Bishop Jacob Godshalk

Bishop Jacob Henricks Godtschalk was born in 1666 in Goch, Germany( Goch part of Duchy of Cleves beginning of 1666 end of 1666 Brandenburg ). He married Aeltien Symons Hermans on 20 February 1689 in Goch, Brandenburg -Prussia , Germany. The date has also been given as 20 February 1688. He died in May 1763 in Kulpsville, Towamencin, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, at age 97 years. He was buried in Towamencin Mennonite Meeting-house burial ground, Kulpsville, Towamencin Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Came to America in abt 1702. Full name was Jacob Henrichs Godtschalk Van Der Heggen. He and his son, Godshalk, were naturalized 29 Sep 1709. He settled first in Germantown, but in Feb 1713, he and his son, Godshalk, each acquired 123 acres in Towamencin Twp, in what is now Montgomery Co, PA.

Will written 26 Dec 1760, proved 3 Jun 1763:

To my son Herman the plantation of 122 1/2 acres; he to pay 125 pounds, that is twenty-five pounds to every one of my children, within one year and one day after my decease. Unto all the children of my deceased son Godshalk, twenty-five pounds. Unto all the children of my deceased son John, twenty-five pounds. Unto all the children of my deceased daughter Magdalene, twenty-five pounds. Unto my daughter Anna married to Peter Custard, twenty-five pounds. And the residue of my personal estate shall likewise be equally divided into five shares and every one of my above-named children is to have his share. I appoint my son-in-law Peter Custard sole executor to this my last will and testament.

Jacob (Bishop) Henrichs GODSCHALK was born in 1666 in Goch, Cleves, Holland. He was baptized on Apr 7, 1686 in Mennonite Church, Goch, Cleves, Holland. He died in May 1763 in the ripe old age of 97.. He was buried in May 1763 in Towamencin Mennonite Church Cemetery, Kulpsville, Pa. Jacob Godschalk (Gaetschalcks) was born in a little town in the LowerRhine region, located on a small stream, the Niers. The land earlierbelonged to the "Duchy of Cleves." Some maps showed this area to beHolland, today it is shown as Germany.

John L. Ruth wrote in his "Preface: A Historic Congregation" TOWAMENCINMENNONITE CHURCH, compiled by Glenn F. Markley, 1992: "This man's family(Jacob's) had been part of the Anabaptist fellowship since almost theearliest days of its existence in the 1500s. He had lived in the city ofGoch near the Rhine River, where to this day you can see, in a littlemuseum, the communion cup of Jacob's childhood Mennonite congregation."

Rev. Godschalk also spelled his last name "Gaedtschalcks. He was alsoknown as Jacob van der Heggen. Jacob was a farmer and a wood turner(woodworker) by trade and resided in Kulpsville near Germantown,Pennsylvania in Montgomery County. His stone house was on 50 acres inGermantown on the south east side of Penn Street. In 1714 he purchasedland in Towamensin between Kulpsville and Skippack Creek, next to his sonGodschalk Godschalk, part of which became the present TowamencinMennonite Church and cemetery. His grave is unmarked, however there is amemorial erected in 1962 which reads: "In Memory of Bishop JacobGottshall (1670-1763 Born in Goch, Germany, ordained a bishop in theGermantown Mennonite Church in 1702 and also served the Skippack andTowamencin congregations. He performed the first baptism and conductedthe first communion service in the American church in 1708. The Skippackalms audits were signed by him from 1745-1757. He owned a farm of 120acres which included this church site. Undoubtedly, he is buried here butno maker remains, therefore this marker is erected in memory of thisenergetic leader."

He was baptized a Mennonite 7 April 1686 in Goch, Germany where hereceived a letter permitting him to migrate to Pennsylvania 11 June 1701.He emigrated the following year with his famly, when he first becamedeacon and then on August 10 became pastor of the Germantown MennoniteCongregation, where he was the first bishop in Germantown. He officiatedat the first baptism by immersion in America in 1708 and at the firstcommunion held by Mennonites in America in 1708 (also in Germantown.)

He became a naturalized citizen of this land, keeping his patronymicname, as he could not use the name of the family estate which was sold inGoch 29 September 1709.

He removed from Germantown in 1713. According to John Ruth: "Jacob had afirst cousin, Thones Kunders, who was one of the founders of Germantownin 1683. Thones joined the Quakers, who met in his home in Germantown.But young Jacob Godshalk, a carpenter, who came across the Atlanticseventeen years later, stayed loyal to his forefathers' fellowship, andhe was the first Mennonite leader to baptize and preside over a communionservice in America in 1708. Very soon thereafter he moved out to theTowamencin area."

