch - Unangst. The Ship "Jeneffer," Capt. George Kerr, from Rotterdam, November 5, 1764, carry- ing S6 passengers; among the familiar names in the list are: Kromm - Strunck - Frantz - Decker - Miller - Gruck - Reyman - Frantz - Lan- des - Meisset - Reutch - Klein. The Ship "Prince of Wales," Capt. James Edgar, from Rotterdam, Novem- ber 5, 1764, carrying 68 passengers; among the familiar names in the list are: Becher - Muth - Booss - Hap- pel - Hessler - Orth - Mattheis - Haerberger - Schneider - Umstatt - Duckel. The Ship "Boston," Capt. Matthew Carr, from Rotterdam, No- vember 10, 1764, carrying 62 passen-
gers; among the familiar names in the list are: Bertsch - Wentz - Schaff- er - Lampart - Wentz - Scheffer - Bausmann - Hartman - Klein - Kessler-Bernhardt. The Ship "Snow Tryall," Capt. John Clapp, from Am- sterdam, December 4, 1764, carrying 23 passengers; among the familiar names in the list are: Bender - Stein - Stauffer - Gross - Enck. The Ship "Chance," Capt. Charles Smith, from Rotterdam, Aug. 8, 1764, carry- ing 90 passengers; among the familiar names in the list are: Bender - Metz- gar - Wanner -- Grosh - Ammann - Geiger -- Tandt - Vogt -- Scholl - Hes - Muller - Beck - Mayer - Kemper - Scherer - Schaffer - Blum Huber - Ringer - Strein - Descher - Hoffman - Weinberger - Schmidt - Haass - Druckenbrodt - Gebhardt Grob - Chasseur - Wilhelm - Weniger - Zimmerman.
The total number of passengers im- ported on these ships were 927.
1765-Lancaster County Germans in the Hemp Industry.
The German-Swiss who crowded the valleys of the Susquehanna, the Con- estoga, the Pequea and other adjacent regions, became very active near the Susquehanna in raising hemp.
Many prizes were offered by Phila- delphians for the best water-rotted hemp and the best hemp prepared by other means. The ancient newspapers frequently offered such prizes for the Lancaster County product. The Phil- adelphia merchants were also very eager to advertise Lancaster County hemp seed. Among these an adver- tisement is found in the Pennsylvania Gazette of May 9, 1765. setting out that, "Lancaster County hemp seed is to be had at very reasonable prices at Daniel Wissler's store on Market Street." Lancaster County red clover seed was also advertised as a special seller by Philadelphia merchants.
1
339
SUPPLEMENT TO GERMAN-SWISS SHIPPING LAW.
1765-German-Swiss Misfortune in the 1765-Supplement to the German Ship- Susquehanna Valley. ping Bill.
In the Pennsylvania Gazette of the issue of April 4, it is set out that the property of the late John Stoner is to be sold by virtue of an execution on April 6, in Conestoga Township, Lan- caster County ; on it is erected a com- plete mill with two pairs of stones fit for merchant and country business and a complete saw mill excellently situated on Pequea Creek. There is plenty of water and 200 acres of land. It is set forth that the title is good and that it is likely a copper mine can be opened on it as there is supposed to be plenty of ore there. It might be added here that up to this date 150 years later the copper has not been found. In the same Law Book mentioned in the above item there is set forth an act that was passed May 18, this year, to better protect the Germans, that came over in crowded ships. This act sets forth that to protect these people and at the same time to enable the ship owners to recover their fares, that certain regulations must be made. Among these regulations it is set out that there must be room for each passenger, and that these rooms must be three feet nine inches high in the forepart and two feet nine inches in the cabin and steerage, and that no more than two passengers shall be put together in one bedstead except if the father and mother want their chil- dren in the same bedstead with them they may do so. These berths were 1765-The Palatines Still Come. 18 inches wide and six feet long. The act further provides that these ships In the Pennsylvania Gazette of August 29 this year it is set forth that on Saturday last Captain Porter ar- rived at Philadelphia from Rotterdam with 240 palatines all in good health. This is good news because usually the Palatines ships had a great deal of sickness on board, a large number of the other ships cleared from Philadel- phia about the same time. carrying German passengers must have a well recommended surgeon and a complete chest of medicine-that the medicine must be given to the passen- gers free-that twice a week the ves- sel must be smoked with burning tar between the decks and that it should be well washed with vinegar twice a week. It is also said that neither the purser nor other persons shall sell to passengers at a greater price than 1765-Nightly Watch Established in Lancaster. 50% profit on first cost, any wine, brandy, rum, beer, cider or other liquor or any spices or necessaries for The growth of the people in the Lancaster County region made it nec- essary for better police protection. To meet this necessity a law was pre- sick persons - that no person shall carry any liquor or other things more than 30 shillings worth. The act also provides that the officer in Philadel- pared September 20, 1765, found in phia appointed to carry out this law Vol. 6 Statutes at Large 441. The law shall take with him a reputable Ger- provides that the people of the bor- man inhabitant of Philadelphia to in- terpret into English the statements of the German passengers. It is also provided that the interpreter in a loud ough may elect such night watchman; and provided the manner in which the money can be raised for the purpose. This item is inserted for the purpose voice shall declare in German that of showing the continual growth of the duties required by this act will be this section.
