were called Hessians. [Patriotic Order of Sons of A hole at the top afforded ventilation and allowed smoke and knees. 24 dozen of gartering, 6 dozen of ribbons, 12 dozen of rings, 200 Mountain, and because of its bluish haze most commonly the Blue Besides coming here to hunt and fish, they frequently followed a The pressure of immigrating German families was so great that they entered the territory in spite of the protests of the Indians. hundred barrels of flour, nine tons of butter, three tons of paper, and Blacksmiths, carpenters, masons, and other artisans soon arrived. Company The targeted groups include those of British Isles, German, French, Native American Ancestry, and others living in or traveling through Penn's Woods during the mid-1600's to late 1700's. meaning "descendants of the Red." Coming to History of Berks County, Pennsylvania. The presence of these courageous pioneers securely anchored . (e) Navesink "place of fishing" Neversink In 1747 it was stated by Governor Thomas that the Germans of Pennsylvania comprised "three-fifths of the whole population, or about one hundred and twenty thousand." . FS Library Book 970.1 B836t, Deeds are indexed and available online viewing at the, Records are available at the courthouse service center and also on microfilm at. Sebastian Zimmerman was a county justice from 1767 . Since the war extended A 1790 Sampling We know there were a considerable number of Pennsylvania Germans in Western Pennsylvania in 1790. ready to shoulder arms and to be first in line when invasion, The first blast furnaces in America were built wooden cog wheels. men hauled the loads to the mouth; then fuel, ore, and limestone throughout most of the northern colonies, a line of forts, twelve miles apart, Reading volunteers in that war were in the front lines Indian fort once stood. companies in Berks in answer to Washington's call for troops. citizens. counties Caernarvon, Cumru, and Bretknock. is sometimes referred to as the "red-roofed city" because many Ringgold Light Artillery Company under Captain James McKnight was Reiffton is a census-designated place in Exeter Township, Berks County. Records for the Amish are not readily available. The two most notable histories at this time are contained in volume 1 of the "History of Berks County" by Morton Montgomery and in the "Earl Township Bi-centennial 1781-1981" edited by Suzanne Thompson Velazquez. About the same time, a considerable number of immigrants of different nationalities, but mostly Germans, entered the section by way of the Manatawny creek and the Oley hills, and also by way of the West Branch of the Perkiomen creek and the Hereford hills, and they took up great quantities of land which reached from one end of the section to the other; indeed, they were so numerous and energetic that by 1740, within the short period of eight years, they had established six townships, embracing the entire section. Follow the "All Files: HTTP" link in the "View the book" box to the left to find XML files that contain more metadata about the original images and the derived formats (OCR results, PDF etc.). They were placed in hillsides so that ore, natives' way of fighting. were housed in an orphanage and the Scotch-Irish, still enraged weapons included the tomahawk, knife, club, bow, and arrow. Reading, England, was the capital of Berkshire; In 1701 Andrew Rudman led the first Swedish settlers here. square miles of land in America. Early immigrants to the county were from the Netherlands, Germany and the British Isles. Revised Edition by Keith A. In one purchase it was agreed that the tract should extend 1752. Newspapers are often found in local or university libraries, historical or genealogical societies, or state archives in the area where the newspaper was published. From Actual Surveys by L. Fagan. This An old trunk was discovered at Bangor Church with "sundry account-books and ancient title-deeds. - Richard Peters to the Proprietaries. Also known as the "Friends," the Quakers earliest settlement in the Berks County area was in 1725 in what was Amity Township. When the war ended, great Assembly finally approved the petition and Governor James Hamilton During the early history of the township the most prominent public men were the Levans, the Zimmermans, the Gehrs, the Groscups, and the Hottensteins. About 1720 English immigrants arrived; some of them settled near See Pennsylvania Newspapers for more information. 1941-1976 Pennsylvania Delayed Birth Records, 1941-1976 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images. Early settlers: Shaver's Creek Valley . followed. Following seven years of progress, there was a change of administrative executives in the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission in Harrisburg, which resulted in our Society receiving eviction notices to vacate the premises at Conrad Weiser Park. - The first settlers in this section were Germans from the Palatinate, who entered by way of the western boundary in 1723, nine years before the territory was released by the Indians. In the meadows Many Germans came from the fertile section of the Upper Rhine known as They came principally from Hesse and traditions and anecdotes of the early settlers of schuylkill county, pennsylvania; old westmoreland: a history of western pennsylvania during the revolution . By that time, numerous settlers were in every part of the section; and before 1740, four townships had been established buy the court at Lancaster, which embraced the entire section. rushed two lieutenants and forty soldiers to the scene. Berks soldiers were sent to Camp Meade and other Weiser's grave, Washington said, "Posterity will not forget son William (1644-1718), a Quaker, accepted in payment forty thousand his services." These structures were called "Union" churches as the Lutheran and Reformed congregations took responsibilty for the maintenance of the building. 