Abraham Isaacs op den Graeff

Abraham Isaacs op den Graeff

One of the thirteen original families who settled Germantown. Lived across Germantown Pike from Thomas Kunders. There is a marker on the original site of the Kunders house. (near 5125 Germantown Avenue.. see map in MEDIA.)

Abraham Isaacs Op Den Graef, born Abt. 1658 in Krefeld, Germany; died March 25, 1731 in Perkiomen, Montgomery, Pennsylvania. He was the son of . Isaac Op Den Graef and 5549. Greietjen Pieters. He married. Trintgen Jansen July 23, 1679 in Reformed Church of Krefeld,

Birth also found as 1651, and death as Mar. 25, 1731.

Linen weaver. Immigrated with mother and siblings on the 'Concord' Jul. 24, 1683, William Jeffries, Master, arriving in Philadelphia on Oct. 6, 1683.
Concord

Rotterdam, Germany (6 July) via London, England (24 July) to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6 October 1683

Captain William Jeffries
A 500 ton ship measuring 130 x 32 feet.
Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online

  PASSENGERS                             VARIANT SPELLINGS

1 Abraham Opden Graeff Abraham op den Graeff > see Barbara Wentz' map for land held by the Perkiomen

  2   Herman Opden Graeff                Herman op den Graeff

  3   Dirck Opden Graeff                 Dirck/Derick op den Graeff

  4   Lenart Arets                       Leonard Arets > see Barbara Wentz' map for land held by the Perkiomen

  5   Jan. Seimens                       Johan Simons

  6   William Streyper                   Johan Strepers

  7   Jan. Lensen                        Johann Lenssen

  8   Thomas Kunders                     Thonas or Thones Kunders

  9   Reynier Tyson                      Reiner Theisen-Doors

 10   Jan Lucken                         Johann Lucken

 11   Johannes Bleikers                  Johannes Bleickers

 12   Peter Kewrlis                      Peter Kürlis

 13   Abraham Tunes                      Abraham Tunes

Additional passenger

 14   Gerhard Brumbach

Transcriber's Notes:

• The use of an * indicates an omission or error made by the original recorder, or is used

 by this transcriber to call your attention to additional information in these Notes.  

? The use of a ? indicates a word or letters that could not be read due to the quality of

 the original document or handwriting of the recorder.  

Other sources of information about these emigrants may be found at:

Global Anabaptist and Mennonite Encyclopedia Online

The Concord, a Tale of Two Stamps

Herman op den Greaff, Wikipedia article

Conrad Kunders Family History

Pennsylvania German Roots Across the Ocean, Marion F. Egge, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania,
1305 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5405; 2000.

Information was copied from a family Bible. It lists the heads of thirteen German families that sailed
from London on the ship Concord, arriving in Philadelphia on 6 October 1683. The agent for the passage
was Francis Daniel Pastorius, to whom William Penn had granted land that became the Germantown Township
of Bucks County, Pennsylvania (now known as the Germantown section of Philadelphia).
Generously provided by Tom Eisenhardt

Naturalized at Philadelphia in 1692. He was the subject of the poem "The Pennsylvania Pilgrim," by John Greenleaf Whittier, with stanzas 67 and 68 from the 1872 edition reading:

Or, talking of old home scenes, Op Den Graaf

Teased the low back-log with his shodden staff,

Till the red embers broke into a laugh

And dance of flame, as if they fain would cheer

The rugged face, half tender, half austere,

Touched with the pathos of a homesick tear!

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Chester County Ships Listing for The Concord

Date of Arrival: 10/1683 Master: William Jefferies

Passengers listed:

Lenert Aratts (Arents)

Elizabeth Bennett, servant to James Claypoole

Johannes Bleikers

James Claypoole and wife Helena and seven children

Edward Cole, Jr, servant to Claypool

William Hard

Peter Keurlis

Thones Kunder

Hugh Lamb

Jan Lensen

Jan Luykens

Hugh Masland and wife, servant to Claypoole

Abraham Op Den Graeff

Derick Op Den Graeff

Hermann Op Den Graeff

Jan Siemes

Willem Streypers

Leonard Teison (Tyson)

Reyner Teissen

Abraham Tunes

Cicely Wooley, servant to Claypoole

---------------------------------

He and brothers obtained 2000 acred from Jacob Telner before leaving Germany, 828 acres of which was in the present Germantown, PA. They established the weaving industry at Germantown. Served as town burgess in 1692, and was member of colonial assemply in 1689, 1690 and 1692. Abraham and brother Herman followed George Keith in the 1692 schism, but brother Derick opposed him. Deeded 50 acres on Jan. 4, 1690 to Jacob Shumacher, who in turn deeded it to the Germantown Friends for their first meeting house in 1693. Had a number of conflicts with civil authorities between 1695 and 1704. Sold house and 828 acres about May 1704 and moved to Perkiomen in the current Montgomery Co., PA. Deeds of Mar. 20 and 27, 1731 show the distribution of his land among his four of his children :Isaac Updegraff, Jacob Up de Graeff, Thomas Howe and Margaret, and Herman In de Hofen and Anne. The reason for the omission of Richard Addams and Gertien is unknown, but many valid explanations can be conjectured. Some also add a daughter Elizabeth, but evidence has not been seen concerning her.