read to them in German and that they
340
LANCASTER COUNTY AND SWISS FARMING.
may inquire about any matter they may wish to know. It is also pro- vided that the master of the ship must give each person a bill of lading mentioning the trunks, crates, chests, bales or packages belonging to every passenger except of such goods they may want to keep in their own pos- session. It is also provided that the ship owner must declare when start- ing out what goods the Germans will not be allowed to bring from their home to America, and that if they have such goods he shall declare what taxes or duties they must pay on the same, so that they will not lose theni. The act provided that the fares must be fixed and certain, and that if the German passengers offer that sum the ship master must take it and dare not hold their goods to compel them to pay higher prices.
Many other provisions were made| in the act; but all with the same end in view to prevent these ignorant peo- ple from being robbed.
1765-Ship Records of This Year.
The vessels importing German- Swiss Palatines to Pennsylvania in 1765 were:
The Ship "Polly," Captain Robert Porter, from Rotterdam by the way of Cowes, August 24, 1765, carrying 81 passengers. Among the familiar names in the list are: Werner - Schneck - Muller - Rhein - Dietrich - Bender - Kohler - Obermiller - Heintz - Gram -- Schultz - Schwenck - Schmidt - Dietrich - Kauffmann - Mayer - Fischer. 1
The Ship "Chance," Captain Charles Smith, from Rotterdam by the way of Cowes, September 9, 1765, carrying 77 passengers. Among the familiar names in the list are: Grim - Roth - Haf- ferstock - Meyers - Muller - Mayer - Weber - Keller - Frantz - Rit- ter - Schmidt - Schissler - Metzger - Kurtz - Hoyer - Franck.
The Ship "Betsy," Captain John Os- man, from Rotterdam by the way of Cowes, September 19, 1765, carrying 85 passengers. Among the familiar names in the list are: Gabriel - Schaffer - Betz - Zweigart - Garth- ner - Hiller - Gottschall - Litcht - Pfeiffer - Becker -- Schaffer - Schneider - Wolff -- Strauss - Os- tertag - Metzger - Weller.
The Ship Myrtilla," Captain James Caton, from London, September 21, 1765, carrying 33 passengers. Among the familiar names in the list are: Schmidt - Dieterich - Frey - Nau- mann - Burgholdter - Keller Meyer - Wissler - Christian.
The Ship "Countess of Sussex," Captain Thomas Gray, from Rotter- dam, October 7, 1765, carrying 23 pas- sengers. Among the familiar names in the list are: Hacker - Metzler - Schultz -- Vohl - Hubert - Bender.
The total number of passengers im- ported on these ships were 299.
1766-Lancaster County a Modern Switzerland.
In Switzerland there are many tab- lets containing lists of names of those who fought and died in the various Swiss wars. These lists are numer- ous. They are found attached to pub- lic buildings, churches, ancient resi- dences, boulders, monuments, and on other permanent bases throughout Switzerland. They contain the names of Swiss patriots from 1766 onward, and the names of some prior to 1766. The names are particularly numerous of those who fell in the Napoleonic wars.
