USA > Pennsylvania > Historical notes relating to the Pennsylvania Reformed Church, V. I > Part 21
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On the 4th of August, 1536, he left home, going to Eastern Ohio, to make a temporary stay with relatives. Ile remained in this locality until the fall of 1810. He taught school three winters. and devoted his spare time diligently to sindy. He wrote a great deal. jotting down everything that impressed him. He wrote a member of poems-at least fifty -during his three yours' sojourn in Ohio, In October, 1840, he entered the Freshman class at Marshall College. Mer- corsburg, Pa. His subsequent history is
163
HISTORICAL NOTES.
The Huguenot Element in Penn- sylvania.
Mr. James Berkeley Laux, secretary of Society of American Authors, made an address on the Huguenot Element in Pennsylvania, before the Huguenot So- ciety of America, in New York City, April 30, 1896. Himself a descendant of Pierre Laux, who arrived in the Pognea Valley in 1738, Mr. Lanx has made a painstaking study of the Huguenot ingre- dient in our composite Pennsylvania population.
A greater number of Huguenots settled in Pennsylvania, Mr. Laux declares, than came to New York, to Virginia, to Now England, or even to South Carolina. Their emigration to Pennsylvania was involved with that of the Germans and Swiss, with whom they had cast their lot for generations before coming to America. They came as individuals, as families, and not as colonies. More than half of the Huguenots who fled from France went to Germany. In the course of time these refugees were absorbed, Germanized not only in speech and thought, but also in name in very many instances. The translation of Huguenot surnames hecame a common practice. Among the German immigrants to Pennsylvania. we must. therefore look for the descendants of the French exiles. Mr. Laux has discovered many such, and continued investigation will add many more to the list.
New Goshenhoppen Parsonage in 1744.
The land along Perkiomen creek, in the heim, and Frankenthal.
vicinity of the present boroughs of East Greenville and Pennsburg, was in litiga- tion in the earlier times. After this was concluded, it was surveyed to the settlers and purchasers, about the year 1750. . 1 tract was reserved for the congregation of the Reformed Church. On the 19th of November, 1750, David Shnlze, the well- known citizen of that locality, surveyed the tract at the request of William Par- sons, John Ross and Robert Greenway, the owners, for the congregation, in the presence of the elders or church wardens,
and it was found to containforty two acres, with allowance of six acres per hundred for roads. The congregation determined to build a honse thereon for the minis- tor's residence forever. They deferred paying for the land. Immediately a duel- ling house and stable were created, a well was dug on the property, and some land was "cleared." In the Spring of 1751, minister Weiss and his wife came to live there. They brought with them their negro slave family, consisting of Gideon Moor, aged 30 ; Jonny Moor, his wife. aged 28 ; and their children, Jacob Moor, 6 ; Elizabeth Moor, 2; and Anne Mary Moor, infant.
The Palatinate.
At the time of its greatest importance the Palatinate consisted of two large provinces, which were not contignons, with several ontlying principalities. The Upper Palatinate was situated in the eastern part of the present kingdom of Bavaria. Its principal town was Ambery. The Lower Palatinate for Rhein Pfalz ) was by far the most important of the elector's possessions. It is often called Wein Pfalz, on account of the abundance of wine which it produces. Situated on both sides of the Rhine, and extending upward on the banks of the beautiful Neckar, it has always been regarded as one of the most fertile countries in the world. It consisted of five principali- ties : Simmern, Zweibrnecken, Sponheim, Veldenz, and the Palativate Proper. The principal cities were Heidelberg, Man-
-JOSEPH HENRY DERES.
Antiquity of our Church.
To those who, with a sneer, inquire of us, where was the doctrine of the Re- formed Church of Switzerland and Ger- many, before the days of %wingle and Luther, we reply, in the valley of l'ied- mont, and in the south of France, among the simple, apostolic, but despised, cal- ummiated, and percented Albigences and Waldenses.
161
HISTORICAL NOTES.
History of the Reiff Case.
BY PROF. WM. J. HINKE.