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One of 4 signers of the Slavery Protest of 1688.. One of eleven receiving a charter for Germantown from William Penn in 1689, and one of 6 named as the original committeemen.

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Abraham OpDenGraeff stood by George Keith in the schism of the Pennsylvania Society of Friends over a doctrinal controversy concerning the "Light within" and the "Light without." In doing so, Abraham parted from his brother and returned to the Mennonite fellowship, and George Keith was disowned by the Quakers he had served for thirty years and united with the Episcopal church.

George Keith (1638-1716), by Ethyn Williams Kirby, Ph.D. (1942, New York), page 80

Chapter VI - The Christian Quakers (1692-1693)

Upon their return to Philadelphis from the Yearly Meeting, Keith and his party considered the situation. Their tactics so far had resulted in a stalemate. Keith had no desire to found to a new sect: he merely wished to purify that which he had served so devotedly for the past thirty years, but now he found himself--with a goodly number of followers, it is true--out of unity with the majority of American Quakers. Consiliation and compromise--was it too late for these? The Monthy Meeting of the dominant faction thought it wad, as it grimly rejected his advances:

"There being a paper sent to this meeing from a pretended Monthly Meeting held at the house of Philip James, sign'd by George Keith, Thomas Budd, Thomas Godfrey, Abraham Opdegrave, Nicholas Pearce, and Thomas Ritter--which they call a proposal, and Friends having considered thereof do return them answer that our Meeting is fixed at the usual hour as formerly, and that we cannot own them as a Monthly Meeting of the people call Quakers, nor compound with them in any such matter." (1)

(1) "Philadelphia Monthly Meeting Minutes," Pub. of Gen. Soc. of Penn., IV, 165.

Notes for Abraham Isaacs & Catharina 'Trintgen' (Family)

Marriage also found as Aug. 1679.

More:

http://www.nolette.net/bio/abraham_isaaks_op_den_graeff.htm

Abraham op den Graeff was a famous member of the Op den Graeff family. He was born in c. 1649 in Krefeld, Germany as son of Isaac Herman op den Graeff and grandson of Herman op den Graeff. He took up the profession of linen merchant, and was a member of the Mennonite church. In the summer of 1683, he left Rotterdam, immigrating to the Pennsylvania Province along with his mother and siblings aboard the ship "Concord"

Abraham op den Graeff and his family were one of the original 13 which settled Germantown, comprising 33 in total. There he helped established the linen industry, winning the first Governor's prize from William Penn, a cousin of Abraham, in 1686 for the finest piece of linen woven in the Province. In 1688, Abraham along with three others signed the first organized religious petition against slavery in the colonies, the 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery. In 1689, he was one of the original charter grantees for the settlement, and that year was elected to the Provincial Assembly, representing the settlement until 1692. He would also serve as a burgess of Germantown

The first voice, raised on this continent, for individual [p.5] freedom, irrespective of color, was that of the German settlers in Germantown, in the following protest against slavery, sent to the Quakers, which is given "verbatim et literatim." The handwriting of the original appears to be that of Pastorius.

"This is to ye Monthly Meeting held at Rigert Worrells. These are the reasons why we are against the traffick of mens-body as followeth: Is there any that would be done or handled at this manner? viz. to be sold or made slave for all the time of his life? How fearful & fainthearted are many on sea when they see a strange vassel being afraid it should be a Turck, and they should be tacken and sold for Slaves in Turckey. Now what is this better done as Turcks doe? Yea rather is it worse for them wch say they are Christians for we hear, that ye most part of such Negers are brought heither against their will & consent, and that many of them are stollen. Now tho' they are black, we cannot conceive there is liberty to have them slaves, as it is to have other white ones. There is a saying, that we shall doe to all men[p.6] licke as we will be done our selves : macking no difference of what generation, descent, or Colour they are. And those who steal or robb men, and those who buy or purchase them, are they not all alicke? Here is liberty of Conscience, wch is right & reasonable, here ought to be lickewise liberty of ye body, except of evildoers, wch is an other case. But to bring men hither, or to robb and sell them against their will, we stand against. In Europe there are many oppressed for Conscience sacke; and here there are those oppressed wch are of a black Colour. Ans we, who know that men must not commit adultery, some do commit adultery in others, separating wifes from their housbands, and giving them to others and some sell the children of these poor Creatures to other men. Oh, doe consider well this things, you who doe it, if you would be done at this manner? and if it is done according Christianity? You surpass Holland and German in this thing. This mackes an ill report in all those countries of Europe, where they hear off, that ye Quackers doe here handle men, Licke they handel there ye Cattle; and for that reason some have no mind or inclination to come hither. And who shall maintaine this your cause or plaid for it! Truely we can not do so except you shal inform us better hereoff, viz. that christians have liberty to practise this things. Pray! What thing in the world can be done worse towarts us then if men should roob or steal us away & sell us for slaves to strange Countries, separating housband from their wife & children. Being now this is not done at that manner we will be done at , therefore we contradict & are against this traffick of men body. And we who profess that it is not lawfull to steal, must lickewise avoid to pruchase such things as are stolen, but rather help to stop this robbing and stealing if possible [pg.7] and such men ought to be delivred out of ye hands of ye Robbers and set free as well as in Eurpoe. Then is Pensilvania to have a good report, in stead it hath now a bad one for this sacke in other Countries. Especially whereas ye Europeans are desirous to know in what manner ye Quackers doe rule in their Province & most of them doe loock upon us with an envious eye. But if this is done well, what shall we say, is don evil?

