 1708 - 1810
-
| Born |
Sep 1708 |
Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
12 May 1810 |
Milford Twp., Bucks Co., PA |
| Notes |
- Jacob Beidler, born in Germany about 1708, or 1709,
emigrated to America in the early part of the eighteenth
century. He is said to have been a "Redemptioner", that
is, like many other German emigrants of Colonial times, he
had not the money to pay his passage to America, and on
his arrival in Philadelphia he was sold by the master of
the vessel for a term of years, to a party who advanced
the money for his passage over. It is quite evident that he
served his time with some one in Chester county, Pa., as he
at first lived in that county. He afterwards settled with
his family in "Lower" Milford township, Bucks county, Pa.,
in what was then known as the "Great Swamp", and which
was settled almost two centuries ago by English and Welsh
Friends or Quakers, and by Germans of the Mennonite
faith, who here sought and found refuge from the assaults
of religious oppression in the fatherland, and here they
and their descendants have lived side by side in peace and
"brotherly love", generation after generation, for nearly
two hundred years to the present time.
The "Great Swamp" included in its territory several
townships, and extended into the adjoining counties of
Montgomery and Lehigh, with Quakertown as the central
point. In the early settlement of this then wilderness dis-
trict, much of the land was decidedly swampy and con-
tinued so until the timber was cut down and the land
drained.
Tradition says the early settlers found the place
covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, and mostly
heavily timbered, while the forests were interspersed with
small prairies, and a rich soil. Here, not having the
facilities for building houses, they erected their rude dwell-
ings of bark, and later built more substantial dwellings.
The thrift and industry of the early settlers soon
changed the aspect of the great swampy wilderness; land
was cleared up and drained, the rude huts disappeared, and
in their places were erected more substantial dwellings,
with ample barns for crops and cattle, and everywhere
abundance prevailed.
Wolves, bears, deer, panthers, and venomous snakes
were numerous for years. Rattlesnakes were especially
troublesome to the mowers, who were compelled to wrap
their legs with hay or other material to ward off their bites.
There were also Indians located in different places,
but they were kindly disposed towards these peaceable
followers of William .fenn and Menno Simon, and all
through the years of bloody and devastating wars with the
infuriated and often treacherous red men, there was no
clash between them and these peaceable, non-resistant
settlers. The wigwams of the Indians were generally
along the banks of the creeks, and more particularly along
Swamp Creek, a branch of the Perkiomen and Tohickon,
not far distant from the Beidler homestead, and con-
sequently they were close neighbors. Here on Swamp
Creek there remained as late as 1770 a remnant of a once
powerful tribe.
These early settlers, followers of William Penn and Menno Simon, were people who had left their homes and
kindred in the fatherland on account of their religious con-
victions, and settled here where they might enjoy liberty
of conscience. They were a quiet, unassuming, plain, in-
dustrious and upright Christian people. A people of peace,
conscientious sons of toil, mostly following the pursuits of
agriculture, or were millers, weavers and carpenters, avoid-
ing worldly honors and political ambitions. Later generations, however, have entered more largely into other
occupations and the higher professions, until now they
occupy every walk in life, from that of the country school-
master to that of the medical practitioner, public officials,
counselors of the law, state legislators, judges of the
courts, and college presidents. Then, too, among the
descendants of these non-resistant pioneer settlers were
even those who entered armed legions of war, commanded
in battle and fell in defence of country, home and humanity.
Jacob Beidler married Anna Meyer, daughter of Hans
Meyer, a pioneer, who had emigrated from Europe, either
Germany or Switzerland, in the early part of the eighteenth
century, or about 1725, and settled in Upper Salford town-
ship, Montgomery county, Pa., about two miles east of
Salfordville, where he purchased a tract of land containing
216 acres, besides the usual allowance of 6 per cent
for roads.
The deed of Isaac Pennington and wife and Casper
Wister, to Hans Meyer, bears date July 23, 1729. The
original homestead of Hans Meyer is now owned and oc-
cupied by Jacob L. Moyer, a great-great-grandson. Nothing
is known of the life and characteristics of Hans Meyer.
He was a Mennonite and worshiped at the Franconia meet-
ing-house, where his remains were buried, but he has no
tombstone. The family of Hans Meyer consisted of the
following children, viz.: Barbara, Henry, John, Jacob,
Elizabeth, Hester and Anna.
|
| Person ID |
I30626 |
Moon Anderson Family History & Genealogy |
| Last Modified |
26 Jul 2017 |
| Family |
Anna Meyer, b. 1715, Langenzell, Germany , d. Abt 1800, Milford Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania |
| Married |
Abt 1736 |
Pennsylvania |
| Children |
|
| Last Modified |
14 Oct 2017 |
| Family ID |
F10445 |
Group Sheet |
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