Hon. W. U. Hensel, who died early in 1915, while visiting Switzerland made note of many of these above named tablets; and stated to the com- piler of the annals that if the sur- roundings did not prove to you that you were in Switzerland you would conclusively presume that you were reading the names taken from the as-
341
GERMAN-SWISS AND CHURCH LOTTERIES.
sessments lists of the central, north | 1767-German-Swiss Improved Agri- and eastern parts of Lancaster County, cultural Implements. Pennsylvania. The names are exactly It is shown from some early re- cords that the German-Swiss did not lag behind in certain improved meth- ods of conducting their affairs. Those before referred to show that the Ger- man Lancaster County Clover Seed had gained great reputation in early days. These farmers of the Susque- hanna Valley made efforts to turn out high grade products. The clean- ing of the grains was an important matter to them. the same, both the surnames and christian names, and the proportions of persons of one family name com- pared with those of other family names are identical with the proportion in Lancaster County. That is the family names which are most numerous in Lancaster County are the ones that are the most numerous there, such as Millers - Herrs - Weavers - Stauf- fers - Harnishs - Millans - Ken- digs - Eshlemans - Hubers and others.
1766-Ship Records of This Year.
Five vessels carrying Palatines ar- rived in Philadelphia harbor this year: The Ship "Chance" under Capt. Charles Smith from Rotterdam Sept- ember 23, 1766 with 106 passengers. The Ship "Betsy" under Capt. John Osman from Rotterdam October 13, with 84 passengers. The Ship "Cull- odian" under Master Richard Hunter from Lisbon October 15, with 12 pas- sengers. The ship "Polly " under Master Robert Porter fom Rotter- dam October 18, with 53 passengers. The ship "Sally" under Master John Davidson from Rotterdam November 4, with 7 passengers.
The total number of passengers were 263.
Among the familiar Southeastern Pennsylvania names in the list are: Muller, Weitzel, Arnold, Locher. Schaffer, Weber, Kehl, Meister, Lantz, Hasler, Becker, Weingartner, Lipp, Gross, Conrad, Locher, Weber, Flick, Frey, Martin, Sand, Zimmerma-Ott. Shffer, Singer, Hoffman, Wolff, Mos- ser, Keller, Volmer, Benner, Kauff- man, Wagner, Miller, Frantz, Zieg- ler, Eckert, Oberlander, Fisher, Meyer, Stoltzfus, Muller, Walter, Herman, Donner, Schmidt, Jacob, Schreiner, Henninger and Amecker.
In the Pennsylvania Gazette April 9, 1767 there appears among the ad- vertisements the following:
"Dutch Fans & Screens made and sold by Richard Truman at James Truman's place Elbow Lane near the Harp & Crown Tavern at Third Street, Philadelphia, also various wire work for cleaning grain and flax." Accompanying this advertise- ment there is a picture of the Dutch Fan; and it shows the fan to be simi- lar to those in use about here for cleaning grains just before the com- bined trasher and seperator took their place. .
This article is cited to show the progress made among these people at this date in the processes of agricul- ture.
1767-Lottery for Church Improve- ment.
Among not only the early Germans but among all nationalities of early settlers in southeastern Pennsyl- vania and elsewhere the lottery be- came a favorite method of raising money for laudable improvements. We have given items on this before.
Another item on the same subject is found in the Pennsylvaia Gazette of October 22, this year and is as fol- lows:
"The Managers of The German Lutheran Church Lottery In Earl
3.12
GERMAN-SWISS AS POLITICAL LEADERS.
Township Lancasetr County are obliged to postpone the drawing till the 4th of January next. And as there are but few tickets on hand those who desire to become adven- turers are requested to be speedy in applying for the same."
1767-The German-Swiss As Political Leaders.
In the Gazette of October S, 1767 it is reported that those elected to the assembly for Lancaster County were Emanuel Carpenter, James Wright, Jacob Carpenter & James Webb. And those elected for sheriff were James Webb Jr. and Fred Stone and for Coroner Mathias Slough and Adam Reigart. The Governor had the right to select the sheriff and coroner out of the two persons for each of these offices elected by the people.
1767-More Light On the Above Ger- man Lottery.
To show that lotteries in days past were perfectly legal and did not par- take of the criminal nature which now brands them as public evils, I cite an act of assembly passed (7 St. L. 133) authorizing the same. The circum- stances justifying the resort to lottery are set forth in the act as follows:
"Whereas it hath been represented to the assembly of this province by the Church wardens and elders of the German Lutheran Church lately built in Earl Township that not-with-stand- ing the subscriptions heretofore made towards raising a sum of money for the erecting and finishing of said church there yet remains a consider- able sum of money due for the work already done, and a further sum be- sides what has been hitherto raised by contributions among themselves And another book of tickets in two columns of 4444, tickets in each col- umn shall be prepared with oblique will be wanted to complete the same and to erect a school house near the said church for the education of lines across; and 1519 of the tickets youth; Therefore it is enacted, etc., that Edward Hughes, Michael Tiefen-
derfer, Philip Martsteller, John Shultz, Charles Miller, George Rine, George Stohley and Henry Rockey of Lancas- ter County shall be and are appointed managers and directors of the lottery hereby instituted and to be drawn and to attend to the drawing of the lots, etc., and they shall cause proper books to be prepared in which each leaf shall be divided into three columns, on the first column shall be printed 4444 tickets, numbered from 1 to 4444; on the middle column shall be printed 4444 tickets same as first column and likewise numbered; in the extreme column a third rank or series of tick- ets of the same number as those of the other two columns, which shall be joined with oblique lines and in addi- tion to the date, each ticket shall have printed on it:
This ticket entitles the holder to such prize as may be drawn against its number, if demanded in nine months after the drawing is finished subject to such deductions as is men- tioned in the scheme."