III. THE EFFORTS OF THE PHILADELPHIA CONGREGATION TO SETTLE THE REIFF CASE, 1731-1734. [Continued.]
The next move in the case wa's taken on February 20, 1734, when Reiff's attorney gave again notice of a motion to release his client from his bond, but two days later he agreed that Reiff should be discharged from the first bond on condition that he enter a new bond of half the former amount, nataely 2500, to abide by the decision of the court, when the case should come up. This ended the case before the court, at least nothing else is found in the record which closes in 1735. The the itself, because of which Reiff was compelled to enter bail, was never tried, as the complainants failed to prosecute. This was due to a new and unexpected turn which the affairs of the congregation at Philadelphia took in the year 1734. But before we turn our attention to these new events we shall take one more retrospect of the events up to this time. as given in a letter on February 23, 1734, by Rev. J. B. Rieger and signed by John Diemer, Peter Lecolie, Michael Hillegas, George Peter Hillegs. Hendrich Wellerand Jest Schmidt. (the prosecuting members. ) to the Classis of Amsterdam. They wrote:
"We are in a lamentable condition because of the collected money. sent over to us, which had been given to the upbuilding of the Reformed Church and is still in the hands of the dishonest (trouwlosen) Jacob Reiff, who with Do. Weiss was in Holland in the years 17:0 and 17:1. We thought we could compel him to render an account and learn whether the collection book agreed with his statements, but it was all in vain. He insists that he received no more than 750 Dutch guilders of Do. Van Asten, whereas according to the statement of Do. Weiss, the collection book shows more than fl. 2000. We were therefore compelled to look up the laws of this land, hoping meanwhile to receive from your Reverend Classis a detailed statement, how much money and to when it had really been given and copies of the different receipts, so that we could arrest the evildoor. When Jacob Reiff heard of this he gave a considerable sum of money to the lawyers, who immediately obtained from the court of chancery his release, although we fought against it with all our power and spent the little money which we had, being very poor, for lawyers to succeed in our efforts, but in vain.
"Do. Weiss has not acted with the congregation according to his duty, when he left us and went to Albany. We have often need him with earnest requests and petitions, even offering to pay his expenses, to come to Philadelphia and in person testify before the authorities, but it was never done, so that all these gifts will have been given in vain, undes.
£
1
HISTORICAL NOTES.
your Reverend Classis will hunt up and cause the arrest of this Jacob, Reiff, who on the 24th of this month ( February, 1734, ) has left Philadel- phia for Holland with Captain Stefman. He has without doubt the collection book and the power of attorney with him, and it is to be feared that this evildoer will try to collect more money, unless you will arrest him and compel him to render an account. ..
"We also ask your Reverend Classis to send a special order to Do. Weiss in Albany, that he should purge himself by an oath, otherwise this poor congregation will have to expect many unpleasant things from the authorities here."
Such was the state of affairs, when the congregation was suddenly startled by an unexpected discovery, which changed at once its whole later history.
We are informed of these important events by a letter of Rev. Bahn (a most reliable authority ), written on October 28, 1734, to the Synodical Deputies and signed by Caspar Ulrich, Jacob Uttre, Stephen Greiff, Ulrich (Eller, Zacharias Schuckerd and Jacob Orner, elders of the Philadelphia congregation. Continuing the account of the difficulties of the congress- tion, where their last letter stopped, they write:
"The persons who have hitherto acted as representatives of the con- gregation were mostly self made elders without ordination. They have tried in all things, as the congregation has now clearly discovered, to divide the spoils with Jacob Reiff. For Jacob Reiff bought merchandise with the collected money in Holland, which goods were detained in England, and thus far not a penny has been handed over by Jacob Reiff. This pained these members very much, and suspecting that Reiff intended to have the country, they had him arrested for the collected money, without having received authority from anybody to do su, nor did they know definitely the stim of the collected money nor how much he had received. This ro- sulted in a great quarrel and uproar, whereby our congregation made a wonderful discovery. For when the same had come together and perhaps thirty members were present, Jacob Reiff said distinctly before us all: 'Doctor Diemer. Peter and Michael Hillegas are church robbers; they steal the bread from the mouths of the Reformed people of Philadelphia. their children and children's children. I confess that I am a church robber ( Kerkendief), but they are robbers as well as 1. If they had not written and told me, I would not have done it.' Whereupon he showed us a letter, which they had written to him while in Holland, after they had taken the power of attorney away from Weiss (which he received from the whole congregation ) and transferred it to Reiff. This letter rand as follows: Jacob Reiff shall take the collected money and buy gank for the same and send them over to them, his profit is to be sis per cent. and after he hvis returned, they (the undersigned) will refund everything he has spent. This letter was read by us with tears, and was signed by seven men, Who
166
HISTORICAL NOTES.
