USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 86
USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 1 > Part 86
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6. Solomon, born Oct. 10, 1794; died May 24, 1880. Hle resided first in Whitehall, and afterwards in Salis- bury township. During his later years he devoted much attention to the culture of bees, and had one of the finest apiaries in the county. He had two sons, Robert and Harrison, and a daughter named Delin, who are still living in Salsburg township, near Allen-
7. Jaseph S., born Oct. 16, 1796; died April 14, 1877; became a minister, and was long prominently identified with the Reformed Church in Lehigh County.1
Balthasar Krauss (or Krausz) and his mother, Anna
! Sve Allentown : history of Zion's Reformed Church.
358
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Krauss, a widow, in September, 1733, came with some of the first of the Schwenkfelders to this country. He married, Jan. 16, 1736, Susanna Iloffinan (who fol- lowed him from the old country in September, 1734), and settled in the most southern part of the present. township of Lower Milford ( Kraussdale) in the year 1749. He purchased a farm of two hundred acres, which was surveyed Sept. 20, 1734, to a George Schut- macher (Shoemaker). Krauss obtained a patent on this land, Dec. 16, 1749, for thirty-one pounds. He sold the same, Feb. 7, 1772, to his son, Balthasar Krauss, Jr., for seven hundred pounds, and died two years later, Feb. 25, 1774, aged over sixty-eight years, leaving one son, Balthasar, and four daughters,- Rosina, married to George Heydrick ; Susanna, mar- ried to Baltzer Yeatrel; Barbara, married to George Urfler ; and Maria, married to Mathias Gerhard. George Ileydrick settled in the present county of Montgomery, and the others in what is now Lower Milford. Balthasar Krauss, Jr., purchased Sept. 12, 1793, from Jacob Probst another tract of almost one hundred and thirty-seven acres for sixteen hundred and forty-eight pounds, and sold the same June 4, 1803, to his two sons, John and Andrew Krauss, for seventeen hundred and seventy-five pounds. Ile donated, prior to 1800, one acre of his other land to the Schwenkfelders for school and church purposes and a burial-place, and sold the other part of his real property to his youngest son, George Krauss, Aug. 17,. 1805, for fourteen hundred and ninety dollars. He died October 14th the same year, aged over sixty-one years, and left three sons (John, Andrew, and George Krauss ) and four daughters ( Regina, married to Jere- miah Krauss; Helena, married to Jacob Gerhard ; Susanna, married to - Hunsberger; and Lydia, married to Jeremiah Yeakel). John Krauss was a well- educated man, having attended the well-conducted schools of the Schwenkfelders, near his birthplace. He became a prominent surveyor, and also a ma- chinist. He died Feb. 12, 1819, and left two sons (Anthony Krauss and Joseph Krauss) and two daughters ( Maria and Lydia).
Andrew Krauss became an organ-builder, and made when he was nineteen years old, with his brother, John Krauss, the first pipe-organ in Pennsylvania, in the year 1790. He died May 11, 1841, aged over sixty-nine years, and left five sons (George S., Samuel, John, and David Krauss) and three daughters (Re- gina, Leah, and Rebecca). George Krauss died June 22, 1844, aged over sixty-one years, and left five sons (Jacob, Henry, Jonathan, Daniel, and Charles Krauss) and two daughters (Sarah and Elizabeth). The de- scendants of the Krausses, at present numerons, are still living in Lower Milford and the upper part of Montgomery County, and are all respectable and useful citizens.
