-pcnnsyl\1an1a ittcnnonitc

Volume XVI, Number 3 July 1993

Contributors to This Issue

Margaret C. Reynolds John E. Engle

Margaret C. Reynolds, a native of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, graduated from Elizabethtown College, Eliz­abethtown, Pennsylvania, in 1970. She has taught in public schools in New Jersey and Middletown, Pennsylvania, pri­marily in the areas of English and United States History. In 1992 she received the M. A degree in American Studies from Penn State Harrisburg. Her academic interests are Pennsylvania culture studies, including Pennysylvania German vernacular architecture, material culture, folklife, and religious groups. She enjoys writing, music, and cine­ma. The article in this issue is based on a project for the course entitled "Seminar in American Culture: Historic Preservation" at Penn State Harrisburg in 1992. Her address is Box 261, Route 4, Elizabethtown PA 17022

John E. Engle was born in Thomas, Oklahoma, and was reared in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. He attend­ed Messiah College, a school related to the Brethren in Christ, and graduated from Elizabethtown College, a school related to the Church of the Brethren. He received the M.D. degree from Temple University School of Medi­cine in Philadelphia. Following voluntary service in Whitesburg, Kentucky, under Mennonite Central Commit­tee, he practiced medicine in Palmyra, Pennsylvania. Since 1979 he has been director of Nephrology at the Mid-Maine Medical Center, Waterville, Maine. Since 1985 he has enjoyed studying the European origins of the Engel and Kreider families, and has made four research trips to work in archives of Switzerland and Germany. In 1990 he com­pleted the German Script Seminar at Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He attributes his love of foreign languages (German, French, Russian) to his father John E. Engle, and actively collaborates with his brother Eugene in historical and genealogical projects using computers. His address is 10 Lloyd Road; Waterville, ME 04901.

Eugene K. Engle was born in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and spent his early life in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Messiah College, Grantham, Pennsyl­vania, in 1972 with a B.A. in Biology and Chemistry. He

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage (ISSN 0148-4036) is the quarterly magazine of the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, 2215 Mill­stream Road, Lancaster, P A 17602. It focuses on the historical back­ground, religious thought and expression, culture, and genealogy of the Mennonite-related groups originating in Pennsylvania. Articles appearing in this magazine are annotated and indexed in Historical Abstracts, America: History and Life and Genealogical Periodical Annual Index. ·second class postage paid at Lancaster, PA.

Single copies, $8.00 each ppd., $6.00 at Society. Regular, annual membership $25.00. Five-year cumulative indexes of authors-subjects

Eugene K. Engle Jane Evans Best

recieved the M.D. degree from Penn State Univeristy School of Medicine in 1976. He completed a residency in family practice at Lancaster General Hospital in 1979 and since then has engaged in family practice medicine in Man­heim, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Lancaster Men­nonite Historical Society, the Lancaster County Historical Society, and the Brethren in Christ Historical Society-the latter of which he served on the Executive Committee for six years. He collaborates on historical and genealogical projects with his brother John and has done research in Germany and Switzerland. He spends his spare time with his wife Ann and their four children; they attend Speedwell Heights Brethren in Christ Church, Lititz, Pennsylvania and reside at 310 Hossler Road, Manheim, P A 17545.

Jane Evans Best began in 1979 to gather family sto­ries for her grandchildren. This hobby grew into a detailed study of people who settled in northeastern Lancaster County, .Pennsylvania, between 1717 and 1750, and their origins in Switzerland, Germany, Wales, and England. A graduate of New Holland High School, New Holland, Pennsylvania, and Hood College, Freder­ick, Maryland, she served as a teacher and school direc­tor in the Eastern Lancaster County School District. She is active in Trinity Lutheran Church, New Holland. As one of the authors of The Groff Book (1985), she helped to document the first five generations of Groff descendants in Lancaster County. She is currently working on The Groff Book, Volume 2: An Update which will include the European history of three Groff families, plus corections and additions to materials on Bear, Herr and other fami­lies noted in the first volume. It will also have sum­maries of lineages extended to the present of many Groff descendants. Her European research trips began in 1982, but most of her current research involves, in addition to local sources, correspondence and microfilms at the Saints Family History Center of the Latter Day Saints (Mormon) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Her address is 5 Kutz A venue, New Holland, PA 17557.

and titles, every name, and errata-addenda: 1978-1982 at $14.95 ppd. and 1983-1987 at $18.95 ppd. Address changes, including old and new addresses, should be forwarded to Lancaster at least six weeks in advance.

Direct editorial mail to 2215 Millstream Road, Lancaster, PA 17602. The editor will be pleased to consider unsolicited manuscripts and photographs sent for publication but ·accepts no responsibility for man­uscripts not accompanied by return postage. Phone (717) 393-9745.

Copyright 1993 by the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, 2215 Millstream Road, Lancaster, PA 17602.

STAFF Editor David J. Rempel Smucker

Editorial Assistant Lola M. Lehman

Copy Editor Alice W. Lapp

Language Consultant Noah G. Good

Circulation Judith A. Siegrist

Editorial Council Eugene K. Engle Reg Good Clarke E. Hess Harold E. Huber Steven M. Nolt Lorraine Roth John L. Ruth Stephen Scott Joe Springer

lJcnnsyl"ania tltcnnonitc

c1'itagc Volume XVI, Number 3 July 1993

IN THIS ISSUE

A Chronicle in Stone and Wood: The Magdalena House 2 and the River Brethren

by Margaret C. Reynolds A Letter from Immigrant Ulrich Engel to Switzerland in 1755 11

by John E. Engle and Eugene K. Engle Swiss Bruppachers in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania 19

by Jane Evans-Best Readers' Ancestry 34

by Judith A. Siegrist Queries 38 Die Hummel Schteche den Monat Net 41 The Bumblebees Don't Sting This Month

by Noah G. Good

Book Reviews 42 Willing Service: Stories of Ontario Mennonite Women, by Lorraine Roth

by Alice W. Lapp A Good Start: The Aussteier oi Dowry, by Jeannette Lasansky

responses by R. Martin Keen and Jeannette Lasansky German-English Genealogical Dictionary, by Ernest Thode

by David]. Rempel Smucker

THE COVER The Magdalena House in Conoy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, built in the eighteenth century, was rendered in a pen and ink sketch by Pat Drybred in 1993. In press­ing need of restoration, the dwelling built by Jacob Engel most likely served as the locus for the emerging River Brethren denomination of which Engel served as the first bishop. Many, if not most,' of the earliest members of this religious group were formerly Mennonites. The first article gives an architectural description of the building and its historical context.

Illustration credits: author, pp. 2-10, 34-37, 20, 21, 27; Peter Ziegler, pp. 19,33; Albert Best, p. 23; Marian Bruba)<er, p. 26; John Engle, 11; Eugene K. Engle (plot drawn), pp. 12, 17 middle; Pennsylvania State Archives, p. 16, p. 17 top, p. 17 bottom; Oral Traditions Project, Union County Historical Society, Lewisburg, Pa., p. 44; Alexandria Drafting Co., The Map People, Alexandria, Va., used with permission, pp. 27, 17 middle; Library of Congress, p. 12 bottom; Gemeindearchiv Ri:ithenbach, Switzerland, p.12 middle.

The Magdalena House, birthplace of the River Brethren and homestead of the Jacob Engel family, is a rare and decaying Pennsylvania German vernacular building urgently awaiting preservation.

A Chronicle in Stone and Wood: The Magdalena House and the River Brethren

by Margaret C. Reynolds*

Awaiting preservation, the Magdalena House in Conoy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsyl­vania, former home of religious pioneer Jacob Engel, endures. The dwelling is a monument

to the River Brethr.en quest for scriptural obedience and dedication to God. Truly a shrine, the Magdalena House is also a persistent symbol of faith and community for three groups whose Swiss-German Mennonite origins in Lancaster County brand them partakers of a European Anabaptist and pietist legacy of devotion, persecution, and martyrdom. To establish the importance of this structure, I will first give its historical and social back­ground followed by its architectural significance and a philosophical context.

The River Brethren originated in the fervor of the Great Awakening in North America during the eigh­teenth century. Much of the preaching in this powerful movement was aimed at German-speaking folk, many of whom settled in southeastern Pennsylvania. The United Brethren in Christ, Evangelical Association, and the Methodists influenced the Pennsylvania revival meet­ings held in barns around the Lancaster County country­side. These meetings were characterized by deep pietist tendencies, and emotional religious experiences. "Wir sind Bruder," "We are Brothers," was the rallying cry of these revival meetings.l

During this period of questioning Jacob Engel emerged as a religious pioneer. Gathering his small band of converts from the Mennonites, Engel baptized them, probably in the waters of the Conoy Creek. As tra­dition has it, he lead them to the loft of his dwelling now known as the Magdalena House, and conducted the first footwashing, love feast, and communion of the River Brethren. Jacob Engel's pietist River Brethren movement

*I wish to thank Simon J. Bronner; Distinguished Professor of American Studies and Folklore at Penn State, Harrisburg, for his gen­erous encouragement and astute editorial assistance. His observations on the social context of vernacular architecture have shaped my view of Pennsylvania German families and culture. I also want to thank Wendy and Gary Vincent for providing access to the Magdalena House on its journey toward preservation.

1 Oscar Kuhns, The German and Swiss Settlements of Colonial Pennsyl­vania (New York: Eaton and Morris, 1900), p. 188.

2 The Magdalena House derives its name from Jacob Engel's unmarried daughter who cared for her parents until their deaths. Mag­dalena remained alone in the homestead until she could no longer care for herself. She died at age eighty-one in the adjacent home of Honnes, her nephew. Grave markers at Reich Church, Maytown, Lancaster County, indicate that Magdalena's family surname had Anglicised from "Engel" to "Engle" by the third generation.

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survives today as three separate denominations-the Old Order River Brethren, United Zion's Children, and the Brethren in Christ. The survival of these three groups lends import to the antiquity of Engel's dwellirtg.

The so-called Magdalena House is architecturally dis­tinctive as an example of Pennsylvania German culture during the eighteenth century.2 Located on Sagertown Road in Conoy Township, it is a one-and-one-half story mid-eighteenth century Germanic stone cabin-of tri­partite configuration with an arch cellar and a "holy cor­ner." Except for the kitchen addition, this structure appears to be virtually unaltered.

Unfortunately, the building is rapidly losing its integrity. Window frames are falling out, and panes are broken. The roof leaks into the dwelling and is rotting the floorboards and beams through two levels; doors are out of square. Inevitably, animals have made this struc­ture a habitat. The structure requires immediate atten­tion, and I trust that this essay will generate interest to that end.

Social and Historical Background

Born in Switzerland to Ulrich Engel and Anna Brech­bill, the infant Jacob and his family immigrated on the ship Phoenix to Philadelphia, arriving October 1, 1754. Making his way westward from Philadelphia, Ulrich Engel settled on land in present-day East Donegal (then Donegal) Township, Lancaster County, near what later was the railroad stop called Wildcat near the Susquehan­na River. Three years after immigration Ulrich Engel

The Conoy Creek adjacent to the Magdalena House in Conoy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, was probably the baptismal site of the original eleven converts of the River Brethren led by Jacob Engel.

July 1993

died.3 One hundred fifty acres near Marietta were even­tually deeded to Anna, widow of Ulrich Engel, and their seven children, including the youngest, Jacob. About 1761, according to tradition, Anna Engel was killed by a fall from her horse when her bonnet became entangled by tree branches.4 Ulrich, the eldest child, purchased the farm at Wildcat in 1766.5

At the age of fourteen, Jacob apprenticed to a weaver at Stackstown in Conoy Township where he affiliated with the Mennonite Church. In 1771 at the age of eigh­teen he was converteci and baptized as a Mennonite. Lit­tle is known about Jacob, except that he was educated in Stackstown, also called Lobato, and that he taught Eng­lish and German school there.6

In 1773 Jacob married Veronica Schock, daughter of his employer, a weaver who also owned and ran a mill in Rowenna, then known as Schock's Mills, near Mariet­ta. Veronica's father provided Jacob with a loom of his own.7 In 1786 Jacob purchased land from his brother Honnes near Stackstown, and probably at some point after that built the dwelling we now call the Magdalena House.

Jacob attended large revival meetings held in Done­gal Township by Jacob Boehm and Philip Otterbein, founders of the United Brethren denomination.s Jacob believed that the Mennonites lacked vitality, and he chose not to join the Dunkards (later known as German Baptist Brethren and Church of the Brethren). Nor did he embrace the evangelical fervor ·of the United Brethren by joining that group.9 Jacob met with others who shared his spiritual seeking. They met in homes, held worship services, and studied the scriptures. By the age of twenty-five, Jacob became convinced that the true method of baptism was not, as the Catholics, Lutherans, and Reformed believed, infant baptism by pouring, nor as the Mennonites and others practiced, adult baptism by pouring. Engel believed in trine (three) immersion face forward. He adopted this and other Dunkard prac­tices, but was not satisfied to identify himself with any of the churches or worshippers in the area.

Dissatisfied with his Mennonite baptism, Jacob sim­ply sought a new baptism according to scripture. A Dunkard elder refused to baptize Engel, since baptism

3 John E. Engle and Eugene K. Engle, "A Letter from Immigrant Ulrich Engel to Switzerland in 1755," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 16 (July 1993): 11-18. In a. letter dated December 7, 1755, to his brother Hans, Ulrich Engel writes with typical concern of the Swiss Anabaptist farmer regarding field production and fertility-listing crops and their yields per acre in this new land, livestock, fruit trees, native plants and animals, an abundance of wood, and water for mills.

4 Morris Engle, History of the Engle Family in America: 1754-1927 (Mount Joy, Pa .: The Bulletin Press, 1927), p. 17.

5 Laban T. Brechbill, History of The Old Order River Brethren (n.p.: author, 1972), p. 10; Miscellaneous Book 1763-1767, p. 258, Lancaster County Archives, Lancaster, Pa.

6 Ibid., p. 13. 7 Ibid., pp. 12, 13. 8 Ira D. Landis, "The Origin of the Brethren in Christ Church and its

Later Divisions," Mennonite Quarterly Review 34 (Oct. 1960): 302. 9 Carlton 0 . Wittlinger, "The Origin of the Brethren in Christ,"

Mennonite Quarterly Review 48 (1974): 66-67. . 10 Carlton 0 . Wittlinger, Quest for Piety and Obedience (Napannee,

Ind.: Evangel Press, 1978), p. 9. 11 Stephen E. Scott, "The Old Order River Brethren Church," Penn­

sylvania Mennonite Heritage 1 (July 1978): 13; The Brethren Encyclopedia, s.v. "Brethren in Christ," by Martin H., Schrag, pp. 188,189.

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This window area of the Magdalena House illustrates the urgent need for preserving its testimony in wood and stone.

meant joining their fellowship. Instead, he advised Engel and his followers to baptize one another. They made a pact never to reveal who baptized whom first, presum­ably in the Conoy Creek near Bainbridge.lO By this act of baptism, these men established a new denomination with Jacob Engel as its first bishop.

Among the first to be baptized were eleven like­minded persons of Mennonite background. Believing himself to be chosen by God and the congregation, Jacob Engel invited the brethren to his homestead on· the Conoy Creek. In the loft above the Kuche, as tradition recounts, they held their first love feast, symbolic of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ.

The small River Brethren sect was one of the earliest indigenous plain sects in North America, unlike the Dunkards, Mennonites, and Amish which began in Europe and were transplanted to the New World.11 The River Brethren had their theological roots in Anabaptism and later Mennonite developments such as discipleship, use of the ban, footwashing, nonresistance, nonpartici­pation in public office holding, and the refusal to swear oaths. They diverged in some practices from the Men­nonites in favor of Dunkard practices-wearing the beard, elections of elders rather than by lot, love feasts in connection with communion, deacon visitations, and baptism by face forward trine immersion.

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The south front elevation of the Magdalena House built by Jacob Engel shows the original stone portion (ca. 1780), the brick kitchen addition (ca. 1830s), and the cellar entrance (bottom left) to the butchering area. The cellar doorway of four foot width allowed people to move large barrels through it. Rusty barrel hoops on the cellar floor bear mute testimony to Pennsylvania German foodways. Stone and masonry displacement is especially severe around the front door (bottom right) to the Kuche. The traces of exterior plaster show the common Pennsylvania German practice of plastering to the top of the first story.

River Brethren owe more to Dunkard theology and folkways than to the Mennonites, but they differed from the Dunkards in certain key issues.l2 River Brethren rejected the DUnkard view that Christ instituted a sacred supper as a prelude to communion. The Dunkards, unlike the River Brethren, stood aloof from the pietistic awakening of the eighteenth century, and also differed from the River Brethren in defining the nature of conver­sion at the moment of baptism. For the Dunkards, bap­tism was likened to the remission of sin based on repen­tance and faith, rather than a new birth. To the River Brethren, baptism was an act of obedience and a public statement to the community that the individual has already experienced earlier conversion and entered a new life in Christ.l3

River Brethren ordinances included anointing of the sick, the love feast and communion, footwashing, the "holy kiss" or kiss of peace, and trine immersion bap­tism, face forward. Today the groups stemming from the River Brethren stress knowing exactly when one enters the Christian life-a personal relationship with Christ­through crisis conversion and repentance, a face-to-face fellowship, inner holiness, and unity through the disci­pline of the gathered church.

Jacob Engel dedicated his life to these River Brethren

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ideals. When he died in 1833, the River Brethren had considerably increased their numbers. By 1853 Bishop Matthias Brinser led them in Middletown, Londonderry Township; Jacob's son Daniel led members in Lower Swatara Township, Dauphin County. Other members lived in Franklin County.

Bishop Brinser, a fiery, charismatic speaker who attracted large numbers of followers, declared his inten­tion to build a meetinghouse. This caused considerable concern and alarm among the Conoy congregation who clung to early tenets of Bishop Engel. Meetings for wor­ship had always been held in homes or barns; meeting­houses were looked upon as "a great evil," and as a sign of worldliness. The Conoy congregation censured Brinser and strictly forbade the building of a meeting­house. Brinser conveyed his intention to build in spite of the rift. Another two years elapsed before a conference on this controversy was held.

The River Brethren regretted this period of indecision because their vacillation added to the mistrust with

12 Wittlinger, Quest for Piety and Obedience, p. 19. 13 Ibid., p. 65; See also Donald F. Durnbaugh, "Nineteenth Century

Dunker Views of the River Brethren," Mennonite Quarterly Review 67 (Apr. 1993) which cites views on the distinctions among the various Brethren and Mennonite groups.

July 1993

which they were viewed by more conservative York County factions. Oral tradition recounts that the Canoy elders had told Brinser that he would have hismeeting­house if he were patient. This remark angered the ortho­dox York faction who then stopped fellowship with the Canoy congregation and became known as "Yorkers."l4

When the Canoy elders finally took decisive action against Brinser, they wrote that "you can no longer be a brother to fellowship with ... " Brinser's disgusted response was "Sie fressen einmal was sie now kutzen,"15 or in translation "They will soon eat what they now vomit." The Brinser faction separated from the River Brethren, built their meetinghouses, and named them­selves United Zion's Children. The remaining Canoy River Brethren congregation eventually built meeting­houses of their own, and in 1864 adopted the name of Brethren in Christ, the largest of the three denomina" tions resulting from the original sect established by Jacob Engel. The orthodox faction withdrew, remaining more "plain" and separatist. Known then as the "York­ers," they are the Old Order River Brethren centered pri­marily in Lancaster, York, and Franklin counties. The Magdalena House symbolizes the birthplace of these three denominations.

Jacob Engel's Pennsylvania German Architecture The Magdalena House is a German Continental tri­

partite house form translated into the Lancaster County landscape. This dwelling type was adapted to the land­scape by an eighteenth-century wave of Swiss-German Mennonite immigrants. Engel's dwelling, his "urtwitting biography," is part of a tangible pattern on the land­scape, providing a text to read for clues to his Swiss-Ger­man traditions.l6 The Magdalena House is an artifact which, I believe, mirrors Engel's unconscious, uninten­tional attitudes, values, and beliefs.l7

Landscape can be defined both culturally and as spe­cific geographic features. Cultural landscape is the con­crete and characteristic product of the complicated inter­play between a given human community, which embod­ies certain cultural preferences and potentials, and a par­ticular set of natural circumstances.IS In this case, the River Brethren and their geographic area bounded by the Canoy Creek provided a cultural and geographic set­ting to enact a defining ordinance of this early group: trine baptism by immersion.

The dwellings of the River Brethren embody the innate cultural conservatism of the "plain" people. Their culture assumes a regional character based on their eth­nic background and their strict conservative religious beliefs. They were a community of conforming individu­als who behaved according to the dictates of cultural forces, their charismatic religious leader, their Swiss­German ethnic heritage, and their understanding of bib­lical truth. This interaction of human behavior, architec­tural space and usage, and physical geography pro­duced Jacob Engel's distinctive material culture.

The Canoy Creek played an important role in the physical, historic, and cultural geography of this house. Germans often built houses in an embankment near a stream for a water source and a banked cellar, the latter for food preparation and storage. The Canoy Creek was not only a source of water for the Engel· family but a geo-

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 5

The north rear elevation (top) of the Magdalena House built by Jacob Engel shows the loft area (behind the dormers, added ca. 1860) of the original stone part (right, ca. 1780) where the first love feast of the River Brethren probably occurred about 1783. A shed roof (bottom) over the doorway survives from the late nineteenth century.

14 John K. Miller, "The River Brethren," The Pennsylvania German 7 (1906): 20-22.

1s Brechbill, History of the Old Order River Brethren, p. 37. 16 Peirce F. Lewis, "Axioms for Reading the Landscape: Some

Guides to the American Scene," in Material Culture Studies in America, ed. Thomas Schlereth (Nashville: AASLH Press, 1982), p . 176.

17 Jules D. Prown, "Material Culture Studies: A Symposium," Mate­rial Culture 17 (Summer/Fall1985): 79.

1s Philip L. Wagner, and Marvin W. Mikesell, Readings in Cultural Geography (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962), p. 11.

July 1993

The east elevation of the Magdalena House reveals the scars of an attached bake oven enclosure. Remains of the oven vent in the foundation are visible (lower left). An iron tie rod above the first-story window braces the wall. The lintel with bull's eye corners dates this portion to the 1830s. The brick pattern is Flemish bond, alternating five rows of stretchers with one row of headers. graphic connection to baptismal convictions of the River Brethren.

The Engel house was a cultural adaptation to a land­scape reminiscent of this group's European homeland. For example, its builder used the pre-metric thirteen-inch German foot, or Baufuss.19 Behind the folk structures that the group built lay a rigorous, highly structured design method which resulted in the conversion of ideas into spatial form. Conscious thought and specific tools achieved intelligent, deliberate architectural design.zo

Sectarian groups built vernacular Continental dwellings forming a culture area. These communities of Mennonites, Dunkards, and River Brethren settled in rur.al clusters, claimed their territory and rooted deeply.zt River Brethren intertwined through marriage and tended to be more tightly clustered geographically. Many River Brethren sought holdings next to kin. Their farmsteads were frequently set far back from the road, as the Magdalena House, adjacertt to springs or above streams.22 Farmsteads tended to have contiguous fields and conformed to deeply incised streams such as the Canoy Creek. Therefore, the landscape ensured separa­tion, a cultural pattern in keeping with their theological and behavioral separatism. Their landscape, natural and human-bUilt, is indeed a document with tells of its past.

Building material served as a type of language in folk architecture. Pennsylvania Germans, including the "plain" groups used stone buildings as a projection of

19 Arthur J. Lawton, "The Pre-Metric Foot and its Use in Pennsylva­nia German Architecture," Pennsylvania Folklife 19 (Autumn 1969): 42.

2o Thomas Hubka, "Just Folks Designing; Vernacular Designers and the Generating Form," in Common Places, ed . Dell Upton, Michael Vlach (Athens Univ. of Georgia Press, 1972), p. 426.

21 Scott T. Swank, Arts of the Pennsylvania Germans (New York: W.W. Norton and Co. and Francis Henry DuPont Winterthur Museum, 1982), p. 20.

22 James T. Lemon, Best Poor Man's Country (Baltimore: Johns Hop­kins Press, 1972), pp. 20-21.

23 William Woys Weaver, "The Pennsylvania German House," Win­terthur Portfolio 21 (Winter 1986): 243.

24 Simon J. Bronner, Grasping Things (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1986), pp. 16-17

25 Ibid., p. 53.

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achievement and status. Until the Revolution, bishops and preachers, whose houses were used as community focal points and places of worship, built their dwellings of stone. According to William Woys Weaver, the Swiss Mennonite community, and probably the River Brethren as well, displayed "a deeply ingrained attitude about the overlapping aspects of class, power, and their materials representation .... "23 That Jacob Engel chose stone as his building material as first bishop of the River Brethren indicates his consciousness of the usage of the structure as both dwelling and religious community focal point. The use of stone most likely embodied permanence in the mental processes of Jacob Engel.

The Magdalena House as Folk House One scholar of folk material culture points out the

underlying cultural grammar that European immigrants brought with them by observing that every European folk house type in North America is based on the rectan­gle.24 The Magdalena House, for example, is a "golden oblong," the basic rectangle of 21 feet by 42 feet having a 1:2 ratio.2s This common geometric pattern of folk build­ing structure employs two basic and equal units that can easily take additions. The exterior presents a four-bay facade characteristic of Georgian or "double-pile" style borrowed from the English. The symmetry of the Geor­gian style lent itself to later additions, often a kitchen or an exterior wing attached to the rear of the dwelling. Indeed, this pattern appears repeatedly in the Georgian exterior style of folk architecture that pervades much of the Mid-Atlantic region.

A basis for this folk culture pattern of the 1:2 ratio is the human form. The bi-lateral symmetry of many Euro­pean-American houses, according to Simon J. Bronner,

The Stube or stove room of the Magdalena House had a "holy corner," a small corner shelf where Swiss German Mennonite families usually placed a Bible, hymn book, or other valuable items. Wall benches and a table usually were placed in the cor­ner where meals, fellowship, and family worship took place.

July 1993

can be related to that culture's preoccupation with directing attention to the human body through visible frontal symbols such as architectural facades. Reliance on oppositions and bilateral symmetry serve ·to project the body in architecture.26 It affirms the importance, even the dominion, of humans over the landscape. By emphasizing pairs, the exterior of the "double-pile" house expresses a social sign of union existing in the family within the house.27

This German box lock is on the inside of the north exterior door to the Kuche of the Magdalena House.

The floor plan of the Magdalena House bears a differ­ent pattern. Whereas the Georgian floor plan has private rooms-two on each side of a central hallway, the Ger­man plan is asymmetrical. One enters a long kitchen hall or Kuche, while on the other side, a large Stube lies in front of a small Kammer, or chamber. The Stube, or stove room, was used for worship at times, as can be seen in the 1719 Herr House near Willow Street in Lancaster County.

In this Continental form, Pennsylvania Germans made their primary entrance the Kuche, which was the utilitarian heart of the house. Directing passage into the Kuche the form recalled peasant culture, where the hearth room with its lifegiving functions of light, heat, and cookery invited entrance into a utilitarian center. Considered an "open" plan, in distinction to the Geor­gian's "closed" layout, the Continental form indicated a close-knit community emphasizing utility and down­playing social barriers.2s

In River Brethren culture symbolic usage of architec­tural forms as places of worship, such as dwellings and barns, reveal deeper meanings. From these meanings one

26 Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, s.v." Anglo-American Aesthetic," by Simon J. Bronner, pp. 458-460.

27 Ibid. 2s Simon J. Bronner, "Folk Architecture," lecture on Pennsylvania

German architecture and folkways, Oct. 21, 1992; Also, see Bronner's American Material Culture and Folklife (Ann Arbor: UMI Research Press, 1985), pp. 50-57, for a discussion of the social context in shaping ver­nacular shelters.

29 Simon J. Bronner, "Concepts in the Study of the Material Aspects of American Folk Culture," Folklore Forum 12 (1979): 149.

30 Ibid., p. 120. Concerning the individual and architecture, on p. 160, Bronner asserts that" ... more emphasis on individual inhabitants may indicate conceptions of dwelling that influence architectural tradition."

31 Engle, History of the Engle Family, pp. 61-62, states the the first baptism of converts was accompanied by the derision and heckling of onlookers and neighbors.

32 Bronner, "Concepts in the Study of Material Aspects of American Folk Culture," 158-160, presents a discussion Qf the behavioral context in folk life studies.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 7

An interior door, employing the so-called "cross and Bible" pat­tern, separates the Stube from the Kuche in the Magdalena House.

can infer cultural patterns. Conscious and unconscious beliefs, ideas, projections, meanings, and values may emerge from an object's construction and existence even though participants in a culture may not articulate them.29 The distinctive appearance of the group's materi­al culture reflected and affected the values of the group.30

Upon organizing the structure of the church about 1780, according to oral tradition, Engel invited his recent­ly baptised converts to the security of this dwelling to ini­tiate the ritual that was and is today an important ele­ment for the River Brethren groups. In the small room above the Kuche eleven persons joined together in the first love feast, a ritual meal followed by the rite of foot­washing and the ordinance of communion.

In addition to the religious symbolism of the "upper room," or Jesus' last meal with his disciples, the dwelling has symbolic significance as a fortress, a rock of safety for the early converts. Some folk of the sur­rounding country directed hostility toward Engel and his followers due to the impact of their witness. Tradi­tion holds that Engel feared the violence .of those in opposition; at night he securely fastened doors and win­dows of his dwelling to keep them away.31 Engel shaped his building and then, in a sense, it shaped River Brethren behavior.

Accordingly, this behavioral context should permeate the study of the house of Jacob Engel.32 Engel created a subculture influenced by his leadership and by the accepted rules of his community. The structure of this community mandated important aspects of their materi-

July 1993

Framing for the cellar ceiling employed the mortise, tenon, and peg construction, the strongest joining technique in ver­nacular architecture. It was used extensively by Pennsylvania German builders.

al culture: clothing, wearing of the hair, the usage of their houses and barns, and special cookery of their ritu­al love feast.

Structural Design of the Magdalena House The Magdalena House is similar to other rare exam­

ples of the Flurkuchenhaus, or corridor-kitchen house, such as the Reber-Herr-Hershey house in Manor Town­ship, Lancaster County, and the Johannes Nisley house in West Donegal Township, Lancaster County.33 Although it lacks the central fireplace of this early eigh­teenth century Continental house plan, the Magdalena House has an end chimney reminiscent of Georgian exteriors. Like many early German examples, this dwelling is situated in the hillside with a bank entrance to the cellar and one exposed gable end.

Upper Loft Chambers In the stone portion of the loft a chimney flue with a

small damper extends to the roof. The original loft was divided into two rooms by a board partition. A batten door with a German latch articulates into the second loft chamber-originally easternmost, now central. In Ger­man fashion a four-foot portion of the exterior stone wall extends upward into the loft area, forming a sill for rafters. Few original rafters remain. The west loft cham­ber never had lath or plaster. Before dormers were installed, a small window next to the chimney flue pro­vided light in this chamber. A stove hole in the floor and in the flue indicate the stove pipe vent from the down-

33 Margaret C. Reynolds, "Assimilation and Acculturation in a Pennsylvania German Landscape: The Nisley Family and its Architec­ture in the Lower Swatara Creek Basin." Unpublished Master's Thesis, Penn State, Harrisburg, 1992. Johannes Nisley, a Swiss-German Men­nonite, built a one-and-one-half story stone Continental end-chimney dwelling a short distance from the Engel homestead in Conoy Twp. Elements of Jacob Engel's dwelling have counterparts in the dwellings of other Swiss-German Mennonites both in Lancaster and Dauphin counties. This points to a common "folk tradition of building which these Anabaptists brought from their Swiss homeland.

