USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County : to which is prefixed a brief sketch of the early history of Pennsylvania > Part 6
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The descendants of the Puritans boast that their an- cestors fled from the face of their persecutors, willing to encounter 'perils in the wilderness and perils by the heathen,' rather than be deprived, by the ruthless perse- cutor, of the free exercise of their religion. The descen- dants of the Swiss Mennonites, who, amid hardships and trials, made the first settlements among the tawny sons of the forest, in the west end of Chester county, can lay claim to more. Their ancestors did not seek for them- selves and theirs only, the unmolested exercise of faith, and the practice of worship; but they in turn did not
condition-four weeks since they had arrested near forty per- sons, male and female-one of them has since arrived at our place. They also whipped a minister of the word, took him out in the country as far as Burgundy-marked him with a branding iron, and let him go among the French; but as he could not speak their language, he had to wander three days before he could get his wound dressed and obtain any refresh- ment, &c .- Bracht's His. p. 1022
From the same, dated May 23d, 1761: The persecution of our friends still continues in all its violence, so that we are as- tonished that they do not make greater haste to leave the country. One or two occasionally arrive here in a miserable condition; but the most of them stay above Strasburg, in Alsace ; some chopping wood, others labor in the vineyard, &c.
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persecute others, who differed from them in religious opinion. They plead for universal toleration, and their practice confirmed it.
About the year 1706 or 1707, a number of the perse- cuted Swiss Mennonites went to England, and made a particular agreement with the Honorable Proprietor, William Penn, at London, for lands to be taken up." *__ Several families, from the Palatinate, descendants of the distressed Swiss, emigrated to America and settled in Lancaster county in the year 1709."t
The traditions, respecting the first visit to the place of subsequent settlement, are discrepant. From public documents and some private papers in the possession of Abraham Meylin, and others, residing in West Lampe- ter township, we may confidently state that the Menno- nites commenced a settlement in 1709 or 1710, at the place where the Herr's and Meylins now reside, near Willow Street.
A Swiss company, to emigrate to America, and settle in the wilderness, had been organized, but who the pro- jector of it was, we cannot state. The pioneers were Hans Meylin, his son Martint and John,§ Hans Herr, John Rudolph Bundely, Martin Kendig, Jacob Miller,
*Col. Rec. III. 397.
+Im Jahr 1709, kamen etliche familien von der Pfalz welche von den vertriebenen Schweizern abstammten und liessen sich nieder in Lancaster County-Benjamin Eby's Geschichten der Mennoniten, p. 151.
ĮMartin Meylin, son of Hans Meylin, was the first gun-smith within the limits of Lancaster county ; as early as 1719, he erected a boring-mill, on what is known as Meylin's run, on the farm now owned by Martin Meylin, West Lampeter town-
¿John Meylin connected himself with the Sieben Taeger, at Ephrata-he assumed the name ' Amos,' or 'Bruder Amos.'
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Martin Oborholtz, Hans Funk, Michael Oborholtz, Wen- del Bowman and others, who came to Conestogo in 1709, selected a tract of ten thousand acres of land on the north side of Pequae creek, and shortly afterwards, procured a warrant for the same. It is dated October 10, 1710-the warrant was recorded, and the land sur- veyed, the 23d of the same month. The 27th of April, 1711, the Surveyor General, at the request of the first purchasers, subdivided the said ten thousand acres, "into so many parts as they had previously agreed upon."
It appears from tradition and other corroborating testi- ship. He was esteemed one of the most skilful workmen, in iron, of his day. He was an active, useful member of the new colony ; and transacted much of their business abroad.
We here present a few copies of many papers in the pos- session of Abraham Meylin, Mill-wright, grandson of Martin Meylin, from which it will sufficiently appear that he transact- ed business abroad.
In 1729, an act was passed to naturalize many of the Swiss and German settlers-April 14th, 1730-Received of Martin Meylin £14, 4s. 6d. for the naturalization of seven persons.
SAMUEL BLUNSTON.
In 1729, the fears of the government were excited, because the Germans adhered to each other, and used their own lan- guage exclusively; their emigration to this country was to be discouraged by passing an act to lay a duty of forty shillings per head on all aliens ! !
Received, September 29th, 1731, of Martin Meylin, £8, 11s. 8d. for passage and head money of John Eschellman.
THOMAS LAWRENCE.