Heinrich Wilhelm Dillinger (or Dielinger), ancestor of the Dillinger family in the country, immigrated to this country in 1728 with seventy-nine other Palatines
in the ship "Mortonhouse." He settled in 1734 near and below the present Dillingersville, and took up one hundred and fifty acres of land, on which he erected soon afterwards a house, where he lived a period of over thirty-one years. He took up in 1752 an- other tract, ealled Gaul, of twenty-three acres and one hundred and twenty-six perehes, and later several other small tracts adjoining his first, altogether over two hundred and thirty-eight acres. He was a true Lutheran Christian ; took a leading part in laying the foundation of the original Lutheran congregation of Upper Milford. Ile departed this life between 1765 and 1770. His wife died in 1761. He left seven chil- dren,-Valentine, John George, John Jacob, Jo- hannes, Anna Catharina (married to Mathias Bastian), Anna Elizabeth (married to George Welter), and Anna Maria (married to John Martin Schwenek). Two ot his sons, Jolin George and John Jacob, divided the real estate between themselves. J. Jacob obtained 1760, July 2d, a patent on the old homestead (one hundred and fifty aeres). Of Valentine Dillinger we only know that he had a daughter named Anna Ro- sina, born March 15, 1751. Johannes probably died single. John JJacob Dillinger purchased in 1788 of Peter Schuler one hundred acres, on which the pres- ent Dillingersville is located. He erected soon after- wards an oil-mill on this traet, which he ran for about. fifteen years. He married Catharine, daughter of Mathias Ox (or Ochs), Sr., by whom he had four chil- dren,-Mathias, born March 26, 1763; John, born Nov. 13, 1767; Eve Christina, born Aug. 26, 1764; and Maria Catharina, born Sept. 3, 1773. His wife died about 1774. Hle married second time Anna Maria, daughter of Jacob Dubs, by whom he had three children,-Catherine, married to Peter Rothen- berger ; Daniel, born May 24, 1779; and John George, born Oet. 7, 1780. He divided his land among his children, and died Dec. 5, 1803, aged seventy-one years. John George had eight children,-John Peter, John Henry, John George, and Daniel; daughters, Eva Rosina, Eva Catharina (intermarried to Jacob Bertz), Gertrude, and Anna Maria. John George Dillinger sold, 1787, his real property, eighty-eight. aeres to his son, John (or John Henry ) for .$400, who sold in 1797 to John George Schuler for .2800, and purchased the same year the farm of his father-in-law, Mathias Ox, Jr., one hundred and sixty-two aeres. John 11. Dillinger, son of John George, died in 1839, and left three sons, William, Henry, and John, and one daughter, Elizabeth. John Dillinger, son of John Jacob Dillinger, established about 1805 a store, and kept the same a few years, and sold his property to Lorenz and Daniel Stabiler and removed to l'hila- delphia, where he died and left three children, - David, Jacob (who was for a number of years one of the associate judges of the courts of Lehigh County, and also for a number of years president of the Allen- town Bank), and Rebecca. Descendants of the Pil- lingers are still numerous, living in Lower Milford,
359
UPPER AND LOWER MILFORD TOWNSHIPS.
Saueon, Allentown, Philadelphia, Ohio, and Indiana, and are respectable and useful citizens.
Johann Theobald Mechlin, a Palatinate, eame to this country in the summer of the year 1728, and set- tled, in the year 1734, in Upper Milford (now Lower Milford). He took, in pursuance of a warrant, dated June 23, 1734, one hundred and fifty-six and one- quarter aeres. He was a Lutheran, and took a lead- ing part in founding the old or original Upper Mil- ford Lutheran congregation, about the year 1735, about half a mile east from his farni,
Mechlin took two additional traets and obtained a patent on them. He died in April, 1765, and left five sons, Theobald, Peter, Jacob, Philip, and Thomas Mechlin, and one daughter, Elizabeth (married to Leonhard Stiminger, of Whitehall township). The youngest son, Thomas, purchased the farm at £266 138. - d. When Thomas Meelilin died, his son, John, became the owner of the farm. He sold March 18, 1847, to his son, Anthony, for $7875.90; who soll about 1876 to his two sons, William Harrison Mech- ling and Benjamin Franklin Meehling, the present owners. This is the only homestead in Milford the ownership of which has not changed in name since the warrant was taken, over one hundred and fifty years.