pretended to be elders. They wrote further in this letter to Reiff, that he should do this on their own risk and whatever would be the result, they would indemnify him for all loss with all their property. Of all this and a single member of the congregation knew anything, from which no other con- clusion can be drawn than that it was done for their own profit. Reiff furthermore claimed to have sent the goods over to them, but they denied having received them. Through this trouble the congregation seemed to be confronted with total ruin, as the members were already beginning to disperse.
"Whereupon the congregation met again [on April 2. 1734]. having come to the inevitable conclusion to depose these men for these and other important reasons and to choose others who would faithfully serve the congregation, which was all the more legitimate, since John Jacob Diemer. the physician, never had been an elder nor could have been elected because. of his well known disgraceful life and conduct. He was also the leader of the others by his deceitful and cunning pen. Peter Hillegas was also never recognized by the congregation as an older, but he had elevated himself to that position, so that they all were on the same level with Jacob Reiff, who also allowed himself to be called an elder in Holland. although he had never been an older in these congregations.
"On the above mentioned day in the presence of Do. Rieger, who was at that time our minister, we the undersigned were elected as elders and deacons, as is shown by the accompanying copy, dated April 2. 17:1. When Do. Rieger left the congregation, it seems because he thought that by his absence we would be made helpless and be compelled to mite again with the deposed persons, with whom he sympathize (which was considered most hurtful to the congregation, because of the evident tricks to which they had resorted), we came to a different conclusion, namely. resolved to ask Rev. John Philip Bohm, minister at Falkner Swamp. Whitemarsh and Skippack, who was a properly ordained preacher, for help and assistance, in order to prevent the total destruction of the con- gregation, which was done immediately by a letter, dated April 20, 1751. signed by 42 members and sent to him by two of our number." .
With the resignation of Rieger and the call given to Bochum, the second stage of the Reiff case came to an end.
Huguenots Invited by Penn.
William Penn, following the example of other Colonial leaders, ex- tended a cordial invitation to the Huguenots to settle in Pennsylvania. Hle recognized their high character and accomplishments, and regarded them as an invaluable help in the building up of his Province into a pros- perous State. He had a personal knowledge of their worth. for in curly manhood he visited France and studied under Moses Ayrault, the cele- brated Huguenot theologian. -JAMES BERKELEY 1.AV.
167
HISTORICAL NOTES.
Some More Transcripts from Jacob Hiltzheimer's Mem- orandum Book.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE VESTRY OF PHILADELPHIAA BEFORMED CHURCH.
1784. An order on WP. We. Von Phul, Treasurer. £15 0 0
May 10
for fifteen pounds in favor of George Friday School Master who just arrived with his family from the State of New York in Consiquance of a letter the Vestry sent him some time ago which sum being advanced for Services to be done. Signed Philip Odenheimer & J. Hiltzheimer.
10) An Order on Ditto in favor of Beakly & Morris, Carpenters, for Making a Partition in the uper room of the School House four pounds six shilling & one penny. Signed Ph. Odenheimer & Jacob Schreiner.
161
10 An Order on Ditto in favor of John Hart
7 10 0 Seven pounds ten shillings for Gilding and Painting done for the Vestry by se Hart & Frantz Giebel in Company, in the year 1778, as Prace and Qualification. before John Miller Esq' Ap' 26" 1784, which is filed at the School House. Signers to the order Philip Odenheimer Jacob Robson.