Philadelphia, 17th, 3d mo., 1729-Received of Martin Mey- lìn, £10, 18s. 8d. money of Pa., which with £9, formerly paid to me by James Dawson, is in full for the principal, interest and quit-rents, due to the proprietaries for 200 hundred acres of land near Conestogo, first granted and surveyed to the said James Dawson, but now in possession of said Martin Meylin. JAMES STEEL, Receiver General.
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mony, that by virtue of the agreement with William Penn, and permission from the Deputy Governor, Hon. Charles Gookin, they commenced making improvements before a warrant had been issued, and that while some were felling trees, removing underbrush, building cabins, others went to Philadelphia to obtain a warrant for their choice tract of woods. The following documents strengthen the tradition to be correct in the main facts.
"By the commissioners of property-Whereas we have'agreed with John Rudolph Bundely, Martin Ken- dig, Jacob Miller, Hans Herr, Martin Oborholtz, Hans Funk, Michael Oborholtz and one Wendel Bowman, Swissers, lately arrived in this province, for ten thousand acres of land,* situate on the northwesterley side of & hill, about twenty miles easterly from Connystogoe, near the head of Pecquin creek, for which said land, they are to pay the sum of five hundred pounds, sterling money of Great Britain, in manner following: that is to say, the sum of one hundred pounds, part thereof in hands, at ye insuing of these presents, the sum of one hundred pounds more thereof (together with forty eight pounds, like money, being the interest of four hundred pounds
*It was part of Penn's policy to sell large tracts in one, body, and under such restrictions as to induce families to unite in settlements. In a proclamation, concerning the treaty of land, dated in Old England, the 24th of the 11th month, 1686, Penn declares, "Since there was no other thing I had in my eye in the settlement of this province, next to the advancement of virtue, than the comfortable situation of the inhabitants therein; and for that end, with the advice and consent of the most eminent of the first purchasers, ordained that every town- ship, consisting of five thousand acres, should have ten fami- lies, at least, to the end the province might not lie like a wil- derness, &c."
Those who purchased in large tracts were required by certain
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for two years) at the end of two years and six months, from the time of the survey of the said lands, (one-half year's interest of the whole being abated), one hundred and eighteen pounds further, part thereof with interest, included within one year, then next after one hundred and twelve pounds (the interest being included) further part thereof, within one year, then next after, the sum of one hundred and six pounds full residue thereof, that of all interest for the same, within one year, that next fol- lowing, so that the said five hundred pounds and interest, as aforesaid, is to be paid in six years next after the time of survey. And also that the said purchasers, their heirs and assigns, shall pay unto the proprietary and Governor William Penn, his heirs and assigns, the sum of one shilling sterling aforesaid, quit-rent yearly forever, for every hundred acres of the said ten thousand acres of land, and that said purchasers shall have said lands free of quit-rent for the two first years next after the survey thereof, and the said purchasers requesting of us a warrant for the location and survey of the said land aforesaid. These are, therefore, to authorize and require
concessions to plant a family within three years after it was surveyed, on every thousand acres. These regulations were, however, not generally observed.
By warrant, dated, July 5, 1712, there were surveyed, Nov. 1, 1712, Pequea, now Strasburg township, for Amos Strettle, 3380 acres, who afterwards sold it in smaller tracts; the prin- cipal persons to whom he sold, prior to 1734, were Henry Shank, Ulrich Brackbill, Augustine Widower, Alexander Fridley, Martin Miller, George Snavely, Christian Musser, An- drew Shultz, John Fouts, Jacob Stein, John Hickman, John Bowman, Valentine Miller, Jacob Hain, John Herr, Henry Carpenter, Daniel Ferree, Isaac Lefevre, Christian Stoner, John Beiers, Hans Lein, Abraham Smith, John Jacob Hoover, Septimus Robinson, Samuel Hess, Samuel Boyer, John Musgrove.
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thee to survey or cause to be surveyed, unto the said purchasers the full quantity of ten thousand acres of land (with reasonable allowance for roads and highways) in one entire tract, at or near the place aforesaid, and to subdivide the same (if they request it) into so many small tracts or parts as they shall agree or appoint to each of them his respective share to be holden by the purchasers, their heirs and assigns, under the rents, pay- ments and agreements aforesaid, subject to distress for the said rent in case of non-payment, and of thy trans- actions and doings in the premises, by virtue of these presents thou art to make such returns into the Secretary's office, with all reasonable expedition. Given under our hands and seals of the province, the tenth day of the eight month at Philadelphia, A. D. 1710.
EDWARD SHIPPEN. GRIFFITH OWEN, THOS: STORY."
To JACOB TAYLOR, Surveyor General.