Ruth continues: "Jacob was also the first known American Mennonitehistorian, being quoted in 1773, ten years after his death, in theearliest known account of the founding of the Church in Pennsylvania.Since he lived a long life, dying in 1763, he was probably the mostinfluential person in setting the tone of the Franconia Conference, ofwhich he would have been the 'Moderator.' The Towamencin congregationwould have met in his house, which would have been across from thegraveyard, in what is now called 'Charlestown.' There was probably nomeeting house here until the 1770s, after Jacob had died in his nineties.Perhaps he preferred it that way."

Jacob petitioned the Court of Quarter Sessions to lay out the SkippackRoad: "The petition of the inhabitants of the township of Skippack andseveral adjacent plantations in said county, humbly showeth, thatwhereas, in the aforesaid township and neighborhood thereof, pretty manyfamilies are already settled, and probably not a few more to settle inand about the same. And yet no road being laid out and established toaccomodate your petitioners: but what paths have hitherto been used areonly upon sufferance, and liable to be fenced up. Therefore, yourpetitioners, both for the public good and their own convenience, humblydesire an order for the laying out and establishing a road or cartwayfrom the upper end of said township down to the widemarsh, of Farmer'smill, which will greatly tend to the satisfaction of your petitioners,who shall thankfully acknowledge the favor, &c." - 2 June 1713 inPhiladelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

Bishop Godschalk had MARTYR'S MIRROR translated from Dutch to German andprinted in 1745 in the Ephrata Cloister, Cocalito, Lancaster County,Pennsylvania. The MARTYR'S MIRROR is a history of the religiouspersecutions of Christians opposed to infant baptism and war; the worktook 15 men three years to finish and in 1749, at 512 pages, was thelargest book published before 1800. The original volume is now displayedat the Ephrata Cloister.

J. C. Wenger wrote the following, "Mennonites of the FranconiaConference" in 1937: "Jacob Godshalk, who performed the first bishopactivities in the American Mennonite Church, left Germantown at least asearly as 1713. He sold his Germantown land on June 15, 1714. He purchasedone hundred twenty three acres...on February 12, 1714. But he was inTowamencin before he received this deed. On June 2, 1713 he was one ofthose who signed a petition asking for a road to be laid out; this becameSkippack Pike (Route 73). Jacob's son Godshalk Godshalk purchased anadjoining farm of the same size as his father's and on the same date.Other Mennonite settlers were soon in the community.

"...1764 was the date of the first land grant to the congregation. Butthe (congregation met) there before 1764...

"On a road petition of June 5, 1749, the 'Herman Godshalk burial ground'is so mentioned. The oldest legible tombstone at Towamencin is that ofCatherine Oberholtzer, date 1741... (See Theodroe W. Bean's HISTORY OFMONTGOMERY COUNTY, 1884, which claims one stone is dated 1733.

"...Evidently Jacob Godshalk very early set aside a small lot of land fora burying ground and meetinghouse. The burial ground was already calledHerman Godshalk's in the 1749 Road Petition, though he did not own thetract until his father's death in 1763. But in 1749, the father, who wasalready about seventy-ine years of age; so it was quite natural to thinkof the active son as the owner.

"On December 26, 1760, Bishop Jacob Godshalk willed the tract whichincluded the burial lot and meetinghouse to his son, Herman. On August27, 1764, Herman conveyed the lot...to Christian Godshalk, ChristianWeaver, William Godshalk, Goshen Schrager, Peter Hendricks, NicholasYellis, and Garret Godshalk. Additional land was added to the purchase in1798, 1799, 1837, 2844, 2862, 1876, and 1879, making a total of almostfive acres (by 1890). The congregation now (1937) owns the land frontingon the Sumneytown Pike.

"At first Bishop Godshalk of the Skippack Circuit was the stated officialof the meeting. Godshalk must have been a vigorous man physically. Hesigned the alms book at Skippack as late as 1757, when he waseighty-seven years old."

In his will he named his son Herman, mentioned deceased childrenGodschalk, John and Magdalene. He named his daughter Ana Custard as well.He selected as executor his son-in-law Peter Custard on 26 December 1760in Philadelphia. The will was probated 3 June 1763.

The aforementioned burial ground has extremely important historicalsignificance, since several distinguished participants in the Battle ofGermantown are buried there. J. C. Wenger wrote: "General GeorgeWashington and the American army attacked the British at Germantown andwere defeated. The American army made a hasty retreat to the camp on theSkippack Creek, one hundred fifty-two Americans having been killed. Ofthese, General Francis Nash, Colonel Boyd, Major White, and LieutenantSmith were buried on Sunday, October 5, 1777, in the Towamencin cemetery.General Washington and the chieftains of the Amercian army attended theburial services which included the firing of a muskat volley and acannon. In 1844 a monument was erected in the cemetery in honor ofGeneral Nash. In 1936 an effort was made to remove his body to Nashville,Tennessee, which city had been named in his honor, but the MennoniteTrustees would not give their permission for the removal. The proposedaction was considerably discussed in the local press; John D. Souderwriting against the proposal. Finally, another monument was erected forGeneral Nash, and his body still rests in the cemetery ...along theSumneytown Pike."