July 5 An Order in favor of Christopher Bauch 13 : for Bretzels that was given to the School Children. Signed Odenhimer & Stoltz.
An order in favor of George Friday School 2 10 0 Master, for fifty shillings being two Months Salary for Playing the Organ. Odenheimer & Hertzog.
July 12 In order on Ditto, in favor of Jacob Bobsam 21 1 10 for Twenty four pounds 4 / 10 being the Expense of the Wall in the Church vard and laying the Pavement at the back door of the School House.
Aug. 1 In order for fifty shillings for a Cap Stone Andrew Bower Turn' for the Wall in the Church Yard.
12 10 0
July 26 In Order in favour of Edward Garrigues for a fire Ladder. 700
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HISTORICAL NOTES.
Sept. 20. An Order in favour of Conrad Pigeon for Making a Bake Oven back of the School House. Signed P. Odenheimer & J. Rohsam.
1 10 0
Sept. 28 An order in favour of John Klages for five pounds 10 / 3 for painting done to the School House.
Dec' G
Note -- This being due 25" of Last Month. An order in favour of Christopher 600
Schreiner for Six pounds being a years
Interest on :100 Left by the Late MI". John Schweighausser to the Vestry of the German Reformed Congregation which Interest the s" Vestrymen are desired in s" Schweighausser's will to pay to the School Master of said Congregation as a Perquisite over and above his yearly Salary.
P. Odenheimer, W. Will.
1785 Febr' 21
An Order in favour of Jacob Schreiner $ 10 0 Eight pounds ten shillings, as placed by him Produced, Ensuring 4500 of the House in Race Street belonging to our Congre- gation where the Reverend M. Wiberg Dwells &7 10 is the Ensurance & 20/ Entrance.
Signed Hiltzheimer & Will.
Ap' 2 An order in favour of the Rever' W. Pauly for Thirty Dollars, as a Present for his Preaching on Sunday evenings in our Church for about 3 Months.
11 5 0
J'. Hiltzheimer
€0 17 6
May 31 An order in favor of Charles Seitz being for Paper & Quills. J. Baker & Hiltzheimer.
July 25 An order in favor of Dan' Sutter 26 6 7
for Twenty six pounds 6 7 being for C'andles.
31 An order in favour of Andrew Hertzog 671
for an Owning.
Oct. 16 An order in favour of John Etris for a Box of Spermaceti Candles. Signed J. Schreiner and J. Hiltzheimer.
4 10 3
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HISTORICAL NOTES.
1786 Januari 2 An order in favor of Charles Seitz for 42 / being a discount or prem. left in his hands at the time they changed from 12 to 15 for a shilling. J. Sebreiner & Hiltzheimer.
220
January 11 An order in favor of Anthony Moll for Thirty Shillings for Haling gravel on the Walk in the graveyard. Signed A. Hertzog and J. Hiltzheimer.
1 10 0
April 17 An order in favor of Jacob Hiltzheimer for fifty shillings being Money he p" to Jacob Borkard for Mending the fence around the Burial Ground.
2 10 0
Signed C. Seitz & J. Etres.
19 An order in favor of Charles 0 12 0 Seitz for Twelve shillings Money he paid to Jacob Borkard for Making a fence at the School House Garden. Signed Rauch & Sutter.
1787 May 10 An Order on Mr. We. Von Phul, signed 100 0 0) Baker & Hiltzheimer in favor of Mr. B. Shoemaker of one hundred pounds being in part of $350 for a lot of ground in 4th Street, 35 feet wide & 493 in depth which the Vestry Purch' of said Shoemaker. The Remainder C250 the President
J. Baker in behalf of the Vestry gave two Bonds at $125 cach. The first to be paid with interest the 14 day of April 1788, and the other in one year after with Interest Likewise.