Warrant Book, 1700-1714, p. 229.
On the 23d of October, the land was surveyed and di- vided among the Meylins, Herr, Kendig, and others of the company.
Having erected temporary shelters, to answer their wants, some set about it, and put up dwellings of more durableness. Martin Kendig erected one of hewed wal- nut logs on his tract, which withstood the storms and rain-the gnawings of the tooth of time, for rising of one hundred and ten years, and might, had it not been re- moved in 1841, and its place taken up by one of more durable materials, have withstood the corroding elements for generations to come. They now began to build
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houses and add new acquisitions of lands to their first possessions .*
To depend upon their Indian neighbors for provisions, was useless-the Indians depended mainly upon game and fish-of course, the supplies of provision were scanty, and what they had they were under necessity to transport from a distant settlementt for some time, till the seeds sown in a fertile soil, yielded some thirty, others forty fold. Fish and fowl were plenty in the wilds. The season of their arrival was favorable- around them they saw crowned the tall hazel with rich- festoons of a luscious grape.
*Martin Kendig, lately an inhabitant of Switzerland, had surveyed him a tract of land in Strasburg township, 1060 acres, bounded by lands of Martin Meylin, Christian Herr, and John Funk. Another tract of 530 acres, bounded by John Herr's land. Another of 265 acres .- Recorded Sept. 1711
. Christopher Franciscus, of Switzerland, 530 acres, bounded by lands of Jacob Miller, Wendel Bowman, John Rudolph Bundely-in 1710, John Funk 530 acres, bounded by lands of Martin Kendig, Jacob Miller .- Surveyed Feb. 28, 1711. John Rudolph Bundely, late of Switzerland, 500 acres, bounded by lands of Wendel Bowman, Surveyed, 1710, and Martin Mey- lin, 265 acres. Christian Herr, 530 acres, John Herr, 530 acres,, all recorded July 3, 1711. Wendel Bowman 530 acres, re- corded July 7, 1711. The warrants for all the above tracts are dated 1710.
+Their nearest mill was at Wilmington, on the Brandy wine, Delaware.
#"Of living creatures, fish, fowl, and the beasts of the wood, here, are divers sorts, some for food and profit, and some for profit only ; for food and profit, the elk, as big as a small ox ; deer, bigger than ours; beaver, raccoon, rabbits, squirrels and some eat young bear, and commend it. Of fowl of the land, there is the turkey, (forty and fifty pounds weight) which is very great ; pheasants, heath-birds, pigeons and partriges, in
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After they had been scarce fairly seated, they thought of their old homes, their country and friends-they sighed for those whom they left for a season ; "They remembered them that were in bonds as bound with them and which suffered adversity," and ere the earth began to yield a return in "kindly fruits," to their labors, con- sultations were held and measures devised, to send some one to their Vaterland, to bring the residue of some of their families; also their kindred and brothers in a land of trouble and oppression, to their new home; into a land where peace reigned, and abundance of the comforts. of life could not fail; they had strong faith in the fruit- fulness and natural advantages of their choice of lands. They knew these would prove to them and their children, the home of plenty-their anticipations have never failed.
A council of the whole society was called; at which their venerable minister and pastor, HANS HERR, pre- sided, and after fraternal and free interchange of senti- ment, much consultation and serious reflection, lots, in conformity to the custom of the Mennonites, were cast,
abundance, &c. Of fish, sturgeon, herring, rock, shad, cats- head, eel, trout, salmon, &c.
The fruits that I find in the woods, are the white and black mulberry, chesnut, walnut, plums, strawberries, cranberries, hurtleberries, and grapes of divers sorts. The great red grape, called by ignorance, the fox-grape."-Penn's letter to the Free Society of traders, at London, dated Philadelphia, the 16th August,, 1683.
Well might the poet say,
" Quaevis sylva feris, et piscibus amnis abundat ;
Fertque suum fructus quaelibet arbor onus.
With beasts the woods, with fish the streams abound ;
The bending trees with plenteous fruits are crowned."
MAKIN ..