Johann Nicolaus Stahler (or Stähler), a Palati- nate, immigrated to this country in the year 1738, and settled in what is now Upper Milford township, in the year 1744. He first took up a tract of land upon a warrant dated Oet. 11, 1744, containing twenty-six acres and fifty-one perehes, and purchased on the 6th of September, 1759, by agreement from Henry Sehiszler (Sheezler), another tract (adjoining his first tract) containing one hundred and forty-nine and three-quarter acres (one hundred and seventy-six aeres eleven perches). He obtained a patent on both tracts Oet. 5, 1761, at £27 5s. 6d. The premises are situated about one mile southwest from the village of Zionsville. A part of the same, over seventy-nine aeres, is still in possession of Charles F. Stahler, a direct descendant of the aforesaid Johann Nicolaus Stabler. John N. Stabler resided on his premises for fifty years, and died in September, 1794, and left six sons,-Anthony, John Nicholas, Jr., Philip, Lud- wig, Henry, and Peter Staller. In his last will and testament, dated Sept. 17, 1794, he appointed his son, Ludwig Stahler, as his executor. His real estate was divided between two of his sons, - Henry Stahler Descendants of the Ortts are still living in Milford and are respectable citizens, but the old homestead is in possession of Peter Schuler, and a portion of Gabel, and Solomon Gabel. (seventy-nine acres thirty-three perches, for five hundred and forty pounds) and Peter Stahler (eighty-six acres sixty-seven perches, for five hun- ! the land in possession of John B. Gehman, Willoughby dred and ten pounds). His four other sons-An -; thony, J. Nicolans, Philip, and Ludwig-settled else- Hans Hiestand, an ancestor of the Hiestands, im- migrated prior to the year 1740 from Germany to this country, and settled in Upper Milford, about one mile west from the present village of Shimersville. By vir- the of a warrant dated Dec. 4, 1740, there was sur- veyed to him alnost one hundred and twenty-five where in Upper Milford. Anthony Stahler, Sr., died Dee. 24, 1797, and left three sons,-Anthony, Jr., John, Nicolaus, and Henry, and five danghters. John Nieolaus Stahler, Jr., died and left three sons- Loren, Daniel, and Jacob Stahler-and three daugh-
-
ters. Philip Stahler died and left eight ehildren, four sons-Abraham, Eli, David, and Daniel -- and four daughters.
Ludwig Stahler, son of John Nieolaus Stahler, was appointed justice of the peace for several terms, 1787-1821. He died and left three sons-Christian, David, and John Nicolaus Stahler-and five daugh- ters. Henry Stahler, son of Johannes Nicolaus Stah- Ier, died in 1819, and left five sons-Anthony, Henry, Thomas, Cyrus, and Isaac Stahler-and five daughters.
Peter died without children. Anthony Stahler, Jr., son of Anthony Stahler, Sr., was appointed justice of the peace for about ten years,-1799-1809.
The descendants of Johannes Nicolaus Stahler are numerous, and still living in Milford, Maeungie, and Allentown.
Hans Oord (Ord, Ort or Ortt) or John Ortt, aneestor of the Ortt family in Lehigh County, immigrated from the old country, Germany, to this country about the year 1737, and eame soon afterwards to Upper Milford, and settled on a tract of land containing two hundred acres and one hundred and thirteen perehes. This traet is situated on the division-line between Upper and Lower Milford townships, about one and one-half miles northeast from the present village of Dillingersville, and about the same distance east from Vera Cruz. It was surveyed by virtue of a warrant dated Sept. 11, 1738, to Hans Oord, and he obtained a patent upon it April 11, 1761, for €69 14s. 5d. Hans Oord, Sr., and his wife, Sabina, conveyed their real property (two hundred acres and one hundred and thirteen perches) to their son (no doubt only son), John Oord, Jr., on Nov. 27, 1779, for eight hundred pounds. John Oord (Ord, and later Ortti died Dec. 25, 1797, aged forty-eight years, four months, and ten days, and left four sons-John, Christian, Henry, and Jacob Ortt-and four daughters,-Eve (married to Jacob Deisz), Anna Maria (married to Conrad Rein- hard), Maria Catharina, and Maria Barbara (both of whom died single). According to the last will and testament of Hans Oord, Jr. (or John Ortt, Jr.), the real property was divided among his four sons as fol- lows: John Ortt (Sd), eldest son, homestead with one hundred and four avres one hundred and twenty-eight perches, for .£2200 16s. ; Christian Ortt, second sou, seventy-two acres one hundred and thirty-five perches, for $1165 8s. ; Henry and Jacob Ortt, third and fourth sous, thirty-nine acres fifteen perches, for $586 82.