Octo' 9 An order in favor of W. Israel Whelen £100 0 0 for £100 paper Money lent him for which sum he is to return in Six Months Seventy five pounds Specie in order to get a Certain fixed Sum of hard Money in the Treasury, and Not Leaving the Paper Money in the Treasury upon an uncertainty. because of its Rapid Depreciation at this time. Sig" Baker, Hiltzheimer. Dicht & Etres.
1788 March 16
0 17 6
An order in favor of Adam Doerr for Seventeen Shillings & six pence being Money he paid for 21 Bushels of sand for our Church. Signed Hiltzheimer & Ozas.
C
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HISTORICAL NOTES.
April 7 In favor of Peter Dichl for making a Gate to our grave yard and finding the Stuff for it.
6 16 7
In favor of Godfrey Gebler for 24 9 Smiths work done to said Gate.
11 6 11
July 7 An order was drawn on W. Ww. Von Phul Treasurer in favor of Godfrey Gebler being for two Iron Rods called Conductors. and puting them upon our Church and sundry other expenses attending the same.
Marriages by Rev. George Wack.
COMMUNICATED BY W. H. REED, PH. G., M. D., OF NORRISTOWN.
[Concluded.]
703. September 8. Aaron Race and Lea Ruth.
704. October 20. Frederick Stong and Clementine Nevel. 1845.
705. February 9. Daniel Freyer and Elizabeth Wanner.
706. Angust 10. Emos Knipe and Eliza Krauthamel.
707. November 13. George Beaver and Elizabeth Layer.
708. November 23. Isaac Halhnan and Susannah Wanner. 18446.
709. January
4. Henry Frey and Helena Eisenburg.
710. March 10. Charles Gerhart, Esq., and Maria Gerhart.
711. April 23. Aaron Ruth and Cathrine Miller.
712. May 81. Francis Heid and Susannah Godshall. -
713. May 31. John Geiger and Ann Donner.
714. October 4. George Erb and Herrietta Schneider.
715. November 1. John Wisler and Mary Warner. 1847.
716. February 14. Adam Miller and Rebecca Welker.
717. October 10. Peter Selmeider and Victoria Oprecht.
718. October. 24. Charles Goodwin and Mary Booz.
719. November 18. Henry Weisel and Maria Loux.
720. December 26. John Allabach and Anna Maria Rodaberger. 1849.
721. April 21. Jacob Deem and Caroline Kook.
722. May 26. William Custer and Mary Ann Arp.
723. September 11. Ezekiah Rhoads and Maria Shopper. 1852.
724. February 10. William Schlotterer and Angeline Biting.
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IHISTORICAL NOTES.
Goetschy's Colony.
BY HENRY $. DOTTERER.
The story of Getschy's colony, closely examined, must be regarded as one of the noteworthy incidents of the eighteenth century migration from the Continent of Europe to the Province of Pennsylvania.
Maurice Goetschy, the leader-he does not merit the title organizer- was a minister of the Reformed Church of Switzerland. The place of gathering the intending emigrants was Zurich. The dates of their de- parture from Zurich for Rotterdam were October 4 and 5, 1734. The number comprised in the party'at the start was 256. Their destination originally was Carolina. Goetschy was a discredited clergyman, having been guilty of an atrocious offense; but the unreasoning people, mostly peasants, in a frenzy to go to the New World, were not deterred by this.
Gutschy's purpose was, to all appearances, an ambitious one. Hlis design in collecting so large a number of people. there can be little doubt. was to lead them in a body to Carolina, locate them there in a settlement. make himself the head of the colony, and minister to them as their spir- itual guide and teacher. By thus having control of them, he might rea- sonably hope to regain his good reputation, secure a position of influence. and command lucrative compensation. All these expectations, if he entertained them, failed of realization.
What inducements he held out to these confiding people, and upon what they were based. is not disclosed by the records thus far discovered. Some little light is thrown on these points by a small book published by one of the party who relented at Rotterdam, abandoned the emigrant company, and returned to Switzerland. Further reference to this publi- ration will be made later on. What this writer says is strongly tingal with resentment.
