Our German Fathers

The Palatinate is the area in southern Germany that borders the Rhine River. The Thirty Years War (1618-1648), fought between Catholics and Protestants across Europe, resulted in the deaths of 20% of the German population.

King Louis XIV’s brother married a Palatine princess, and Louis claimed the area in the name of France. He then invaded the Palatinate in 1688. Before withdrawing in 1689, they destroyed Heidelberg, 20 substantial towns and numerous villages. This devastation, applied across the Palatinate, shocked much of Europe.

In a statement published in 1709, the Palatines told of their plight.

"We the poor distressed Palatines, whose utter Ruin was occasioned by the merciless Cruelty of a Blood Enemy, the French, whose prevailing Power some years past, like a Torrent rushed into our Country, and overwhelmed us at once; and being not content with Money and Food necessary for their Occasions, not only dispossest us of all Support but inhumanely burnt our House to the ground, where being deprived of all Shelter, we were turned into open Fields, and there drove with our Families, to seek what Shelter we could find, being obliged to make the cold Earth our Lodgings, and the Clouds our Covering."

A mass exodus was the only way to escape the oppression. They took small boats down the Rhine River to Rotterdam, which took 3-6 weeks. After which they had to make arrangements for an ocean voyage. If a person died on board the ship, the spouse was responsible to pay their fee. If both died, the children were obligated to pay.

The ships were under-supplied, overcrowded and unclean. In addition to starvation and disease, they faced robbery, deception or worse from the crew. Many did not survive the voyage.

When a ship reached America, those who could pay were allowed to leave. Those who could not pay were sold as indentured servants. The sick were auctioned off.

Once emigrants established themselves in the colonies, they started helping out other emigrants. Many were able to pay for the passage of relatives and literally buy them out of slavery.

I wrote about our grandfather, Andreas Shade, but he was only one of our German grandfathers. Florence Reber/Kane/ Ralph had 16 great, great grandparents. Eight of them, her mother’s family, unfortunately, I have not been able to identify. (Yet-fingers crossed) We know that Florence’s mother was born in Switzerland, their trail likely leads there.

On her father’s side, there are 4 great, great grandfathers, and 4 great, great grandmothers. Most of them were first- & second-generation German – American Immigrants.

Andreas shadt, we remember, Immigrated on the ship “Anderson” in 1750. He married Maria Kraft. Maria was born in PA.

Maria’s father, Andreas Kraft, was born in Waldangelloch Germany, and arrived on the ship “James Goodwill” in 1728. It took him 89 days to sail across the Atlantic from Rotterdam.

Her mother Maria Kitzmuller arrived as a child, with her father, Johannes Kitzmuller.

Johannes Kitzmuller was born in Immeldof, arrived on the ship “Mortenhouse”, in 1728. He

lived and died in Jackson PA. His wife, Kristina Krah, died in Germany before the immigration.

John Conrad Reber was born in Langenselbold. His wife, Anna M Konradt, was from the same town. They immigrated, with their 6 kids, on the ship “Ann Galley“ in, 1746. They all settled and lived in Tulpehocken township.

Christoff Schubert was born in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. Which is along the border of Germany. He and his wife, Barbara Hollin, along with their kids, immigrated on the ship “Andrew “in 1734. They are buried at the Hood cemetery in Germantown Philadelphia

Philip Ludwig Fluck, emigrated in 1744 with his parents and siblings from Germany to America on the ship "Phoenix". He is buried at the Trinity Union Church Cemetery, Springfield PA. His wife, Anna Barbara Ruhl, was born in PA. She was the daughter of Peter Ruhl.

Peter Ruhl arrived on the ship “Samuel” in 1739. His wife, Anna Stumpf, had arrived with her parents 10 years before him.

Sebastian Grim, was born in Baden, he came to America in 1751 on the ship “Anderson”. This was the same ship that Andreas Shade had sailed on a year earlier. We do not know from where his wife, Maria Salome, came.

Georg Haag was born in Reutinglingen and immigrated to America, but I have not found his ship yet. Georg settled in Tulpehocken. His daughter, Anna Barbara Haag was born in PA, and married George Adam Geiss.

George Adam Geiss was born in Gommersheim. He immigrated on the ship “Peggy” in 1753. He & Anna Barbara, had 4 kids and settled in Bernville PA.

A letter from a Geiss descendant, written to our George Adam, says the family was of noble origin and had fled from France to Germany to escape religious persecution. They were Huguenots. Another descendant of George Adam Geiss, states that the family is descended from Count Guise of France who fled to Germany and changed the name to Geiss. He further states that his grandfather, Levi made a trip to Germany to claim a fortune left by the Count. He did not get the fortune but did get valuable information which corresponds to the above data.

That makes 14 of our German immigrant grandfathers that settled in the Pennsylvania Dutch area. They all came in the same way, to the same place, took the same oath of allegiance, at the same Philadelphia courthouse, and lived similar farming lives. Many of them were here for the revolution. Many of their grandsons fought in the civil war. I like to imagine that maybe one of them happened to be in nearby Philadelphia when the declaration of independence was read for the first time on the steps of Independence Hall.

I can only imagine what Florence felt when she took her son and left the place her family lived for 200 years. Was it easier for her to leave Pennsylvania, than it was for her great grandfathers to leave Germany? We can all be proud of the strength that so many of our grandfathers must have possessed to endure such trials.

Our Penna Dutch heritage is deeply rooted in colonial America.

Now go have a pretzel.