:w Ibid. See Edward A. Chappel, "Acculturation in the Shenandoah Valley: Rhenish Houses of the Massanutten Settlment," Common Places: Readings in American Vernacular Architecture (Athens, Ga.: 1986), pp. 29-30, for a discussion of German arch cellars. The wall niche of 13 square inches illustrates the Baufuss. See also Amos Long Jr., "Pennsylvania Cave and Ground Cellars," Pennsylvania Folklife 11 (Fall1960): 36-41.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage

stairs Stube into the loft chimney. What is now the central stone loft chamber is without

a direct heat source, but originally had an end chimney with a stove vent. This room was lathed and plastered on both ceiling and walls. The chimney was dismantled when the brick kitchen was added. Visitors entered the third, now easternmost, chamber over the brick kitchen addition by a stair in its southwest corner, leading to the kitchen. A flue on the east wall allowed the venting of a stove in this room. Two dormers and two gable win­dows admit light into this room.

Arch Cellar and Butcher Kitchen Entered through a four-foot wide door, the cellar

used for food preparation and butchering has a large, walk-in fireplace. Situated at the southeast corner of the fireplace opening is a small bake oven. There is scar evi­dence of an out-kitchen and bake-oven enclosure on the brick of the east elevation. A narrow stair on the south wall of the cellar leads upward to the Stube.

The interior stone walls between the cellar pit and butcher kitchen are curiously rounded. Centered on this wall is the brick-arched doorway. This insulating wall is fifty inches thick. Steps descend about four feet to the cellar pit measuring ten feet five inches deep. On the east and west walls of the pit are niches for shelf supports once used to store food. Adjacent to the shelf area on the west wall is a niche used for a grease lamp or candle. Another wall niche, reminiscent of ones in the arch cellar of the Johannes Nisley house34 in: Lower Swatara Town-

This batten style door leads from the west loft chamber into the center loft chamber in the Magdalena House.

8 July 1993

Preservation Resources and Outcomes Stabilization is the first step in the order of this preser­

vation plan to ensure that the Magdalena House will remain standing until such time as funds are available to preserve and restore the structure. Stabilization will ensure that water does not leak through the roof. In at least two major areas, the kitchen addition and the loft area over the Stube, water has leaked from the roof through the second and first level floors; this has created rot in the floor boards and ceiling joists. Beams will have to be replaced to ensure the safety of this structure and the adjoining structural supports.

Windows on the south and north facades are open to the elements. Sagging walls, particularly on the south side, must be strengthened and pointed with mortar immediately to secure the interior of the building from rodents and weather exposure. On stabilizing the walls, window sashes can be reset or replaced and then glazed, or perhaps covered temporarily with boards.

Since the first priority in a preservation program is identification and evaluation, the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County, 123 North Prince Street, Lan­caster, PA 17603, can provide invaluable aid . In 1978 the Trust established an ongoing architectural survey. Unfor­tunately, the Magdalena House was overlooked in that survey; it will be included in the 1993 Comprehensive H istoric Sites Inventory. Under this plan, the owners have already received a Level One rating for the house which has been placed on the Lancaster County Historic Sites Register. This site is eligible for an individualized brass marker inscribed with the approximate date of the build­ing's construction, and other details. The Magdalena House will bear this marker.l

The Magdalena House fulfills the criteria of the National Historic Register which would ensure its signifi­cance in the public eye and provide tax credits toward preservation. If a portion of the dwelling were converted into a church conference center or museum, possibly the three denominations would supplement the preservation costs with private funding. Brethren in Christ groups periodically visit the house for church history study. National Register designation would offer the site protec­tion from federal or state licensed projects, such as high­ways, as long as regulations of the Secretary of Interior are followed .2

State and environmental organizations such as the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy, P.O. Box 587, Harris­burg, PA 17108, might become involved in preservation efforts since wetlands there border along the Conoy Creek. Definition of the site should include land beyond the creek boundary, since early photographs show the location of the barns across the creek where River Brethern likely held meetings and love feasts. A stone barnyard fence still in existence would help define that boundary. The Conser­vancy suggests placing easement restrictions on the prop­erty and its boundaries to protect the site in perpetuity.

Members of the Historic Preservation Trust recently assessed the house for the current owners and proposed a concrete preservation plan which includes costs of restoration. Through concerted efforts of the owners and these agencies prospects for preservation of the structure look promising.

1 David B. Schneider, 1991 Annual Report, Historic Preserva­tion Trust of Lancaster County, pp.1-4.

2 William J. Murtaugh, Keeping Time: History and Theory of Preservation (New York: Sterling Publishing Company, 1990), pp. 181-204.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 9

These Germanic winding steps ascend from the first-story Kuche just left of the front entrance to the second story chamber used for the love feast in the Magdalena House.

ship, Dauphin County, measures thirteen inches square and is situated on the north wall, near the northwest cor­ner of the pit.

A portion of the west wall reveals a former exit into the Stube above. It is near this area that the larger niche is located, a place for candles or food storage away from rodents and vermin. Another curious aperture in the north wall, ten inches from the ceiling beams, appears to be a vaulted vent used for ventilation to the outside to prevent mold and moisture. Here one finds none of the ubiquitous meat hooks so common in Pennsylvania Ger­man arch cellars.

Tripartite Configuration of First Level The stone portion of this dwelling has opposing front

and rear entrances in a very narrow hall-kitchen or Kuche. Narrow medieval Germanic stairs beside the south entrance lead into the loft chambers. A small chimney clos­et is situated between the staircase and adjacent fireplace.

The Stube has a "holy corner" reminiscent of one in the Shaub House opposite the 1719 Herr House in Lancaster County.3s This chamber is excavated underneath for the

35 Jeffrey L. Godshall, "The Traditional Farmhouse of the Franconia Mennonite Community," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 6 (Jan. 1983): 25. For Protestants the "holy comer" was used to keep the Bible, prayer books, hymnals and communion items. Eventually the religious signifi­cance faded and family heirlooms and valuables were kept there.

July 1993

In the cellar of the Magdalena House this walk-in fireplace was used for butchering and cooking in the summer and fall.

cellar pit, except for a four-foot section of floor near the doorway to the Kuche. The room is approximately two feet larger than the Kammer. When the brick kitchen addi­tion was constructed, the entire east stone wall was removed and used for the kitchen foundation; the east wall was then replaced by plastered partitions. The interi­or wall separating the Kammer and Stube was constructed of original beaded boards eighteen inches wide.

The cellar and three-room arrangement illustrate the persistence of German building traditions. It is rare for a stone Continental house to retain its one-and-one-half st~r.f construction in the twentieth century. Fortunately, ongtnal doors and woodwork still remain. The structure was never wired for electricity, and plumbing was never installed, so it is essentially unaltered from the original ~ate. ~f construction. Notwithstanding its clear religious s1gmflcance, the unaltered condition renders the Mag­dal~na House a superlative-candidate for historic preser­vation.

Ruskin's Vision of Preservation and Antiquity In 1859 when John Ruskin wrote his powerful and

pass~onate "Lamp of Memory" in The Seven Lamps of Archztecture, he d1d not extoll the virtues of vernacular architecture. Despite Ruskins's intent, I choose his work to place the Magdalena House in a philosophical con­text, for his ideals apply to vernacular architecture as well as to the high style. Ruskin believed it a "mon­strous" paradox that the emotional effect of a piece of

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 10

architecture arises from its antiquity .36 Rather, it is a log­ical truth, especially concerning vernacular architecture, that the antiquity of the structure and its accompanying history constitute its identity, its ethnic, hybrid charac­ter. This creates its emotional impact.

Ruskin expresses this emotion in a spiritual tone, a reverence akin to religious experience. His lyrical description of what constitutes great architecture embodies the visionary perception that great age carries overwhelming emotional significance.37 Ruskin could not separate the mere intellectual certainty that build­ings are old from the emotions induced by the presence of the buildings themselves, emotions which led him to call them beautiful.

From Ruskin's point of view, one has no excuse for ·demolishing an ancient building and even less for reno­vating it by destroying original work. For Ruskin reno­vation was the distortion of visible marks of antiquity, the most total destruction which a building can suffer. It is a destruction leaving no remnants, a destruction accompanied with false description of the thing destroyed.38 Preservation then becomes a moral issue: "You waste the best of the time of the dead when you destroy the works they have left you .. .. "39 He felt that removing visible signs of age in restoration was to "bedevil old work," a crime against the dead and unborn.40

We should bear in mind Ruskin's philosophy in the eventual preservation of the Magdalena House. When Jacob Engel built his dwelling, this center of worship lit­erally became a place for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Such religious significance augments the emotion­al impact as well as the historical significance of the building. To preserve this structure in any other fashion than its original appearance and usage would be a "crime against the faithful dead," and their spiritual descendants. As Ruskin believed, buildings like the Magdalena House belong partly to those who build them, and partly to all the generations who follow.

The ancient dwelling of Jacob Engel has a humble but powerful beauty. Its antiquity conjoined by events that took place there afford the structure a surprising emo­tional impact. This building-neglected, scorned, disfig­ured, but shining across two centuries-is indeed a model of solid construction, if not of ornament and sculpture. These features compel me to survey it and ur!S~ its preservation on the landscape. Fraught with spmtual as well as architectural significance, the plain and humble Magdalena House deserves to be rescued from oblivion. D

36 Sir John Summerson, "Ruskin, Morris, and the 'Anti-Scrape' Phi­losophy," in Historic Preservation, ed . Norman Williams, Jr., Edmond H. Kellogg, Frank B. Gilbreth (New Brunswick: State of New Jersey University, 1984), p. 20.

37 Ibid., p. 21. 38 Ibid., p. 22. 39 Ibid., p. 21. 40 Ibid., p. 23.

July 1993

A careful transcription and translation of this 1755 letter by an immigrant Swiss Anabaptist describes his new setting in Pennsylvania.

A Letter from Immigrant Ulrich Engel to Switzerland in 1755 by John E. Engle and Eugene K. Engle

In this article we provide a transcription and transla­tion of a copy of a letter written by Ulrich Engel from Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to relatives in Switzerland, as well as background

information on the Engel/Engle family.J Fourteen months after his arrival in Pennsylvania in October 1754,2 Engel3 wrote to his brother Hans in Sonceboz, in the Bishopric of Basel. His letter mentions two other persons (Isaak Neuenschwander and Christian Brachbi.ihl4) who arrived on the same ship as EngeLS It contains details of the massacre of Hans Konig and the abduction of mem­bers of Konig's family by Indians.6 A brief excerpt from this letter, describing the fate of the Konig family, was first published in 1895 by Muller.7 Gratz summarized this excerpt in his history of Bernese Anabaptists,s and an English translation of it was provided by MacMaster.9

The location of the original letter is unknown.JD How­ever, a handwritten copy of what appears to be the entire letter is found in a journal written by Christian Schenk in Rothenbach, Canton Bern, Switzerland, the birthplace and home community of Engel.ll Schenk was born in 1718 in Rothenbach, and kept extensive journals in the middle part of the eighteenth century.12 He wrote about a wide range of subjects of interest to him, including local history, and Anabaptist history such as this 1755 letter from Engel. After Schenk's death the loose-leafed pages came into the possession of the church archive of Rothen­bach, and were discovered by a pastor there in 1870. They were arranged and' bound in six volumes by G. Reusser in 1901. These six volumes, each of which con­tain 200-250 pages, are located in the community archive

In the records of the Swiss Reformed Church at Wiirzbrun­nen near Rothenbach, Switzerland, one may find the mar­riage record of J ost Engel (b. 1676) and the baptismal record of his son Ulrich (b. 1711).

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 11

in Rothenbach.13 The Engel letter is recorded in volume six of the Schenk journals.J4 It is not an exact copy - the voice of the writer changes back and forth from third to first person several times in the letter. Furthermore, the letter in the Schenk journals lacks some details recorded in Muller's excerpt from it,1s indicating that Muller had access either to the original letter or a more exact copy than the one found in the Schenk journals.

1The transcription, translation, and background information were done by John E. Engle (JEE). The information on the Engel family was prepared by both authors, with Eugene K. Engle (EKE) providing the information on the Engel family in North America. The authors thank David Rempel Smucker for his help with research in Swiss archives. Ernst Luthi-Fankhauser was very helpful to the authors during their visits to the archives in Rothenbach. Noah Good (Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Lancaster, Pa.), Dr. Lothar Madeheim (Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa .), and John H. Engle (Palmyra, Pa.) helped

'·'greatly with the transcription and translation. The final responsibi lity for the transcription lies with JEE. Interested readers are strongly urged to look at the photocopies and photographs of the original at the library of the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society.

2Ralph R Strassburger, and William J. Hinke, Pennsylvania German Pioneers (Norristown, Pa .: Pennsylvania German Society, 1934) VoL 1, pp. 629,632,636, Lists 222B and 222C.

3Engel used alone refers to Ulrich Engel (E156). 4Brackbill, Brechbill, Breck bill, etc. STheir names are near to each other on the ship list. Engel's and

Neuenschwander's signatures are separated by only one name, Joseph Wanger. See p. 16.

6Konig/King/LeRoy and his family and Engel's brother Hans were from the community of Sonceboz.

7Ernst Muller, Geschichte der Bernischen Tiiufer (History of the Bernese Anabaptists) (Frauenfeld, 1895, reprinted by Niewkoop B: DeGraaf, The Netherlands, 1972), pp. 365-366. Muller was a Reformed pastor Jiving in Langnau, in the Emmental, Canton Bern.

BDelbert Gratz, Bernese Anabaptists (Scottdale, Pa .: Herald Press, 1953), PP- 85-86.

~Richard K. MacMaster with Samuel L. Horst and Robert F. Ulle, Conscience in Crisis. Studies in Anabaptist and Mennonite History, VoL 20 (Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press 1979), pp. 106-107.

JOAccording to Muller (footnote 7), this letter was in the private pos­session of Swiss Anabaptists in the late 1800s.

11Baptism register, Wurzbrunnen parish, book V (1684-1728), Gemeindearchiv Rothenbach i.E., Switzerland.

12Hans R. Lavater, "Die vereitelte Deportation emmentalischer Taufer nach Amerika 1710, nach dem Augenzeugenbericht der Rothen­bacher Chronik". Mennonitica Helvetica 14 (1991): 51-124. This contains the first published transcriptions of the portions of the Schenk Chronik dealing with Anabaptist history. According to Lavater, Christen Schenk had a special interest in Anabaptist and Pietist groups and sympathy for their views. See Appendix II, pp. 117-121 for detailed information about Schenk's life.

BJnformation on the provenance of the Schenk Chronik is taken from Lavater (footnote 12).

14Christian Schenk, (written ca. 1755-60). Gemeindearchiv Rothen­bach, Christen Schenk Chronik, volume VI, pp. 106-112. The page num­bers are in a different handwriting than the journal, and appear to have been added after the journal was bound.

1ssee footnote 25.

July 1993

Broader historical issues are illuminated by the letter. For example, under the rubric of colonial Pennsylvania agricultural life, the letter discusses details of crops raised, numbers of animals, fertility of the soil, orchards, crop yields, and prices of products that the farmer bought and sold.I6 The author's attitude toward Indians seems to show some understanding of the reasons why the Indians took these actions toward the settlers. The letter vividly describes the alarm in Pennsylvania over the first skirmishes with the Indians as the French and Indian War was approaching.l7 The author also com­ments briefly on the political structure of Pennsylvania.

In addition to general information of historical inter­est, the letter contains new information concerning the writer. Ulrich Engel was baptized on March 15, 1711, at the Wiirzbrunnen Church near Rothenbach in the Emmental, Canton Bern, Switzerland.18 His parents moved their family to the Bishopric of Basel in the late 1720s and members of the family are found in several census lists of Anabaptists in the Jura.19 Ulrich Engel with his wife Anna: Brachbiihl and their children then came to North America in 1754 as part of a small group of Swiss Anabaptists from the Bishopric of Basel.2D The group arrived on the ship Phoenix, and the male heads of family signed their declarations on October 1, 1754.21 Engel's sons Jacob (Yokeli) and Hans played an impor­tant role in the founding and early history of the River Brethren (forerunner of the Brethren in Christ, the Old Order River Brethren, and the United Zion denomina­tions).22 Details given in the letter about the ocean voy­age confirm family tradition regarding the loss of a ship carrying freight for the passengers.23 Ulrich Engel died within three years of his arrival in Pennsylvania.

16Richard K. MacMaster, Land, Piety, Peoplehood. The Mennonite Experience in America, ed. Theron F. Schlabach. Vol. l(Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1985), Chapter 3, "The Land Base of Community," pp. 79-110, describes settlement patterns as well as land prices and taxes in Lancaster County, Pa.

17J'aul A. W. Wallace, Indians in Pennsylvania. 2nd ed. Anthropologi­cal Series No. 5 (Harrisburg, Pa.: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum CommJssion 1991), pp. 147-151 describe this massacre, at Penn's Creek on October 15, 1755, as the first of a number of attacks by Indians on Pennsylvania settlers in the fall of that year. This caused great alarm among the settlers. MacMaster (footnote 16) also gives many details about this period of time, pp. 106-120.

1BBaptism register, Wiirzbrunnen, book V (1684-1728) . Gemein­dearchiv Rothenbach.

19See footnote 44, and Delbert Gratz, "Lists of Anabaptists Who Lived in the Jura During the 18th Century, Part!", Mennonite Family History, 9 (July 1990): 98-103.

20See Gratz, Bernese Anabaptists, for background information. The Bishopric of Basel was not part of Switzerland at that time. The part of western Switzerland comprising the former Bishopric of Basel is known as the Jura and is contained in the present Canton Jura and Canton Bern.

21Strassburger and Hinke, Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. I, pp. 629, 632, 636.

22John K. Miller, "The River Brethren," The Pennsylvania-German 7 (Jan. 1906): 17-22. Carlton 0 . Wittlinger, Quest for Piety and Obedience, The Story of the Brethren in Christ (Nappanee, Indiana: Evangel Press 1978), Laban T. Breckbill, edited by Myron S. Dietz, History of the Old Order River Brethren, (n.l.:Breckbill & Strickler, 1972). A Histon; of the United Zion Church, 1853-1980, 1981. Donald F. Durnbaugh, "Nine­teenth Century Dunker Views of the River Brethern," Mennonite Quar­terly Review 67 (Apr. 1993): 133-151.

23John K. Miller, "The River Brethren," pp. 17-22; see footnote 28 for more details.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 12

The first lines of the copy of the 1755 letter from Ulrich Engel are found in the bound journals of Christian Schenk (b. 1718) located in the town archives in Rothenbach, Switzerland.

This 1766 map shows the locations of Rothenbach (lower right), Canton Bern, Switzerland, where Ulrich Engel was born, and Corgemont (upper left), just west of Sonceboz in the former Bishopric of Basel from where he and his family emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1754.

July 1993

Transcription 24

[page 106] Schriben von Ulli Engel auB Penselfania Donigall in Pen­selfanien d[en] 7 Xber 1755 Erstlich ein Sageswunsch und GruB an den Vatter bru­der schwestern und andere Gute fri.inden hernach schribt er an sein bruder HanB Engel von Sonzibo Gelibter bruder dein schriben 22 min 1755 hab ich bekomen u[nd] daruB Euwri gesundhe[it] vernomen waB du unB vorrmallen geschriben haben wir nit bekom[en] Ihr maldet Ihr habet auch noch keinen Briff von uns entpfangen wir haben Euch auB Rotterdam geschriben darinen unsere ReiB den Rin hinab vermaldet den Briff auff die Post gethan auch haben wir vor 1 Jahr ein Briff hir auB dem land geschriben worin ein Berich[t] vo[n] unser ReiB i.iber daB meer auch vom land wir hof­fen Ihr wi.irdet den noch woll bekomen so wollen wir Jetz von der RiB nit Vill molden waB euch Herr Hop£ von uns gesagt ist war wir sindt gli.icklich Ins land komen da wirs begart haben aber wir haben In einem andren verungli.ikten schiff so undergang Vill von unser[en] sachen verlohren Ich Ulli Engel u[nd] die andren sindt sambt den unsern fri.isch u[nd] gesund a gesi.inder alB in der schwitz

[page 107] Ein wibfS Person ist gestorben u[nd] ein and[re] kranck wir haben ein Stuck land kaufft von 150 acker 14 millen von lancaster 2 millen ab Sundersen ferr an der BuBge­hena 1st ein fett land da garn waitz[en] wachset u[nd] ha[?n]ffsam darin Er Engel hab 50 acker darunder ein gutten stuck zu waseren wir haben zum anffang Vieh kauft 4 Pfard 5 Ki.ih 7 stuck Jungewahr 6 Schaff, 17 schwein fi.ir mein gesind gemetzget 2 Rintvieh Racht fett so nit anderB gemestet als im busch wir auch 5 Schwin haben auch 8 oder 9 acker weitzen geh[a]bt 6 acker haber 4 acker wi.irch 3 aker wolsch kom 1 acker flachs habe wider an gesait 16 acker das Iandt beschaffenheit EB sindt schir aller ohrten im land kleine bi.irgli vill bri.i­nen aber sie ligen diff auch sind lauffende waser fi.ir Mi.ilinen zu bauen deren schon vill es ist gut u[nd] bos land wie an anderen orthen EB wachst allerlei dinckel korn Rogen haber gorsten walsch korn buch weitzen worch flachs kout [ vorden] frucht ohne mist den man bei den schi.irenen ver sorben laBt man sait 3 beck in 1 acker die acker sindt ein wenig groser als in der Schwitz die Inheiten 4 beck 1st ein buschel daB buschel 8te Ich saie so Vill alB 3thalbs bern maB der acker tragt gewondlich vo[n] 12 bis 20 auch 30 buschel fi.ir heuw u[nd] graB ist eB im Schwitzl beser

[page 108] doch wo waser laufft gibts schon klee man zweiet hir die bourn nit und gibt von Einer gatung gesaite apfelbaum[en] allerlei si.iB u[nd] sure apfel die baumen wachsen geschwind u[nd] groB man hat hier grose baumgarten aller ley sorten birbaumen sieht man wenig pfersich u[nd] kirsch[en] gibt eB·Vill wir glauben auch daB es win gabe wan die fogel wagen dem gestri.ich nit zu bos waren EB wachst allerlei holtzen wie in der Schwitz doch kein danan Jedoch hat daB land wie auch daB holtz ein gantz andre art doch sind Vill arten von holtz dem man nit Vo[n] gewi[B] auch wilde truben die gut sindt von sahen £rosen holtz sagt man laden lorberi gibt es vill daB land ist von oberkeitlich beschwi.irden gantz frey DaB

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 13

gantze land hat das Racht zuglich Der Riche wie der Arme da ist in Parlament i.iber die algemei[n] land sachen worzu von dem buren so wall alB von herren durch die mehrere stimen erwelet worden 1 Jahrlang so zu be­stimbten Zeit abgeandert wirdt die so dem land wall dinen wi.irden dan wider fi.ir 1 Jahr bestatiget die Unanstandig abgesetzet u[nd] andr[en] an Ihre stat erwelet man sucht zu Stat u[nd] land die stimen abzu namen so worden alle duchtig lei.i[te] ambter besetzt fi.ir gricht u[nd] blut gericht die haben kein in komm alB den taglon

[page 109] so sindt keine herren die Inkom haben an die land[?B]losten uns ein Bur Jarlich 2, 3 -bis auff 6 Schilig gaben die fri.icht galten der weitzen das buschel 4 Schilig Ragen 3 Schilig haber 2 Schilig auch ein Pfund 7 benz Rindfleisch das Pfund 2 bentz die schwi ausgenommen d[aB] Pfund 3 bentz flachs 1 Schilig hanff 4 bis 5 bentz Salz daB buschel 15 bentz bei unB 4 schilin Ein kuh 3 bis 4 Pfund Ein Ein bruch RoB von 10 bis 15 Pfund in mittler grose Schaff sind gros mit schoner wullen so wir von einen 6 Pfund geschoren von den Handworcken u[nd] taglonen seith Ihr schon berichtet war arbeiten will kan Iicht zu etwas komen unsere mit Reisende Schwitzer haben schon ittlich Vill verdient doch haben etliche das bait wi gehabt wir sindt wit von ein ander verstraut man kan hir wall sin u[nd] hat gute nahrung doch ist man hir im Jammerthal alein wagen der manschen bosheit will gott auch Amerika mit krieg heimsuchen dan die Engen­lander u[nd] frantzosen haben schon manche schare­mutzel gehabt da bal dis bald Jane Partei den Plutz behalten auf dem merr haben bis dahin die Englischen den meister gespilt wo die Zitung maid haben die

24There is no punctuation in the Christen Schenk document. Brack­ets [ ) indicate probable letters to complete the meaning of words, and are used where there are abbreviations, or incomplete words at the margin of a bound page. A question mark in brackets [?x] indicates an "educated guess" for one or more letters. [ _ _ ] indicate one or more let­ters for which an "educated guess" has not been made.

25The entire excerpt from this letter, as published by Muller (see footnote 7) follows:

"Ulrich Engel, Christen Brechbuhl, und Isaak Neuenschwander schreiben am 7. Dezember 1755 aus 'Donigall' in Pennsylvanien, daiS Hans Jakob Konig, oder der Farber von Sonceboz, sein Weib und die jungern Kinder bei einem Abraham Zerr in 'Canenstogen' gelassen, er aber mit Sohn und Tochter und der 'Odina von Dramlingen' als Knecht hinaufgegangen sei und sich an den Grenzen gegen die Wilden an einem Ort namens 'Schamogen' niedergelassen habe mit noch etlichen Haushaltungen. Die Wilden haben geklagt, 'sie kommen zu weit hinaus in ihr Land und haben sie oft gewarnet, sie sollen weg oder Ungliick erwarten, sie aber sich nicht warnen lassen, da sind die Wilden unbe­dact uber sie kommen, haben sechs Familien erbarmlich umgebracht und ermordet worden; sein Sohn und Tochter und gedachter Knecht haben sie weggenommen, indem ist auch dem Hans Jakob Villar seine Tochter fort kommen, und nachdem haben sie noch den Gcanzen nach noch etliche Mordthat gethan, welches ein groiSen Schrecken im Land erwecket hat.' Dieser Brief soli auch 'unsern Leuten zu Rothenbuhl' mitgeteilt werden."

Muller wrote the excerpt in High German, while Schenk's account is in the Swiss German dialect of the eighteenth century. Specific details given by Muller could not have been known if his only source had been the Schenk journal. Muller's excerpt names Hans Jakob Konig, while Schenk names him only as Hans Konig. Muller names Abraham Zerr [possibly means Herr), whereas his name does not appear in Schenk. Muller names "Odina from Dramlingen", while Schenk states only "der knacht von Dramlingen". The excerpt in Muller also mentions by name another hostage, the daughter of Hans Jacob Villar, not mentioned in the Schenk version. The Schenk version contains no reference to "our people in Rothenbuhl".

July 1993

Englisch den Frantzose schon 100 schiff waggenomen Ein groBen Raub dan so viii Canonen so viii 1000 pfund Sterling da etlich Schiff 60.80 u[nd] 100 Canonen fuhren.

[page 110] Es ist hir im Land ein grose auffruhr u[nd] mord gewasen dan die wilden so gagen den alten Inwoneren alzit friedlich da aber Hans Konig der farber v[on] Son­zibo2s so sein wib u[nd] Jiingre kinder an einen gew[a]sen ohrt gelaBen Er aber sein sohn u[nd] tochter der knacht von Dramlingen gingen zu nach an die Grantzen der wilden heist Schanogen bi 100 millen von Canostogen so diesen somer naben etliche hushalting dort gewonnt da klagten die wilden sie seien Ihnen zu nachkommen u[nd] haben sie oft gewarnnt sie sollen wag oder ein ungliick erwarten sie aber sie namen die Warnung nit in acht Da kamen die Wilden u[nd] ver­suchen tiber sie u[nd] haben 6 famillen Er barmdlich umgebracht die huser verbrant u[nd] 13 Persohnen gedot die ander waggenomen der farber seie gedotet worden der sohn tochter u[nd] knacht und sonst ein tochter waggefuhret sie haben an den grantz noch ander mordthaten begangen so ein grosen schrach in land erweckt tiber daB sindt wir kriegs erwarten Got warde in den es sieht kriegish aus in disem land kombt nun aleB frand for dan so wit es von Schweitzer land abgesiindert so wit hat es alleB ein andre ort baum groB zahm Vieh Vogel auch die witterung ist gantz anderB die wolken komen nach uber das land der Ragen u[nd] schne komen geschwind im sturm Ist aber bald vorbei dan es wenig zit gibt das man die Sone nit sahe.

[page 111] Der doner hat die gliche art wie druBen Die Jahres Zeit ist warmer doch wachselwiB wir bouen dis Jahr ein neuweB HauB der Isach neiiwischwander so nachst bei uns hilfft uns arbeitten will auch ein Platz kauffen deren sind t gnug wie war en fro wan Ihr bei uns waret man muB aber viii aus stehen auf der ReiB wo man hir ankombt sie noch Viii Ding ein gewont daB Ville noch Rouaig wiirden doch sindt wir foro daB wir hir sindt Jetzigen zeit is wagen dem Krig nit Rathsam die Reis zu namen man konte ungliicklich worden Der Christen Brachbiihl ist nochwilles wider hinuB zu Euch zu komen

26The line ends here, and a new line starts in the Schenk journal. 27functuation and paragraphing added; an "edurnted guess" indirnted by[?]. 2BEngel family tradition told about the loss of this ship. See John K.

Miller, "The River Brethren-A Historical Sketch (with Illustrations)," The Pennsylvania-German 7 Qan. 1906): 17-22. "It was a sad group of sorrowing mothers that gathered about Anna Engel, in whose arms lay a helpless babe, only a few months old, at Philadelphia, in the autumn of 1752. It was the time when the final farewells were spoken, and each of the company of emigrants was about to set out to seek a refuge, a home, in a new and to them unknown land. Thirty families had set out together, most if not all of whom were natives of Switzerland. They had sailed in the good ship Phoenix, Captain John Spurrier, and by their side had sailed two merchant vessels, which carried their cargo. They sailed from Rotterdam, and when three days out at sea a violent storm arose and one vessel sank. In order to save the merchant vessels, they were lightened; among the goods consigned to the deep were the effects of Ulrich Engel. Some of the passengers leaped into the sea and swam to the merchant vessels, hoping to save their goods, but the ship's crew cut off their hands as they tried to climb aboard, and they fell back and perished."