"If once these slaves (wch they say are so wicked and stubborn men) should joint themselves, fight for their freedom and handel their masters & mastrisses, as they did handel them before; will these masters & mastrisses tacke the sword at hand & warr against these poor slaves, licke we are able to believe, some will not refuse to doe? Or have these negers not as much right to fight for their freedom, as you have to keep them slaves?

"Now consider well this thing, if it is good or bad? and in case you find it to be good to handel these blacks at that manner, we desire & require you hereby lovingly that you may informe us herein, which at this time never was done, viz. that Christians have Liberty to do so, to the end we shall be satisfied in this point, & satisfied lickewise our good friends & acquaintances in our natif Country, to whose it is a terrour or fairfull thing that men should be handeld so in Pensilvania.

"This was is from our meeting at Germantown hold ye 18 of the 2 month 1688 to be delivred to the monthly meeting at Richard Warrels"

"Gerret Hendricks

"Derick Op De Graeff

"Francis Daniell Pastorius

"Abraham Op Den Graef."

http://www.ohio.edu/people/smithma/genealogy%20public%20folder/ps12...

Abraham Isacks op den Graeff (c. 1649 – 1731) was an original settler of Germantown, Pennsylvania, as well as a politician, award-winning merchant, and signer of the first organized religious protest against slavery in colonial America. He was a subject of John Greenleaf Whittier's poem "The Pennsylvania Pilgrim".

Abraham op den Graeff was a famous member of the Op den Graeff family. He was born in c. 1649 in Krefeld, Germany as son of Isaac Herman op den Graeff and grandson of Herman op den Graeff. He took up the profession of linen merchant, and was a member of the Mennonite church. In the summer of 1683, he left Rotterdam, immigrating to the Pennsylvania Province along with his mother and siblings aboard the ship "Concord".

Germantown Settlement

Abraham op den Graeff and his family were one of the original 13 which settled Germantown, comprising 33 in total.There he helped established the linen industry, winning the first Governor's prize from William Penn, a cousin of Abraham, in 1686 for the finest piece of linen woven in the Province.In 1688, Abraham along with three others signed the first organized religious petition against slavery in the colonies, the 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery. In 1689, he was one of the original charter grantees for the settlement, and that year was elected to the Provincial Assembly, representing the settlement until 1692.He would also serve as a burgess of Germantown.

The Pennsylvania Pilgrim Abraham was a subject of John Greenleaf Whittier's abolitionist poem "The Pennsylvania Pilgrim", published in 1809.

Hermann Isaac op den Graeff son of Issac op den Graeff was without a doubt a native of Crefeld. He in the company with his brothers Direk and Abraham and sister Margaretha, came to Pennsylvania, in 1683. Before leaving their native land the brothers purchased 2000 acres of land, from Jacob Telner, to be laid out in Pennsylvania. Dirck Shipman made Hermann op den Graeff his agent in Pennsylvania. Jacob Telner and Dirck Shipman, of Crefeld, had each purchased 5,000 acres of land from William Penn, March 10, 1682 to be laid out in Pennsylvania.

Notable descendants

His descendants named Opdegraf(f), Updegraf (f), Updegrave, Updegrove, Updegraph, Uptegrove and Upthegrove. Pennsylvania Governor Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker was the fourth great-grandson of Abraham.

Links

• http://floor8.info/library/docs/_gen/brawley_benjamin_1921_social_h...
• http://www.philadelphia-reflections.com/reflectionsHandheld.php?typ...
• http://oudekerk.nl/en/over/monument/interior/graves
• http://www.wman.net/pastorius-and-the-founding-of-germantown/
• http://www.phillyhistory.org/blog/index.php/2015/06/monumental-comp...
• http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Graeff,_op_den_(Opdegraf,_Updegrav...
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_op_den_Graeff

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Oct 13 2019, 23:07:16 UTC