Bishop Godshalk's cousin, also named Jacob Godshalk, was a famous clockmaker, and his time pieces still exist and are considered among thefinest ever produced in Pennsylvania. This cousin also lived and workedat Towamencin was but later moved to Philadelphia, left the Mennonitefaith and became a lieutenant in the American army during theRevolutionary War.

Two of the Bishop's sons were artistically inclined and created beautifulfracturs. One recently sold at auction (Sotheby's) for $ 101,000.00. Parents: Gottschalk (Pastor) Thonis (THEUNISSEN) and Lehntgen HENRICHS.

Spouse: ROSANNA.

Spouse: Aeltien (Adeheid) (Symons) HERMANS. Jacob (Bishop) Henrichs GODSCHALK and Aeltien (Adeheid) (Symons) HERMANS were married on Feb 20, 1688/89. Children were: Godschalk (Hermans) GODSCHALK, John GODSCHALK, Herman GODSCHALK, Anna GODSCHALK, Magdalena GODSCHALK.

The Godshalk Crest is a Lion Pair holding a Cresent.

The chronological family record name GODSHALK and its various forms come from the German and its literal meaning is "God's Servant". The name has been associated in Europe with the Church from the earliest times and its members frequently were found in the Church in high positions as Monks, Priests, and Crusaders. They were firm in their belief and many suffered the traditional hardship of excommunication, imprisonment, and death. Many were Mennonites who lived in the lower Palatinate, lying on both sides of the Rhine River in Germany, in the largest province of Southern Germany and the capital being Heidelburg. Most of the Minnonites in Southern Pennsylvania came from the Palatinate and brought their language with them. This language or dialect is now called Pennsylvania German.

Jacob purchased 50 acres from Isaac SHOMAKER in Germantiwn at 5273 Germantown Ave. He built a one story stone house with a Douch roof. They lived here for 12 years. Germantown was founded in 1683. In 1690, the Mennonite Church was founded in Germantown, by Rev. William RITTENHOUSE and Dirck KEYSER.

William PENN, an Englishman obtained his Royal Charter from King Charles II, on 4 March 1681, granting him 40,000 square miles of land as a payment for a debt the King owed his father. The land being in the New World included the Province of Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Penn, a Quaker, went to Germany and Holland and appointed agents in all cities to form companies for emigration. Penn preached to the persecuted people inviting them over to his land where they would have free excercise of their religion.

The first immigrants arrived in 1683, in Philadelphia, finding it already occupied by Quakers. They therefore moved seven miles in to the country, at a settlement they called Germantown.

An Educator, Idealist, and Schlor, Francis Daniel PASTORIUS, born in Franconia Germany, persuaded Jacob GODTSCHALK Van Der Heggen to come to the new world. He left for the new world with his wife and five children. It is not known if any of his other relatives came to the new world with him, but he has so many descendants now living here. On 29 September 1709, Jacob and his family became naturalized as British Subjects, and Van Der Heggen was dropped from the name. His wife had died in 1706, it is not known where she is buried. They married in 1689.

--Source of information: N.B. Grubb's book; Rev Jacob Gaedschalk came from Gog, in the community of Cleeves [present-day Kleve, Germany (as of 1924)].

He came to America in 1702 with his family. He was elected deacon of the Germantown Mennonite congregation and on 8/10/1702 he became a preacher. He officiated at the first baptism in 1708 and the first communion 1708 held by the Mennonites in America. In 1708 he was listed as Jacob Gaetschalck Vander Heggen and his son of Gaetschalck Vander Heggen, with the family name discontinued after the Dutch custom. Also in 1708 he was named as the first Mennonite Bishop in America.

In 1712 he had the Dordrecht Confession of Faith translated into English, which was adopted by a group of Mennonite ministers in 1725. He arranged with the Ephrata cloister in 1745 to have them translate (from Dutch into German) and print Thielman J. van Braght's 1660 Blütige Schau-platz oder Martyrer Spiegel (The Bloody Theatre or Martyr's Mirror ), a history of religious persecutions of Christians opposed to infant baptism and war; the work took 15 men three years to finish and in 1749, at 1512 pages, was the largest book published before 1800. One of the original volumes is now on display at the Ephrata Cloister.