29Present day Marietta, Pa. 30'fhis is an example of Schenk not being consistent in his use of the

first person to refer to the writer of the letter.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 14

wan man sicher wider reisen kan bruder du muBt dich dis mahl nit.daran stosen das ich diB mahl die Papier nit br[u]cht hab will eB ein ander mahl br[u]chen hie nit gewegt williger Ulli Engel Christen Brachbiihl Isach neuwenschwander26 Die Pensalfanishe miintz ein bentz 1st so viii als ein Zurich schilig 12 bentz 1 schilig 20 schilig 1 Pfund mein: land kost 325 Pfund muB Jarlich zahlen 20 pfund die Gewicht ist wie zu Basel das land wird auf£ dise art verkaufft ein Platz etwas fur 50 80 oder 100 Pfund bahr galt dan Jahrlich zahlung 20 oder 30 Pfund so viii einen Vernimmt auf£ zu bringen dazwischen kein zinB vom galt

[page 112] u[nd] maid noch den Ingang des brieffens auB lib haben wir nit underlaBen konnen zu schriben wir wiinschen Euch gnad und bramhertzigkeit GoteB die Libe des Sohn den Trost des HI GeisteB zu einen friidlich gruB allen denen so Gott horchten u[nd] den brief£ lasen besonders aber unser gelibt Vatter bnider schwester[n] schwager auch aile friinden u[nd] wollmeinden sollen der Gott aller gnaden wolle euch und uns aile in gnaden erhalten u[nd] bewehren amen beschlus wunsch Hie mit verbliben u[nd] begehren an Euch all briidern u[nd] schwester[n] in der Schwitz auch an unB zu dancken im Gebatt ob woll wir wit von ein andre so hoffen wir wan wir in veranderlichen guttung flisig anhalten wir konn nach disem uns mit ein andren Erfroiinen der zu wolle uns Gott aus Gnaden zu hilff kamen durch Jesum Chris­tum amen.

Translation 27

[page i06] . Written by Ulli Engel from Pennsylvania. From Donegal, Pennsylvania, December 7, 1755

First, best wishes and greetings to my father, brother and sisters, and to my other good friends. Next, he writes to his brother Hans Engel of Sonceboz. My dear brother, I have received your letter of May 22, 1755, and in it I learned that you are in good health. We did not receive what you had written to us previously. You said that you have not received a report from us either. We wrote a letter to you from Rotterdam, in which we told you about our trip down the Rhine. We put the letter in the mail. Also, we wrote to you a year ago from this country. In that letter we gave a report on our trip across the ocean and told you about this country. We hope that you will still get that letter, and we will not say much about our ocean journey in this letter. What Herr Hop£ told you about us is true.

We arrived safely in this country, as we had wished. However, we lost many of our possessions in another ship that ran into trouble and sank.2B I (Ulrich Engel) and the others, are all as sound and healthy as when we were in Switzerland.

[page 107] One woman died and another became ill. We bought

a piece of land, 150 acres in size. It is fourteen miles from Lancaster, and two miles from Anderson's Ferry29 on the Susquehanna River. It is fertile land. Wheat and oats grow very well on it. He (Engel)30 has 50 acres, a sizable amount of land to water .

July 1993

At the beginning we bought animals - four horses, five cows, seven [?heifers),31 six sheep, seventeen hogs for my household, and two beef cattle, fattened more than those pasturing in the woods. We also have five hogs. We have eight or nine acres of wheat, as well as six acres of oats, four acres of millet, three acres of field corn, and one acre of flax. We have seeded sixteen acres of flax for the next harvest.

In all parts of the countryside here, there are little mountains, and many springs but they are in deep loca­tions. There are also many streams on which little mills can be built. In fact, many have already been built. There is both good and bad land, as in other places. All kinds of grain grow here. Rye, oats, barley, field corn, buck­wheat, millet, and flax. Grain grows without the manure that one lets in the barns to rot and discolor. We sow three pecks per acre. The acres are a little larger than in Switzerland.

The units are: four pecks make a bushel, a bushel eight [_].32 I sow as much as three and one-half of a Bern mass.33 An acre yields (usually) from twelve to twenty, or even thirty bushels. For hay and grass, condi­tions are better in Switzerland,

[page 108] but where there is running water, there is nice clover. One doesn't graft the trees here. From one kind of seed, all kinds of sweet and sour apples grow. The trees grow quickly and become quite large. People have big orchards here, of all kinds. There are not many pear trees, but one sees many peaches and cherries. If it were not for the heavy damage from birds, we think we would also have wine. All kinds of wood grow here, as in Switzerland, but no fir trees. The land as well as the wood is a quite different kind. There are many kinds of wood that we didn't know about before. There are also wild grapes, which grow from seed, and they are good. "fiosen" wood "sagt" one "laden."34 Laurel are plentiful.

The country is quite free of troubles from the authori­ties. Everyone has the same rights, the rich people as well as the poor. There is a parliament, which is over the civil affairs, to which farmers as well as the gentry are elected to one year terms by the majority of votes. They serve for a fixed time, then are replaced. The ones who serve the country well are confirmed again for one year. The unfit ones are removed and others are elected to their places. People seek to receive votes both in the city and country. Thus all of the most fitting officials are cho-

31"Jungewahr" might mean young stock, or heifers. 32The meaning here is unclear. Perhaps an Achterli is meant. See Hans

Schmocker, "Alte Masse und Gewichte," Schulpraxis (Dec. 8, 1988): 34-35. 33Bern mass refers to a measure of the amount of grain. According to

Schmoker (footnote 32), the Bern mass contained 14.0113 dm3. The unit dm3 is one cubic decimeter; a decimeter is 0.1 meter, or ca. 3.9 inches.

34We have not been able to translate this sentence. 3SAn explanation of the various forms of Swiss money used in the

eighteenth century is given in Schmocker, Alte Masse und Gewichte. The let­ter contains references to both the English shilling and the Swiss schilling. Schilling is the correct spelling for the Swiss currency meant here.

36Konig and the other settlers. 37Marie LeRoy (Konig) wrote the story of her captivity with the

Indians. It was published as "The Narrative of Marie Le Roy and Bar­bara Leininger'', Pennsylvania Archives 2nd Series, VII, pp. 427-438. This was first printed in German by Peter Miller and Ludwig Weiss in Philadelphia in 1759, and was translated for the Penna . Archives. See also Colonial Records, Vol. 6, p. 647 and Pennsylvania Archives, Old Series, Vol. 3, p. 633.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 15

sen for the civil court and the criminal court. They have no more income than the day laborers

[page 109] so that there are no lords who have income from the land. The land costs us a yearly fee of two to three, or up to six shillings.

The prices of grain are: wheat, four shillings per bushel; rye, three shillings [per bushel]; oats, two shillings [per bushel]. Meat is seven pence; beef is two pence per pound; pork (dressed) is three pence per pound. Flax is one shilling per bushel; hemp is four to five pence per bushel, and salt is eighteen pence per bushel, which for us in Switzerland is four schillings.35 One cow costs £3 or £4. One work horse (of average size) costs from £10 to £15. Sheep, if they are large and have good wool, sell for £6 each.

Concerning the handworkers and day laborers, as has already been reported to you, those who want to work can easily find something. Our Swiss travelling compan­ions have already earned quite a bit, but some have quickly spent it. We are scattered far from each other. One can be healthy here and we are well nourished. Nevertheless, people here are very worried on account of the many evils of humankind. It appears that God will inflict war on America too, because the English and the French have already had many skirmishes. First this and then that party is attacked on the ocean. Until now the English have mostly had the upper hand. According to the reports in the newspapers, the English have already captured one hundred ships from the French. This "is a large booty because there are so many cannon, and they cost up to £1,000 each. Some ships carry sixty, eighty or one hundred cannon.

[page 110] There was a large uproar and killing here in this

country. The savages had always been friendly towards the old inhabitants. However Hans Konig, the cloth dyer from Sonzibo, left his wife and young children at a cer­tain place. He, along with his son and daughter and the servant from Tramelan went near to the border of the savages, to a place called Shamokin, one hundred miles from Conestoga. They spent this summer living next to some families there.

Then the savages complained that they36 have often come too close to them. They warned them that they should stay away or expect misfortune, but they did not heed the warning. Then the savages came and attacked them. They mercilessly murdered six families, and burned the houses. In all, thirteen persons were killed and the others were taken away. The dyer was killed, and the son, daughter, and servant and also a daughter taken away.37 There were still other killings along the border. Consequently, there is much alarm throughout the country. We are expecting war over this. God watch over us. It appears warlike here in this country.

It is all so unlike what we know. Everything is so dif­ferent from Switzerland, for there are another kind of trees. There are large domestic animals and birds. The weather is quite different also. The clouds come down over the land, the rain and snow come quickly, in storms. However, they pass quickly, so there are only short periods of time that we can not see the sun.

July 1993

[page 111] The thunder is like that over there. The climate is warmer but changeable.

We are building a new house this year. Isaak Neuen­schwander lives near us and helps with the work. He also wants to buy a place, and plenty of them are avail­able. We would be happy if you lived here with us. However, it takes a lot of money for the journey. After one arrives here one still needs much that one is used to having, so that many become impatient. Even so, we are glad that we are here. Right now, it is not advisable to make the journey on account of the war. One could run into misfortune. Christian Brachbi.ihl wants to come back to you again, when one can again travel safely.

On October 1, 1754, in Philadelphia, Ulrich Engel (bottom), Isaac Neuenschwander (third from bottom), and Christian Brechbill (top) signed a list of the ship Phoenix. The initial text of the list states that the signers included "11 Roman Catholicks, 25 Mennonists Swissers."

Brother, you must not let it disturb you that this time I did not use38 the paper. I meant to. I want to use it another time. Willingly Ulli Engel, Christen Brachbi.ihl, Isaac neuwsschwander.

The Pennsylvania coins: 1 penny is worth as much as 1 Zurich schilling, twelve pence equal 1 shilling, and 20 shillings equal £1. My land cost £325, with an additional payment of £20 yearly The weights are like those in Basel. A piece of land is sold here for £50, £80, or £100 in cash. The yearly payment is £20 or £30, as much as to get an agreement, and in the meantime there is no interest from the money.

[page 112] Now a report about the introduction of this letter.

Out of love, we have been compelled to write to you. We wish for you the grace and mercy of God, the love of the Son, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. A peaceful greet­ing to all those who obey God and read the letter, but especially to our beloved father, brother, sister, in-laws, as well as all the friends and well meaning persons who should read it.

May the God of all grace sustain you and us all, and protect us. Amen.

Now the closing wish: Herewith we remain and want you, all of the brothers and sisters in Switzerland, to remember us in prayer even though we are far from each other. So we hope to industriously serve in different cir­cumstances, and rejoice to this end. We want to come to God and may God help us through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 16

Anabaptist Engels in Europe and North America

We present a tentative and probable genealogical out~ line starting with the grandparents of Ulrich Engel (E156) of Rothenbach, Switzerland.39 We include information about the children of Ulrich and Anna Engel and their spouses. This 1755letter was written to Hans Engel (E154).

El Jost Engel m. Apr. 10, 1665, Cathryn Ri.isser40 at Grosshochstetten

Ell Anni Engel, bap. Sept. 16, 1666, at Grosshochstetten E12 Ulli Engel, bap. Oct. 6, 1667, at Grosshochstetten E13 Hans Engel, bap. June 27, 1669, at Grosshochstetten E14 Jost Engel, bap. Sept. 13, 1674,41 at Rothenbach ElS Jost Engel, bap. July 23, 1676, at Rothenbach, living

at Farneren42 m. May 14,1696, Christina Rohrer of Bolligen43

ElSl Barbara Engel, bap. Aug. 8, 1697, at Rothenbach E152 Anna Engel, bap. Mar. 31,1700, at Rothenbach

E153 Cathri Engel, bap. Dec. 3, 1702, at Rothenbach E154 Hans Engel, bap. June 5 ,1705, at Rothenbach E155 Jost Engel, bap. Jan. 8, 1708, at Rothenbach El56 Ulrich (Ulli) Engel, bap. Mar. 15, 1711, at

Rothenbach, d. be£. Jun. 11, 1757)44 m. Anna Brachbi.ihl, bap. Oct. 6, 1715,

d. be£. June 26, 1764 E1561 Catharine Engel, b. 1739, d. 1807

m. bef. 1758 Peter Witmer b . ca.1712, d. ca.179245

E1562 Christen Engel, b. ca.1740 E1563 Anna Engel, b. ca.1741, d. 1805

m. Henry Grove b. 1731, d. Feb. 26, 180546

38Meaning not clear. 39'fhe Switzerland part of this outline is based on research done by

David J. Rempel Smucker in the church registers of Grosshiichstetten and Rothenbach, Switzerland in April and May 1986. This was possible because Delbert Gratz had previously located Ulrich Engel's baptism at Wiirzbrun­nen. The authors supplemented this information during several visits to archives in Switzerland. The Pennsylvania part of this outline is based on Morris M. Engle, History of the Engle Family in America, (see footnote 61) and was supplemented by the research of one of the authors (EKE).

40Grosshtichstetten references are from the marriage register (1606-1668) and baptism register for Grosshochstetten. In 1986 these were located at the community archives in Grosshochstetten.

41The baptisms of the last four children are recorded in the bap­tismal register of the Wiirzbrunnen parish, in 1992 located in the com­munity archives in Rothenbach.

42farneren is a small group of farms located northeast of Rothen­bach through the valley of Fampach. There are now four farms located at Farneren. Christian Schenk was born in the valley of Fischbach, very close to Farneren. The name Farneren means "place of the ferns."

4JGemeindearchiv Rothenbach, Switzerland, Tauf Rode/, Book V. All the children of Jost Engel and Christina Rohrer are listed in this baptismal register.

44UJrich Engel and his brother Hans Engel appear in a 1741 list of strangers residing in the region of Sonceboz and Sombeval in the Jura (Archives de !'ancien Eveche de Bale, B 187/23, 2, pp. 1249-1250, dated 1741). Hiili Engel was on the Metaire (rented farm) Cernil au Teinturie and Jean Engel was "Granger du maire de Sonceboz ." A 1745 list of Anabaptists who lived in the Jura was first published in English by Del­bert Gratz and contained the names of Ulrich Engel of Rothenbach at Corgemont, Courtelary District, and Hans Engel of Rothenbach at Sombeval and Sonceboz, Courtelary District.

45Will F-1-370 [probate 1792], Lancaster County Archives, Lancaster, Pa. Executors: Benjamin Musser and Christian Stauffer. Witnesses: Christian Bachman and Rudolph Wissler.

46Will H-1-631 [probate 1795], Lancaster. Executors: Ann Graff (wife), John Graff (son) and Christian Graff (son). Witnesses: Alex. Lowry, Richard Keys, Ulrich Engel! and Hans Engel!.

July 1993

E1564 Ulrich Engel, b. July 1, 1743, d. Sept. 28, 179947 m. Magdalena Bicksler, b. 1741, d. Sept. 13, 1821

E1565 Hans Engle, b. Oct. 16, 1745, d. Apr. 20, 182648 m. Elizabeth Schock, b. Jan. 10, 1749, d. Feb. 28, 1828

E1566 Barbara Engel, b. May 1, 1748, d. Sept. 21, 1783 m. Benjamin Musser, b. July 13, 1749, d. Nov. 25, 182Q49

E1567 Christina Engel, b. 1750, d. 1787 m. Jacob Musser, b. Apr. 20, 1753, d. 178450

E1568 Jacob Engel, b. Nov. 5, 1753, d. Feb. 10, 183351 m. Veronica Schock, b. Sept. 15,1750, d. 1816

E157 Christina Engel, bap. Sept. 2, 1718, at Rothenbach E16 Christen Engel, bap. Sept. 15, 1678, at Rothenbach E17 Christen Engel, bap. Oct. 3, 1686, at Rothenbach

Upon arriving in Philadelphia, Ulrich Engel settled promptly in Lancaster County on land warranted origi­nally to James Letart and patented to James Logan. 52 The land was fourteen miles from Lancaster and two miles from Anderson's Ferry53 (now Marietta.) He bargained with Peter Cety (Zetty) for the 150 acres mentioned in his letter. The land is quite swampy and is located about two miles from Maytown where many early settlers moved to escape the swamp. The purchase was not finalized with a deed until after his death, when his widow was deeded 150 acres of land bordering the Susquehanna River for £325 and dated March 26, 1761.54 The deed mentions his widow, Anna Engel, and his chil­dren: Catharina, Anna, Ulerick, John, Barbara, Christina, and Jacob. According to his letter, he had bargained for the land and set a purchase price as early as 1755.

Ulrich Engel is mentioned in the 1756 tax records for Donegal Township as having 50 acres of land with 4 acres of grain, 2 horses and 2 cows. Isaac Newshanger is listed directly below him as having 50 acres of land with 2 acres of grain, no horses and 1 cow. Christian Brechbill is not mentioned. Both Ulrich Engel and Isaac New­shanger are listed in 1757 in Donegal Township. In 1758,

47Will G-1-504 [probate 1799], Lancaster. Executors: Henry Forrey (son-in-law) and John Wisler (son-in-law) . Witnesses: John Grider, Jacob Engel! and Hans Engel!.

48Will 0-1-484, translated in Will Y-2-484 [probate 1826], Lancaster. Executors: Jacob Engle and John Engle, Junior. Witnesses: John Engle and Henry Engle.

49Will M-1-463 [probate 1821), Lancaster. Executors: Benjamin Muss­er (son) and Benjamin Mellinger (trusty friend and kinsman). Witness­es: John-Wissler and John Mellinger.

SDWill D-1-461 , translated in Y-2-441 [probate 1784), Lancaster. Executors: Benjamin Mosser (brother) and John Engel (brother-in-law). Witnesses: Peter Wittmer and Benjamin Hershey.

SJWil! Q-1-369, translated in Y-2-145 [probate 1833), Lancaster. Execu­tors: Jacob Engel and John Engel. Witnesses: John Engle and Jacob Engle.

s2see Warranty Map for Donegal Twp., Lancaster Co. Survey D-85-253 to James LeTort for 900 acres & allowance. It was warranted 25th 1st Month, 1719 (Mar. 25, 1719) and surveyed 9br 13th 1719 (Nov. 13, 1719). It was patented to James Logan (A-8-46) on Sept. 9, 1734. The 900 acres was divided among 5 people in the 1750s and 1760s. Rudolph Souder received 250 acres (Deed F-1-368), Abraham Kindigh received 281"1/4 acres (Deed F-1-74), John Graff received 144 3/4 acres (Deed F-1-79), Peter Haig and then Lazarus Lowry received 152 acres (Deed A-1-65) and finally Peter Cety (Zetty) received 200 acres (Deed H-1-98).

S3Anderson's Ferry was established about 1742. Franklin Ellis and Samuel Evans, History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with Biographi­cal Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men (Philadelphia, Everts & Peck, 1883), p . 778.

54Deed L-1-234, Lancaster.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 17

j i

(!6oft:; ~st' ltJ Po·cll~S - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,.

I

This map (top) of 1792 shows the area of Donegal Township, Lancaster County, where Ulrich Engel lived and where Anderson's ferry across the Susquehanna River was located. The contemporary map (middle) shows the outline of the 150-acre tract, located two miles from Anderson's ferry (now Marietta), which Ulrich purchased, but which was not finally transferred until1761 after his death. Engle's tract was within the 900 acres patented to James Letort in 1734. The map (bot­tom) in the Horace Engle Collection shows the locations of the Engel cemetery (see arrow in middle figure) and the house of Ulrich Engle within the 150-acre tract.

July 1993

Widow Ann Angle is mentioned and Isaac Newshanger is no longer mentioned. 55

The first record of the buildings on the Ulrich Engel homestead in Donegal Township is in 1798 when the farm was owned by Ulrich Engel Jr. (called Ulrich Ingle). 56 At that time there were two one-story log build­ings (24 feet by 20 feet, and 30 feet by 28 feet). There was one barn of stone (70 feet by 30 feet). In a later draft of the "Engel homestead" which includes a description of the "Ulrich Engel cemetery" the homestead log house is located 55 yards to the southeast of the cemetery and is described as a log house 16 feet by 16 feet with a "cave" on its northern border. 57 ·

Ulrich Engel's administrative bond58 was filed June 14, 1757, by his widow Anna Engle and Jacob Coffman. The original bond was signed by Anna Engel, Jacob Kauffman, John Hare and Jacob Graff. His Inventory was filed June 14, 1757, and was dated June 11, 1757, with the appraisement by Jacob Graff and Christli Stauf­fer. 59 Thus his death was certainly shortly before June 11,

55The original tax records for Donegal Twp., Lancaster Co. are at the Lancaster County Historical Society and are also available on micro­film. The "Bowmansville Papers" also contain a cryptic reference to Isaac Neuen.schwanger as follows "wegen dern !sack neiischwander dern Engel Arnn geben" and as translated by Noah G. Good "Given to Ann Engel for or on account of !sack Newswenger." The entry appears to date from the late 1750s. This could be interpreted as Ann Engle, the widow of Isaac Neuenschwander, implying that Isaac Neuenschwan­der was deceased. Or perhaps that Ulrich Engel's widow received money on behalf of Isaac Neuenschwander.

56United States Direct Tax of 1798: Tax Lists For The State Of Penn­sylvania. Second Direct Tax Division (Lancaster, Chester and Delaware Counties), Volume 116-174. First and Second Assessment Districts (Lan­caster County), The National Archives, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration, Washington: 1962.

S1MG-196, Box 16, Horace M. Engle Collection 1971-73, Pennsylva-nia Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pa.

58Bond 1-114, Lancaster. 59Inventory, Ulrick Engle, Lancaster County Historical Society. 60Adrninistration Account, Lancaster County Historical Society. 61Morris M. Engle, History Of The Engle Family In America 1754-1927

(The Bulletin Press, Mount Joy, Pa., 1928). 62John K. Miller, "The River Brethren-A Historical Sketch (with

Illustrations)," The Pennsylvania-German, Volume VII, Number 1, (Jan., 1906), 17-22. Wilmer J. Eshelman, "The River Brethren Denominations", Papers Read Before The Lancaster County Historical Society, Volume LII, Number 7 (1948): 173-211, Ira D. Landis, ''The Origin of the Brethren is Christ Church And Its Later Divisions," The Mennonite Quarterly Review (Oct., 1960): 290-309, and Carlton 0. Wittlinger, Quest for Piety and Obe­dience, The Story of the Brethren in Christ, (Evangel Press, Nappanee, Ind., 1978). The following is from Miller:

"We next find Ulrich Engel and wife, with eight children, located in a reeking.rnarsh at a point about two miles west of Marietta, Lancaster County, Pa., now known as 'Wild Cat'. Here a horne was found, and here the father and mother and several children died and lie buried. "Jockeli," as he was lovingly called, was from infancy taught the doc­trines of piety, as were all of the children. At the age of twelve he united with the Mennonite church, but we find him much concerned about the

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 18

1757. His Administration Account was not filed until June 26, 1764, when his oldest surviving son, Ulrich, was twenty-one years of age. By this time, his widow was already deceased. Her Intestate Bond was dated the same day and was filed by Ulrick Engle of Donegal Township and Peter Witmore and Hemy Grove.60

The Engle/Engel family history in America was doc­umented by Morris M. Engle.61 Several other sources document the Engle/Engel influence in the early history of the River Brethren.62 The best documentation of the oral tradition pertaining to the early Engel family and their voyage to North America was that which was com­piled and published by John K. Miller. In the back of his personal copy of the "Engle Book" there is a note in his handwriting documenting the source of his material.63

The 1755 letter provides a kind of opening report on the attitudes of this Swiss Anabaptist immigrant whose descendants laid deep roots in Pennsylvania, and made a creative contribution to William Penn's experiment in religious freedom. D

salvation of his soul. At the age of eighteen, we are told, he was con­verted, after which he was much exercised about the mode of baptism. It will not be out of place, we hope, to say here that the Mennonites baptize by affusion, or pouring, and it seems 'Jockeli' was not thor­oughly convinced that this mode was the right one, hence his mental disturbance .... "

63The following was written in the back of John K. Miller's copy of History of the Engle Family in America 1754-1927. This book is privately .owned.

"Mrs. Sallie Merideth, (mother of Mrs. Betzy Hull) was born Feb. 11, 1793. She was a daughter of Fred and Mary Albright. When Ulrich Engel, Jr. died, his widow, Magdalena continued to reside at the ances­tral horne at Wildcat, until her death in 1821. "Sallie" Albright, lived with her during Magdalena's widowhood. Ulrich Engel, Jr. was an elder brother to Jacob (Jockelie) Engel, founder of the River Brethren denomination. Sallie Albright married a Merideth and to them was born Elizabeth (Betzy) in the year 1819. Elizabeth Merideth married Jacob Hull. It was through this "Betzy Hull" that I- (John K. Miller) was first inspired to collate facts and traditions of the Family of Ulrich Engel, Immigrant from Switzerland who arrived in America Oct. 2, 1754. She assured me that she personally knew some of the older Engels, Jockelie, founder of the church doubtless among them (for he died in 1833), and who was the brother of Ulrich, Jr., with whose widow, her mother, Mrs. Merideth (as Sallie Albright) lived. So Mrs. Merideth was well and accurately informed about the Engel activities and relations and experiences, and later on passed on the knowledge she had acquired to Elizabeth, her daughter- "Betzy Hull" -and she in turn, passed it on to me, and I am giving the story to the world, as she gave it to me. More than this, she requested me to see Veronica Engel­Berg-Eyer, for verification, which I did and found the story, as given by Mrs. Eyer, to agree with the story of Mrs. Hull. This Veronica Engei­Berg-Eyer was a granddaughter of Jockelie Engel founder of the River Brethren denomination, and was regarded by her Engle contemporaries as reliable and authentic - her data being regarded as final. Veronica's brother, Henry, a minister of the River Brethren Church, referred me to Veronica, saying ''What she can't tell you, I can't either." Thus acknowl­edging that he, a grandson, and a minister of the church his grandfather founded, had less knowledge of the Family, than his sister Veronica."

July 1993

Mennonite, Lutheran, and Reformed Brubakers of Lancaster County trace their roots to Wi:idenswil, Zurich, Switzerland.

Swiss Bruppachers in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Jane Evans Best

E ight Bruppacher families were recorded between 1553 and 1568 in the church book of the parish of Wadenswil on the west side of Lake Zurich, Switzerland.1 Three of these families had descen­

dants who I believe were immigrants to Lancaster Coun­ty, Pennsylvania.

This article reconstructs parts of the Rutschli Brubacher (BL), Werni Bruppacher (BK), and Cunrad Bruppacher (BJ) families in outline form, and discusses the history of Zurich and Lancaster County as it per­tained to members of these and other immigrant families .

Wadenswil About 150,000 years ago, a dense sub-tropical

primeval forest completely covered the Swiss middle­land plateau of which Wadenswil is now a part. In the subsequent final ice age, the giant Lindt glacier covered and compacted this vegetation. On melting away in the final warming period, the glacier unevenly deposited its rubble-moraines over the Wadenswil Berg, Zimmerberg, and Horgenberg hill ranges. This created a "morainescape" of moors, swamps, peat-bogs, small lakes, and meadows with soil rich in bio-mineral nutri­ents, ideal for future farming.2

In 1000 A.D., most of the hillsides surrounding the Lake Zurich basin were covered with dense forests of hardwood and coniferous trees. This rich wooded land had various owners, among them monasteries, convents, abbeys, knights, churchmen, noblemen, and freemen .. Some of the peasants working these fiefs3 received or were permitted to buy up acreage and establish their own farmsteads, with or without rights of succession. Up to the fourteenth century the feudal owners of these lands had little incentive to undertake the task of seri­ously working them. Other than a selective felling of a few trees for a small carpentry use or firewood, there was little methodical clearing. However, by the fifteenth century, these owners became increasingly needful of income from these properties.

1LDS microfilm 0995912, Wadenswil Church Book, item 1, 1552-1647 (missing 1570-1595); item 2, 1647-1699; item 3, 1700-1767. All LDS micro­films mentioned in this and other Best articles are now on permanent loan at the newly opened Family History Center, 1210 East King Street, Lancaster, PA 17602, instead of at the York, PA, Family History Center.

2James Murray Luck, A History of Switzerland (Palo Alto, Cal.: Sposs, Inc., 1985), pp. 1-4.

JAn estate leased from a feudal lord. 4Peter Ziegler, Wiidenswil, vol. l (Wadenswil, Zurich: Stutz and Co.,

1982), pp. 41, 65. This and other translations by Robert E. Brubaker (BJ5571.6a551.12) are included in the Robert E. Brubaker (Brupbacher) Papers at the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society.

SThis abbey, which owned the land and had the taxing rights, was founded in 1227, and stood in a curve of the Limmat River approximately 12 miles north of the city of Zurich.

6Jane Evans Best, "A Visit to Hirzel, Switzerland," Mennonite Family History 9 (Apr. 1991): 48-52.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 19

Hinter Mugeren, pictured here, is on a farmstead in the parish of Wadenswil, Switzerland, and was first mentioned in 1270 in the tax list of the Cistercian Abbey of Wettingen. The family of Michel Bruppacher (BK74) and Susan Apli lived at Mugeren from 1637 to 1649. ·

Some methodical clearing of the forests for farmland began in earnest. A temporary shelter had to be erected for those woodsmen before enough forest had been cleared to build a modest farmstead with connected barn and cowshed. Venison was plentiful for the supper table, but there was a scarcity of other foods, enough only for two basic daily meals. Water was plentiful underground but a shallow well had to be dug. Interest­ingly, few farmsteads were built along the brooks, possi­bly because of periodic flooding. There were eventually several mills around the Wadenswil Berg area, and their canalization system proved helpful in controlling the rush of water. Life was harsh for these peasants, but eventually they succeeded and their farmsteads provid­ed a good living for them. Names of farmsteads that blossomed on cleared lands were called "ruti" or "schwend", such as Riiti, Riitiboden, Giesenriiti, Lan­griiti, and Oedischwend.4

The tax list of the Cistercian Abbey of Wettingen5 in 1270 contains the first recorded mention of the farm­steads of Gisenriiti, Mugeren, and Kotten in the present parish of Wadenswil. The family of Michel Bruppacher (BK74) and Susan Apli lived from 1637 to 1649 at Mugeren, which is about a mile northeast of Spitzen in the parish of Hirzel,6 where Petter Bruppacher (BL11) and Anna Pfister, Anabaptists, lived in 1633.

Also on that tax list of 1270 was Hergesperch, now Herrlisberg, which was one of the individual farmsteads mentioned in a document of February 5, 1347, as owned by Freiherren (freemen, not serfs) of Wadenswil. In 1357 a Peter Meier exchanged his farmstead of Hergisberg for Lehnhof, a possession of the Kloster Kappel, another

july 1993

Cistercian abbey in the Canton of Zurich.? After 1531 church property was controlled by the Zurich City Council, which was strongly influenced by the guilds, and many of the farms were sold to the hereditary ten­ants. Hans Rudolf Brupbacher (BJ5571.6a5) (1801-1876) lived at Herrlisberg.

In 1450 Hans Blattman was the owner of Widen on Hergesberg, and was a member of the Knights of St. John, a Roman Catholic order associated with the Cru­sades. In 1483 the order leased to Heini Fuchs their farmstead of Furthof on Herrlisberg. In 1549 the Knights of St. John sold Wadenswil, Richterswil, Hi.itten, Scho­nenberg, Uetikon, and part of Hirzel to the c_ity of Zurich, providing that its citizens were to be considered as citizens of the city of Zurich with certain privileges.s

On Wednesday, June 25, 1525, a Hans Bruggbacher from Zumikon southeast of the city of Zurich was bap­tized with others by Felix Manz and Jorg Blaurock at nearby Zollikon , the center of the oldest Anabaptist community in Zurich. The following Monday, Blaurock, Manz, and all the peasants who had been baptized in recent days, all told about thirty, were captured. Blau­rock was exiled and later burned at the stake in Inns­bruck, and Manz was later drowned in Zurich's river Limmat.9 Hans Brubacher was seized early in 1530 in the Zurich Unterland and cross-examined with others. His statements offer an interesting insight into the faith of the Swiss Brethren of that period.IO

A Heinrich Brugbach had been recorded in 1335 in Kittenmiihle in the parish of Herrliberg, also on the east side of Lake Zurich. In 1470 Junghennssly Bruggbach and his brother, Hennssly Bruggbach, lived there. In 1548 five Bruppacher brothers lived on the Hasenach~r farm in the parish of Herrliberg.11 Most of these fami­lies are believed to have always had friendly links to the government of the city of Zurich and their reformer Zwingli.12

There is no apparent connection between Herrliberg on the east side of Lake Zurich and Herrlisberg on the west side, but in the middle of the sixteenth century members of the Bruppacher family crossed the lake and settled in the parish of Wadenswil. February 27, 1553, is the earliest mention of a Bruppacher in the Wadenswil church book, which was started in 1552.