360
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
aeres, and by virtue of another warrant, dated March 15, 1743, thirty-seven acres and one hundred and thirty-eight perches more. A patent was granted to him for both tracts (one hundred and sixty-two acres one hundred and thirty perches) on June 30, 1762, for £25 4s. 8d. Hans Hiestandt sold his property (one hundred and sixty-two aeres one hundred and thirty perches) on Nov. 20, 1775, to his son, John Hiestand, Jr., for seven hundred pounds ($18663). He left five sons, Jolm, Jacob, Abraham, Isaac, and Christian Hie- stand. They settled in several parts of Milford, John, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham in the neighborhood of the old homestead. The descendants of the Hie- stands are numerous, and the old homestead and premises are still in possession of David, Jacob, and Abraham Hiestand.
Michael Flores, ancestor of the family in Lehigh County, emigrated, about the year 1740, from Old Wittemberg, Germany, to this country, and settled soon afterwards in the neighborhood of the present village of Dillingersville. By virtue of a proprietary warrant dated May 31, 1743, Philip Kolbach took one hundred and thirty-seven aeres of land, but as he did not comply with the conditions, the land was surveyed to Michael Flores, who obtained a pat- ent upon it Feb. 23, 1763, for £20 4s. 6d. Michael Flores was an excellent blacksmith and became be- sides a farmer. He was a true Lutheran, and a mem- ber of the original Upper Milford Lutheran congre- gation, near his homestead. He died in the year 1785, and left one son, Johann Michael Flores, and four daughters, as follows : (1) Maria Sophia, married to Martin Ring, who removed to North Carolina; (2) Elisabeth Margaretha, married to Mr. Kern, who re- moved to York County, Pa. ; (3) Anna Barbara, mar- ried to Stephan Ackerman, of Bucks County ; (4) Mari Magdalena, died single.
Prior to his death, Michael Flores gave his real estate, by his last will and testament, to his son, Johann Michael Flores, with the condition that he should pay to each of his four sisters fifteen pounds. Lone hundred and ninety-two acres from Casper Ritter Ile was also a blacksmith by trade. lle was for a while in service for the cause of liberty in the Revo- lutionary war. He died in March, 1800, aged only forty-three years, and left, besides a widow, ten minor : tion. Eberhard died in 1760, leaving a written will, children,-Henry, Georg, Solomon, Peter, Friederich, in which he divided all his real estate among his six sons, as follows: Michael Eberhard, 150 acres, first homestead, .$350; Joseph Eberhard, Jr., 192 acres, Ritter's place, .$350; Jacob Eberhard, 172 acres, Stecher's place, 5200; John Eberhard, 19 acres, 150 perches, 2200; Peter Eberhard, 200! acres, .5350 ; Abraham Eberhard, 2004 acres, 2350. William, Elizabeth, Catharina, Christina, and Amma Maria. The real estate was divided among the sous, and is still partly in possession of the descendants. Three sons ( Henry, George, and William) and two daughters (Christina and Anna Maria) died single. Solomon Flores died near Rittersville, Pa., in 1870. and left three sons (Renben, Joseph, and Harrison) Besides six sons, he left. also three daughters, - Veronica, married to Philip Dosch ; Elizabeth, mar- ried to Michael Bleyler; and Barbara, married to George Fischer ; and two grandchildren, -Anna Mar- I garetha Hornecker and Joseph Hornecker. and six daughters. Friederich Flores died in Lower Milford in 1861, and left three sons ( Davis, Franklin, and Daniel Flores). Peter Flores died Oct. 1, 1865, aged seventy-four years, six months, and eleven days, and left four daughters and one son ( Philip W. Flores). Descendants of the Eberhards are yet living in Lower Milford, Saucon, and Allentown. Franklin Flores (son of Friederich ) and P. W. Flores i
(son of Peter Flores) were in the Union army for ten months, in 1863, in the One Hundred and Sixty-sev- enth Regiment Pennsylvania Militia.