And the managers are empowered to sell the tickets in the extreme or last column at 15 shillings each to be cut out through the oblique line or device indentwise and delivered so as to secure his interest in the ticket. When all tickets of the column are sold the managers shall cause the tickets of the middle column to be rolled up and fastened with thread or silk the same being cut out of the books indentwise (by a waving or saw tooth line) through the oblique lines and put them into a box marked with letter A and to be sealed, till the tickets are to be drawn; and the first column shall remain in the book to discover any mistake.
of the outer column shall be called fortunate tickets and on one shall be
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GERMAN-SWISS CHURCH LOTTERIES.
written 112 pounds 10 shillings-on two. of them 37 pounds and 10 shill- ings -- on four of them 18 pounds and 15 shillings - upon 10 of them 11 pounds and 5 shillings-on 20 of them 7 pounds 10 shillings-on 50 of them 3 pounds and 15 shillings-on 100 of them 3 pounds -on 400 of them 2 pounds and 5 shillings-on 932 of them 1 pound 10 shillings, and a premium of 9 pounds 7 shillings ad- ditional to the first fortunate drawn ticket and the same to the last one makes 3333 pounds. Out of these prizes the managers are to deduct ratably 15% amounting to 490 pounds and 19 shillings the sum needed for the school and church. And the outside column of these tickets shall be rolled up and put in a box marked "B" and sealed, and the boxes shall be taken to a public place and the managers shall publicly cause the boxes to be unsealed and the tickets well shaken and mixed in each box. And a disin- terested person shall draw out one by . one the numbered tickets and another person draw out one by one tickets not numbered from other box among which are the 1519 fortunate tickets, the other 2925 being blank. If the one drawn at same time a numbered one is drawn is a blank, they shall be put on one file; if a fortunate one a clerk shall record the number and amount drawn and so on till the 1519 fortu- nate ones are drawn.
The result was to be published in the Pennsylvania Gazette and a de- duction of 15 per cent made and bal- ance went as prizes. Then when the expense of the lottery was taken out of the 15% or 490 pounds the balance went to the church and school house.
What fun these German Brethren of Earl had in drawing the lottery! One can see in the plan a provision to ease the conscience of the projectors and to salve the disappointment of those drawing the blanks -viz. that the lucky ones had to shave off 15% of
the prizes drawn to make up the amount to be raised. It was an at- tractive plan indeed - 4444 persons paid in the 3333 pounds, each one pay- ing 15 shillings for his ticket or (15 shillings for each ticket he bought) 34 pound and then 1519 persons fall- ing into the luck of getting the 3333 pounds in prizes and each one giving up 15% of the prize secured by him for the object intended and expenses. To add zeal to and to whet the inter- est in the plan one capital prize and 8 or 10 other very large ones were offered. Who would not have nibbled at such bait even today, in spite of the plan being illegal? It would al- most be strong enough to divert our credulous inventors in gold mining stock, etc., from their favorite haz- ards, to a scheme at home where the chance of winning was more certain.
This plan from another angle is in- teresting. The man who drew the 11212 pounds by paying 34 pound cleared up all the money that 150 others paid in. 1519 lucky ones gath- ered in all the money that the 4444 put down. This operation affecting 4444 persons and involving 3333 pounds (about $15,000) had to be re- sorted to and employed to raise about 450 pounds or $2,200 for the laudable purpose desired. It is small wonder that the legality of the lottery has been struck down.
Of course what I have said is no condemnation of the people who held this particular lottery. All grades and nationalities and religions and sects as well as the public itself, em- ployed the lottery.
1767-Ship Records of This Year.