At the end of the sixteenth and beginning of the sev­enteenth centuries, Anabaptists made their appearance on the Horgenberg and Wadenswilberg (hillsides on the west side of Lake Zurich) just as in the older established Anabaptist districts of Griiningen and Knonau. The Reformed state church intensified its efforts to lead them back into the fold and terminally block their activities. The consequence of its published mandate of 1585 was a mass emigration, principally to Moravia, where they had freedom of worship. Those who stayed back came under increasing pressure.13

In October 1589 fifteen Anabaptists were arrested in Horgen, seven from Wadenswil. The four from Horgen included Heini and Hans Landis (LS3), who were teach­ers and the nucleus of the Anabaptist congregation on the Horgen- and Wadenswilberg. In 1608 they num­bered at least forty men and women who refused to attend the state church and instead held meetings, which included preaching, adult baptisms, and marriages, in

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 20

This Map of the Wadenswil area Shows the town along the west side of Lake Zurich, Hinter Mugeren, and Spitzen home in 1633 of Peter Bruppacher (BLqq) and Anna Pfister, Anabaptists.

barns or the woods or in farmer Hans Landis's house. Funds were donated for the support of the poor.

In the summer of 1613 Hans Landis (LS3) of Hirzel, Hans Meili (ML2) of Stallikon, and Stephan Zehnder from Birmensdorf were among those incarcerated. Meili accepted emigration, but Landis and Zehnder were led to the border at Solothurn. They later escaped from prison, but were recaptured. Hans Landis was beheaded on Sep­tember 29, 1614, after a courageous journey to his death which only heightened his esteem among the people.14

The cause of the last Anabaptist persecution in Zurich came in 1635 when Heinrich Frick (FR316) from Hof Buch near Knonau quit his position as Amtsfiihnrich (district standard bearer) to join the Anabaptists. His refusal to bear arms, and his adherence to pacifism came less than two years after a dangerous moment, when General Horn with his Swedish army at Stein am Rhein and Gottlieben entered Swiss territory to attack Kon­stanz, and nearly brought the Thirty Years War into Switzerland. The refusal of military service by officer Frick was viewed by the officials as provocation, and they feared that others might follow his example.1s

On August 17, 1635, a disputation was arranged in Knonau, to which all the Anabaptists in the districts of Gri.iningen, Wadenswil, and Knonau were invited. Dis­putations were held in Zurich on August 22, and Sep­tember 8, 1635, after which individual Anabaptists were asked to reply in writing whether they were ready either

7Ziegler, Wiidenswil, vol. 1,, pp. 70-73. B[bid. 9Walter Baumann, "Zentrum der altesten Taufergemeinde," trans­

lated by Robert E. Brubaker. lOMennonite Encyclopedia, p. 441, s.v."Hans Brubacher," by Neff. 11Hans Ulrich Pfister, "Earliest Known Bruppachers," Brubaker Fam­

ily Tour booklet (1985), p. 66. "Bruggbach" is a brook with a bridpe, and persons who lived near this brook got the name Bruggbach, which was developed and changed later to Bruppacher.

12Peter R. Bruppacher to Warren. W. Brubaker (?BL1151.17325.14), Nov. 23, 1992.

lJPaul Klaui, Geschichte der Gemeinde Horgen (Horgen, Zurich: Chronikkommission for the 1000-Year Celebration, 1952), pp. 185-186, translated by Robert E. Brubaker.

14lbid, pp. 188-190. Jane Evans Best, "Swiss Origi~s of Groff~ Hess, Weber, Landis, and Oberholtzer Families," Pennsylvama Mennomte Her­itage 13 (April1990): 19-23.

lSHans Ulrich Pfister, Die Auswanderung aus dem Knonauer Amt, 1648-1750 (Zurich: Verlag Hans Rohr, 1987), pp. 171-172, translated by Raymond T. Stoe and Noah G. Good.

July 1993

to recant or to emigrate. Among those who sent a nega­tive reply was Peter Bruppacher (BL11) from Wadenswil with nine signatures.I6

At the end of 1639, members of the Zurich City Council formed an Anabaptist Commission to deal with all Anabaptist problems and at the same time imple­mented a strict law to confiscate the properties of all Anabaptists and hunt down those who were not already in prison. The Anabaptist hunt was resisted by the local populace in many places, and the purchasers of Anabap­tist property were often harassed or shunned.

The following were among those who had their properties confiscated: Hans Landis (LS32), Jakob Ruster­holz, Felix Landis (LS31), Konrad Strickler-Landis, Hans Rudolf Baumann (BU416 and BA26), Oswald Landis­Schappi (LS22), Hans Huber-Syfrig,17 Barbara Bruppach (BL25), the widow of Heinrich Ritter, Hans Jagli Landis­Pfister (LS221), and Michel Bruppach's widow, Verena.Is Most of them had assets worth only a few hundred guilders, but Felix Landis' property returned over 6000 guilders, that of Hans Jagli Landis-Pfister (LS221) 2931 guilders, and Jakob Rusterholz's not much less. From the property of Hans Landis (LS32), the value of which had grown to over 11,000 guilders, 4000 guilders were sequestered in 1668 for the benefit of the authorities, as a penalty for the alleged "disobedience of their elders." 19

The building up of fortifications increased taxes on the people in the countryside. Wadenswil residents especially resisted these taxes because they believed that the documents of 1549 assured their rights to exemption and equal privileges with the citizens of the city of Zurich. On July 11, 1646, Fiihnrich (standard bearer) Hans Brupbacher (BJ5) was among the thirty town lead­ers called together by the landvogt (provincial governor) to gain support for the taxes, and he initially sided with the Zurich authorities. He later joined the opposition, and was ready to flee to the canton of Schwyz when he and others were arrested. Military force was used to put down the rebellion, and some of its leaders were execut­ed, while others were released. The blockade of Wadenswil was lifted on October 7, 1646.20 When he died in 1651, Hans Brupbacher (BJ5) was listed as Gerichtsherr (Judge) and Fiihnrich.

In 1646 the persecution of the Anabaptists intensi­fied. In April 1646 Hans Meili (ML27) of Wettswil, son of the Anabaptist preacher, was taken to Oetenbach prison, but after two weeks managed to escape. One half year later, however, he was again hunted down in Felmis near Bauma at the house of Heinrich Ruegg by the district governor of Kyburg and taken captive. The arrest took place on a Sunday after midnight. He was imprisoned in Zurich and charged with the indefensible crime of breaking out of Oetenbach with other Anabap­tists and thus instigating the Wadenswil protest. It is not likely that the Anabaptists had any part in the upris­ing of the mobs.21

Rutschli Brubacher (BL) Descendants Peter Brubacher (BLI) was baptized on May 23,

1566, at Wadenswil, son of Rutschli Brubacher (BL) and Anna Wis. He is probably the one who married Marg. Negeli and had son Petter Bruppacher (BL11) baptized on December 10, 1596, at Wadenswil. Rutschli Brubach­er (BL) and Anna Wis had a son Uly (BL2) baptized on

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 21

May 14, 1568, who is probably the one who was married at Wadenswil on February 27, 1613, to Margreth Landis, daughter of Hans Landis (LS3). 22

In 1633 Petter Bruppacher (BL11) was recorded as aged 38, having been an Anabaptist since 1622. He lived at Spitzen in the nearby parish of Hirzel, and the Anabaptist congregation generally met in his house. In May 3, 1637, he was imprisoned in Wadenswil with Hans Landis (LS32) and Jacob Rusterholz, who escaped. Afterwards he was brought to the Oetenbach prison in Zurich, where he had to remain more than forty weeks, until in 1638 he escaped with twelve others "by the help of God." The officials of Wadenswil searched for him, but Peter Bruppacher never came back. 23

His second wife, Anna Pfister, died in 1639, and their three sons, aged between nine and thirteen years, stayed on the farm in Spitzen and attended the state church services. His possessions worth nearly 10,000 guilders were confiscated on May 6, 1640, and the chil­dren were brought to Zurich to the Oetenbach where orphans were educated. All expenses for them were paid from the confiscated fortune, and every year a bill was made. Once 5 guilders were paid to a teacher for lessons, paper, and ink.

The Wadenswil church book begins in 1552. The baptism of Petter, son of Rutschli Brubacher (BL) and Anna Wys, was recorded on May 23, 1566, with sponsors Petter Sterken and Barbel Huber. Most children at this time in this area were named after one of the sponsors.

For one or two years, the three sons were educated at Oetenbach. Afterwards, Hans Heinrich learned the glazier trade in Richterswil, and Peter and Hans Jakob were sent to foster parents in Wadenswil. In 1645 Hans Heinrich finished his apprenticeship, and one year later his brothers began to learn their trade. Peter became a schiirer (barber/surgeon), and Hans Jakob became a shoemaker. Both learned their trade in Mannedorf, and when they had finished their apprenticeships, they began their time as traveling journeymen.24

l6Mennonite Encyclopedia, p. 1045, s.v."Ziirich," by Harold 5. Bender. 17He may have been the grandfather of the Hans Ulrich Huber who

was in present Lancaster County by 1718, and/or the Ulrich Huber who was there by 1728.

JBMichel Bruppacher and Verena Schaler had son Rudolf bap. at Hirzel on Apr.24, 1631, and seems to be the same man who, with wife Barbara Landis, had 4 ch. bap. there between 1621 and 1629. One of these, Anna (b. 1627), was listed in 1640 in the Hirzel census as aged 17, dau. of the deceased Michel Bruppacher, and a servant in the household of Oswald Buman (BU346). See Jane Evans Best, "Bauman and Sauter Families of Hirzel, Switzerland," Mennonite Family History 9 (Apr. 1991): 55-56.

19KJaui, Horgen, pp.192-193. 20Ziegler, Wiidenswil, vol. 1, pp. 95-105. A descendant, Heinrich Brup­

bacher (BJ5571) (1674-1756), also was involved in a tax revolt in his time. 21Pfister, Die Auswanderung aus dem Knonauer Amt, pp. 174-175. Jane

Evans Best, "Turmoil in Conestoga," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 11 (Jan. 1993): 3, 19.

22LDS microfilm 0995912, item 1, Wadenswil Church Book, 1552-1647 (missing 1570-1595); item 2, 1647-1699; item 3, 1700-1767.

npfister, "Earliest Known Bruppachers," p. 68. Phares Brubaker Gib­ble, History and Genealogy of the Brubaker, Brubacher, Brewbaker Family in America, (Lititz, Pa .: Eastern Pennsylvania Brubaker Association, 1951, 1979), p. 33.

24Pfister, "Earliest Known Bruppachers," p. 68.

July 1993

On May 2, 1648, Hans Heinrich Bruppacher (BL115) was married in Wiidenswil to Elisabeth Rusterholz, daughter of Jacob Rusterholz, the Anabaptist. On this occasion, he received 40 guilders of the Bruppacher for­tune, and his brothers also got a sum of money so that they could make a present to the couple. Elisabeth Rusterholz was 13 years old in 1633 when her parents, Jacob Rusterholz and Susanna Vorster, and two older sisters were listed in Mettlen, Hirzel, among the Anabaptists. His farm was later confiscated, as men­tioned above.

Entries of expenses for the sons ceased in 1651. By 1661 the father had purchased land in Alsace, and all three sons had gone to him and become Anabaptists. In 1662 Hans Heinrich Bruppacher (BL115), the glazier, was recorded by the Hirzel pastor as living with his wife Elisabeth Rusterholz and two children in Mackenheim. Barbara Bruppacher (BL25) lived in nearby Jebsheim, married to Heinrich Ritter from Richterswil. She was a granddaughter of the famous Hans Landis (LS3), "the last Anabaptist Martyr," and also had lost her posses­sions in the year 1640.

In 1661 after a stay of thirteen years in Alsace; the father, Peter Bruppacher, with his third wife, Mar­garetha Strickler, and son Hans Jakob (BL117), with a wife named Hiestand from Richterswil 25 and two chil­dren, lived at Ibersheim Hof two hours from Worms, Germany. They were part of a group which had received a lease for twelve years from the Elector of the Palatinate. The third son, Peter (BL116), who had mar­ried and had children, died meanwhile. 26

Hans Heinrich Bruppacher (BL115) lived in Iber­sheim in 1661 when he wrote, with his brother Hans Jakob, a letter to the Elector Karl Ludwig, requesting his intercession for receiving the inheritance of their mother, Anna Pfister, in Wiidenswil. They were not successful because the authorities of Zurich distributed inheri­tances only to people who renounced the Anabaptist faith. In 1663 a son traveled to Zurich and claimed the fortune, but received only 30 guilders for food for the journey. In 1668, 5,000 guilders of the Bruppacher for­tune were definitively confiscated because the father, Peter Bruppacher, had died in "disobedience" .27

Unfortunately, the names of the children born by 1661 to the three sons of Peter Bruppacher are not known, and there is also no known record of subsequent children. Family tradition, naming patterns, and cir­cumstantial evidence seem to be our only recourse in attempting to link the Zurich and Lancaster County Brubaker families.

A Hans Brubacher was born in Canton Zurich, Switzerland, driven by persecution into South Germany, and died in Europe. Two sons are recorded: Hans Brubacher (A-1) and Abraham M. Brubacher (D).28 I believe this father Hans Brubacher was BL1151, a son of Hans Heinrich Bruppacher (BL115), and a grandson of Petter Bruppacher (BL11). Hans Brubaker (A-1 and ?BL1151.1), who immigrated in 1717, had nine sons, and was the only one who had a son named Henry (A-7 and ?BL1151.17). Family tradition says that John Brubaker (A-2 and ?BL1151.11) returned to Germany for a wife, and brought with him on the ship St. Andrew on Sep­tember 9, 1749, his cousin Abraham Brubaker (D-2 and ?BL1151.26), whose eldest son was also named John.29

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 22

The 1722 will of Hans Meir (?MB84), also a 1717 immi­grant, names his wife as Anna Brubacher, who may have been BL1153, an aunt of Hans Brubaker (A-1) and Abra­ham Brubaker (D).

On September 17, 1717, Hans Pupather (A-1) and Christian Hersey warranted 1,000 acres in present Lancast­er County, Pennsylvania, which were surveyed on Octo­ber 14, 1717. On the same day 700 acres were surveyed to Hans Pupather (C-1), probably a cousin, who in 1741 deeded part of it to his brother Jacob Brubaker (B-1).30

All three of these Brubakers had eldest sons named John, and two had sons named Peter. After calculating their approximate birth dates from the ages of their chil­dren and grandchildren, I made the following assump­tions:

Hans Brubaker (A-1) is BL1151.1; Abraham Brubak­er (D) is BL1151.2; Anna Brubacher Mier is BL1153; Jacob Brubaker (B-1) is BL1171.1; Hans Brubaker (C-1) is BL1171.2; John Jacob Brubaker (E-1) is BL1171.3.

Descendants of the above immigrants have orga­nized the Brubaker Family Association, which meets annually. In 1993 the president of the Eastern Pennsyl­vania Brubaker Reunion Association is Warren W. Brubaker, M.D.(?BL1151.17325.141).

The following partial outlines are intended as clues for further research, not as proof of lineage. Additions, corrections, or questions should be sent to Jane Evans Best, 5 Kutz Avenue, New Holland, PA 17557-1225, tele­phone 717-354-2316. The question mark within bracket­ed material refers to a question concerning placement of that material at that location in the outline and is not a question concerning the validity of the material within brackets. BL Rutschli Brubacher,31 b. ca. 1540

m. by 1566, Anna Wis BLl Petter Brubacher, bap. May 23, 1566, Wiidenswil

[?m. by 1596, Marg. Negeli] BLll Petter Bruppacher,32 bap. Dec. 10, 1596,

Wiidenswil; d . by 1668; Anabaptist since 1622; in 1633 aged 38, lived in Spitzen, parish of Hirzel, where congregation generally met in his house; imprisoned in Wiidenswil in May 1637 with Hans Landis (LS32) and Jacob Rusterholtz, later in Oeten­bach, Zurich, where he remained more than 40 weeks until he escaped; property worth nearly 10,000 guilders confiscated in 1640; purchased land in Alsace, and in 1661 migrated to Palatinate after 13 years in Alsace, leased Ibersheim Hof with others for

25She probably was Klinann Hiestand (HE14), who was recorded as an Anabaptist emigrant in 1657 from Richterswil and m. by 1662. Jane Evans Best, "Hiestand (HE) Family: An Update," Mennonite Family His­tory 12 (Apr. 1993): 60.

26Pfister, "Earliest Known Bruppachers," p. 68. 27Ibid, p. 69. . 2BAden H. Brubake~;, Record of the Ancestors and Descendants of Jacob

Sherk Brubaker (0-67) and his brother Daniel Sherk Brubaker (0-71), (n.p. 1974), pp. 7-11 . The designations using A through Fare from Gibble, Brubaker Family.

29Gibble, Brubaker Family, pp. 51-78. 30Landis H . Brubaker,"The Brubakers and Their Lands in East

Hempfield Township, Lancaster County Pa.," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 5 (April1982), pp. 10-11.

31He may have been a brother of the Anna Bruppacher who mar­ried Rudolf Landis (LS2), Anabaptist in 1579 in the parish of Horgen. Best, "Swiss Origins," p. 20.

32LDS microfilm 1185140, item 1, p. 675 (1633 Hirzel); Pfister,"Earli­est Bruppachers", pp. 66-69.

July 1993

The town of Hirzel viewed northwest of Spitzen. The parish of Hirzel was separated from the parish of Horgen in 1614, and the church and parsonage were constructed on land con­fiscated from Jacob Isler because of his Anabaptist beliefs. The land of Peter Bruppacher (BL11), Anabaptist, who lived at Spitzen in 1633, was confiscated in 1640, and by 1661 he had moved to lbersheim Hof in the German Palatinate.

12 years from Elector; 5,000 guilders definitively confiscated in 1668 by the Zurich authorities because he had died in" disobedience." m.(I) by 1621, Barbara Streler m.(2) by 1625, Anna Pfister, b. ca. 1594; d . 1639;

aged 39 in 1633, had been Anabaptist for 20 years; had brothers Rudolph and Hans Pfister.

m.(3) by 1661; Margaretha Strickler Children of m.(1) BLlll Hans Bruppacher, bap. Oct. 23, 1619, Hirzel; not

in 1633 census. BL112 Barbara Bruppacher, bap. Aug. 26, 1621, Hirzel;

not in 1633 census. Children of m .(2) BL113 Elsbeth Bruppacher, bap. MaL 15, 1625, Hirzel; d.

1629 of pestilence. BL114 Peter Bruppacher, bap. Mar. 5, 1626, Hirzel; d.

1629 of pestilence. BL115 Hans Heinrich Bruppacher, bap. Sept. 16, 1627,

Hirzel; d. after 1662; agedS in 1633; in 1639 stayed on farm; after 1640 educated for several years in Oetenbach; in 1645 finished learning glazier trade in Richterswil; by 1657 emigrated from Wadenswil; in 1662listed in Hirzel census as Anabaptist living with wife Elisabeth and 2 ch. in Mackenheim, Alsace; 1661letter shows him and brother Hans Jacob as hereditary tenants of elector Karl Ludwig in . Ubersheim/lbersheim, Germany, claiming the inheritance of their mother, Anna Pfister in Wadenswil. m. May 2,1648, Wadenswil, Elisabeth Rusterholz,

dau. of Jacob Rusterholz, Anabaptist. BL1151 [?Hans Bruppacher,33 b. by 1661; d. in Europe.

BL1151.1 Hans Brubaker (A-1),34 b. 1685; wp. 1748, E. Hempfield Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa. m.(1) Anna Ernst m .(2) Anna __ ] Probable children of m .(l) BL1151.11 John Brubaker (A-2), b. 1719; d. Apr.

9, 1804, Elizabeth Twp., bu. Brubaker Cern.; went to Europe to be m., returned Sept. 9, 1749; 10 ch.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 23

m.(1) ca. 1749, Maria Newcomer in Europe; d. 1750.

m.(2) Apr. 1751, Maria Dohner, b. 1728; d. 1802.

BL1151.12 Jacob Brubaker (A-3), b. ca. 1721; d. 1779, E. Hempfield Twp., intestate. m.(l) May 30, 1749, Susanna Steinman, d.

July 3, 1768; dau. of Christian Steinman; 6 ch.

m.(2) May 24, 1768, Mary Martin, dau. of Peter Martin; 1ch.

BL1151.13 Abraham Brubaker (A-4), b. 1723; d. 1804, Page Co., Va., near Luray; 10 ch. m. Barbara Miller

BL1151.14 Peter Brubaker (A-5), b. 1725; d . 1811, Mastersonville, Rapho Twp.; 9 ch. m. Barbara

BL1151.15 Joseph Brubaker (A-6), b. ca. 1727; d . 1806, Halifax, Pa.; 7 ch. m. Elizabeth Dohner

BL1151.16 Henry Brubaker (A-7), b. ca. 1729; wp. Feb. 22, 1820, Manheim Twp.; 5 ch. m.(l) Elizabeth Bear (BA1231.30), dau. of

Henry Bear (?BA1231.3) and Barbara Witmer (12)

m.(2) Anna Resh, widow Probable children of m.(2) BL1151.17 Daniel Brubaker (A-8), b. ca. 1735; d.

Apr. 21, 1762, Elizabeth Twp.; 3ch. m. Veronica Dohner BL1151.173 Daniel Brubaker (A-57), b. ca.

1761; d. 1821, Heidlberg Twp., Lebanon Co.; 12 ch. m. Elizabeth Stauffer (?ST10a6.41), 35 b.

ca. 1767; d. 1835, South Lebanon Twp., Lebanon Co.

BL1151.1732 Christian Brubaker (A-180), b. 1787; d . 1863; lived in South Lebanon Twp., Lebanon Co.; 12 ch. m. Elizabeth Eberly

BL1151.17325 Isaac Brubaker (A-513), b. 1815; d. 1866, S. Lebanon Twp.; 9 ch. m. Elizabeth Bucher

BL1151.17325.1 Isaac Brubaker, b. 1857; d . 1939; 4 ch. m. Sarah Royer

BL1151.17325.14 Warren I. Brubaker, M.D. m. Annette

BL1151.17325.141 Warren W. Brubaker, M.D. m. MaryE. __

BL1151.18 David Brubaker (A-9), b. 1739; d. 1824, E. Hempfield Twp.; 5 ch. m.(1) Elizabeth Hershey m.(2) Veronica D. Hershey, widow

BL1151.19 Christian Brubaker (A-10), b. ca. 1741; 1819, Manheim Twp.; 3 ch.

33Brubaker, Record, pp. 7-11. 34Gibble, Brubaker Family, pp. 51-64. Brubaker, Brubaker Lands, pp.

20-24. 3SRichard Warren Davis, The Stauffer Families of Switzerland, Ger­

many, and America (including Stouffer and Stover) (Provo, Utah: author, 1992), p. 63.

July 1993

m. Elizabeth Brubaker (B-14), dau. of Peter Brubaker (B-4)

BL1151.10 Anna Brubaker (A-11), b. ca. 1744; d . ca. 1765; d.s.p. m. Abram Buckwalter

[?BL1151.2 Abram M. Bruppacher (D),36 b. ca. 1695; d . 1753, Europe. m. Maria Herr, d. 1756] BL1151.21 Abraham Brubacher, b. 1723; d. 1730. BL1151.22 Anna Brubacher, b. 1724; d. 1788. BL1151.23 Maria Brubacher, b. 1726 BL1151.24 John Brubacher (D-1), b. 1727; d .

1768; Manor Twp. m. Elizabeth

BL1151.25 Judith Brubacher, b. 1729; d. 1733. BL1151.26 Abraham Brubacher (D-2), b. Sept.

21, 1731; d. Jan. 30, 1811, Clay Twp.; immi­grated Sept. 9, 1749, on St . Andrew; ordained Mennonite minister ca. 1789; 10 ch. m. June 6,1757, Magdalena Eshleman

(?BL1171.235), b. ca. 1737; d. Mar. 12, 1785.

BL1151.27 Clade/Claire Brubacher, b. 1733; d . 1733, aged 7 weeks.

BL1151.28 Elizabeth Brubacher, b. 1735; d. 1758. BL1151.29 Jacob Brubacher, b. 1736 BL1151.20 Peter Brubacher, b. 1738

m. Elizabeth Newcomer BL1151.2a Veronica Brubacher, b. 1742

BL1152 __ Bruppacher, b. by 1661 [?BL1153 Anna Brubacher,37 b. ca. 1670; d. after Jan. 30,

1722; inherited 150 acre plantation from husband. m. before 1722, Hans Meier, Sr.(?MB84),38 bap. Mar.

27,1665, Pfaffikon, Zurich; wp. 1722; 6 ch.] BL116 Peter Bruppacher, bap. Dec. 25, 1629, Hirzel; d.

by 1661; aged 4 in 1633; in 1639 stayed on farm; after 1640 educated for several years in Oetenbach, then placed with foster parents in Wadenswil; in 1646 learned trade of schiirer (barber I surgeon) in Mannedorf; by 1661 had ch. m. before 1661

BL1161 [?Peter] Bruppacher, b. by 1661; [?on Dec. 17, 1685, Mennonite in Heyberger Hof with no ch. ]

[?BL1161.1 Johann Jakob Brubacher, in 1736lived in Albisheim, Germany]

BL1162 __ Bruppacher, b. by 1661 BL117 Hans Jacob Bruppacher, bap. Oct. 9, 1631, Hirzel,

sp. Hans Jacob Landis (?LS221); aged 1 in 1633; in 1639 stayed on farm; after 1640 educated for several years in Oetenbach, then placed with foster parents in Wadenswil; in 1646 learned trade of shoemaker in Mannedorf; in 1661lived at lbersheim with wife named Hiestand and 2 ch; 1661letter shows him and brother Hans Heinrich as hereditary tenants of elec­tor Karl Ludwig in Ubersheim/ lbersheim, claiming the inheritance of their mother, Anna Pfister in Wadenswil. m. by 1661,[?Klinann] Hiestand 39 ]

BL1171 (Hans?) Brubaker, b. by 1661 [?BL1171.1 Jacob Brubaker (B-1),40 b. ca. 1680; d.

1751, E. Hempfield Twp. BL1171.11 John Brubaker (B-2), b. ca. 1710; d .

1743, E. Hempfield Twp.; 2 ch. m. Elizabeth Herr (HH153), b. ca. 1717; d.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 24

by 1747. She m.(2) ca. 1745 Peter Wit­mer (?WT1132), b. ca. 1710; wp. July 28, 1792; immigrated 1744.

BL1171.12 Elizabeth Brubaker (B-3), b. ca. 1713; d.s.p. m. John Herr (HH131 and 24), b. Apr. 23,

1702; wp. Oct. 11, 1783. BL1171.13 Peter Brubaker (B-4), b. ca. 1717; wp.

Oct. 24, 1796; E. Hempfield Twp.; 5 ch. m.(1) Eleanor m. (2) Anna Bear (BA1231.32), dau. of

Henry Bear (?BA1231.3) and Barbara Witmer (12)

BL1171.14 Mary Brubaker (B-5), b. June 8, 1719; d. July 8, 1798, Providence Twp.; 6 ch. m. John Miller (?MR1521.3), b. Dec. 9, 1713;

d . 1802. BL1171.15 Jacob Brubaker (B-6), b. ca. 1722; d.

1764, E. Hempfield Twp.; 5 ch. m. Mary Nissley

BL1171.16 Anna Brubaker (B-7), b. ca. 1725 m. George Snavely

BL1171.17 Catharine Brubaker (B-8), b. ca. 1727 m. Isaac Kauffman

[?BL1171.2 John Brubaker (C-1),41 b. ca. 1685; d. 1725; 3 ch.] BL1171.21 John Brubaker (C-2),42 d. 1785, Man­

heim Twp.; d .s.p. m. Anna Hostetter, b. ca. 1685; d. 1787; dau.

of Jacob Hostetter and Anna Resh/Resch.

BL1171.22 John Jacob Brubaker (C-3), b. ca. 1720; d . 1774, Manheim Twp.; 6 ch. m.(1) Maria m.(2) Anna

BL1171.23 Elizabeth Brubaker (C-4), b. ca. 1710; d. E. Hempfield Twp. m. Daniel Eshleman,43 b. ca. 1695; wp. Apr.

26, 1749. He m.(2) Magdalena ----' who later m. Christian Oberholtzer.

BL1171.231 Ann Eshleman, b. Jan. 16, 1729; d. Mar. 20, 1778; 11 ch., m. 1746, John Bear (BA1231.33), b. Feb.

23, 1723; d . Apr. 15, 1778, Cocalico Twp.; Mennonite minister; son of Henry Bear (?BA1231.3) and Bar­bara Witmer (12).

BL1171.232 Elizabeth Eshleman, b. ca. 1731 m. by 1755, Henry Bare (BA1231.34), b.

ca. 1725; wp. May 23, 1794, Hemp­field Twp.; son of Henry Bear (?BA1231.3) and Barbara Witmer (12).

36Brubaker, "Brubaker Lands", pp. 68-75. Brubaker, Record, pp. lO­ll.

37Dorothy M. K. Adams, Myers History (Houston, Tex.: 1987), pp. 37-39.

38Jane Evans Best, "Martin Kendig's Swiss Relatives," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 14 (Jan. 1992): 14.

39$ee note 25. 40Gibble, Brubaker Family, pp. 65-67. Best, "Martin Kendig," pp. 12,

16. 41Gibble, Brubaker Family, p. 68. 42Eugene Ellis Kenaga, Descendants of Johanes Gnage and John

Kenege Sr. and Related Families (Midland, Mich. : author, 1988), pp . 339-341.

43Will A-1-171, Lancaster. Best, 'Turmoil," pp. 26-27.

July 1993

BL1171.233 Daniel Eshleman,44 b. ca. 1733; wp. May 2, 1770, Hempfield Twp.; d.s.p.

BL1171.234 Benedict Eshleman,45 b. ca. 1735; wp. Sept. 11, 1781, Hempfield Twp.; d.s.p. m. Elizabeth (Bachman?)

BL1171.235 Magdalena Eshleman, b. ca. 1737;d.Mar. 12,1785. m. June 6, 1757, Abraham Brubaker

(BL1151.26 and D-2 ), b. Sept. 29, 1731; d. Jan. 30, 1811, Clay Twp.

BL1171.236 Barbara Eshleman, b. ca. 1739 m. JacobS. Kauffman

BL1171.237 Mary Eshleman, d. by 1764; 2 ch. m. by 1755, Jacob Erb, Warwick Twp.