Philip Wetzel Flores, son of Peter Flores, was born in Lower Milford (then Upper Milford), on Aug. 9, 1832. In October, 1862, he enlisted in the One Hun- dred and Seventy-sixth Regiment Pennsylvania Mlili- tia ; was commissioned as second lieutenant of Com- pany K, of the same regiment, Dee. 6, 1862, and was in serviee in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina for over ten months, and was honorably dis- charged Aug. 18, 1863, on expiration of term of ser- vice. On Aug. 10, 1864, he was appointed assistant assessor of United States internal revenue of the Fourth District, composed of Lower Milford, Upper Milford, and Saueon townships, Lehigh Co., and administered the office for two and a half years. On Oct. 17, 1865, he was appointed postmaster of the post-office of Dillingersville, and has since been in offiee. He has also been engaged over one year in studying and writing local history, and especially of his native township,-Lower Milford.
Joseph Eberhardt emigrated in 1727 from Switzer- land to this country, aud settled in 1742 in what is now Lower Milford, and became one of the leading farmers within the limits of the present county of Lehigh. Ile obtained a patent on a tract of one hundred and fifty acres of land in 1742 (which is now in possession of Dr. J. 11. Dickenshied, a de- scendant of Eberhard), and obtained April 27, 1746, a patent on another tract of four hundred and one acres (now in possession of John D. Eberhard, Mrs. Edwin Spinner, Aaron Klein, Widow Dover, and others, most of whom are the descendants of the Eber- hards). He purchased from Melchior Stecher a third tract of one Inindred and seventy-two acres (now in possession of Alvin Jarrett, Widow Heinbach, and others), took from the proprietaries in 1752 a fourth tract of sixty-seven acres ( now in possession of David Schuler), purchased further in 1858 his fifth traet of (now in possession of Daniel Eberhard, a descendant). and had altogether ten hundred and sixty-five deres. He belonged to the Great Swamp Church congrega-
361
UPPER AND LOWER MILFORD TOWNSHIPS.
Maj. Conrad Eberhard, second son of Peter Eber- hard, born Feb. 26, 1768, lived on the same farm where his father lived and died (1786) : was commis- sioned as major of the militia of Pennsylvania. The commission read as follows :
" Commission, -Thomas McKenn, Governor of Pa., To Conrad Eber- hard, of the County of Northampton, as major of the Second Batalion of the 13th Regiment of the militia of Pennsylvania, in the first Brigade of the 8th Division, composed of the militia of the Counties of North. ampton and Wayne, for the term of 4 years from August 3, 1807.
" LANCASTER, PA., Augt, 3, 1807.
"JNO. THOMPSON, Sec."
Conrad Eberhard died in 1843, aged seventy-five years.
Andreas Engelman, aneestor of the Engelman family, settled previous to the year 1750 in what is now Lower Milford, and purchased from Michael Stoeker about one hundred and fifty acres of land, on which he resided for a number of years. He sold,, March 3, 1757, one aere of his land to the Chestnut Hill Reformed congregation, of which he was a men- ber, for ten shillings. About the year 1785 he built on another tract a grist-mill, which was rebuilt in 1858 by Henry Gerhard, and is now in possession of Aaron Heist, All of the Engelmans living now in Lower Milford, Saneon, Allentown, etc., are the de- seendants of Andrew Engelman. Among them are Elias Engelman, of Lower Milford, Lewis M. Engel- man, Esq., of Saucon (who served for a number of years as clerk for the commissioners of Lehigh County), and Samuel Engelman, Esq., of Allentown, who served for two terms as register of wills of Lehigh County.