Seven vessels carrying Palatines ar- rived in Philadelphia harbor this year: The Ship "Juno" under Capt. John Robertson. from Rotterdam. January 13, 12 passengers. The Ship "Sally" under Capt. John Osman, from Rotter- dam, October 5, 116 passengers. The
344
PETER MILLER AND THE EPHRATA COMMUNITY.
Ship "Hamilton" under Capt. Charles | derness," he says, "and began to be Smith, from Rotterdam, October 6, with 134 passengers. The Ship "Brit- tainia" under Capt. Alexander Hardy, from Rotterdam, October 26, with 39 passengers. The Ship "Brigantine Grampus" under Commander Henry Robinson, from Rotterdam, November 4, with 7 passengers. The Ship "Min- erva" under Capt. John Spurrier, from Rotterdam, November 9, with SS pas- sengers. The Ship "Sally" under Capt. Patrick Brown, from Rotterdam, No- vember 10, with 36 passengers.
The total number of passengers were 432.
Among the familiar Southeastern Pennsylvania names in the list are:
Hirsh - Huber - Sommer - Adam Bernhardt - Detweiler - Bast - Muller - Weber - Acker - Miller Ziegler - Hartman - Diehl - Dietz -- Fischer - Beyer -- Lechler - Lutz - Hoffman - Buchman -- Keffer --- Zeller - Kuntz - Smith - Schneider - Gramm - Butz - Smith - Hart- man -- Beck - Wagner - Schmidt - Futter - Hirsch - Dietrich - Steig- erwalt - Nauman - Herr - Stahl - Schaffer - Fischer - Kauffman Blankenburg - Schmidt - Pfeiffer - Dieterich - Roth - Schaub.
1767-Peter Miller's Presidency and Difficulties.
Peter Miller, at one time a prior or president of the Ephrata community, in letters, tells of his labors and dif- ficulties. In Vol. 16, Haz. Reg. 256, speaking of the beginning of his pres- idency he says he followed a learned man in that position. He also says (p. 254) that soon after he arrived in Philadelphia in 1730 he was ordained in the old Presbyterian meeting house by Tenant, Andrew and Boyd. Then he served among the Germans several years and he quitted the ministry and returned to private life.
settled by poor Germans who desired our assistance in building homes for them; which not only kept us em- ployed several summers, at hard car- penter's work but also increased our poverty so much that we needed the necessaries of life." Then he says, tax troubles arose and that "The con- stable entered the camp and demanded a single man's tax; some of the brethren paid and some refused and claimed each a monk's immunity. But the constable summoned some wicked neighbors and delivered 6 of the breth- ren to prison at Lancaster for 10 days. But the venerable magistrate set them at liberty and offered himself as bail. His name was Tobias Hendricks. At court, when the brethren appeared, the fear of God came on the gentlemen who were to judge them when they saw the six men before them reduced to skeletons by their charitable labors and privations though they were in prime of life, and the judges granted them their freedom under the agree- ment, that the whole number of the brethren should be taxed as one fam- ily."
He says that in the French and In- dian War a Marquis from Milan in Italy lodged a night in the convent or Cloister; and that he presented to him the former president's sermon and writing on the "Fall of Man" published in Edinburgh Magazine and requested it to be given to the Pope. The Pope greatly appreciated it.
1768-Ship Records of This Year.
Four vessels carrying Palatines ar- rived in Philadelphia harbor this year : The Ship "Pennsylvania Packet" un- der Robert Gill from London, October 3, with 19 passengers. The Ship "Min- erva" under Thomas Arnott from Portsmouth, October 10, with 109 pas- sengers. The Ship "Crawford" under Charles Smith from Rotterdam, Octo-
He continues his story saying that charity was their chief occupation. "Conestogues was then a great wil- | ber 26, with 85 passengers. The Ship
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GERMAN FIELDS DESTROYED BY HAIL.
"Betsy" under Capt. Samuel Hawk from Rotterdam, October 26, with 102 passengers.
The total number of passengers were 315.
Among the familiar Southeastern Pennsylvania names in the list are: Linder - Brenner - Hoffman - Engel - Frauenfelder - Wagner - Huber - Wolff - Decker - Herr - Koch - Holland - Strecker -- Weber - Zimmerman - Fisher - Dietrich - Meyer -- Schmidt - Hartman - Keller - Becker - Heller - Dietz - Giehl - Fries - Diehl - Anthony - Sieber - Muller - Kuntz - Dupont -- Bernhart - Huber - Gerhart.
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