[?BL1171.3 John Jacob Brubaker (E-1),46 b. ca. 1690; d. 1755. m. Barbara BL1171.31 John Jacob Brubaker (E-2), b. 1725; d.

1802, Providence Twp.; 5 ch. BL1171.32 Ann Brubaker (E-3), in 1754lived in

Germany BL1171.33 John Brubaker (E-4), b. 1733; 4 ch.

m. Oberholtzer BL117L333 Martin Brubaker (E-14), b. 1764;

d. 1835, Strasburg Twp.; 9 ch. . m. Mary Bowman BL1171.3335 Daniel Brubaker (E-31), b.

1797; d . 1853, Strasburg Twp.; 10 ch. m. Magdalena Goodhart

BL1171.33353 Tobias Brubaker (E-99), b. Apr. 8, 1827; d. Jan. 5, 1913. m. Susanna Anthony, b. July 5,

1829; d . Dec. 29, 1913. BL1171.33353.1 John Anthony

Brubaker, b. Apr. 19, 1853; d. Dec. 4, 1930. m. Ruth Anna Davis, b. Oct. 1855;

d. 1926. BL1171.33353.11 Arthur Brubaker, b.

Oct. 28, 1892; d. Dec. 5, 1983. m. Laura G. Miller, b. Sept. 15, 1898;

d. Sept. 25, 1984. BL1171.33353.111 Frederick A. Brubak­

er, b. Sept. 18, 1926 m. Marilyn J. Myers, b. Jan. 31, 1925

BL1171.34 Dietrich Brubaker (E-5), b. ca. 1735; d. 1804, West Manchester Twp., York Co.; 4 ch.

BL1171.35 Abraham Brubaker (E-6), d.s.p. BL1172 [?Hans Jacob] Bruppacher,47 b. by 1661; [?d.

May 30, 1697, Friedrichstadt]; [?on Sept. 10, 1685, Mennonite in lbersheimer Hof, Germany, with "no children yet"]; [?in 1693 Mennonite in Friedrich­stadt, Germany, with wife and ch. BL1172.1 child, d . June 7, 1696, Friedrichstadt.]

BL2 Uly Brupacher, bap. May 14, 1568, Wiidenswil [?m. by 1596, Barbel Hurliman, d . after 1600] [?m.(2) Feb. 27, 1613, Wiidenswil, Margreth Landis,

bap. May 29, 1580, Hirzel; dau. of Hans Landis (LS3), Anabaptist, and Barbara Hochstrasser]

Children of m.(1) BL21 Barbel Bruppacher, bap. Mar. 4, 1596, Wiidenswil

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 25

BL22 Margreth Bruppacher, bap. Feb. 17, 1597, Wiidenswil

BL23 Hans Heinrich Bruppacher, bap. June 15, 1600, Wiidenswil; [?called Hans, in 1649lived in Spitzen, Hirzel, with Heinrich Brupacher (?BL115), aged 24 as servant. m. by 1649, Elsbeth Hotz]

BL231 Jageli Brupacher, b. ca. 1634, aged 15 in 1649 BL232 Osli Brupacher, b. ca. 1638, aged 11 in 1649 BL233 Hans Brupacher, b. ca. 1640, aged 9 in 1649 BL234 Annali Brupacher, b. ca. 1645, aged 4 in 1649 Children of m.(2) BL24 Elsbeth Bruppacher, bap. Oct. 21, 1616, Wiidenswil BL25 Barbara Bruppacher, bap. Sept. 26, 1619,

Wiidenswil; in 1662 lived in Jebsheim, Alsace, hav­ing lost her possessions in 1640 because of her Anabaptist beliefs. m. Heinrich Ritter of Richterswil

BL3 Annli Bruppacher, bap. Mar. 23, 1570, Wiidenswil

Lutheran Brubakers Michael Brubach (F-1) and his wife, Eleanora Mar­

garetha, were sponsors on June 12, 1741, at the Lutheran Church in present New Holland, Pennsylvania, at the baptism by John Caspar Stover, pastor, of Eleanora Mar­garetha Diller, infant daughter of Caspar Elias Diller. His wife had another namesake on May 15, 1743, when they were sponsors of a daughter of Johannes Berger at the same place. 48

The earliest known record of Michael Brubaker is on June 2, 1739, when he purchased 141 acres in Earl Town­ship from Christian Martin. Warranted September 11, 1734, to Christian Martin, it adjoined land of Christian Long, Christian Sensenick , and vacant land. His eldest son, Isaac Brubaker (F-2), was living there when his father died, and Isaac sold it on September 22, 1752, to Michael Divenderver, who patented it on July 5, 1760.49

The will of Michael Brubaker (F-1), Earltown, wag­onmaker, dated February 4, 1747, and probated March 19, 1747, was the earliest Brubaker recorded at Lancas­ter. His wife, Lenora, inherited "the improvement of the late David Berket where we now live." David Burchart had warranted 64 acres in Earl Township on February 5, 1743/4, but he died suddenly before 1745, leaving very young minors Joseph, Nathaniel, John, and Salome. George Bear (BA5187.3) purchased rights to this tract and a neighboring tract of 94 acres, which Burchart had purchased from Tobias Heighley, from "the person who claimed title" and was in possession of the two tracts and improvements sold earlier by Joseph Crotzer, the administrator of Burchart's estate. By October 29, 1763, after all the Burchart children were of age, the transac­tions were confirmed. so

44Will B-1-658, Lancaster. 45Wi11 Y -2-120, Lancaster. 46(;ibble, Brubaker Family, pp. 76-78. 47fhis changes my assumptions about this Hans Jacob Brubacher in

Best, "Swiss Origins,"p. 23, and Best, "A Visit in Hirzel," p . 49. 48Glenn P. Schwalm and FrederickS. Weiser, Records of Pastoral Acts

at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Holland, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania 1730-1799 (Breinigsville, Pa.: Pennsylvania German Soci­ety, 1977), pp. 11, 25,201.

49Pa tent AA-1:35, Harrisburg, Pa . Martin H. Brackbill, "Family Data in Some Pennsylvania Land Pa tents, 1760-1761," National Genealogical Society Quart~?rly 64: 4 (Dec. 1976), p. 276.

SOPatent AA-6-52, Harrisburg, Pa.

July 1993

Isaac Brubaker (F-2) inherited "the improvement where he lives," and was executor of his father's will, which mentioned sons Conrad and John "when aged 22" and Susannah, "when 19". Conrad (F-3), moved to Windsor Township, York County.51 Daughter Susan was married at New Holland on July 18, 1752, to "Johannes Oerle, master carpenter in Reading, son of the late Thomas Oerle from Lierchheim (?)." She was listed as "Susanna Brubach, daughter of the late Joh. Michael Brubach, here."

Witnesses to the will were Leonard Ellmaker (ER), Jacob Kintzer (KN21), and David Davies (DC31), all of whom lived on neighboring tracts of land. John Leonard Ellmaker's passport from Frankenthal, Germany, was dated May 12, 1726, six days after he had been married there to Anna Margaret Hornberger of Frankenthal. They landed in Philadelphia on August 1, 1726, and one month later moved to the ·south branch of Mill Creek, where he took up 220 acres of land for which they received a deed dated February 8, 1734.52

There is no mention of a Michael Brubaker of any spelling, in the early Philadelphia ship lists,s3 His family probably arrived before 1727, and may have come from Frankenthal with the Ellmaker family.

The question arises, "Was Michael Brubaker related to the other Brubakers in Lancaster County, and if so, how?" A study of Wadenswil Church records shows a Michel Bruppacher (BK74) baptized there on December 3, 1611, who had five children between 1633 and 1645, including Ji:irg (BK741) and Oswald (BK742). Both of these sons were in Frankenthal, Germany, in 1657 and 1661. They apparently returned home in 1670, but Ji:irg was not included in the 1682 census of Wadenswil. It is possible that Michael Brubaker (F-1) was a son of Ji:irg Bruppacher (BK741), and he has been included in the outline below as (?BK7411). I have found no connection between the BK and BL families.

Isaac Brubaker (F-2 and ?BK7411.1) and Anna Maria Difendi:irfer had a daughter Christina Brubaker baptized at the New Holland Lutheran Church on February 16, 1752, three days after her birth. His sons Isaac (F-6), Conrad (F-7), and Christian (F-8) are mentioned in New Holland records in 1825, 1790 and 1789 records, respec­tively. A descendant of Isaac Brubaker (F-6 and ?BK7411.14) and Salome Roland, Edwin Carpenter Diller II (DL38bl.23 and ?BK7411.14134.3), is still a meinber of Trinity Lutheran Church in New Holland. His mother, Gertrude Brubaker, was a descendant of Michael

SIGibble, Brubaker Family, pp. 79-81. 52]. Watson Ellmaker, "The Ellmaker Family," The Pennsylvania Ger­

man, (July 1909):341-347. 53Ralph Beaver Strassburger and William J. Hinke, Pennsylvania

German Pioneers (Norristown, Pa.: Pennsylvania German Society, 1934), vol.l,2,3

!>!John H . Brubaker III, "The Gibbons and Brubaker Families," Bird­in-Hand 1734-1984, pp.56-58.

ssoeeds M-314 and N-452, Lancaster. M. G. Weaver, A History of New Holland, Pennsylvania (New Holland, Pa.:1928), pp. 18, 28, 156. Gibble, Brubaker Family, pp. 79-81.

56Wi11 C-1-576 (dat. Aug. 1773), Lancaster. A. Hunter Rineer, "A House Divided. The Rein Family of Earl Township," Journal of the Lan­caster County Historical Society 87 (no. I, 1983), pp. 10-12, 19-26.

57Harry M. Hoover, The Huber-Hoover Family History (Scottdale, Pa.: Mennonite Publishing House, 1928), pp. 44, 51, 73-74. Jane Evans Best, "Swiss Roots of Neff, Weber, and Huber Families," Pmnsylvania Men­nonite Heritage 13 (October 1990): 30.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 26

Brubaker (F-1), and his father, Charles Mason Diller, was a descendant of Caspar Elias Diller (DL), whose daugh­ter was baptized in 1741 in New Holland with Michael Brubak~r and his wife as sponsors.

This red and black coverlet was made in 1836 by Isaac Brubaker, probably (?BK7411.141).

Other descendants of Isaac Brubaker (?BK7411.14) are still living in Lancaster County. His son, Isaac R. Brubaker (?BK7411.141) (1810-1885), is probably the one who made several coverlets dated 1836 that are now in private collections. He married Anna Hoover (1810-1868), a Mennonite, had ten children, and was also know as a farmer and butcher.

The second son of Isaac R. Brubaker was David R. Brubaker (?BK7411.1412) (1836-1862), who lived near Bird-in-Hand, and died when he was kicked by a horse when he was 26 years of age. David's son, Oram David Brubaker (?BK7411.14122), became well known as an extensive raiser of ducks, and had nine children aged from two to sixteen when his first wife died in 1899. Three years later he married Marianna Gibbons, then fifty-six years old, and moved to the Beechdale farm where she helped rear the children.54

On January 26, 1768, John Brubaker/Brewbaker (F-4 and ?BK7411.4) purchased from Valentine Kinzer (KN214) lot 13 in "Earl Township and in the town called new design," later part of New Holland. On May 26, 1769, he purchased from heirs of Wendle Swecker 86 acres of land which was patented in 1741 to John Caspar Stover. It became known as "Brubakertown" in the western end of present New Holland, and the family built there two hotels, the "Red Lion" and the "Cross Keys", a stable, and wagonmaker and blacksmith shops to accommodate large teams of horses and wagons.ss

John Brubaker (?BK7411.4) was an executor for the estate of Michael Rein, his father-in-law. Probated April 2, 1779, settlement was complicated by the fact that two of his sons, George and John Rein, were considered"attainted traitors" by Pennsylvania authori­ties. For a short time the Brubakers owned the whole Rein property, and 178 acres were sold in 1787 and 1788 to two Brubaker sons. After numerous court proceed­ings, John Rein's land was awarded in 1794 to John Brubaker and his son Michael (?BK7411.41).56

John's son George R. Brubaker (?BK7411.47) married Barbara Huber (62), a Mennonite and descendant of Hans Huber (1 and ?HR244) of Earl Township. Her niece Anna Huber (253) married Isaac R. Brubaker (?BK7411.141), and both couples are buried in Groffdale Mennonite Cemetery .57

July 1993

Werni Bruppacher (BK) Descendants BK Werni Bruppacher 58

BK1 Hans Bruppacher, bap. July 22, 1555, Wadenswil BK2 Adelheid Brupacher, bap. July 8, 1557, Wadenswil BK3 Anna Bruppacher, bap. Feb. 20, 1559, Wadenswil BK4 Hans Heinrich Bruppacher,s9 bap. Nov. 12, 1560,

Wadenswil; [?d. by 1634. m. by 1607, Christina Kollech]

BK41 Elsbeth Bruppacher, bap. May 11, 1606, Wadenswil; in 1634 census.

BK42 Verena Bruppacher, bap. Aug. 27, 1607; in 1634, 1682 census. m. Joseph Lingg, d. by 1682

BK43 Caspar Bruppacher, bap. Jan. 1, 1611, Wadenswil; in 1634, 1670 census. m. by 1670, Anna Sherer

BK431 Elsbeth Bruppacher, bap. Mar. l5, 1640 BK5 Anna Bruppacher, bap. Aug. 13, 1562, Wadenswil BK6 Verena Bruppacher, bap. Jan. 13,1566, Wadenswil BK7 Felix Bruppacher, bap. Apr. 18, 1568, Wadenswil

[?m. Feb. 25, 1606, Wadenswil, Susan Treichler] BK71 Rudolph Bruppacher, bap. July 28, 1607,

Wadenswil BK72 Verena Bruppacher, bap. Dec. 11, 1608,

Wadenswil BK73 Barbara Bruppacher, bap. June 17, 1610,

Wadenswil BK74 Michel Bruppacher, bap. Dec. 3, 1611, Wadenswil;

d. between 1645 and 1647; in 1634 census with Heini ~ply ~nd ElsbethRyff; from 1637 to 1649 family hved m Mugeren near Spitzen. m. by 1633, Susan Apli, d. after 1689

BK741 Jorg Bruppacher, bap. July 21, 1633, Wadenswil; in 1634, 1637, 1640, 1647, 1649 census; in 1657 in Franke~thal, Germany, with Hans Appli (b. 1634) of Kotten; m 1661 near Frankenthal; in 1670 census; not in 1682 census.

[?BK7411 John Michael Brubaker (F-1),60 b. ca. 1690; wp. Mar. 19, 1748, Earl Twp., wagonmaker; on June 2, 1739, purchased 141 acres in Earl Twp. from Christ­ian Martin, which he willed to son Isaac; lived on "improvement of late David Berket"; in 1741 and 1743 sponsor at New Holland Lutheran. m. Eleanora Margaretha -----' d. after Feb. 9, 1748,

called Lenora.] BK7411.1 Isaac Brubaker (F-2), b. ca. 1724; in 1747 spon­

sor at New Holland Lutheran; in 1748 inherited "improvement where he now lives." m . by 1752, Anna Maria Difendorfer

BK7411.11 Christina Brubaker, b. Feb. 13, 1752; bap. Feb. 16, 1752, New Holland Lutheran.

Abbreviation Key b; ..................... ... ... ... .. born d.y ... ..... ................ . died young bap ......... ....... ..... bapti~ed inv .... .. ......... estate inventory bu. . .................... ..... buned m ............. .. ...... .......... married ca ....................... ..... .. about mo ........................... month(s) Cern . ... ............. . Cemetery ms ............. .......... manuscript ch ..... .................... children Twp .... ... ......... ...... . Township Co ......................... County w. dat. .............. ... .. will dated d ........ ..... .... ...... ...... .. .. died wp ........... ... ....... . will proved da ........ .... .. ......... ... .. day(s) pr ................................ proved d.s.p. no living descendants Rd ..... .. .... ... ... ..... .... .... .... Road dau .... .. ....... ...... . daughter y .... .. ...... ...... ... ... ......... years(s)

On this contemporary map of Earl Township, Lancaster County, we see the location of the two tracts which Michael Brubaker (?BK7411) mentions in his will in 1747. The west­ern edge of the first one (A), warranted to Christian Martin in 1734, is now New Holland Road, and the northern edge is Eastern School Road. The second one (B), warranted to David Burchart in 1743, comprised 64 acres.

BK1171.12 Anna Maria Brubacher,61 b. Apr. 14, 1754; bap. May 12, 1754, Seltenreich Reformed; confirmed May 11, 1771, Seltenreich Reformed, aged 17.

[?BK1171.13 Abraham Brubaker, b. ca. 1756; confirmed Apr. 8, 1775, Seltenreich Reformed, aged 19; on Sept. 17, 1775, was sponsor at bap. at New Holland Lutheran.]

BK7411.14 Isaac Brubaker (F-6), b. 1760; d. 1825, bu. New Holland Cern. m. Salome Roland, bu. New Holland Cern. BK7411.141 Isaac R. Brubaker (F-23), b. Feb. 14,

1810; d. Sept. 3, 1885, bu. Groffdale Mennonite Cern.; Mennonite; [?coverlet maker]. m. Ann Hoover (253), b. July 25, 1810; d. May

12, 1868; Mennonite; dau. of David Hoover (63) and Hettie Hartman.

BK7411.1411 Isaac H. Brubaker (F-64 and 747), b. May 14, 1834; d. Aug. 8, 1913, bu. Sel­tenreich Reformed Cern.; Lutheran; propri­etor of Bird-in-Hand Hotel. m.(l) Rachel Seldomridge, b. June 7, 1837;

d. Dec. 8, 1878; 2 ch. m.(2) Catherine Miller, no ch. BK7411.14111 Ida Brubaker (1919), b. Aug.

28, 1860, bu. Compass E;piscopal; 2 ch. m. Feb. 21,1878, George Newton Worst,

b. Dec. 5, 1849; d. Dec. 15, 1922; farmer; son of George G. Worst and Mary A. Diller.

BK7411.14112 Isaac S. Brubaker (1920) BK7411.1412 David R. Brubaker (F-65 and 748),

b. July 5, 1836; d. Dec. 5, 1862, bu. Bird-in-

58LDS microfilm 0995912, Wiidenswil Church Book, item 1 1552-1647 (missing 1570-1595); item 2, 1647-1699; item 3, 1700-1767. '

59LDS microfilms 1185139, item 1, p. 122 (1634 Wiidenswil census); ~185140, item 1, p. 687 (1633); 1185141, item 2, p . 185 (1637); 1185143, Jtem 1, p. 219 (1640); 1185147, item 2, p. 361 (1647); 1185149, item 1, p. 155 (1649?; 1185153, item 1, p. 233 (1670); 1185159, item 1, p. 237 (1682); 1185164, 1tem 1, p. 185 (1689); 1185169, item 1, p. 743 (1708); 1185179, item 1, p. 57 (1661), p. 373 (1657).

60Gibble, Brubaker Family, pp. 79-81. Will 1-1-7 (dat. Feb. 9, 1747 /8), Lancaster. ·

61 Seltenreich Reformed Church Records, Earl Twp. 1746-1800.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 27

Hand Methodist Cern. m. Elizabeth Frantz, b. 1833; d. 1921; dau. of

Christian Franz and Barbara Root. BK7411.14121 Ada B. Brubaker (1922), b.

Dec. 15, 1860; d. Feb. 17, 1917; 4 ch .. m. Dec. 4, 1890, Aldus J. Laushey (1171),

b. Jan. 2, 1861; son of David Laushey and Leah Amanda Martin.

BK7411.14122 Oram David Brubaker (1921), b. June 4, 1862; d. Mar. 1929; Methodist; in 1903 started Brubaker Duck Farm at Beechdale Farm, Bird-in-Hand. m.(l). Sept. 8,1882, Myra Fraelich, b.

Oct. 23, 1860; d. July 1, 1899; 9 ch. m.(2) Jan. 1902, Marianna Gibbons, b.

1848; d. 1929; Quaker; journalist; dau. of Joseph Gibbons and Phebe Earle; no ch.

BK7411.14122.1 Everett Brubaker, b. 1883; d . 1972.

BK7411.14122.2 Edna Brubaker, b. 1884; d. 1972. m. Will Thompson

BK7411.14122.3 Ethel Brubaker, b. 1885; d. 1959.

BK7411.14122.4 Wilda Brubaker, b. 1887; d. 1970. m.Joseph Lund

BK7411.14122.5.John Harold Brubaker, b. 1888; d. 1966; 3 ch. m. Helen Morgart, b. 1896; d. 1968.

BK7411.14122.6 Mabel Brubaker, b. 1890; d. 1928.

BK7411.14122.7 Owen Brubaker, b. 1892; d. 1966.

BK7411.14122.8 Clarence N. Brubaker, b. 1895; d. 1971; 3 ch. m. Mary Umble

BK7411.14122.9 Elizabeth Brubaker, b. 1896; d. 1993. m. Ralph Stine

BK7411.1413 Roland S. Brubaker (F-66 and 749),62 b. Feb. 10, 1838; d. Jan. 4, 1920, aged 81, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.; meat merchant; bap. Apr. 24,1859, New Holland Lutheran. m. Jan. 1, 1861, New Holland Lutheran,

Margaret Angeline Smoker (SK15c), b. Dec. 25, 1840; d. Aug. 7, 1926, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern; dau. of Isaac Smoker (d. 1862) and Nancy Ditlow (d. 1871), Earl Twp.

BK7411.14131 Cora Brubaker (1923), b. Sept. 22, 1861; d. 1947, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.; bap. June 29, 1862, New Holland Lutheran; 2 ch. m. Apr. 26, 1888, New Holland Luther­

an, James E. S. Paxon, b. 1860; d . 1942; engineer on Pa. railroad; lived in Honeybrook, then Lancaster.

BK7411.14131.1 Roland Brubaker

62Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Holland, Pa . Parish Records vol. 1, 1730-1813, vol. 2, 1814-1922. Edwin C. Diller to Brubaker Family Association. Mary Foose records.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 28

Paxon, b. June 15, 1896, bap. July 7, 1897, New Holland Lutheran; lived and d. in Texas; 2 ch. m. Marie Bowers

BK7411.14132 Annie Brubaker, (1924), b. Oct. 6, 1863; d. 1939; bap. Dec. 13, 1863, New Holland Lutheran, d.s.p. m. Apr. 15, 1885, New Holland Luther­

an, Daniel W. Marshall, b. 1852; d. 1926; druggist, Lancaster.

BK7411.14133 Harriet/Hallie Brubaker (1925), b. May 10, 1866; d. 1956, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern; bap. 1868, New Holland Lutheran. m. W. N. Klemmer, b. 1860, St. Inghert,

Bavaria, Germany; d. 1906; physi­cian.

BK7411.14133.1 Roland Klemmer, b. 1898; d. 1944; physician, Lancaster; 2 ch. m. Anna Place

BK7411.14134 Gertrude Brubaker (1926), b. Jan.2, 1869;d.Mar. 7, 1954,bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern; bap. May 17, 1869, New Holland Lutheran. m. May 8, 1894, Charles Mason Diller

(DL38bl.2), b Sept. 13, 1866; d. June 27, 1952, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern; merchant; son of Edwin C. Diller and Cora I. Mason.

BK7411.14134.1 Margaret Smoker Diller, b. Apr. 17, 1897; d. Jan. 13, 1900, laryngitis.

BK7411.14134.2 Dorothy Mason Diller, b. Feb. 5, 1901; d. Dec. 9, 1908; bap. Apr. 14, 1901, New Holland Lutheran.

BK7411.14134.3 Edwin Carpenter Diller II, b. Jan. 26, 1906; 1 son. m. July 29, 1948, Margaret Evelyn

Ranck,b.Nov.8,1909;dau.of George S. Ranck and Mabel E. Hoover.

BK7411.1414 Esther Brubaker (F-67 and 750), b. Mar. 26, 1840; d. Aug. 10, 1906, bu. Mellinger Mennonite Cern.; 7 ch. m. Abraham Doner, b. Sept. 20, 1838; d.

Aug. 5, 1919, Lancaster. BK7411.1415 Salome Brubaker (F-68 and 751), b.

Sept. 26, 1842; d. Sept. 29, 1899; 4 ch. m. David Hostetter, b. Oct. 19, 1836; d. July

23, 1899; Mennonite minister. BK7411.1416 Jonathan Brubaker (F-69 and 752),

b. Feb. 20, 1845; 3 ch. m. Aug. 26, 1869, Helen E. Scoffield, b.

Nov. 6, 1848; d. July 20, 1924. BK7411.1417 Catharine Brubaker (F-70 and

753), b . May 6, 1846; d . June 2, 1923; 6 ch. m. Phares Buckwalter, b. Oct. 9, 1846; d.

Apr. 16, 1912; teacher. BK7411.1418 Lydia Brubaker (F-71 and 754), b .

Nov. 11, 1848; bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern; 3 ch. m. Daniel Eby, b. Nov. 10, 1849; d . Mar.

1911; farmer of East Earl Twp.

July 1993

BK7411.1419 Mary Brubaker (F-72) and 755), b. Nov. 18, 1850 m . Adam Diller, d. Jan. 22, 1923; contractor

in Lancaster; son of John Diller and Mary _ _ .

BK7411 .14191 Isaac Roland Diller BK7411.14192 Carrie B. Diller BK7411.14193 John A. Diller BK7411 .14194 Adam C. Diller, lived in

Reading BK7411.14195 Anna Diller, bu. New Hol­

land Lutheran Cern.; 3 ch. m. Abraham Foose, lived at Denver, Pa.

BK7411.1410 Rachel Brubaker (F-73 and 756), b. June 21, 1854; d. Nov. 21, 1908. m . Oct. 28, 1875, Isaac N. Groff (P3348),

Methodist; farmer in East Lampeter Twp.

BK7411.14101 Minnie Groff, b. 1878; 2 ch. m. B. Ross Wiker

BK7411.15 Conrad Brubaker (F-7), lived in New Hol­land; 4 ch. according to 1790 census

BK7411.16 Christian Brubaker (F-8), owned land in New Holland m. by 1788, Mary _ _ BK7411.161 Isaac Brubaker, b. Nov. 22, 1782; bap.

Oct. 20, 1787, Seltenreich Reformed BK7411.162 Elisabet Brubaker, b. 1788, bap. Apr. 13,

1789, New Holland Lutheran, aged ca. 10 mo. BK7411.2 Conrad Brubaker (F-3), b. after 1727; d. 1810,

Windsor Twp, York Co.; 5 ch. m. Eva Crone

BK7411.3 Susan Brubaker (F-5), b. ca. 1732 m. July 18,1752, New Holland Lutheran by Rev.

Tobias Wagner, Johannes Oerle; master carpen­ter of Reading; son of the late Thomas Oerle from Lierchheim(?).

BK7411.4 John Brubaker (F-4),63 b. 1734; wp. June 15, 1803, Earl Twp.; in 1756 taxed in Earl Twp.; on Jan. 26, 1768, purchased lot 13 in New Design/New Hol­land; on May 26, 1769, purchased 86 acres in west end of New Holland from heirs of Wendel Swecker; in 1774 elected to Committee of Observation and Inspection for Earl Twp.; in 1777 and 1788 Michael Rein, Jr. land sold to 2 of his sons; in 1794 court awarded him John Rein's land. m. Maria Margaretta Rein, b. Mar. 8, 1738; d . July 4,

1800 of dropsy, aged 62/3/26; bap. Apr. 3, 1738, New Holland Lutheran; dau. of Michael Rein and Anna Maria

BK7411.41 Michael Brubaker (F-14) 64, b . 1755; d. 1831, Manheim Twp.; innkeeper. m. Margaret Summy, dau. of Jacob Summy BK7411.411 Samuel Brubaker (F-43), b. 1780; d . Feb .

21, 1818, Earl Twp. m. Elizabeth Eckert, b. 1781; d. Oct. 23, 1864. BK7411.4111 Eckert Brubaker (F-85), b. 1808; d .

1827; single.

63Will H-1-315 (dat. May 5, 1803), Lancaster. Deeds M-314, N-452, W-367, DD-456, KK-176, MM-198, and B-3-314, Lancaster. Rineer, "A House Divided: The Rein Family of Earl Township," pp. 10-12, 19-26.

MDeeds MM-198 and U-5"202, Lancaster. 65'fhis and subsequent designations in this family are from Hoover,

Huber-Hoover Family History.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 29

BK7411.4112 Wilson Brubaker (F-86), b. Dec. 13, 1810; d . 1891; bap. May 17, 1831, New Hol­land Lutheran.

BK7411.4113 Margaret Brubaker (F-87), b. Jan. 8, 1813; d. 1897; bap. May 17, 1831, New Hol­land Lutheran. m. Dec. 11, 1834, Levi Sheaffer, b. Sep. 12,

1807; d. Dec. 1872. BK7411.4114 Lucy Ann Brubaker (F-88), b. Apr.

23, 1814; bap. May 17, 1831, New Holland Lutheran.

BK7411.4115 Thompson Brubaker (F-89), b. Feb. 13, 1816; d . 1890; bap. May 17, 1831, New Holland Lutheran. m. AnnaS. Bear (?BK7411.4712 and 743), b.

Aug. 3, 1828; d. Aug. 20, 1903. BL7411.41151 Oliver B. Brubaker (1913),65 b.

Aug. 17, 1848; d . June 12, 1927, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.; 2 ch. m. Clarissa Numbers, b . July 27, 1856;

d . Nov. 28,1915. BL7411.41151.1 James Brubaker (1914),

b. 1867; 1 ch. m . 1897, Annie M. Mentzer, b. 1873

BL7411.41152 John Franklin Brubaker (1912), b. Aug. 28, 1851; d. Nov. 11,1920, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.; 3 ch .. m . Oct. 13, 1889, Ellen C. Numbers, b.

1864; d . 1951, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.

BK7411.4116 Samuel Brubaker (F-90), b . Sept. 13, 1817; d . 1903; bap. May 17, 1831, New Holland Lutheran.

BK7411.412 John Brubaker (F-42), b. 1775; d. 1871, Manheim Twp.; d .s.p. m . Charlotte

BK7411.413 Daniel Brubaker (F-44), in 1831lived in Earl Twp. m . BK7411.4131 Rebecca Brubaker (F-91) BK7411.4132 Fanny Brubaker (F-92) BK7411.4133 Mary Brubaker (F-93) BK7411.4134 Margaret Amelia Brubaker (F-94)

BK7411.42 Margaret R. Brubaker (F-16), b. 1758; d . Oct. 3, 1841, aged 83 years. m. Abraham Kling

BK7411.43 Anna Mary Brubaker (F-17), b. 1763 con­firmed May 14, 1780, aged 17; lived in Columbia. m . John Cantor

BK7411.44 Philip R. Brubaker (F-18), b . ca, 1765; d . 1824; inherited part of John Berch/Barge tract. m. Elizabeth/Catherine Richwine, b. 1783; d . Oct. 6,

1852, aged 69/10/1. BK7411.441 John R. Brubaker (F-49), b. Feb. 6! 1806;

d. Feb. 16, 1893, aged 88, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.; hardware merchant of New Holland; single.

BK7411.442 Margaret R. Brubaker (F-50), b. Dec. 1, 1809; d. Mar. 23, 1898, aged 89, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.; single.

BK7411.443 Catharine Brubaker (F-51), b. Sept. 1812; d. May 31, 1898, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.; single.