Daniel Stauffer, Sr., ancestor of the Stauffers in this vicinity, settled very early in Coalbrookdale township, Berks Co. Johannes (or John) Stauffer and Daniel Stauffer, Jr., sons of Daniel Stauffer, Sr., purchased, Dec. 7, 1751, the old Walber's tavern property (see Walber's tavern), besides one hundred and ten acres situate in the present Kranssdale, in Lower Milford (then Upper Milford, Bucks Co.), from Nicolaus Walber. ( It was part of two hundred and Jamies Steel, who conveyed the same to said Nicolaus Walber.) Two years afterwards, June 9, 1753, they purchased three other tracts (first of seventy-five acres, second of fifty-three acres, third of sixty-two acres), containing together one hundred and ninety aeres, adjoining their other land (one hundred and ten acres), from Christopher Walber for two hundred pounds ($533,33). In 1760, March 10th, John' and Stanffer, Jr., sold two tracts of their land, Daniel together over one hundred and fifty-two aeres, to Paul Ritter, of Coalbrookdale, Berks Co., for three hundred and fifty pounds, who sold the same, March 17, 1770, to his son-in-law, Friederich Limbach, Esq., who sold again, Dec. 11, 1787, to Daniel Stauffer, Jr., for cleven hundred and one pounds. On Jan. 30, 1790, Daniel
Stauffer, Jr., made his last will and testament, and died on the 16th day of Mareh following, and his wife, Catherine, followed him on the 17th. The real estate was divided between his two sons. Jacob Stauffer died in 1839, and left four sons,-Peter, Abraham, Daniel, and Jacob. Prior to his death he sold (1821) his real property to his eldest son, Peter Stauffer. Abraham Stanffer had eight children, five sons- Abraham, Henry, Jacob, John, and Samuel Stauffer, -and three danghters, Susana (married to John Geb- man), Rebecca (married to John Mayer), and Hetty, (who died single). Abraham, Henry, and Samuel settled in the neighborhood ; Jacob and John settled in Bucks County. The descendants are numerous. The old homestead and property are still in their possession. They are progressive farmers, respect- able, moral, and useful citizens.
Wendell Heimbach settled early (but the writer is not able to say in what year) on a farm in Upper Milford, near the old Hampton Furnace. The farm is now in possession of Daniel Kemmerer. He had three sons,-Henry, Wendell, and David. Henry set- tled in Rockland township, ,Berks Co .; Wendell near the old homestead, where he lived a number of years, and where he built an oil-mill about 1815, changed later to a clover-mill. He died in Lower Milford about 1855. Wendell Heimbach, his son, and Wil- liam Heimbach, a grandson, and other descendants live still in Berks and Lehigh Counties. David went to Hereford, Berks Co., kept store and tavern, and came back and built, in 1809, the Hampton Furnace. He lived there until 1832, when he sold the furnace and moved to Allentown and kept the old stone mill, known as Jaeger's mill, and died in 1834. His sons, David and John, both became irommasters, and settled in Carbon County, in Lower Towamensing and Franklin townships, where they built the Clarissa and Maria Furnaces. Another son, named Solomon, lives still in Allentown. David and John both died of typhoid fever in 1834, the same year that their father died. John V. R. Hunter (Jaeger) married seventy-six acres which was surveyed, in 1784, to ; two daughters of David Heimbach, and Paul Miller married the widow of John Heimbach. The daugh- ters of David Heimbach (eller) were Mrs. Mohr, Rev. Gregory, Mrs. Willaner.
Friedrich Wilhelm Kern, ancestor of the Kerns in Lehigh County, immigrated from Würtemberg to this country in 1739. Ile settled first in Philadelphia County, purchased a tract in Horsham township in 1749, but he sold it in 1752, and settled the same year in Upper Milford, near the present village of Shimersville, where he purchased from Michael Moyer a tract of one hundred aeres and one hundred and thirty perches. He died in February, 1771, and left three sons-John Mathias, John George, and Lorenz Kern-and one daughter,-Magdalena (married to Johu Peter Lahr). By his last will and testament he divided his real estate between his two eldest sons, 1 John Mathias and John George; but as the latter
1 John Slauffer settled afterwards in Bucks County.
362
HISTORY OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
named died in 1795, and John Mathias purchased, April 1, 1796, from the heirs the other part (over fifty aeres, for four hundred and fifty dollars), Lorenz Kern and the heirs of John George Kern removed to York County. John George Kern had four children,-John, George, Abraham, and Elizabeth. John Mathias had four children, -John Peter, Mathias, Margaretha, and Anna Maria. John Mathias Kern died March 29, 1803, aged over sixty-four years, and his son Mathias purchased his real estate. Mathias Kern left four sons-David, Christian, Jonas, and Thomas-and five daughters. The real estate was divided among his sons, and is still in their possession. The descend- ants of the Kerns family are still numerous.
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