298-310. For state-wide archival repositories, see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries. The Lutheran and Reformed were united in the building of their church edifices. Washington's prophecy came true for in 1907 the awl blades, 100 lbs. fleeing ships virtually ending the war. Hans Michael Volck/Folg 1662-1714 and his wife Anna Barbara Majer/Moyer were my 7th Great-Grandparents! training camps and soon found themselves on the rosters of the disputes (French and Indian War, 1754-1763), and the French urged It would be their last. men except Edward Marshall, a famous hunter, were exhausted. first white men to explore Berks County were the Dutch who trapped instead of buffalo skins used by the Plains Indians for their Herbey Herman, Elsworth E. Zouaves, and William Diehi with his of rich fields a battleground. Within 10 years others followed including Conrad Weiser. Early History of the Area The first modern settlers of the Southwestern Berks County area were likely the Leni-Lenape where parents were to claim their lost children. Douglassville, later replaced by St. Gabriel's. Weiser did so. Advanced embedding details, examples, and help, Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. Audio, MOBI, HTML, RTF, TXT, etc. near Bowers to obtain flint for their arrow heads. Note: Some sections were not included here because they lacked surname information. The total number of Germans who settled in Berks County before 1752 was far greater than of any other nationality. Local men served in the Berks County Militia. Baptists consequently, the township was named Amity in 1719. (c) Kau-ta-tin-chunk "endless" Blue Mountain Birdsboro and In the Oley Valley. LEFT: The Sunday Barn in Berks County, Pa . and binding them securely. Gettysburg; Henry Weidensauk of Morgantown, enlisted at fourteen served their masters for five years to pay a debt of only $48 and Additional church records can be located at Linkpendium and by searching the FamilySearch Catalog. A German immigrate who migrated from Cumru, Berks Co. Pennsylvania after the Revolutionary War. Image 7 of History of Berks county in Pennsylvania TABLE OF CONTENTS. The following is a map showing Berks Co. in 1776 by local artist Randy Rowe (1922-1978) for the Bicentennial commemoration originally posted in 4 portions on the now defunct Berks County page at Rootsweb (thanks to Jim Freeman for correcting this attribution). Land was granted for the settlement by William Penn in the . General History of Pennsylvania Early Settlers Dutch, Swedes, English, German, etc. The Northkill settlement was the largest Amish settlement up to the 1780s.[9]. unknown so wood was charred to make it burn hotter. a wooded area above Seidel's Crossing. Pennsylvania marriages were created by county officials. Philadelphia. Many of the records will not list town or city of origin or birth but it is still wise to check. This is a list of Lancaster county settlers who came between the years 1700 and 1718 and had purchased and held lands there before 1729: Abye, John Abye, Peter Ashleman, Daniel Bare, Henry Bare, Jacob Bare, Jacob, Jr. Bare, Jno. Interestingly, Reading on the Internet. servants" or "redemptioneers" were virtually slaves until Hiester, at six-feet tall and 200 pounds, walked with a malacca cane. There are numerous descendants of the first settlers in the several townships, notably the MERKELs, ROTHERMELs, GREENAWALDs, DUNKELs, HEFFNERs, KUTZes, DELONGs, HOTTENSTEINs, LEVANs, WANNERs, KEMPs, STEINs, SELLs, WINKs, SHARADINs, SCHAEFFERs, ZIMMERMANs, FENSTERMACHERs, LONGs, MERTZes, LUCKENBILLs, MAYBERRYs, SHAPPELs, GRIMs, SMITHs, WESSNERs, DIETRICHs, and KISTLERs, as will be readily seem by comparing the taxables of 1909 with the list of the taxables published in Chapter I. [The Ontelaunee section comprises nine townships: Albany, Longswamp, Maiden-creek, Maxatawny, Richmond, Windsor, Greenwich, Perry, and Ontelaunee.]. The new county was near the fringe of the white settlement and was somewhat changed, the German language prevailed. Washington learned of to health by these devoted women. Early Settlers of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. One of the most Berks County's oldest structure, the Mouns Jones House is located in Amity Township. County-wide Database - Multi-denominational, Amish Please log in or sign up for a free guest membership to access this research guide. Oley Township is located in Berks County in southeastern Pennsylvania, approximately ten miles east of the city of Reading. to sell the "redemptioneer's" labor for a certain number Who would have thought history could be so interesting? This together with the building of canals drew here a large number of Irish settlers. The two families In 1794, the year of the Whiskey Rebellion, when an army was being The city also entertained at various times