July 1993

BK7411.444 Philip R. Brubaker (F-52),66 b. Apr. 13, 1815; d. Dec. 8, 1903, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.; briefly operated store with Amos Diller (DL38b) 1858-1859; d.s.p. m. 1869, Elizabeth J. Miller of Earl Twp., b.

1825; d. May 7, 1900; dau. of Adam Miller. BK7411.445 Elizabeth R. Brubaker (F-53), b . 1817; d.

1912, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern. m. Dec. 28, 1854, New Holland Lutheran, John

Miller, b. Sept. 28, 1811; d. Nov. 22, 1891, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.

BK7411.4451 John Brubaker Miller, b. Aug. 24, 1856; d. Feb. 15, 1934, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.; director of Lancaster Trust Co.; d.s.p. m. July 1, 1932, Cora Lucinda Bair

(BA5187.34143.3), b. Jan. 23, 1871; d. July 23, 1937, bu. New Holland Lutheran Cern.

BK7411.446 Henry R. Brubaker (F-54), b. 1820; d. Aug. 5, 1875, New Holland Lutheran, aged 55/1/15. m. Sarah Meckley BK7411.4461 Henry C. Brubaker, b. 1856; d.

1943, bu. New Holland Reformed Cern. m. Emily-' b. 1860; d. 1939.

BK7411.447 Juliana Brubaker (F-55), b. 1823; d. 1863. m. Isaac Witwer (E4371.1), b. 1827; called "the

musician". BK7411.45 John R. Brubaker (F-15), b. Aug. 30, 1768,

bap. Sept. 25, 1768, New Holland Lutheran; d. 1811, New Holland. m. Anna Maria Moeller BK7411.451 Joh. Heinrich Brubaker (F-45), b. Nov.

16,1794, bap. Dec. 26, 1794, New Holland Lutheran, sponsor, Joh. Heinrich Moeller, pas­tor; lived in Alton Ill. m. Oct.23, 1816, New Holland Lutheran, Maria

Miller,[?b. Mar. 27, 1795; bu. July 9, 1879, New Holland Lutheran Cern., aged 84/3/10].

BK7411.4511 Henry Brubaker, b. Apr. 21, 1821; bap. May 24, 1821, New Holland Lutheran.

BK7411.4512 Luciana!Lucy Brubaker, b. Oct. 28, 1819; d. May 22, 1831, aged 11/6/26, fever; bap. Apr. 10, 1825, New Holland Lutheran.

BK7411.4513 Heinrich Brubaker, b. May 31, 1822, bap. Apr. 10, 1825, New Holland Lutheran.

BK7411.4514 Anna Louise Brubaker, b. Oct. 17, 1824; bap. Apr. 10, 1825, New Holland Lutheran.

BK7411.4515 Sarah Ann Brubaker, b. Feb. 4, 1831; bap. Jan. 24, 1833, New Holland Lutheran.

BK7411.4516 Margaret Brubaker, b. Jan. 1, 1833; d . Jan. 24, 1833, scarlet fever; bap. Jan. 24, 1833, New Holland Lutheran.

BK7411.4517 Effinger Brubaker, b. Aug. 17, 1834; bap. Jan. 10, 1838, New Holland Lutheran.

BK7411.452 Juliana M. Brubaker (F-46), b. in New

66Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint Co., 1985), p . 351.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 30

Holland; bu. 1853, Littlestown, Adams Co., d.s.p. m. Daniel Huber (77), Jan. 15, 1798; d. Aug. 11,

1884, bu. Groffdale Mennonite Cern.; son of Martin Huber (11) and Elizabeth Horst.

BK7411.453 Margaretha Brubaker (F-48), b. Sept. 15, 1802, bap. Nov. 7, 1802, New Holland Lutheran. m. Daniel Wenger

BK7411.454John M. Brubaker (F-47), b. July 10, 1804, bap. Sept. 30, 1821, New Holland Luther­an.

BK7411.46 Elizabeth Brubaker (F-19), b. June 24, 1770; d . Dec. 31, 1836; single.

BK7411.47 George R. Brubaker (F-20), b. Sept. 15, 1772; d . Feb. 16, 1836, Earl Twp., bu. Groffdale Mennonite Cern. m. Barbara Hoover (62), b. Aug. 24, 1780; d. Apr. 24,

1850. BK7411.471 Sarah H. Brubaker (F-56 and 250), b.

Oct. 12, 1798; d. Sept. 4,1849, Earl Twp., bu. Sel­tenreich Reformed Cern. m. Samuel Baer (BA5187.112), b. Jan. 16, 1795; d.

Feb. 12, 1878; farmer; son of David Bear and Barbara Kneisely.

BK7411.4711 David Bear (742), b. Feb. 16, 1825, Leacock Twp.; d. July 18, 1892. m.(l) Elizabeth Wallace m.(2) Lydia Kiehl Children of m.(1) BK7411.47111 Anna Louise Bear (1908), b.

1861; d .s.p. m. Fred Alderman, lived in Philadel­

phia BK7411.47112 Sarah Elizabeth Bear (1909),

Apr. 5, 1863; 1 ch. m. Joseph Beam, locksmith

Children of m.(2) BK7411.47113 Mary Jane Bear (1910), 1 ch.

m . Isaac Parmer BK7411.47114 Lillian Bear (1911), d.s.p.

m. Charles Jones BK7411.4712 Anna S. Bear (743), b. Aug. 3, 1828,

Leacock Twp.; d. Aug. 20,1903 m. Thompson Brubaker (?BK7411.4115 and

F-89), b. Feb. 13, 1816; d. Mar. 18, 1890; farmer; son of Samuel Brubaker and Elizabeth Eckert.

BK7411.472 Isaac H. Brubaker (F-57 and 251), b. Nov. 30, 1799, New Holland; d . July 28, 1887, bu. Seltenreich Reformed Cern.; farmer. m. Anna Barbara Markley BK7411.4721 Isaac M. Brubaker (F-96 and 744),

b. Aug. 29, 1827; d. Aug. 13, 1905, bu. United Brethren Cern., New Holland; 3 ch . . m. Kate Yeager, b. Dec. 14,1848

BK7411.473 John H. Brubaker (F-58), b. 1811; d. 1871; single.

BK7411.474 Solomon H. Brubaker (F-59 and 252), b. May 7, 1814; d . July 30, 1880, bu. Charles Evans Cern., Reading; Reformed; lumber merchant. m . Anna Mary Reiff of Reading, b. Sept. 16,

1831; d . Feb. 1, 1899. BK7411.4741 George Brubaker (F-97 and 745), b.

1854; d. 1918; 1 ch.

July 1993

BK7411.4742 John R. Brubaker (F-98), b. 1856; d. 1858.

BK7411.4743 Isaac L. Brubaker (F-99), b. 1858; d.y.

BK7411.4744 Sarah Louise Brubaker (F-100 and 746), b. Apr. 13, 1859; d. Oct. 21, 1911, Read­ing; 4 ch. m. John E. Harbester

BK7411.48 Catharine Brubaker (F-21), b. 1774; d. 1840; 1 son,3 dau. m. by 1803, Edward Hughes/Huse

BK7411.49 Abraham Brubaker (F-22), b. Sept. 11, 1777; d. June 5, 1847, New Holland, aged 69/8/26; hotel keeper at "Cross Keys," New Holland. m.(l) by 1809, Margaret __ m.(2) by 1813 Elisabeth __ BK7411.491 Henry Brubaker (F-60), b. Nov. 15, 1809;

d. Jan. 29, 1840, bu. New Holland Cern., aged 30/2/14; bap. Jan. 31, 1813, New Holland Lutheran. m. by 1838, Susanna __ BK7411.4911 Roland H. Brubaker (F-101), b.

Aug. 13, 1836; d. 1920, Lancaster; President of Conestoga Bank, Lancaster; bap. Aug. 30, 1838, New Holland Lutheran; d .s.p.

BK7411.4912 Anna Catharine Brubaker (F-102), b. Nov. 12, 1837; d. July 30, 1918; bap. Aug. 30, 1838, New Holland Lutheran; single.

BK7411.492 Catharine Brubaker (F-61), b. Mar. 6, 1811; d. May 13, 1895, New Holland, aged 85 years, widow; bap. Jan. 31, 1813, New Holland Lutheran; 2 sons and 3 dau. m. Peter Ranck

BK7411.493 William Brubaker (F-62), b. Apr. 27, 1813; d. Mar. 9, 1838, aged 24/10/10, consump­tion; bap. Feb. 27, 1838; single.

BK7411.494 Susan Brubaker (F-63), b. Jan. 20, 1817; d. 1900, Lancaster; bap. June 1, 1838, New Hol­land Lutheran; 4 sons and 1 dau. m. Emanuel Saylor

BK742 Oswald Bruppacher, bap. Dec. 27, 1635, Wadenswil; in 1637, 1640, 1647, 1649 census; in 1657 in Frankenthal, Germany, with Hans Apli (b. 1634) of Kotten; in 1661 near Frankenthal; in 1670, 1682, 1689 census of Wadenswil.

BK743 Heinrich Bruppacher, bap. Mar 19, 1637, Wadenswil; in 1637, 1640, 1647, 1649, 1670, 1682 cen­sus. m. by 1689, Elsbeth __

BK744 Elsbeth Bruppacher, bap. Sept. 22, 1639, Wadenswil; in 1640, 1647, 1649, 1670 census.

BK745 Hans Jageli Bruppacher, bap. July 14, 1645, Wadenswil; in 1647, 1649, 16?0 census. m. by 1670, Juditha Scharer of Rifferswil, b. 1640

BK7451 Elsbetha Bruppacher, bap. Dec. 23, 1666; in 1670, 1682. 1689 census.

BK7452 Johannes Bruppacher, bap. Feb. 25, 1677; weaver; in 1682, 1689, 1708 census.

67Gibble, Brubaker Family, pp. 15·19, 27. 68Peter Ziegler, Das Einstige Wadenswil Im Bild (Wadenswil, Zurich,:

Stutz and Co., 1992), p. 158. 69Dr. Albert Hauser, "Bruppacher Genealogy of Wadenswil,"

ms.,1936; Hans Ulrich Pfister to Robert E. Brubaker (BJ5571.6a551.12), Sept 14, 1989.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage, 31

m. by 1708, Barb. Rayffer of Borgen, b. 1669 BK7453 Regula Bruppacher, bap. Feb. 8, 1680; in 1682

census; not in 1689 census. BK75 Barbara Bruppacher, bap. Oct. 3, 1613, Wadenswil BK76 Heinrich Bruppacher, bap. Sept. 10; 1615,

Wadenswil BK8 Vreni Bruppacher, bap. Jan. 24, 1570, Wadenswil

Recent Swiss Brubaker Connections In 1919 reunions of the Brubaker (BL) family were

begun, and later a Brubaker Family Association was organized. In a 1932letter, Dr. A. R. Brubaker wrote that in 1928 the city librarian of Bern, Switzerland, showed him a book which told the story of a John Bruppacher who toured Switzerland preaching against infant bap­tism. He reached Bern in 1530, was arrested, and impris­oned for twelve months.67 This probably was the Hans Bruggbacher of Zumikon who was baptized in 1525 by Manz and Blaurock at Zollikon, and in 1530 was arrested in the Zurich Unterland.

In 1954 Rudolf Eduard Brupbacher (BJ5571.6a551.1), called Eduard, was visited at his home in Borgen, Zurich, by Dr. Warren I. Brubaker (BL1151.17325.14) and his wife, Annette, to discuss Brubaker family history. This visit resulted in his son, Robert Eduard Brupbacher (BJ5571.6a551.12), called Robert, attending the 1958 Lan­caster County Brubaker reunion. Robert had come to New York in 1937 to attend Columbia University, and in 1940 was prevented by World War II from returning home. He became a citizen of the United States in 1946, and simplified his name to Brubaker. He retired in 1979 and now lives in Lancaster County. He helped with some planning of Brubaker trips to Switzerland in 1985 and 1990, and has translated many of the sources used in this article. The Robert E. Brubaker (Brupbacher) Papers at the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society contain these translations, as well as many of the other sources used in this article.

Robert E. Brubaker (BJ5571.6a551.12) has traced his family to Cunrad Bruppacher (BJ), who had daughter Elsbeth baptized on March 20, 1553, at Wadenswil. Robert is a descendant of Heinrich Brupbacher (BJ5571) (1674-1756), the first of what became known as the dynasty of Wadenswil Brupbacher seal and signet ring copper plate engravers . Hans Ulrich Brupbacher (BJ5571.6) (1715-1772), was the most prominentof the four generations of these engravers. The house "Elder Tree" was built in 1750 at Eintrachtstrasse 11, and owned from 1824 by generations of the engraver Brub­pacher family.68

Cunrad Bruppacher (BJ) Descendants BJ Cunrad Bruppacher, lived in Wadenswil

m. by 1569, Elsbeth Trinckler BJ1 Elsbeth Bruppacher, bap. Mar. 20, 1553, Wadenswil BJ2 Elsbeth Bruppacher, bap. Jan. 22, 1556, Wadenswil BJ3 Hans Thoma Bruppacher, bap. Aug. 27, 1558,

Wadenswil BJ4 Anna Bruppacher, bap. Nov. 19, 1562, Wadenswil BJ5 Hans Brupacher,69 bap. Sept. 5,1569, Wadenswil; d.

Jan. 25, 1651, Wadenswil; Fiihnrich (standard bearer) in 1634 and 1651; Gerichtsherr (justice) in 1651; in 1634 lived in Wadenswil Dorf, in 1640 Zur Kronen; in 1634, 1637, 1640, 1647 census; 11 ch.

July 1993

m. Jan. 27, 1600, Wadenswil, Verena Rusterholz, d. Dec. 3, 1648, Wadenswil

BJ51 Elsbeth Brupbacher, bap. Sept. 14, 1600, Wadenswil; not in 1634 census. m. June 8, 1624, Daniel Brandli from Hangenmoos,

Wadenswil BJ52 Hans Brupbacher, bap. May 16, 1602, Wadenswil;

not in 1634 census. BJ53 Regula Brupbacher, bap. June 7, 1607, Wadenswil;

not in 1634 census. m. Oct. 14, 1628, Wadenswil, Hans Rusterholz from

Gisenri.iti, Wadenswil BJ54 Konrad Brupbacher, bap. Dec. 11, 1608,

Wadenswil; not in 1634 census. BJ55 Hans Brupbacher, bap. Jan. 21, 1610, Wadenswil; d.

Sept. 12, 1671, Wadenswil; fiihnrich in 1659, 1664, and 1671; in 1634, 1637, 1640, 1647, 1670 census; between 1649 and 1654 moved from the village to Krahbach, Wadenswil; 11 ch. m. Sept. 8, 1635, Wadenswil, Anna Ritter, d. after

1689 BJ551 Hims Brupbacher, bap. Nov. 11, 1638, Wadenswil;

d . Aug. 5,1715, Wadenswil; Fiihnrich in 1678 and 1708; in 1670, 1682, 1708 census; single.

BJ552 Hans Heinrich Brupbacher, bap. Feb. 4, 1640, Wadenswil; d. Dec. 12, 1723, Wadenswil; in 1670 census. m. Dec. 4, 1660, Wadenswil, Elsbeth Baumann, b.

Mar. 26, 1637; d. June 12, 1695; dau. of Jagli Bumann and Verena Huber.

BJ5521 Kaspar Brupbacher, bap. Nov. 9, 1662 BJ553 Hans Kaspar Brupbacher, bap. Feb. 9, 1641,

Wadenswil; d. Sept. 4, 1718, Wadenswil; in 1670, 1682 census. m.(1) July 9,1672, Wadenswil, Anna Hofmann m.(2) Nov. 28, 1676, Wadenswil, Maria Diezinger

BJ5531 Barbel Brupbacher, bap. Apr. 1, 1670 BJ5532 Kaspar Brupbacher, bap. Oct. 3, 1680 BJ554 Elsbethli Brupbacher, bap. Oct. 22, 1643,

Wadenswil; d. Jan. 20, 1690, Wadenswil. m. Sept. 24, 1672, Wadenswil, Kaspar Gattiker

BJ555 Lysabethli Brupbacher, bap. Mar. 8, 1646, Wadenswil; d. Oct. 15, 1716, Wadenswil. m. Apr. 27, 1675, Heinrich Huber, from Wadenswil

BJ556 Hans Konrad Brupbacher, bap. Sept. 26, 1647, Wadenswil; d. Sept. 3, 1659, Wadenswil, of dysen­tery.

BJ557 Hans Heinrich Brupbacher, bap. Feb. 18, 1649, Wadenswil; d. Feb. 9, 1718, Wadenswil; in 1687lived in Krahbach, Wadenswil; in 1708lived on the Buck, Wadenswil. m.(l) Dec. 10, 1672, Wadenswil, Elsbeth Baumann,

b. Sept. 25, 1642, Wadenswil; d. June 12, 1695; dau. of Hans Baumann and Elsbeth Wild (m. Nov. 24, 1629).

m.(2) Dec. 10, 1696, Wadenswil, Elsbeth Keller, b. Apr. 30, 1665, Wadenswil; d. Apr. 3, 1747,

70Called Putschierstiicher because of his fame as an engraver and also as an activist and leader in the turbulent tax protest movement of his time.

7IPeter Ziegler, Die Petschaftstecher und Graveure Brupbacher von Wiidenswi/, p. 2. J. P. Zwicky von Gauen, Archiv Fur Schweizerische Fam­ilienkunde, pp. 289-291. He had descendants living in 1992 in Baton Rouge. La., who still spell their name Brupbacher, the Wadenswil way.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 32

Wadenswil; dau. of Hans Keller and Anna Schlatter (m. Dec. 10, 1661).

BJ5571 Heinrich Brupbacher,7o bap. Oct. 18, 1674, Wadenswil; d. Nov. 11, 1756, Wadenswil; Wachtmeis­ter (Sergeant major); Seal-signet engraver document­ed 1713-1756; lived on the Buck; 7 ch. m.(l) Jan. 26, 1706, Wadenswil, Regula Wild, b. Mar.

16, 1684, Wadenswil; d . Sept. 2, 1709, Wadenswil; dau. of Hans Wild and Dorothea Melliker; 1 ch.

m .(2) Feb. 25, 1710, Wadenswil, Elisabetha Aeschmann, b. Dec. 3, 1676; d. June 4, 1760; dau. of Kaspar Aeschmann and Anna Guggenbuhl, Thalwil; 5 ch.

BJ5571.6 Hans Ulrich Brupbacher, bap. Nov. 10, 1715, Wadenswil; d. Sept. 12, 1772, Wadenswil; most famous seal-signet engraver; lived on the Buck; 11 ch. m.(l) Jan. 26, 1751, Wadenswil, Anna Isler, bap. Oct.

20, 1722, Wadenswil; d. May 12, 1753; dau. of Hans Jacob Isler and Regula Li.ithold; 2 ch.

m.(2) Mar. 26,1754, Wadenswil, Susanna Blattmann, bap. Oct. 29,1726, Wadenswil; d . Nov. 23, 1788, Wadenswil, of putrid fever; 9 ch.

BJ5571.63 Hans Kaspar Brupbacher,71 bap. Jan. 28, 1755, Wadenswil; d. Mar. 13, 1831, Wadenswil; seal/signet engraver on the Buck; confirmed 1773. m. Dec. 8, 1778, Wadenswil, Margaretha Gattiker,

bap. July 3, 1757; d. Jan. 17, 1835. BJ5571.6a Johannes Brupbacher, bap. Apr. 19, 1771; d.

Apr. 27, 1832, Wadenswil, of chest disease; master­tailor; lived on the Buck; 5 ch. m.(1) May 24,1791, Susanna Isler of Beichlen,

Wadenswil; bap. Mar. 21, 1773, Wadenswil; d. Feb. 18, 1804, Wadenswil, of consumption; dau. of Conrad Isler and Elisabetha Treichler; 2 ch.

m.(2) Aug. 31, 1807, Wadenswil, Susanna Naff of Hirzel, bap. Aug. 7, 1757; d. June 5, 1827, Wadenswil, of colic; dau. of Jacob Naf and Bar­bara Huber; 3 ch.

BJ5571.6a5 Hans Rudolf Brupbacher, b. Oct. 14, 1801; d. Apr. 17, 1876; bap. Oct. 17, 1801, Wadenswil; lived on the Herrlisberg; 7 ch. m. Jan. 22, 1821, Elisabetha Rysler of Arn, Horgen,

bap. July 6, 1800, Horgen; d . Apr. 1, 1882; dau. of Johannes Rysler and Elisabetha Baumann.

BJ5571.6a55 Konrad Eduard Brupbacher, b. Oct. 17, 1833; d. May 10, 1913, Wadenswil; master-tailor; bap. Oct. 20, 1833, Wadenswil; lived in Gerber­acker; 10 ch. m. July 16, 1855, Elisabetha Corrodi of Hirzel, b.

Apr. 24; 1828; d. Jan. 15, 1892, Wadenswil; bap. Apr. 27, 1828, Wadenswil; dau. of Hs. Kaspar Corradi and Regula Walder.

BJ5571.6a551 Kaspar Eduard Brupbacher, b. Sept. 1, 1856, Wadenswil; d. Oct. 7, 1907, Thun, Bern; bap. Sept. 14, 1856, Wadenswil; confirmed 1873; called Eduard; 2 ch. m. June 18, 1880, Maria Luise Moser, b. Jan.

26, 1861, Madretsch, Bern; d. Mar. 2, 1939, Bern, of pneumonia; called Luise; dau. of Johannes Moser and Maria Walther.

BJ5571.6a551.1 Rudolf Eduard Brupbacher,

July 1993

A house called the "Elder Tree" was built in 1750 at Eintra­chtstrasse 11, and owned from 1824 by generations of the engraver Brubpacher family. It was demolished in 1985. Heinrich Brupbacher (BJ5571) (1674-1756) was the first of what became known as the dynasty of Wadenswil Brupbach­er seaUsignet ring and copper plate engravers.

b. Nov. 13, 1880, Madretsch, Bern; d. July 18, 1963, Horgen; citizen of Wadenswil; called Eduard . m. June 18, 1910, Marie Christine Bour­

geois, b. July 9, 1883, Lausanne, Vaud; d. Nov. 13, 1968, Horgen; b. citizen of Curtilles, Canton Vaud; dau. of Christian Bourgeois and Henriette Susanne Bessat.

BJ5571.6a551.11 Marie-Louise Henriette Brupbacher, b. Oct. 26, 1911, Wip­kingen, Zurich; citizen of Wadenswil; in 1993 resides in Hor­gen; single.

BJ5571.6a551.12 Robert Eduard Brup­bacher/Brubaker, b. Aug. 5, 1914, Borgen; Episcopalian; citizen of Wadenswil; bap. May 28, 1916, St. Paul Reformed, Lausanne, Vaud; immigrated Mar. 30, 1937; natural­ized May 1, 1946; in 1993 resides in Willow Street, Pa.; 2 ch. m. Oct. 6, 1945, Wilmington, Del.,

Eugenia Adams Keithley, b. Nov. 9, 1919, Nemours, W.Va.; dau. of Carrol Eugene Keithley of St. Michael,. Md. and Annie Lou Adains of Birmingham, Ala.

BJ5571.6a551.2 Heinrich Alfred Brupbacher, b. Mar. 17, 1882, Madretsch, Bern; .d. Feb. 20, 1953. m.(1) Apr. 24, 1908, Heilbronn, Wiirt-

temberg, Ida Ortwein, b. 1882, Ger­many; d . 1919; 1 son

m.(2) July 30, 1920, Leonie Kleiber, b. 1894; d. 1972; 1 son, 1 dau.

BJ5572 Hans Brupbacher, bap. Nov. 11, 1698; d. July 25,

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 33

1716, Wadenswil, when he fell from cherry tree. BJ5573 Elsbeth Brupbacher, bap. Apr. 17, 1701; d . after

1723. BJ558 Heinrich Brupbacher, bap. Feb. 1, 1652,

Wadenswil; d . Sept. 3, 1659, Wadenswil, dysentery. BJ559 Hans Jacob Brupbacher, bap. Apr. 3, 1653; d.

Flanders, informed on Nov. 15, 1691; in 1682 at work in Reichenweier Riquewihr in Alsace. m. Feb. 19, 1678, Wadenswil,, Margretha Haab, bap.

July 30, 1648 BJ5591 Heinrich Brupbacher, bap. Oct. 20, 1679; in 1708

census. m. by1708, Barb Aphmay, bap. Feb. 3,1684

BJ550 Anna Brupbacher, bap. May 10, 1655; d. after 1689; in 1682 census.

BJ55a Heinrich Brupbacher, bap. Aug. 3, 1658, Wadenswil; in 1682 census. m. Apr. 23, 1689, Magdalena Treichler

BJ56 Hans Heinrich Brupbacher, bap. Aug. 11, 1611, Wadenswil

BJ57 Barbara Brupbacher, bap. June 20, 1613, Wadenswil; in 1634 census. m . between 1634 and 1637, Hans Heinrich Hensler

from Richterswil BJ58 Hans Kaspar Brupbacher, bap. May 14, 1615,

Wadenswil; from 1634lived in Richterswil. m.(1) Nov. 19, 1631, Elsbeth Wild from Richterswil m.(2) ca. 1646, Barbara Schwarzenbach

BJ59 Elsbeth Brupbacher, bap. Apr. 6, 1617, Wadenswil; in 1634, 1637 census; baptismal font of Wadenswil dedicated Apr. 6, 1617.

BJ50 Hans Heinrich Brupbacher, bap. Jan. 7, 1619, Wadenswil; in 1634, 1637 census.

BJ5a Hans Jacob Brupbacher, bap. June 26, 1621, Wadenswil; in 1634, 1637, 1670, 168 census. m. Jan. 13, 1646, Anna Treichler, b. Dec. 7, 1618; d.

after 1682. BJ5a1 Hans Ulrich Bruppacher, b. 1646; not in 1670 cen­

sus. BJ5a2 Barbel Bruppacher, bap. May 4, 1649 BJ5a3 Hans Jacob Bruppacher, bap. Sept. 7, 1651

m. by 1682, Anna Schmid, bap. Feb. 3,1650 BJ5a4 Heinrich Bruppacher, bap. Jan. 25, 1653; in 1682

census. BJ5a5 Susanna Bruppacher, bap. Nov. 22, 1657 BJ5a6 Joss Bruppacher, bap. Jan. 3, 1660; in 1682 census.

m . by 1708, Susanna Huser, bap. Nov. 19, 1643 BJ5a7 Margreth Bruppacher, bap. Apr. 28, 1661; in 1682

census. BJ5a8 Barbel Bruppacher, bap. Mar. 20, 1664; in 1682

census.

Conclusion Although we know of no proven connections

between members of these three Wadenswil families, the progenitors of the BJ, BK, and BL Bruppacher families were contemporaries in the same Swiss parish between 1553 and 1566, and may have been brothers or cousins. If my assumptions are correct, some of their de~cendants are still living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvarua. D

July 1993

Readers' Ancestry Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage issues feature a member of the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society who has traced his or her ancestry at least six generations.

Reared in Jasper, New York, Judith Anne Siegrist attended Eastern Mennonite College, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and graduated in 1988 with honors from Houghton Col­lege, Houghton, New York. She majored in German with minors in music and secondary education. Judi served one year with Men­nonite Board of Missions Volun­tary Service in Eureka, Illinois; one year in the Netherlands as a Men- Judith A. Siegrist nonite Central Committee trainee; and one year with a Youth Evangelism Service team in Munich, Germany. She has been employed as cashier in a general store in Jasper and as a nurse's aide at Landis Homes Retirement Community, Lititz, Pennsylvania. Since 1989 she has been a receptionist and bookstore manager at the Lan­caster Mennonite Historical Society, as well as circula­tion manager for the Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage. Her hobbies include music, sewing and gardening. Judi is a member of Mount Joy Mennonite Church and lives at 3233 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise, PA 17562.

1. SIEGRIST, Judith Anne, b. Feb. 4, 1957, Baltimore, Md. * * *

2. SIEGRIST, Elmer Donald, b. Oct. 5, 1934, E. Hemp­field Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.; rn. August 21, 1954, Lydia Anne Sauder.

3. SAUDER, Lydia Anne, b. Apr. 26, 1934, New Hol­land, Lancaster Co., Pa.

* * *

Wedding of L. Anne Sauder (no. 3) and E. Donald Siegrist (no. 2)

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 34

4. SIEGRIST, Elmer B., b. Oct. 4, 1911, Ronks, E. Lam­peter Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.; rn. Mar. 2, 1933, Elva Mae Hess.

5. HESS, Elva Mae, b. Feb. 15, 1910, Mt. Joy Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.

6. SAUDER, Jacob Paul, b. July 23, 1902, Roaring Spring, Blair Co., Pa.; d. June 1, 1984; bu. Millport Cern., Warwick Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.; rn. Dec. 28, 1926, Alice Shenk.

7. SHENK, Alice, b. Oct. 25, 1902, Denbigh (now New­port News), Warwick Co., Va.; d . Nov. 6, 1989; bu. Millport Cern.

* * *

Wedding of Elmer B. Siegrist (no. 4) and Elva Mae Hess (no. 5). He operated a garage in 1940s in East Petersburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

8. SIEGRIST, Henry E., b. June 10, 1888, Ronks, Pa.; d. Oct. 24, 1987; bu. Sturnptown Cern., Upper Leacock Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.; rn. June 14, 1910, Ursula R. Burkhart.

9. BURKHART, Ursula R., b. Oct. 26, 1890, Upper Lea­cock Twp.; d. Feb. 3, 1963; bu. Sturnptown Cern.

10. HESS, Elarn S., b. Sept. 26, 1887, Mt. Joy Twp.; d. Jan. 31, 1984; bu. Kraybill Mennonite Cern., E. Done­gal Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.; rn. June 16, 1908, Anna Mae Miller.

11. MILLER, Anna Mae, b. Sept. 17, 1887, Mt. Joy Twp.; d. Mar. 15, 1963; bu. Kraybill Mennonite Cern.

12. SAUDER, Levi, b. July 30, 1878, W. Earl Twp., Lan­caster Co., Pa.; d . Oct. 28, 1940; bu. Millersville Men­nonite Cern., Manor Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.; rn. (I) Feb. 14, 1901, Mary Ann "Mollie" Snyder; rn. (2) Aug. 23, 1906, Lydia Stauffer.

13. SNYDER, Mary Ann "Mollie", b. July 12,1874, Penn Twp., Huntingdon Co., Pa., d. July 31, 1902; bu. Greenlawn Cern., Roaring Spring, Pa.

July 1993

Wedding of Alice Shenk (no. 7) and J. Paul Sauder (no. 6)

14. SHENK, Daniel, b . Sept. 27, 1853, Fairfield Co., Ohio; d . Dec. 1, 1943; bu. Warwick River Mennonite Cern ., Newport News, Va.; m . (1) Dec. 9, 1875, Rachel Stemen; m . (2) Nov. 5, 1891, Matilda Ann Hilty.

15. HILTY, Matilda Ann, b. Feb. 20, 1867, Paulding Co., Ohio, or Mich.; d. Mar. 29, 1944; bu. Warwick River Mennonite Cern.

*** 16. SIEGRIST, Samuel, b. Apr. 10, 1863, E. Lampeter

Twp., Pa.; d. Dec. 2, 1955; bu. Stumptown Cern.; m. Oct. 18, 1883, Maria Eby.

17. EBY, Maria, b. May 18, 1864, Pa.; d. May 8, 1943; bu. Stumptown Cern.

18. BURKHART, Jacob H ., b. Sept. 3, 1850, Bareville, Upper Leacock Twp.; d . Sept. 21, 1908; bu. Stump­town Cern.; m. 1875, Amanda S. Rohrer.