At that time the desire to emigrate to America was at fever heat in Zurich and vicinity. Carolina was represented as the most desirable place for emigrants. Pennsylvania was described as uncomfortably cold in winter, and as being already so closely settled as to make the cost of land much higher than in Carolina. The civil authorities and the State clergy of the Swiss cantons strongly opposed the departure of the cocamon pro- ple to the wilds of America. On the other hand were men who encour- aged and urged emigration. The latter had the car and the confidence of the masses. Pamphlets were distributed both in favor of and opposed to omigration.
In the Nachrichten von Zurich, a newspaper printed by Hans Jacob Lindinner, in its issue of July 15, 1734, was offered for sale, a publica- tion entitled Eine Beschreibung von dem glückligen Carolina, allwo die Einwohner, sonderlich die Schweitzer, kein Hermuch bekommen, um 4 ss. (A description of fortunate Carolina, where the people, particularly the Swiss, have no homesickness, at Ass.)
In the same newspaper, of September 80, 1784. is this notice: E- wird zu entlehmen gesucht. Ein Büchlein, genant: Penselvanien nicht
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HISTORICAL NOTES.
Canaan. (It is desired to borrow, a booklet, entitled Pennsylvania not Canaan. )
In the Nachrichten von Zurich, of the 7th of October. (den 7. Wein- monat, ) 1734, appeared in a conspicuous place this important news article:
N. B. Vergangenen Montag hat sich Ur. Moritz Gotschi sont Weil, und Kindern, mit ziemlich vielen Land-Leuthen, jung und alten. auf ein Schiff gesetzt, und nach der so genanten Insul Carolina von Land ge- stossen, mehr auf Hoffnung alldo sein Glück besser zu machen und zu finden, als in dem Vaterland, darin er gebühren. Man hat es ihnen zwaar von Seiten Unserer Gnad. W!Irn, hiesiger Geistlichkeit gar nachtrneklich missrathen, allein er behöelt seine Resolution, und machte sich davon. Bald hernach ist ihme noch ein Schiff mit solchen, kan wol sagen einfäl- tigen Louthen, nachgefahren, und so in allem desselben Tags 171. Menschen, denen vil 1000. zngeschen, und grosses Mittleiden, besonders bey dem kalten Regen und Wind, dass sie so armselig mit Weib mil Kind die wichtige und in 300. Stunden bestehende Reiss bey abnehm- enden Tagen sich unverstanden. Doch wurde ilmen von guthertziger vornehmen Hläufern allerhand mitgetheilt. als viel Brød. Halstücher. Kappen, &e. Tags hernach is das Ste Schiff weggefahren, die aus dem Allmosen-Ambt mit einer grosser Portion Brod, Mehl. Strumpf. Nor- linger und andern reichlich verschen worden. Sonderlich hat die Nach- barschafft bim Kaufhaus sich gar mittleidig orzeiget, wie sie dan anch das Saltz-Haus schwerlich werden vergessen können, was ihnen darauf für Erquickungen leiblich mitgetheilt worden, desgleichen vil Hrn. Kaufleuth auch gethan. Es sind auf diesem letzten Schiff etwa 82. Per- sonen gewesen, die noch mehr mittledens würdig gewesen wären. W. un sie nun der Ehr und Lehr Gottes willen hätten fort müssen. Den Weg ist ihr eigen Schuld, es gehe ihnen wol oder übel. Gleichwol haben sich mehr dann 20, durch kluge Vorstehung ehrlicher Urn. und Burgere. den Sim geändert, die haben den besseren Theil erwohlt, und sind hier ver- blieben, die man gar freundlich wieder in ihre Heimath gewiesen. In- dessen soll man doch auch Gott für die grosse Anzahl Fortgereisten bitten. dass sie einweder bald umkehren, oder doch an dem Orth kommen mögen. dahin sie so sehr wünschen. Er versche aber ihre Hertzen mit Gedult. weil vil betrübte Stunden ihnen dürften die Reise recht saner machen, so versüse es ihnen, dass wann sie fromm bleiben, ein weit besser Leben auf sie warte.
TRANSLATION.
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