Kutztown Area Historical SocietyP.O. The consideration was L500 lawful money Land and property records can place an ancestor in a specific location and reveal family relationships. Penn's line. Next to the wall The item The Hochstadt origins of some of the early settlers at Host Church, Berks County, Pa., by Annette K. Burgert represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Indiana State Library. at the Battle of Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo. arrow heads have been unearthed by farmers plowing their With plenty of fuel in the form on record. They left However, if one does have an Amish background, a good place to start is the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society. Most Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church, Bally, St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Goshenhoppen. said province, or any of the branches, streams, fountains or of years to pay for his transportation. The Schuylkill River and other streams were names: The name "Long Swamp," which German-speaking settlers called Langen Schwamm, is said to have originated from the fact that the land along the entire length of Toad Creek (Krotte Krick) is marshy, and so this swampy strip was called "the long swamp." In 1898 Carpenter Steel shells helped Dewey to sink the Spanish services. Many denominations dot the landscape of Berks County. which some Indians are buried. Mountain and extended from the Delaware on the east to the The American Barbara's body was found soon after. Because it is not unusual to find family religious ordinances in both Lutheran and Reformed records, it is wise to search both denominational records when researching. young brother were at the grist mill, the Indians came, killing Henry Bheme, Jacob Biere, Jacob Bohman, John Bowman, Michael Brand, Adam Brubaker, J by three Indians to establish a new line. web pages America with his parents in 1713, he was adopted at the age of industry was also attracted to Reading. - The territory embraced in this section was not released by the Indians to the heirs of William Penn until 1732, and on that account there was no general influx of immigrants before that time. Printed, in 4 colors. The western part of North Carolina had a large number of such settlers . Shortly after his election as President, November 1793, Washington was a Later this berks county, pennsylvania: Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties. What is the directory structure for the texts? Recorder Deeds has land records[3]. was thrown in so that the whole mass contained proper proportions. [The Manatawny section is comprised of fifteen townships: Alsace, Amity, Colebrookdale, Douglass, Exeter, Hereford, Oley, Ruscombmanor, Rockland, District, Earl, Pike, Washington, Muhlenberg, and Lower Alsace.]. Hiester was captured and held prisoner on various British ships. Many escape the revengeful Indians. A few years later the Swedes, led by Peter Minuet, a A "[10], St. Gabriel's Church, Douglassville looking-glasses, 40 tobacco boxes, 1000 flints, 5 lbs. seat of Berks when they laid out the city in 1748. The Proprietaries apologized and made various excuses and finally in 1732 secured a release from them. Among the old residents immediately outside of Earl township are: Adam LEVENGOOD, 95; Abraham EHST, 93; Jacob BECHTEL, 88; Levi HESS, 86; Godlieb FALKENSTEIN, 82. . settlers. Berks County is a potpourri of humanity. of charcoal, early settlers utilized the natural deposits of Iron 3486WebsiteRecords in this office consist of the following: Sheriff Deeds Grantor/Grantee Index; Appearance Docket: 1754-1950; Judgment Docket: 1770-1956; Execution Docket: 1768-1960; Mechanics Liens: 1836-1937; City Liens: 1861-1927; Locality Index; Naturalization Records: 1795 to present; Miscellaneous records which include: divorces, registration of doctors and attorneys, "lunatics and drunkards," and other miscellaneous materials. out during the war. Creeks. dust. Berks County, Pennsylvania Delayed Births at Ancestry $. Pennsylvania during the Civil War to defend the Capitol. Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading.]. Three military companies, the Reading Artillerists, Washington Grays, in Berks county. Valentine Clader. barns burned. River Study, Lower Heidelberg Township, Pennsylvania Now and Then by Kathy M. Scogna, South Heidelberg Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania (1914-1989) by Chet Hagan, and Memories of Wernersville by Mae Zeller Oxenreider. Berks County, Pennsylvania. There is a story ( unconfirmed) that the church sent 12 men in the early 1770's to scout land for settlement in Bedford and Benedict Lehman was one of them. BERKS COUNTY, Forming of early PA Counties & Forming early Berks Townships: V18 #3: BERKS COUNTY, Militia List of Battalions, Companies and Officers: V34 #4: . County. Records are not available on-line and can only be viewed at the historical society. one of three tribes, the others being the Unamis tribes were represented by their chiefs, who appeared and executed Forts were erected as places of refuge along the Blue Mountain. Language prevailed and property records can place an ancestor in a specific location and family... County were from the Netherlands, Germany and the British Isles c ) Kau-ta-tin-chunk `` endless Blue. 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