19. ROHRER, Amanda S., b. August 18, 1853, E. Lam­peter Twp., Pa.; d. Nov. 9, 1909; bu. Stumptown Cern.

20. HESS, Ezra H., b. Oct. 24, 1852, Mt. Joy Twp.; d. Nov. 2, 1930; bu. Kraybill Mennonite Cern.; m. May 1, 1879, Mary Ann Stauffer.

21. STAUFFER, Mary Ann, b. Apr. 3, 1857, Pa.; d. Feb. 12, 1931; bu. Kraybill Mennonite Cern.

22. MILLER, Samuel L., b. Mar. 14, 1852, Conoy Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.; d. Aug. 16, 1910; bu. Risser Men­nonite Cern., Mt. Joy Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa .; m. Oct. 15, 1874, Anna Risser.

Wedqing of Anna Mae Miller (no. 11) and Elam S. Hess (no. 10)

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 35

23. RISSER, Anna, b. Apr. 25, 1855, Mt. Joy Twp.; d. June 21, 1923; bu. Risser Mennonite Cern.

24. SAUDER, John B., b. March 21, 1854, Pa,; d. Apr. 4, 1936; bu. Metzler Mennonite Cern., W. Earl Twp.; m. Dec. 20, 1874, Margaret Ann Sensenig.

25. SENSENIG, Margaret Ann, b. Mar. 13, 1855, Blue Ball, Lancaster Co., Pa.; d. May 25, 1921; bu. Metzler Mennonite Cern.

26. SNYDER, Abraham , b. Mar. 12, 1841, Neff's Mills, Porter Twp., Huntingdon Co., Pa.; d. Sept. 1, 1916; bu. Greenlawn Cern., Roaring Spring, Pa.; m. Sept. 7, 1867, Susan Grove.

27. GROVE, Susan, b. Feb. 6, 1845, Grafton, Penn Twp., Huntingdon Co., Pa.; d. Mar. 8. 1909; bu. Greenlawn Cern.

28. SHENK, Henry, b. June 14, 1817, Harrisonburg, Va.; d . Apr. 19, 1876; bu. Salem Mennonite Cern., Sugar Creek Twp., Allen Co., Ohio; m. 1840, Susanna Bren­neman.

29. BRENNEMAN, Susanna, b. Oct. 19, 1818, Bremen, Fairfield Co., Ohio; d. Oct. 4, 1908, Concord, Knox Co., Tenn.; bu. Salem Mennonite Cern., Allen Co., Ohio.

30. HILTY, David C., b. Jan. 30, 1845, Pandora, Putnam Co., Ohio; d. Mar. 7, 1914; bu. Antioch Cern., Nampa, Idaho; m. Apr. 26, 1866, Elizabeth Thut.

31. THUT, Elizabeth, b. Apr. 17, 1843, Winesburg, Holmes Co., Ohio; d . Jan. 21, 1916; bu. Antioch Cern.

***

Henry E. Siegrist (no. 8) and Ursula R. Burkhart (no. 9) at their fiftieth weclding anniversary.

Wedding of Mollie Snyder (no. 13) ancl Levi Sauder (no. 12)

32. SIEGRIST, Abraham, b. Oct. 15, 1824, Pa.; d . Oct. 12, 1895; bu. Stumptown Cern.; m . May 15, 1855, Frances Wenger. Abraham Siegrist; Christian Siegrist (1799-1845) and Esther "Hettie" Landis (1797-1873); John Siegrist (d. 1823) and Feronica Herr (1765-1845); Michael Siegrist (d. 1800) and Magdalena; Michael Siegrist (d. 1752) and Anna.

33. WENGER, Frances/Fanny, b. Oct. 18, 1834, Pa.; d. Oct. 16, 1918; bu. Stumptown Cern. Frances Wenger; Samuel Wenger (1804-1879) and Feronica Martin (1802-1866); Samuel Wenger (1777-1869) and Bar­bara Groff (1784-1844); Christian Wenger (1733-1817) and Maria Zimmerman (1741-1825); Christian Wenger (1698-1772) and Eve Grebiel (d. 1790); Ulrich Wenger (b. 1667) and Christina Engel.

34. EBY, Peter, b. Feb. 6, 1825, Pa.; d. June 9, 1910; bu. Hershey Mennonite. Cern., Salisbury Twp., Lancaster

July 1993

Daniel Shenk (no. 14) and Matilda Ann Hilty (no. 15)

Co., Pa.; m . Magdalena Musser. Peter Eby; Henry Eby (1804-1888) and Susanna Sensenig (1805-1865); Peter Eby (1765-1843) and Margarethe Hess (1764-1845); Christian Eby (1734-1807) and Rebecca or Catherina Bricker (1743-1810); Christian Eby (1704-1756) and Elif?abeth Mayer (1714-1787); Theodorus "Durst" Eby (1663-1727).

35. MUSSER, Magdalena, b. July 11, 1831, Pa.; d. Feb. 10, 1865; bu. Hershey Mennonite Cern. Magdalena Musser; Henry Musser (1800-1881) and Anna Martin (1801-1884); John Musser (1762-1851) and Magdalena Wissler (1766-1846); Henry Musser (1733-1805) and Elizabeth (1739-1820); Jost/Joseph Musser (1692-1761) and Frena Funk (b. 1702).

36. BURKHART, Henry, b. June 8, 1814, Pa.; d. May 25, 1880; bu. Groff Farm Cern., Upper Leacock Twp.; m. 1836, Susanna Huber. Henry Burkhart; David Burkhart (1782-1854) and Elizabeth Sauder (1790-1825); Jacob Burkhart (1746-1821) and Maria Her­shey (1746-1828).

37. HUBER, Susanna, b. Feb. 18, 1817, Pa .; d. June 5, 1907, Diamond Station, W. Earl Twp.; bu. Groff Farm Cern. Susanna Huber; Samuel Huber (b. 1785) and Veronica Groff (b. 1787 ); Abraham Huber (1764-1811) and Barbara Eshleman (1764-1813); Samuel Huber (1725-1788); Hans Ulrich Huber (d. 1760) and Barbara (d. 1785).

38. ROHRER, Jacob H., b. Apr. 17, 1821, Pa.; d. Oct. 24, 1902; bu. Mellinger Mennnonite Cern., E. Lampeter Twp.; m. Feb. 1, 1842, Maria Schaeffer. Jacob Rohrer; Jacob Rohrer (1780-1866) and Anna Hartman (1788-1869); Isaac Rohrer (1743-1804) and Elizabeth Groff

In 1897 this family posed in front of their home in East Lam­peter Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Left to right: standing, Samuel Siegrist (no. 16), Mary Hershey, Mary Eby (no. 17); seated, John Siegrist (son), Abraham Siegrist (son), Henry Siegrist (no. 8)

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 36

(1750-1835); John Rohrer (1701-1772) and Elizabeth Snavely (1700-1787); Hans Michael Rohrer and Katherine Schwagler.

39. SCHAEFFER, Maria, b. Nov. 20, 1819, Pa.; d . Mar. 21, 1885; bu. Mellinger Mennonite Cern.

40. HESS, Henry, b. Oct. 1 or 21, 1821, Pa.; d . Dec. 7, 1908; bu. Hess Mennonite Cern., Warwick Twp ., Lancaster Co., Pa.; m. Nov. 28, 1843, Esther "Hettie" Hershey. Henry Hess; Henry Hess (1794-1867) and Catharine Huber (1796-1879); John Hess (1768-1830) and Esther Hershey (1769-1824); John Hess (1730-1789) and Susanna Landis (1736-1789); Jacob Hess (1706-1741) and Veronica (d. 1760); Hans Hess (1683-1733) and Magdalena (1698-1767).

41. HERSHEY, Esther "Hettie", b. Nov. 18, 1826, Pa.; d. Apr. 11, 1891; bu. Hess Mennonite Cern. Esther Her­shey; Jacob Hershey (1800-1868) and Anna Reist; Benjamin Hershey (1768-1842) and Veronica Snyder (1767-1856); Christian Hershey (1719-1782) and Anna Hernley (1737-1812); Bentz Herschi (1696-1789) and Maria; Christian Herschi (d. 1729) and Oade.

42. STAUFFER, Joseph, b. Sept. 22, 1827, Pa.; d. Dec. 24, 1896; bu. Kauffman Mennonite Cern., Penn Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.; m. Mattie/Martha Buckwalter. Joseph Stauffer; Henry Stauffer (1802-1891) and Catharine Snyder (1808-1835); Joseph Stauffer (1773-1833) and Catherine Auker (1780-1855); John Stauf­fer (1734-1799) and Barbara Amweg (1738-1809); Johannes Stauffer.

43. BUCKWALTER, Mattie/Martha, b. Oct. 25, 1830, Pa.; d. April 4, 1913; bu. Kauffman Mennonite Cern. Mattie Buckwalter; Henry K. Buckwalter (1803-1879) and Elizabeth Cassel (1806-1890); Henry Buckwalter (1765-1844) and Magdalena/Molly Kaufman (1771-1845); Johannes Buckwalter (1726 or 1735-1808) and Catherine; Theodorus/Durst Buckwalter (1702-1782) and Barbara Landis (b. 1700); Frantz Buckwalter (1665-1723) and Anna or Mary Mellinger.

John B. Sauder (no. 24) and Margaret A. Sensenig (no. 25)

44. MILLER, David, b. Aug. 3, 1805, Earl Twp., Lancast­er Co., Pa.; d .. July 16, 1889; bu. Good Mennonite Cern., W. Donegal Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.; m. Mar. 5, 1828, Anna "Nancy" Longenecker. David Miller; Ernst Miller (1740-1806) and Elizabeth (d. 1824).

45. LONGENECKER, Anna "Nancy", b. Feb. 23, 1808, Dauphin Co., Pa.; d. Aug. 21, 1894; bu. Good Mennon­ite Cern. Anna Longenecker; Christian Longenecker (1785-1855) and Veronica Brenneman (1789-1868).

46. RISSER, Jacob, b. Sept. 20 or 21, 1825, Lancaster Co., Pa.; d. Aug. 21, 1900; bu. Risser Mennonite Cern.; m. Dec. 15, 1853, Elizabeth Oberholtzer. Jacob Risser; John Risser (1787-1870) and Barbara Huber (1794-1865); Jacob Risser (1764-1835) and Maria Schneider (1762-1843); Peter Risser (1713-1804) and Elizabeth Hershey (b. 1715); Hans Risser (1690-1778).

July 1993

47. OBERHOLTZER, Elizabeth, b . Apr. 24, 1832, Lan­caster Co., Pa.; d. Feb. 19, 1905; bu. Risser Mennonite Cern. Elizabeth Oberholtzer; Samuel Oberholtzer (1788-1854) and Feronica Longenecker (1789-1863); Christian Oberholtzer (1753-1822) and Mary Huber (1765-1800); Martin Oberholtzer (1725-1767) and Eliz­abeth; Samuel Oberholtzer (1700-1748) and Elizabeth.

48. SAUDER, Martin, b. Feb. 13, 1831, Pa.; d. Nov. 12, 1888; bu. Weaverland Cern., E. Earl Twp.; m. 1853, Barbara Burkhart. Martin Sauder; John Sauder (1802-1865) and Mary Martin (1797-1850); Caspar Sauder (1776-1816) and Eve or Catherine Freeling (1779-1821).

49. BURKHART, Barbara, b. Apr. 29, 1833, Pa.; d. June 17, 1904; bu. Weaverland Cern. Barbara Burkhart; Christian Burkhart (1805-1869) and Anna Gehman (1807-1892); John Burkhart (1778-1857) and Elizabeth Good (1781-1848); Jacob Burkhart (1746-1821) and Maria Hershey (1746-1828).

50. SENSENIG, Levi, b. Aug. 9, 1818, Pa.; d. Nov. 2, 1896; bu. Sensenig Cern., Earl Twp.; m. Nov. 28, 1848, Maria Louisa Stillwell. Levi Sensenig; Daniel Sensenig (1782-1841) and Elizabeth McQuate (1789-1877); Jacob Sensenig (1730-1814) and Barbara; Jacob Sensenig (b. 1685) and Maria Krey (b. 1693).

51. STILLWELL, Maria Louisa, b. June 26, 1827, Pa.; d. Aug. 31, 1860; bu. Sensenig Cern. Maria Louisa Stillwell; James Stillwell (b. 1790) and Eleonora Leslie (b. 1810).

52. SNYDER, Jacob, b . July 28, 1793, Jackson Twp., Sny­der Co., Pa.; d. Nov. 13, 1865, Pa.; bu. Neff Cern., Logan Twp., Huntingdon Co., Pa.; m. May 7 1816, Hannah Snyder. Jacob Snyder; Herman Schneider Jr.(1767-1845) and Magdalena Krabiel (1774-1851); Herman Schneider (d. 1811).

53. SNYDER, Hannah, b. Sept. 8, 1795, Greenwood Twp., Juniata Co., Pa.; d. May 11, 1872, Pa.; bu. Neff Cern. Hannah Snyder; Christopher Snyder (1750-1811).

54. GROVE, Isaac, b. Sept. 20, 1823, Penn Twp., Hunt­ingdon Co., Pa.; m. Mar. 27, 1844, Mary Ober. Isaac Grove; Daniel Grove (1800-1880) and Mary Peightal (1802-1870); Jacob Grove (d. 1846) and Magdalena

Wedding of Annie Risser (no. 23) and Samuel L. Miller (no. 22)

Landis (1776-1834); John Graff. 55. OBER, Mary, b. Feb. 1, 1824, Pa.; d. Mar. 11, 1891,

Penn Twp., Huntingdon Co., Pa. 56. SHENK, Jacob, b. Jan. 29, 1793; d . May 29, 1879; m. (1),

Frances Miller; m. (2) Sept. 5, 1837, Magdalena Stauffer. Jacob Shenk; Henry Shenk (1758-1836) and Anna Reiff (1762-1819); Michael Shenk (1737-1775) and Magdale-

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 37

Wedding of Ezra H. Hess (no. 20) and Mary Ann Stauffer (no. 21)

Abraham Snyder (no. 26) and Susan Grove (no. 27)

na; Michael Schenk (1690-1759) and Mary Yeenley. 57. MILLER, Frances, b. 1794; d. 1826. Frances Miller;

Michael Miller (1765-1817) and Elizabeth Brenneman (1773-1815); Samuel Miller and Magdalena Winey.

58. BRENNEMAN, Henry, b. Nov. 1, 1791, Edom, Va.; d. Aug. 24, 1866; bu. Brenneman Mennonite Cern., Fairfield Co., Ohio; m . (1) Aug. 8, 1815, Barbara Beery; m. (2) Oct. 6, 1840, Esther Good; m. (3) July 27, 1843, Anna Rhodehefer. Henry Brenneman; Abraham Brenneman (1744-1815) and Magdalena Shenk (1769-1851); Melchoir Brenneman (1718 or 1719-1794) and Ann Good (1722-1800); Melchoir Brenneman (1665-1737) and Elizabeth Stehman.

59. BEERY, Barbara, b. Aug. 3, 1797, Rockingham Co., Va.; d. Mar. 28, 1838; bu. Brenneman Mennonite Cern. Barbara Beery; George Beery (b. 1773) and Susanna Funk (b. 1775); Abraham Beery (1718-1799) and Mary Gochenour (d. 1800).

60. HILT!, Johannes, b. Jan. 11, 1818 or 1819, Canton Basle, Switzerland; d . June 2, 1895; bu. Zion Cern., Richland Twp., Allen Co., Ohio; 1827 immigrant; m. May, 1837 or 1839, Katharina Neuenschwander. Johannes Hilti; Peter Hilti (b. 1791) and Veronica Lugibuhl (1803-1827); Michael Hilti.

61. NEUENSCHWANDER, Katharina, b. Jan. 5, 1815, Souboz, Jura, Switzerland, d. Mar. 26, 1907; bu. Zion Cern.; 1823 immigrant. Katharina Neuenschwander; Johannes Neuenschwander (1776-1837) and Kathari­na Fuhrimann (1782-1853); Benedict Neuenschwan­der (1734-1819) and Elisabeth Lehman (d . 1814); Peter Neuenschwander (b. 1696) and Anna Aeschli­mann (b. 1704).

62. THUT, Johannes, b . Jan. 9, 1801, Switzerland; d . Aug. 23, 1867; bu. Zion Cern.; 1825 immigrant; m. Sept. 13, 1832, Christina Bechtel. Johannes Thut; Peter Thut (1768-1832) and Anna Oberli.

63. BECHTEL, Christina, b. Oct. 13, 1813, Westmore­land Co., Pa.; d. Nov. 15, 1893; bu. Zion Cern. 0

·July 1993

Queries Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage will publish mem­

bers' historical and genealogical queries free of charge. Each genealogical query must include a name, a date, and a location. The Lancaster Mennonite Historical Soci­ety would appreciate receiving copies of correspondence generated by these queries in order to place the informa­tion in the archives of the library. Send materials to Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage, 2215 Millstream Road, Lancaster, PA 17602.

BEAR: I am seeking data on the birth place, parents, marriage date and residence of Mary Bear (b. Apr. 15, 1812, Pa.). She m. in Pa. or Ohio William R. Moore (b. 1808, Pa.). Their first ch. was Oliver Moore (b. 1834, Ohio.).

-Barbara Bauer 295 Hiawassee Avenue

Athens, GA 30601

BERKET/BURKETT: I am seeking information on the Berket/Burkett families of Pa. and Perry Co., Ohio, espe­cially Daniel and Susannah Berket/Bl.lrket. They were in Perry County, Ohio by 1829 when dau. Elizabeth (b. 1812) m. John Fehler in Dec. Is this the Daniel Burket (b. Dec. 26, 1800) noted in records of the New Hanover Lutheran Church in Montomery Co., Pa.?

-Roger Liees 3165 Kaiser Road

Ft. Loramie, OH 45845

BOWMAN: I am seeking information on Simon Peter Bowman (b. Nov. 28, 1815, Pa.; d . Feb. 9, 1881, Dekalb Co., Ind.). He m. Sophia (b. May 22, 1817, Pa.; d. Apr. 13, 1894, Dekalb Co., Ind.). Their ch. were Henry (b. 1851), John Wesly (b. 1854), and Milton (b. 1856).

-Ronda Andrews 373 N. Parklane

Butler, IN 46721-1211

BOYER: Frederick Boyer (b. between 1730-1740) possi­bly was bu. in the Manor Meetinghouse Cern. near Val­ley Forge, Mongomery Co., Pa. Was he a Mennonite and where is this cemetery?

-Eleanor M. Haack 216 Helen Avenue

Modesto, CA 95354

BRECHBILL: Who were the parents and siblings of Anna Groh (b. 1773; m. Jacob Brechbill) and Anna Meck­ley (b. 1806; m. John Brechbiel)?

-Mrs. Phyllis Brechbiel Hanson 1430 Academy Avenue Albert Lea, MN 56007

BUTZ: Was Jacob Butz (immigrated prior to 1720) the father of Michael Butz (b. Nov. 12, 1726, Springfield Twp., Bucks Co. , Pa.)?

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage

-Barbara E. Grieser 2318 North Elm Street Greensboro, NC 27408

38

BUYER/ZERCHER: On Jan. 13, 1875, Louisa and John Minney, minor children of Barbara Minney, deceased, petitioned the Lancaster Co., Pa., Orphans' Court to appoint Jacob J. Buyers as guardian of their estates. In the same document Andrew Zercher, their uncle, petitioned the court on behalf of Enos and Elizabeth Minney, minor children of Barbara Minney under the age of 14 years, to appoint David Buyers as guardian of their estates. What relationship, if any, existed between the two Buyers men and Barbara Minney? How was Andrew Zercher an uncle of Enos and Elizabeth Minney?

-Carol Tucker Gadbois 141 Maple Lane

Lancaster, PA 17601

CARR/KARR: Who were the parents of George Wash­ington Carr (b. ca. 1789, Va.; d. Mar. 4, 1862, Sullivan Co., Tenn.)? Hem. 1817, Sarah Moulton (1796-1878) and was in the War of 1812 as Pvt. 4th Reg., East Tenn. Mili­tia under Capt. James Landen from Nov. 13, 1814 to May 18, 1815. His parents might have come to Va. from Pa.

-Priscilla Carr Waycaster Route 12, Box 240

Greeneville, TN 37743

CARR/KERR: I am seeking information on Henry Carr (d. after 1802), known as Roebuck Carr, who we believe came from Lancaster Co., Pa., to Hampshire Co., Va. by 1750, where all his ch. were b. His known ch. were Con­rad (b. 1755; d. 1814 Pickaway Co., Ohio), Leonard (b. 1770; d. 1854 Monroe Co., Ill.), Martin Luther (b. 1772; d. Kosciusko Co., Ind.), Solomon (b. 1774; d . 1847, Delaware Co., Ohio), and John. Other ch. might have been Joseph and Henry.

-Mrs. Peggy M. Gilmore 1773 Palmer Road

Washington C. H., OH 43160

CAROLUS/KAROLUS: Who were the parents and sib­lings of Emanuel Carolus (b. Aug. 25, 1817, Lancaster Co., Pa.; d. Sept. 20, 1869, Spencerville, Allen Co., Ohio)? He m. Elizabeth Rexroth in Franklin Co., Pa.

-Raymond Coyle P.O. Box 1321

Modesto, CA 95353

CHRISTMAN/OVER: Who are descendants of Henry Christman (June 27, 1765-Nov. 27, 1821), son of Jacob and Eva Margaret, who m. Barbara Over (Feb. 25, 1780-Aug. 31, 1860), dau. of John and Christina? Henry and Barbara Christman are bu. in the Over Cern., Hogtrough Valley, Franklin Co., Pa. Who were the parents of John Over?

-Darvin L. Martin 7623 Valley View Lane Greencastle, PA 17225

CLEMENS: Who were the parents of Hannah Clemens (b. Sept. 11, 1801, Montgomery Co., Pa.) who m . May 20, 1818, Michael Y. Hunsicker (b. July 8, 1796, Montgomery Co.)? He was the son of Jacob Hunsicker and Anna Zei-

July 1993

gler. Hannah and Michael both d. in Kitchener, Ont., Can. Their ch. were Jacob, John Isaac, Anna, Margaret, Elizabeth, Hannah, Sarah, Garrett, Barbara, Magdalena, and Michael-last 2 b. Columbiana Co., Ohio.

-Gerri Poitinger 6 Midships Lane

Salem, SC 29676

DREISBACH/DREISBAUGH: We are searching for birth and marriage records of Anna Maria Dreisbach (b. Feb. 13, 1792, possibly Northumberland Co., Pa.; d. July 2, 1866, Ross Co., Ohio). She m. Jacob Pontius (d. 1833) ca. 1809 in Northumberland Co. and they moved to Ross Co. ca. 1811. Anna Maria m. (2) William Roberts in Ross Co. in 1836. They had one son, Albert Dreisbach Roberts. Were her parents John Dreisbach and Catherine Youngman?

-Audrey V. Roberts 5000 Milwee, #79

Houston, TX 77092-6636

EBY: Who were the parents of Elizabeth Eby (b. Sept. 11, 1795; d. Dec. 13, 1879) who m. before 1819, John Yetter and had 8 ch.? Her parents may be Samuel and Barbara (Kauffman) Eby. They lived in Manheim, Lancaster Co., Pa., then in 1829 moved 2 miles north of Mt. Joy, in 1832 moved to Derry Twp., Dauphin Co., and in 1852 to Erie Twp., Monroe Co., Mich.

1 .11 -Pau Hz

1288 Londonderry Street Costa Mes, CA 92626

ESHELMAN: I seek information on the parents of Eliza­beth Eshelman (b. Feb. 8, 1794, Dauphin Co., Pa.; d. June 6, 1851). In 1819 she m. Peter Roop and moved with him to Crawford Co., Ohio. Her father was perhaps John Eshelman of Swatara Twp. or a Jacob Eshelman of Lon­donderry Twp., both Dauphin Co.

-J. Bruce Amstutz 15 Blueberry Lane

Brunswick, ME 04011

EVANS: Who has knowledge of Horatio Evans, proba­bly from Berkeley Co., Va.? His siblings m. persons named Barnhouse, Myers, and Swearingen. He moved to Ross Co., Ohio, in the late 1700s and was apparently killed in the War of 1812. Son Horatio m. Parmelia Newkirk and son John m. 1823, Sarah McCabe in Fair­field Co., Ohio.

-C. X. McCalla III PO Box 151

Paoli, IN 47454

FREY: What was the birthplace and who were the par­ents of Jacob Frey /Fry (b. Mar. 14, 1772, Canton Bern, Switzerland; d. Jan. 14, 1852, Crawford Co., Ohio)? He m. Oct. 2, 1806, in Lancaster Co., Pa., Catharine Beck (b. Feb. 3, 1782, Lancaster Co.; d. Sept. 4, 1860, Crawford or Richland Co., Ohio). Three known children were b. Lan­caster Co.: Daniel (b. Nov. 29, 1807) and twins, Jacob and Peter (b. Apr. 15, 1814). A possible child was Maria (b. Mar. 24, 1809, Lancaster Co., Pa.). Jacob was the eldest ch. of a wealthy wine merchant.and came to Philadel­phia ca. 1789 as a stowaway.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage

-Mrs. Arlette Frey Hall 356 Meadowrue Lane

Batavia, IL 60510

39

GINGRICH: I am seeking information on the parents and grandparents of Abraham Gingrich (b. 1803 or 1804). In 1850 he lived in Swatara Twp., Lebanon Co., Pa., with wife Barbara (age 53), with ch. Christian (23), Jacob (21), Ann (14), Maria (12), and Barbara (10). In 1830 an Abraham and Barbara Gingrich lived in Annville,

Lebanon Co., Pa. -Mark Gingrich 6009 Cherokee Drive Fairway, KS 66205

GOOD: I am seeking data on descendents of brothers Samuel L. and Henry L. Good. They were born to William Good arid Mary Lines/Lyons in Lancaster Co., Pa. ca. 1737/1739 near Groff's store.

-Mona Good 7134 W. Caribbean Lane

Peoria, AZ 85381

GOOD: Is someone able to prove my theory that the wife of Peter Good (1783-1858) of Rockingham Co., Va. was Christena Diller (ca. 1790-1868), dau. of Abraham and Susan (Good) Diller? Peter and Christena had at least 8 ch.: John, m. Anna Wenger; Abraham, m. Rebecca Rhodes; Peter, m. Sarah Good; Daniel, m. Catherine Geil; Susanna, m. Ephraim Wenger; Christena, m. James Heltzel; Anna, m. Noah Burkholder; Frances, m. Abra­ham Layman.

-Edna B. Diller 365 Mesquite Lane

Arroyo Grande, CA 93420-6602

HARSHBARGER: Who were the parents and siblings of two brothers: David Harshbarger (b. 1812; d. 1877, Luzerne Co., Pa.) who m.(2) Elizabeth Singer? He lived in Schuylkill Co. in 1850, and Dauphin Co. in the 1860s; Isaac Harshbarger (b. ca. 1814; d. 1854, Frankstown, Blair Co., Pa.) m. Isabella Ramage in Lewistown, Mifflin Co.,

Pa., in 1834. -Kathie Weigel 9063 Costello Avenue

Panovoma City, CA 91402

HASSLER: Who were the parents of Barbara Hassler (b. Feb. 28, 1797, Lancaster Co., Pa.; d. Oct. 2, 1876, Berks Co., Pa.) who m. Dec. 2, 1820, Jacob Painter? Their ch. were Eliza, Emeline, Joseph, Valentine, Thomas, Stephen; Sarah, Robert, Samuel, Priscilla, David, and Barbara. N L M 1 - ancy . au

485 Vanderbilt Court Colorado Springs, CO 80906-7242

HEADINGS: Who was the father of Henry Headings (b. 1826, Ohio) who m. Angela (b. 1829, Ohio)? Many of his cousins lived in Pa.

-Dennis Buerge 5001 Rockville Road

Indianapolis, IN 46224-9105

HERSHEY: I am seeking data on the ancestors of Mary Catherine Hershey (Eby) Hoover (b. 1803, Lancaster Co., Pa.; d. 1877), dau. of Reverend Christian Hershey (1777-1853) and Elizabeth Yordy (1777-1863).

-Janette Hoover Jones P.O. Box 161

Anacortes, WA 98221

July 1993

HOLLY/HOLLEY: I am looking for information on David Holly /Holley (b. 1768) a German-speaking Men­nonite miller who lived in Somerset Co., Pa., ca. 1800. In Apr. 1807 David with his wife and 9 ch. arrived in York Co., Ont. Canada. Elizabeth Holly, dau. of David, m. Daniel Trimmer, a German Mennonite. David Holly's other sons-in-law were Michael Fisher, Michael Troyer, and Christian Christner. I also desire data on Samuel Holly, a Mennonite Bishop who moved to Canada.

-Mrs. Jean MacDougall 30 Idaho Drive

Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada P6A 4X7

KAUFFMAN: Who were th ch. of Peter B. Kauffman (Jan. 18, 1762-Jan. 14, 1826) whom. Catherine Bachman (d. July 1833)? They resided in Manor Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa. Catherine was a dau. of Peter Baughman/Bachman (d. 1788) and Mary Kauffman (d. 1805) of Manheim Twp., Lancaster Co. Peter Baughman was a son of Michael Bachman, the immigrant. Were these Kauffman persons their ch.: Ellias; Andrew, m. Anna F. Brunner; Martha B. (m. Lewis Zollinger); Mary B.; and Joseph, m. Anna Regert?

--:-Greg Straub 228 S. Cyrus Street

Cleona, PA 17042

KINDIG/KENDIG: Who were the parents of Catharine Kindig (b. June 27, 1799; d. Feb. 4, 1845; bu. Huntsdale Church of the Brethren Cern., Cumberland Co., Pa.)? She m. Henry Shenk (May 17, 1791-0ct. 31, 1861).

-Jack Clopper River Home, Willow Lane,

Reading, Berkshire, RG10 8LG United Kingdom

KINSCH/KINCH: Where are the lands and gravestone of Jacob Kinsch, Sr. (b. 1738; d. after 1825, ?E. Hempfield Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.)? Son Jacob Kinsch, Jr. (1776-1849) is bu. in East Petersburg, E. Hempfield Twp. Who were the parents of Anna Barbara, wife of Jacob Kinsch, Sr.? Most of their children married Mennonites in E. Hempfield Twp.

-Michael Kinch 3510 NW Mink Place Corvallis, OR 97330

LIBER: I am seeking information on the parents, siblings, and ch. of John Liber who in 1810 lived in Lancaster Co., Pa. and George Liber who took the oath of allegiance in Aug. 1777 or 1778.

-Irvine S. Liber 752 Brookwood Drive

Forest Park, GA 30050-3013

MCKEEHAN: Where were the origins of Elijah McKee­han (b. 1767, ?Scotland; d. Oct. 3, 1838, Perry Co., Pa.) whom. ca. 1796, Elizabeth Klauser/Clouser in Perry Co.?

-Mrs. Shirley A. Szoboscan 731419th Avenue West

Bradenton, FL 34209

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 40

ORTH: What are the birth and death dates and burial locations of the couple Rosina Orth (b. Mar. 19, 1762, Lebanon, Pa.) and John Smith/Schmidt? They were m. Apr. 10, 1781, at Christ Lutheran Church in Stouchsburg, Berks Co., Pa. In 1781 Lutherans and Moravians jointly used this church.