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to decide who should return to Europe for the families left behind and others. The lot fell upon Hans Herr, who had left five sons, Christian, Emanuel, John, Abraham and one, whose name we have not learned .* This deci- sion was agreeable to his own mind; but to his friends and charge, it was unacceptable; to be separated von ihrem prediger, from their preacher, could be borne with reluctance and heaviness of heart only. They were all too ardently attached to him to cheerfully acquiesce in this determination-reluctantly they consented to his departure-after much anxiety manifested on account of this unexpected call of their pastor from them; their sor- rows were alleviated by a proposal made on the part of Martin Kendig, that, if approved, he would take Hans Herr's place-this was cordially assented to by all .- Without unnecessary delay, Martin, the devoted friend of the colony, made ready-went to Philadelphia, and there embarked for Europe; after a prosperous voyage of five or six weeks, he reached the home of his friends, where he was received with apostolic greetings and salutations af joy. Having spent some time in preliminary arrange- ments, he and a company of Swiss and some Ger- mans, bade a lasting adieu to their old homes, and dis solved the tender ties of friendship with those whom they left. With his company, consisting of the residue of some of those in America, and of Peter Yordea, Jacob Miller, Hans Tschantz, Henry Funk, John Houser, John Bachman, Jacob Weber, Schlegel, Venerick, Guldin, and others, he returned to the new home, where they were all cordially embraced by their fathers and friends.
*Three of Hans Herr's sons settled in what is now called West Lampeter township, and two in Manor township; from these sprang a numerous connexion of Herrs ; rising of one hundred and fifty of that name, descendants of Hans Herr, are taxables, residing within the present limits of the county.
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With this accession, the settlement was considerably augmented, and now numbered about thirty families; though they lived in the midst of the Mingoe or Cones- togo, Pequae and Shawanese Indians, they were never- theless safely seated; they had nothing to fear from the Indians .* They mingled with them in fishing and hunt -. ing. "The Indians were hospitable and respectful to the whites, and exceedingly civil."
This little colony improved their lands, planted orchards,t erected dwellings, and a meeting and school- house for the settlement, in which religious instruction, on the Sabbath, and during the week, a knowledge of letters, reading and writing, were given to those who
*The Honorable Chas. Gookin, Esq., Lieut. Gov. of Pa. made a journey to Conestogo, and in a speech to the Indians, June 18th, 1711, says, "He intends to present five belts of wampum to the Five Nations, and one to you, of Conestogo, and requires your friendship to the Palatines, settled near Pequea."
To which they answer, "That they are well pleased with the Governor's speech * *
* " As to the Palatines, they are in their opinion safely seated."-Col. Rec. II. p. 556-7.
The several nations of Indians, living on the Susquehanna at this time, were Mingoes, or those of the Conestogo, Dela- ware Indians settled at Peshtang, above Conestogo, and other adjacent places, and Ganawese. "The Piquaws had their wigwams scattered along the banks of the Pequea."-Col. Rec. II. 489.
¡Some of the first planted fruit trees may yet be seen on the farm of Christian Herr, great grandson of Hans Herr. There we saw a cherry tree in full vigor, which, it is said, is rising of one hundred and twenty years old. We measured: it, and: found it 15 feet and 4 feet inches in circumference. Also a. a Catalpa, Bignonia catalpa, which was transplanted by- Christian Herr's mother; it measures fifteen feet in cir- cumference.
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assembled to receive information. The Mennonites never wasted money in rearing stately temples, or in building massive colleges, in which to impart useful knowledge. They ever observed it religiously, to have their children instructed in reading and writing, at least, since the days of Menno Simon, the great reformer, and to bring them up in habits of industry, and teaching them such trades as were suitable to their wants, expe- dient and adapted to their age and constitution."* Their sons and daughters were kept under strict parental au- thority, and as a consequence, were not led into tempta- tions by which so many youths, of both sexes, at the present day, are ruined.
Their religious meetings and schools were for a long time held in the same rude buildings. Among their first preachers were Hans Herr, Hans Tschantz, Ulrich Brech- bill,t who was accidentally killed, while driving his team on the road to Philadelphia. Their ministers were men of sound minds, of irreproachable conversation .- . In this country, the Mennonite ministers, especially in this county, are not, in the parlance of the age, classi- cally educated. "In Europe, at Amsterdam, the Menno- nites have a college, in which all the useful branches are taught. Students of Theology receive instruction in a
*" Haltet und foerdert die kindern zu lesen und schreiben; lehret sie spinnen and andere Haende werkthun, was ihren Jahren und personen nach fueglich, nuetzlich, ertraeglich und bequem ist."-Menno Simon.
+1739, October den 19ten, Ulrich Breckbill, ein diener der gemeinde ist auf der Philadelphia Strasse, mit seinem wagen ploetzlich umgekommen .- Meylin's Family Bible.
0-Samuel Miller, son of Jacob Miller, was the first child born in the Swiss Colony; he was born January 22, 1711.