-George R. Heisey 9 West Center Avenue

Myerstown, PA 17067

SANDERS: Who has information on Walter, Albert, and John Sanders, all less than 10 years old at the death of their mother Bertha (d. Feb. 1923; age 35)? She is bu. at Upper Skippack Mennonite Cern., Skippack, Pa., and was last known to be living with father Fred in Holloway, Minn. in May 1923. She had 3 brothers from Va.

-Wilmer L. Rein ford 1176 Bridge Road, Box 30

Creamery, PA 19430

SNAVELY: Who were ancestors of Verena/Fannie Snavely (b. 1811, Lancaster Co., Pa.; d. 1855, Richland Twp., Putnam Co., Ohio)? She m. John Kohli.

-David L. Miller 2945 Sheldon Road Snover, MI 48472

SNYDER: What was the immigration date and were there siblings of Henry (b. ca. 1732) and Susan (b. 1743) Snyder? Their ch. were Arnold (bap. 1770) and Valentine (bap. 1771) baptized at First Reformed Church, Lancast­er Co., Pa. By 1776 they lived in Frederick Co., Md.

-Iris L. Runyan 901 Montgomery Street, Apt. 5

Custer, SD 57730

SNYDER/WAGNER: Who were parents and/or siblings of Lydia Snyder whom. John Wagner (d. 1823), a coop­er and a raft pilot on the Susquehanna River? They lived in Dauphin Co., Pa., and had a son, Rev. Willam B. Wag­ner (b. Feb. 5, 1818, Dauphin Co.) He m. 1842, Barbara Rank of Franklin Co., Pa., who descended from the Rank and Shively /Scheibly families of Earl Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa. Rev. Wagner was a minister with the United Brethren in Franklin and York Cos. He moved to Mus­catine, Iowa, in 1856 and in 1857 to Western, Linn Co., Iowa, where he became a medical doctor. As a youth he was employed "four miles south of Harrisburg" by Michael Frantz.

-Barbara A. Leach 5097 Skyline Drive

Syracuse, NY 13215

WEAVER: Who were the ancestors of my great-great­grandmother, Nancy Weaver (b. Nov. 26, 1806, Ohio or Pa.; d. Apr. 21, 1824, Chambers Co., Ala.)? She m. Sept. 30, 1824, Arthur Ennis (d. Feb. 2, 1891, Chambers Co.).

-Jean Ennis 108 Beallwood Drive

Wet Point, GA 31833

July 1993

Die Hummel Schteche Den Monat Net by Noah G. Good

W o der Henner noch ganz glee worr hott er sich oft schtundelang im Gorte ferweilt. Im Formittag hott die Memm ihm en Schtick im Gorte abg'marrickt wo er's Grass un Ungraut all ruppe hott selle. Dann hotter so'n Handgratzer nemme selle un der Grund in de Roye alles schee loos mache. Des hott der Henner schee duh kenne, un warm's fattich worr hotter Freizeit g'hatte bis Mittag. Der Henner hott Iangsam g'schafft, awwer wanner fat­tich worr, hott rna wisse kenne dass die Arewet gut geduh worr. Wo's Ungraut groos worr hotter's mit dem Gratzer loos g'macht unne die Rotriewe odder die Ret­tich loosmache, un's ganz glee Ungraut hott er mit'm Gratzer verdrickt odder rausgegratzt dass es glei in de Sunn ferwelkt iss. Dann hott er looser Grund in die Roi zwische die junge Blanze gegratzt.

Der Henner hott so sarrigfaeltich g'schafft un iss nie nett mitt de Fiess odder mit'm Knie uff die Roye kumme. Die Memm iss oft gange gucke wie er die Gortearewet so schee macht. Sie hott g'saat, "Du machst awwer scheene Arewet mit dem Graas un Ungraut ruppe. Fa sell bin ich froh. Wann Du die Roye wo rna abg'marrickt henn fat­tich hoscht kannscht Du frei hawwe bis Mittag."

Die Memm hott ihn nett schaffe mache welle bis er zu mied worr. WennichLob hott dem Henner arrig Gut geduh. Die Memm iss z'rick in's Haus gange an ihre eegne Arewet. Sie worr den Daag am Biggle. So wie'n Schtund schpaeter iss der Henner in's Haus kumme un hott g'saat er waer fattich.

"Hoshct's alles schee sauwer fun Ungraut un schee looser Grund an die Roye gegratzt?" hott die Memm wisse welle.

"Ja, so meen ich. Mir guckt's recht schee, kannscht kumme gucke," hott der Henner g'saat.

Die Memm hott g'saat, "Juscht noch glee wennich zu biggle, noh kumm ich naus." Der Henner is naus gange.

Am annere End fum Gorte worre Blumme, fiel Satte Blumme. Dem Henner worre sie all so zimmlich bekannt. Datt worre Paffekappe, Loewemeiler, Fingerhiet, Drechter un noch zimmlich fiel annere Safte. Datt hott der Henner sich gem ferweilt. Er hott als die alte, ferbli­ete Blumme abgepetzt

Noch eens hotter gem geduh. Wann en Hummel in en Fingerhutblum g'schluppt iss hotter die Blum mit'm Daume un Finger zu gedrickt un die Blum mit'm Hum­mel drin fom Schtock abgezuppt. Die hott rna Ieicht rum­draage kenne. Der Hummel hott farichterlich gebrummt in de Blum.

Heit hott's ihm widder geglickt. Es iss'n Hummel in en groose, rote Blum g' schluppt un der Henner hott die Blum zu gedrickt.

Graad zu se1le Zeit iss'm Henner sei Freind, der Bill, kumme: Sei Eldere henn ihm ferlaubt er daet bei uns un mit'm Henner zu Mittag esse.

Wo er der Henner mit dem Hummel in de Blum g'sehne hott, hott er g'saat, "Weescht Du was? Den Monat schteche die Hummel nett. Mei Daed hot mir sell g'saat."

"Wie hotter sell g'meent? Im Juli selle die Hummel nett schteche?" hott der Henner wisse welle.

"Ja, sell hott mei Daed mir g'saat. Es muss g'wiss wohr sei," hott der Bill zugewwe.

Der Henner hott ihn so emschtlich in G' sicht aage­guckt. "Sell daet ich gem recht ferschteh. Mir sinn in de Mitt fom Monat Juli. Es worr doch juscht letscht Woch dass eener mich ganz gedichtich g'schtoche hott. Ich kann sell nett recht glaawe."

"So hotter mir awwer gewiss g'saat. un des soll wohr sei."

"Ich bin bang's halt nett ganz aus. Ich daet's gem besser ferschteh."

Der Bill hott noch mol so anschtlich aag'halte dass was sei Daed saagt gewiss wohr sei muss.

"Geege dei'm Daed sei Wahrlichkeit will ich nix saage, awwer mir will's nett recht basse. Du saagscht mir dei Daed hott dir g'saat die Hummel schteche nett im Juli, urt doch wees ich ganz gewiss dass letscht Woch eener mich recht gut g'schtoche hott. Was soU sell?"

"Wann Du's nemmscht wie er's g'saat hott halt's aus." "So, saag rnir nochrnal ganz deitlich was er dir g'saat hot." "Er hott g'saat, 'Den Monat schteche die Hummel

nett,' er hott nett g'saat dass sie dich den Monat nett schteche. An dem weescht Du sell aa recht gut.

The Bumblebees Don't Sting This Month translated by Noah G. Good

When Henner was still just a small lad he often spent hours in the garden. In the forenoon Mother marked off an area in the garden where he was to pull the grass and weeds. Then he was to take a little garden scratcher and work the soil in the rows loose and fine. This Henner was able to do nicely and when the job was done he was free till noontime.

Henner worked slowly, but when he was done one could be certain that the work was done well. Where the weeds were large he loosened them with his scratcher so he could pull the weeds without disturbing the red-

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 41

beet and radish plants, and the very small weeds he crushed or scratched out with his tool so that they soon wilted in the sun. Then he pulled up loose soil in the rows between the plants.

Henner did his work carefully and did not get on the rows with his feet or his knees. Mother often went out to look. how he was doing his work in the garden. Often she told him, "You do make such nice work in the gar­den with the grass and the weeds. I am so glad for that. When you are done weeding the rows that were marked you can be free till noontime."

July 1993

Mother did not want to give him so much work that it would make him too tired. A little bit of praise did a lot for Henner. Mother went back into the house to her own work. On this particular day she was busy with her ironing. In about an hour of work after this Henner came into the house to announce that he had finished.

"Do you have it all free of weeds and the loose ground nicely scratched up to the rows?" was what Mother wanted to know from Henner.

"Yes, that is my notion. I think it looks nice. You can come to see," was Henner's comment.

At the other end of the garden there were flowers, just many kinds of flowers. Henner was familiar with all of them. There were nasturtiums, snapdragons, fox­gloves, petunias and quite many more kinds of flowers. Henner liked to spend time there. He often picked off the old, spent flowers just to pass the time.

Another thing he liked so well to do. When a bumble­bee crawled into the foxglove flower he pressed the flower shut behind the bumblebee with his thumb and forefinger. Then he pulled the flower away from the stem and carried it around with the imprisoned bumble­bee. The bumblebee made a terrific squealing noise in the flower.

Today he had luck again. A bumblebee pushed its · way into one of the sack-like red flowers and Henner

pressed it shut behind him. Just at this time Henner's friend Bill came on the

scene. He had his parents' permission to come to our place to eat the noon meal with us and with Henner.

When he saw Henner with the bumblebee impris­oned in the flower he said, "Do you know what? The bumblebees don't sting this month. My Dad told me that."

"How did he mean that? In July the bumblebees don't sting?" was what Henner wanted to know.

"My Dad told me that. It must really be so," com­mented Bill.

Henner looked him squarely in the face. "I would like to understand that better. We are right in the middle of July now. But just last week one gave me an awful sting. I find that hard to believe."

"But that is what he told me, and it is supposed to be true."

"I am afraid that does not hold out, I would like so much to understand that better."

Once again Bill insisted that that was what his Dad told him. So it must be true.

"I don't want to say anything against the truthfulness of your Dad, but to me it does not seem to fit right. You are telling me that your Dad said that the bumblebees do not sting in July, and still I know so very well that just last week in July one stung me really hard. Just what is this?"

"If you take it the way he said it, it holds out." "In that case tell me just what he did say to you." "He said that 'the bumblebees do not sting this

month," what he did not say was that the bumblebees do not sting you this month. Apparently you already know that quite well." 0

Book Reviews Willing Service: Stories of Ontario Mennonite

Women, by Lorraine Roth, Kitchener, Ontario: Women's Missionary and Service Commission of Eastern Canada, 1992. Paperback. 275 pages. $18.00 plus $2.00 shipping and handling from Provident Bookstores, 119 East Lin­coln Avenue, Goshen, IN 46526. Also available from Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario, Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G6.

The women of Mennonite and related groups are now seeing to it that the notables in their history have their day in print-even as the men. Some of these titles are the General Conference's Encircled: Stories of Mennon­ite Women (1986) by Ruth Unrau and Full Circle (1978) by Mary Lou Cummings. The Mennonite Brethren pub­lished Women Among the Brethren (1979) by Katie Funk Wiebe. Mennonite Church stories were written by Elaine Sommers Rich in Mennonite Women: A Story of God's Faithfulness 1683-1983 (1983) . The Church of the Brethren's Pamela Brubaker documented some of her sisters' stories in She Hath Done What She Could (1985).

Now the Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario in co-operation with Women's Missionary and Service Commission (hereafter WMSC) of Eastern Canada pre­sents this volume written by Lorraine Roth. She used materials from interviews, diaries, the archives of the Mennonite Church at Goshen, Indiana, and at Conrad

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 42

Grebel College in Ontario, minutes from many sewing circles and WMSC groups, and several books and pub­lished materials.

While celebrating two hundred years since the first Mennonite migration to Canada, the Ontario WMSC decided to highlight some of the women who were the mainstays of the Swiss Mennonite tradition in Ontario between 1800 and the late 1970s. Roth emphasizes that the women chosen for inclusion here were strong, sup­portive types who could either "go it alone" or support a husband in his work. The circumstances are not as important as the willingness to serve, she writes. Ninety­four women appear here. There are many mother­daughter stories, some sister-sister stories, sisters-in-law stories, and aunt-niece stories. The backgrounds of the women are mostly Old Order Amish, Amish Mennon­ites, and Old Order Mennonites-with a Lutheran and Scottish Presbyterian or two who became Mennonite.

Most of these women had connections to or were offi­cers in the sewing circles or WMSC. A few did little or no WMSC or sewing circle work but made other signifi­cant contributions to community and church life. Many of the women were nurses, practical nurses, or unofficial nurses trained and trusted by local country doctors. For some, an ambition to work on the foreign mission field was an overwhelming desire sometimes satisfied or sometimes diverted into mission work at home. Many of

July 1993

these women worked with Mennonite Central Commit­tee either abroad or with the local material aid or thrift shops.

One common denominator, it seems, was the setting of good examples by living frugal, godly lives of willing service. Of several women it was said that they "spoke only positively about people." Hospitality was also their habit. Many of their homes were always open to needy neighbors, to orphaned waifs, or to travelling preachers who needed lodging. .

Many of these women practiced the traditional ser­vice of freeing their husbands to do the work of the church (eg. p. 135). That meant raising the children, often alone, and doing all the necessary mundane domestic details with only one parent available. Two spirited Marys (Reesor and Kolb) of strong personality each married well-known widowed evangelists who had children already-C. F. Derstine and Oscar Burkholder.

The traditional attitude toward women in responsible positions surfaces in certain stories such as that of llda Bauman who helped found the House of Friendship in Kitchener. She kri.ew every aspect of the work, having done each job herself at one time or another. After the death of the male co-founder, the Advisory Committee never thought to ask llda to continue administering the place even though she always had been the real manag­er. They "released" her and hired a new manager even though she would have been cinly too willing to contin­ue her clearly focused work.

The author's formula for each brief biography is the same: a sentence or two of introduction, the birth date and parents, church affiliation, marriage partner(s) if any, education level, notable contribution, and, finally a statement about the person's death, if deceased, and a kind of epitaph. Reading the ninety-four similarly writ­ten formats may be a bit tedious even though the biogra­phies are short. More careful proofreading would elimi­nate or correct occasional typographical errors. The straightforward style is simple reportorial and was prob­ably necessitated by space limitations.

Many of these women did Herculean tasks with unbelievable energy and stretched a few skimpy dollars to do enormous good. Often appearing to be over­worked, underpaid, and sometimes unappreciated, they were nonetheless willing graciously to serve people and their Lord. This book is a welcome addition to the grow­ing collection of biographies of Mennonite Church women.

-Alice W. Lapp, Akron, Pennsylvania

Editor's note: The following response by Jeannette Lasansky of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania; concerns the Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage review of the book which she authored, A Good Start: The Aussteier or Dowry (available from the list on back cover). Then follows a. response to Ms. Lasansky by the reviewer, R. Martin Keen of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We hope that this exchange sheds light on the subtle linguistic interaction of English and Pennsylvania German in the context of the material culture of the Pennsylvania Germans.

Response of Jeannette Lasansky: I appreciated reading a detailed and critical review of

our project's work A Good Start: The Aussteier or Dowry

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 43

(Lewisburg, Pa.: Oral Traditions Project of the Union County Historical Society, 1990) by R. Martin Keen of Lancaster in the July 1991 issue of Pennsylvania Menno­nite Heritage (pp. 44-45). I have been particularly anxious to address an issue raised by Mr. Keen and have just recently found an eighteenth century Pennsylvania Ger­man document that allows me to do so efficiently, and hopefully, effectively as well. It is thy hope that you will be able to print this letter in its entirety so that your readers could be aware of my concerns.

Mr~ Keen stated that, "The author [myself] unneces­sarily points out this nonexistent 'difference' between the usage of dowry or dower (e.g. pp. 23, 82) although this flow does not hamper her overall interpretation." I appreciate the opportunity to . again make the case that not only is there a difference between dowry and dower but that the difference is fundamental to understanding Pennsylvania German patterns of inheritance. In making a case for the difference between dowry and dower, I would not and did not rely solely on a dictionary defini­tion but rather on the cumulative evidence of hundreds of estate papers-wills in particular.

Recently, 1 came upon the family record book of Men­nonite John Clemens of Lower Salford Township, Mont­gomery County, Pennsylvania, which shows within one single account both dowry (aussteier) and dower (ausbe­halt) transactions at work. This manuscript covers his family affairs from 1806 to 1824. It is owned by the Men­nonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania and can be viewed at their archives in Harleysville. The book is par­ticularly exciting because of its detail and because some of the children's dowry references are given over time and once in direct reference to the marriage date.

John Clemens began his book: "On April 20, 1806 I, Johannes Clemens, made this book, so that I can make everything right and fair with my children, what I gave them ahead of time as counsel or inheritance" (transla­tion by Elsbeth Steffensen, June 17, 1992). He then listed the partial inheritance (also called aussteier or dowry -"a good start") for his children: Jacob Clemens from 1806 to 1815; Katharina Clemens Gottschalk in 1822 and John Clemens in 1823. Also delineated is the ausbehalt or dower goods to be "held back" by son Jacob for his father and mother's support: 40 bushels of corn, 10 of wheat, 20 of corn, 8 of potatoes, 1 of flax, and as much fire wood as needed, living quarters in the stone house, stabling 2 cows, as well as "the freedom to have water as much as we need." These dower items are distinctly dif­ferent from those given as dowry or outsettings. The for­mer comprise articles or services for sustenance late in life; the latter, material goods needed in establishing a new home: in particular, household goods, farming equipment, farm animals and sometimes a few provi­sions (but never on an annual basis as in dower).

Other transactions recorded within the John Clemens' family book involved selling and/ or lending. These financial arrangements are differentiated from either of the traditions of "a good start" and "parental support," dowry and dower, aussteier and ausbehalt.

Researchers are fortunate in having all this within one family document as a point of comparison. Usually one has to compare dowry and dower transactions from different sources for any given family or from different families and over time. I am thankful to Joel D. Alderfer,

July 1993

curator and librarian, who notified us of this new acqui­sition even though he knew we had published A Good Start. On a trip there in June 1992 we were able to study two additional aussteier books: John K. Alderfer's 1867-1896 (Franconia Twp., Montgomery Co.) and Abraham Reiff's 1852-1871 (Montgomery Co.). Jn fact, The Men­nonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania had the most family aussteier manuscripts of any repository.

In conclusion, John Clemens' family records show variety of family transactions with many particulars; dowry and dower are clearly shown as two distinctly different concepts used at different times in life to pro­vide distinctly different goods and/ or services. Hence, it is important-indeed imperative-to acknowledge these differences. Just as the editors of Webster's American Dic­tionary of the English Language (revised 1849) were mis­taken when they defined dower as "the portion of the lands or tenements of man which his widow enjoys dur­ing her life after the death of her husband" as well as "the property which a woman brings to her husband in marriage," so are those who Will persist in labeling blan­ket chests as "dower" rather than "dowry.'' It would not be the first nor the last time that mainstream cultural institutions simplified or glossed over the important substance and shadings of an ethnic, religious or racial group.

Response of R. Martin Keen: In the July 1991 issue of Pennsylvania Mennonite Her­

itage I wrote a review of A Good Start: The Aussteier or Dowry. In such a review the writer can do little more than·.briefly mention both the positive and negative aspects of a book. The initial question presented in the book is "what is dowry?" (p. 6). Some confusion has arisen because of the review and hopefully this letter will help to answer a small part of the question while clarifying a misunderstanding in terminology.

The definition of dowry must be considered in two languages, English and German. First, the use of the terms dower and dowry in the English language. Today there are clearly separate definitions for dowry and dower. Using twentieth century dictionaries (1933, 1982) the author of A Good Start quotes a definition of dowry as "the money or property brought by a bride to her husband at marriage" and dower as "the provision which the law makes for a widow out of the lands and tenements of her husband, for her support and the nur­ture of her children" (p. 8).

A problem arises when we use twentieth century def­initions to interpret eighteenth and nineteenth century practices. Webster's An American Dictionary of the English Language (revised 1849) defines dower as "that portion of the lands or tenements of man, which his widow enjoys during her life, after the death of her husband" and as "the property which a woman brings to her hus­band in marriage." Dowry or dowery is defined as "a different spelling of dower, but less used." Therefore, during the first half of the nineteenth century, the terms dower and dowry were synonymous in the English lan­guage. It is questionable whether we in the twentieth century should state that the editors of Webster's Ameri­can Dictionary were mistaken with respect to English usage.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 44

Although the words dowerand dowry were used interchangeably during the nineteenth century in the · English language, we must not conclude that two sepa­rate and distinct methods of inheritance did not exist. Clearly the wife could bring material possessions into a marriage and her husband could try to provide for her after his death. Language is not static but is constantly evolving. What at one time was not clearly delineated is today defined by two separate words.

The second consideration is the use of the terms in Pennsylvania German. In A Good Start the author quotes Marcus Bachman Lambert's Pennsylvania-German Dictio­nary, printed in 1924, to define the Pennsylvania-Ger­man words equivalent to dowry (aussteier) and dower (ausbehalt) (p. 8). Unfortunately, I could not find this source listed in the bibliography. A researcher must be careful when attempting to define practices of the eigh­teenth and nineteenth centuries with a twentieth century dictionary.

A North American German dictionary of the period under study (i.e. 1750-1900) is the English-German and German-English Dictionary with a German Grammar print­ed in Lancaster by William Hamilton in 1812. This is the first North American edition of a German dictionary. The editors were Rev. Dr. Henry Muhlenberg and Mr. R J. Schipper. Muhlenberg (1753-1815) was the pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster for thirty-five years (1780-1815), the first president of Franklin College (founded in 1787) and was on the first board of trustees of Franklin College. Mr. Schipper was a professor of lan­guages at Franklin Academy. Franklin College was established to educate German-speaking residents of Pennsylvania. The petition to the state legislature (1786) to form the college stated "the design of this institution is to promote an accurate knowledge of the German and English languages." I

Muhlenberg's dictionary is divided into two vol­umes. The first volume defines English words with their

July 1993

German counterparts. This German dictionary is in total agreement with Webster's dictionary of 1849. The words dowery, dowere and dowry are defined as equivalent to dower. Dower is defined as die aussteuer, mitgift, mor­gangabe, das witthum, leibgedinge, die gift and gabe. Vol­ume two gives English definitions of the German terms found in volume one. Aussteuer is defined as dotal gift, portion and dowry. For a definition of mitgift, the reader is told to see mitgabe, which is defined as dowry and por­tion. Morgengabe is a "gift given on the next morning after the nuptial day." Under witthum two other words are listed- wittwengehalt and wittwenstand. A widow's livelihood, dowry and settlement define wittwengehalt, while wittwenstand is listed as viduity and widowhood. The meaning of leibgedinge is jointure, while both gift and gabe are equivalent to the English word gift. Aussteuer would correspond to the modern definition of dowry and wittwengehalt to dower. In volume two dowry is list­ed as an English equivalent term, the opposite of volume one where dower is preferred.

In short, a Pennsylvania German, Henry Muhlenberg, defined the English words dowry and dower as being synonymous. The two words could be used interchange­ably to define two different methods of inheritance. Eng­lish usage did not apparently follow Pennsylvania Ger­man practice in this instance. Although Muhlenberg did not differentiate the words dower and dowry, he did practice both forms of inheritance. In his will are explicit instructions on the payments that are to be made to his widow for her support, today a dower.2 He also utilized the concept of what today we call dowry, stating "it is my will that the sums charged in my books against my chil­dren shall be taken into account when distribution shall be made in order that they may all be made equal." 3

Dictionaries of the first half of the nineteenth century; English and German, are in agreement concerning the following: although two different forms of inheritance were being utilized during different times of an individ­ual's life, the words dower or dowry were used to define either of the forms. The words dower and dowry were synonymous in legal documents, notably wills, of the first half of the nineteenth century. Today it is grammati­cally incorrect to speak of a "dower" chest, but it is easy to understand the persistence of the use.

1Joseph Henry Dubbs, The Hi~tory of Franklin and Marshall College (Lancaster, Pa.: Franklin & Marshall College Alumni Assoc., 1903), p. 19.

2Will L-1-506, Lancaster County Courthouse, Lancaster, Pa., items 1,3,4,7

3Wi11 L-1-506, Lancaster, Pa., item 8.

German-English Genealogical Dictionary, by Ernest Thode. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1992. Softcover. 321 pages. $29.95 plus $2.50 shipping and handling.

Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 45

Indefatigable attention to detail and modern comput­er technology have dovetailed in this excellent reference tool. The author's approximately thirty years as a full­time genealogist have born fruit in his previous Address Book for Germanic Genealogy and this extremely useful volume. A helpful introduction gives the rationale and the instructions for using this dictionary which provides thousands (286 pp. of 8 1/2 x 11 inches format) of Eng­lish definitions of German words that relate in some way to family history research. The author clearly states that it does not include many of the features of a standard dictionary-no etymology, parts of speech, pronuncia­tion guide, etc.-and therefore should be used in con­junction with quality German-English and English-Ger­man dictionaries.

Thirteen brief sections at the front of the book pro­vide helpful content. The computer-generated examples of the German alphabet in script look clumsy, but are necessary to include. Though not words, per se, I was glad to see the symbols for the signs of the zodiac and for genealogical events. The suffix index (7 pp.) and its ingenious companion, the reverse suffix index, I have found useful in my own research. The brevity and some­what arbitrary nature of the sections on "Male Given Names," "Female Given Names," "Surname and Occu­pations," make their usefulness limited.

Thode wisely includes many Latin terms since both Protestant and especially Roman Catholic church records utilized this language. The introduction also states that "common genealogical words" are given in Danish, Dutch, French, Latin, and Polish, especially Latin and French. Although I wonder how he decided which terms from these languages to include, I am thankful that he included French; many of the Swiss­background Mennonites and Amish lived (and still live) for long periods in French-speaking parts of Switzerland and in France. In that respect, did the author make an effort to ascertain any of the distinctive Swiss-German words which often were not used among the German­speakers north of the Rhine River? The section on "Key to German Dialect Pronunciation" lightly touches on a few Swiss examples. I suspect that not much of this unique Swiss-German vocabulary would be related especially to family history research, but I hope that the author did obtain a thorough review of the list by a Swiss-German speaker.

The translator, especially of older German docu­ments, may lack knowledge of only one particular term which may be crucial to understanding an entire phrase or sentence. This reference tool will no doubt come as a welcome friend in many instances to rescue such a trans­lator. Genealogists and especially those institutions which provide service for them owe a debt of gratitude to the author and publisher of this dictionary.

-David f. Rempel Smucker, Akron, Pennsylvania

July 1993

Book List Abee, Charles Moran. The Descendants of Andrew Eby-Abey-Abee in the Carolinas. Charlotte, N. C.: 1983. 214 pp.

$23.00. (cloth). Anabaptist Hymnal. Edited by Clarence Y. Fretz. Second printing, revised. Hagerstown, Md.: author, 1990. 132 pp.

$12.95. (cloth). Anabaptism Revisited. Essays on Anabaptist/Mennonite Studies in Honor of C. J. Dyck. Edited by Walter Klaassen.

Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1992. 210 pp. $14.95. (paper). Brechbill, Laban T. History of the Old Order River Brethren. Edited by Myron S. Dietz. n.p.: Brechbill & Strickler,

1972. 239 pp. $10.00. (cloth). Engle, Morris M. History of the Engle Family in America, 1754-1927. Mount Joy, Pa.: H. H. Engle, n.d .. 161 pp. $9.00.

(paper). Ensminger, Robert F. The Pennsyslvania Barn: Its Origin, Evolution, and Distribution in North America. Baltimore,

Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992. 272 pp. $39.95. (cloth). Faust, Albert Bernhardt. Brumbaugh, Gaius Marcus. Lists of Swiss Emigrants in the Eighteenth Century to the Amer­

ican Colonies. Reprinted with Leo Schelbert's "Notes on Swiss Emigrants." Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1991. 388 pp. $30.00. (cloth).

Gibble, Phares Brubaker. History and Genealogy of the Brubaker-Brubacher-Brewbaker Family in America (Volume I). Lititz, Pa.: Eastern Pennsylvania Brubaker Association, 1951, 1979. 93 pp. $12.50. (paper).

Gibble, Phares Brubaker. Index to History and Genealogy of the Brubaker-Brubacher-Brewbaker Family of America (Vol­ume 1). Lititz, Pa.: Eastern Pennsylvania Brubaker Association, 1951. 22 pp. $7.50. (paper).

Kauffman, Henry J. Pennsylvania Dutch American Folk Art. Revised and Enlarged Edition. Elverson, Pa.: Old Springfield Shoppe, 1993. 146 pp. $9.95. (paper).

Kauffman, Henry J. Architecture of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, 1700-1900. Lancaster, Pa.: Henry J. Kauffman, 1992. 153 pp. $15.95. (paper).

Klein, PhilipS. Historical Problems with the Pennsylvania Germans. Lancaster, Pa.: Schaff Library, 1969. 35 pp. $2.00. (paper).

Lasansky, Jeannette. A Good Start: The Aussteier or Dowry. An Oral Traditions Project. Lewisburg, Pa.: Union County Historical Society, 1990.88 pp. $22.00. (paper).

The Legacy of Michael Sattler. Translated and edited by John H. Yoder. Classics of the Radical Reformation no. 1. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1973. 191 pp. $14.95. (cloth).

Schlabach, Theron F. Peace, Faith, Nation: Mennonites and Amish in Nineteenth-Century America. Mennonite Experi­ence in America, Vol. 2. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1988.415 pp. $19.95. (paper).

Smith, C. Henry. Smith's Story of the Mennonites. 5th ed. Revised and enlarged by Cornelius Krahn. Newton, Kans.: Faith and Life Press, 1981. 589 pp. $17.95. (paper).

The Sources of Swiss Anabaptism: The Grebe[ Letters and Related Documents. Edited by Leland Harder. Classics of the Radical Reformation no. 4. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1985. 815 pp. $69.00. (cloth).

Strangstad, Lynette. A Graveyard Preservation Primer. Nashville, Tenn.: American Association for State & Local History, 1988. 126 pp. $15.95. (paper).

Thode, Ernest. German-English Genealogical Dictionary. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1992. 286 pp. $29.95. (paper).

Van Braght, Thieleman J. The Bloody Theater or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only upon Confession of Faith, and Who Suffered .. .to the Year A.D. 1660. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1987. 1147 pp. $39.95. (cloth).

Wellauer, Maralyn A. Tracing Your Swiss Roots. Milwaukee, Wise.: Author, 1979. 115 pp. $12.00. (paper). The Writings of Dirk Philips, 1504-1568. Trans. and ed. by Cornelius J. Dyck, William E. Keeney, Alvin J. Beachy.

Classics of the Radical Reformation. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1992. 701 pp. $44.95. (cloth). Zuercher, Isaac. Anabaptist-Mennonite Names in Switzerland. Translated by Hannes Maria Aleman. Goshen, Ind.:

Mennonite Quarterly Review, 1988. 35 pp. $6.50. (paper).

Orders filled on a first-come, first-served basis while supply lasts. Add $2.50 for the first volume and $.75 for each additional volume for postage and handling. Pennsylvania residents add 6% tax. Address requests to Lancaster Mennonte Historical Society, 2215 Millstream Road, Lancaster, PA 17602.