Jacob Miller, Samuel's father, was born in Europe, 1663, came to America, in 1710, died the 20th April, 1739-interred
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room, containing the library, over the Mennonite Chapel. The lectures are delivered in Latin; and each student, before his entrance, must be acquainted with Latin and Greek. They attend at a literary institution for instrue- tion in Hebrew, Ecclesiastical History, Physics, Natural and Moral Philosophy, &c. The college was established nearly a century ago, and was at first supported by the Amsterdam Mennonites, alone; but lately, other Men- nonite churches sent in their contributions. Some of the students receive support from a public fund; they are all intended for the christian ministry."-Dr Ypeij.
in Tschantz's burying ground, now on the farm, owned by Doctor Martin Musser.
Barbara Meylin, consort of Martin Meylin, was born in the year 1672; after living twenty-four years in matrimony, she died April 2d 1742, aged 70 years.
Hans Meylin, born in 1714, died at the age of 19 years, the 26th of December, 1733-all interred in Tschantz's grave-yard. Preacher Tschantz set apart from his farm two hundred and fifty-six perches for the purposes of a grave-yard. Released all personal claim thereto in 1740, for the use of the neighbor- hood.
NOTE .- Menno Simon, one of the distinguished reformers of the sixteenth century, a man whose apostolic spirit and labors have never yet been fully appreciated, was born at Witmar- sum, in Friesland, 1505. In 1528 he entered into orders as a Romish Priest; but after examining the New Testament for himself, he seceded from that sect.
About the year 1537, he was earnestly solicited by many of the christians with whom he connected himself, to assume among them the rank and functions of a public teacher; and as he looked upon these brethren as being exempt from the fanatical phrensy of the Munsterites, he yielded to their en- treaties. Their community was greatly scattered till 1536, about that time they obtained a regular state of church order, separate from all Dutch and German Protestants, who, at that time, had not been formed into one body by any bonds of
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A settlement having begun, forming the nucleus of a neighborhood or community of neighbors, German and French settled around them; among these were the Ferree family, Daniel Ferree and his sons; Isaac Le- fevre,* Slaymaker and others, of whom a particular ac- count will be given in the sequel. Every new country,
unity. This advantage was procured them by the sensible and prudent management of that champion in Protestanism, Menno Simon. This wise, learned and prudent man, as said before, was chosen by them as their leader, that they might by his paternal efforts, in the eyes of all Christendom, be cleared from the blame which some of the Munsterites had incurred, and which the enemies of the friends of Menno laid to their charge. Menno accomplished this object-some of the per- fectionists he reclaimed to order, and others he excluded. He purified also the religious doctrines of the Baptists. He was indefatigable in labors-he founded many communities, viz :- in Friesland, Holland, Groningen, East Friesland, Brabant- on the borders of the Baltic Sea-in Germany, in the Palati- nate, in Alsace, Bavaria, Suabia, Switzerland, Austria, Mora- via, &c. He suffered more persecution, and endured more fatigue, than all the rest of the reformers of his day-he died the death of the righteous, at Fresenburg, January 31st, 1561.
*" William Penn, Proprietor, &c .- Whereas my late com- missioners of property, by a warrant bearing date the 10th October, 1710, granted unto John Rudolph Bundely, Hans Herr, and divers other Germans, late inhabitants in or near the Palatinate of the Rhine, 10,000 acres of land, to be laid out by them on the north side of a hill about twenty miles easterly of Conestogo, and near the head of Pequea creek, in this province, by virtue of which warrant there was surveyed and subdivided, at the instance of the said Martin Kendig, for the use of Daniel Ferree and Isaac Lefevre, late of Steinmeis- ter, in the Palatinate of the Rhine, a certain tract of land, situ- ated and bounded by lands of Thomas Story, &c., two thousand acres."-Recorded July 12th, 1712. 8
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it is believed, has had its man of " notoriety"-Ken- tucky had a Boone-Pequae, a Franciscus .*
Not to deviate too far from a chronological order, we shall now present Governor Gookin's minutes of a journey in 1711, to the Indians in the vicinage of the Palatines; such the Mennonite settlement was called.
On information received from Peter Bezallion, that the Queen and some of the chiefs of the Conestogo Indians, would be glad to see the Governor and some of the council, touching the death of one Le Tore, who it ap- pears, had been killed before Gookin's arrival in America, and to have a talk with some of the chiefs of the Five Nations, who were waiting; he and some of the coun- cil proceeded to Conestogo. The following is a copy of the journal, which was laid before the council at a ses- sion, June 23, 1711.
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