Jacob was a turner (woodworker) by trade. His stone house was on 50 acres in Germantown on the southeast side of Penn St. In 1714 he purchased land in Towamencin between Kulpsville and the Skippack Creek, next to his son Gaedstschalck Gaedtschalcks, part of which became the present Towamencin Mennonite Church and cemetery.

Jacob Godschalck's Will, Dec. 26, 1760 (Phila. #229, M532)

Whereas I Jacob Godshalk senr. of Towamensin Township in the County of Philadelphia (formerly while I was able, Turner, having considered my old age and the certainty of my death and being desirious that my worldly estate may peaceably be shared among my heirs after my decease therefore I do hereby this 26th day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty make my Last Will and Testament as follows;

Viz. Imprimis I give and bequeath to my son Herman all that tract of land or plantation wherein I and him now dwell containing one hundred and twenty two acres and one half an acre of land (be it more or less) according to the metes and bounds conveyed to me together with all and singular the appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining to the only use and behoof of him the said my son Herman hisheirs and assigns forever which said my plantation or tract of land he is to pay one hundred and twenty five pounds in manner following that is to say twenty five pounds lawful money unto every aone of my children or their heirs at the expiration of one year and one day after my decease.

Viz; Unto all the children of my deceased son Godshalk twenty five pounds thereof in equal shares. Unto all the children of my deceased son John twenty five pounds thereof in equal shares and unto the children of my deceased daughter Magdalena twenty five pounds thereof in equal shares and unto my daughter Ana maryed to Peter Custard twenty five pounds thereof and the residuary twenty five pounds my son Herman reserves for himself as his portion thereof equal with his brothers and sisters. All the residue of my personal estate shall likewise be equally divided into five shares and every one of my above named children is to have one share thereof but whereas three of my said children are deceased their share or one fifth part of my whole estate as aforesaid shall again be equally divided among them according to their number and paid to them if ye are twenty one years of age or upwards within two months after my decease what is left of my personalities but their share of my real estate at the time of the above mentioned payment to be made by my son Herman. But whereas most of my deceased childrens children are yet minors their proportionable share shall be reserved for them by my hereafter named executors until they attain their lawful age but case of death as minors their share shall equally be divided unto such minors brothers and sisters or their heirs of or from their body and I do hereby constitute and appoint my loving son in law Peter Custard sole executor of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby make void and annull all my former Wills and Testaments and declare these presents to be my only will of force after my decease in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.

Jacob Godshalk

Title: Bishop Birth: ABT 1669 in the village of Gog, district of Cleves, Holland (just across border from Goch, Germany) Death: MAY 1763 in what is now Montgomery Co, PA - buried Towamencin Menn Cem Note: Came to America in abt 1702. Full name was Jacob Henrichs Godtschalk V an Der Heggen. He and his son, Godshalk, were naturalized 29 Sep 170 9. He settled first in Germantown, but in Feb 1713, he and his son, Godsh alk, each acquired 123 acres in Towamencin Twp, in what is now Montgome ry Co, PA.

Will abstract: GODSHALK, JACOB, SENR. Co. of Philadelphia. Turner. December 26, 176 0. June 3, 1763. M.532. To my son Herman the plantation of 122 1/2 acres; he to pay 125 pounds, th at is twenty-five pounds to every one of my children, within one year a nd one day after my decease. Unto all the children of my deceased son God shalk, twenty-five pounds. Unto all the children of my deceased son Joh n, twenty-five pounds. Unto all the children of my deceased daughter Magd alene, twenty-five pounds. Unto my daughter Anna married to Peter Custar d, twenty-five pounds. And the residue of my personal estate shall likewi se be equally divided into five shares and every one of my above-named chi ldren is to have his share. I appoint my son-in-law Peter Custard sole ex executor to this my last will and testament.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=51553110

Came to America in abt 1702. Full name was Jacob Henrichs Godtschalk V an Der Heggen. He and his son, Godshalk, were naturalized 29 Sep 170 9. He settled first in Germantown, but in Feb 1713, he and his son, Godsh alk, each acquired 123 acres in Towamencin Twp, in what is now Montgome ry Co, PA.

Will abstract: GODSHALK, JACOB, SENR. Co. of Philadelphia. Turner. December 26, 176 0. June 3, 1763. M.532. To my son Herman the plantation of 122 1/2 acres; he to pay 125 pounds, th at is twenty-five pounds to every one of my children, within one year a nd one day after my decease. Unto all the children of my deceased son God shalk, twenty-five pounds. Unto all the children of my deceased son Joh n, twenty-five pounds. Unto all the children of my deceased daughter Magd alene, twenty-five pounds. Unto my daughter Anna married to Peter Custar d, twenty-five pounds. And the residue of my personal estate shall likewi se be equally divided into five shares and every one of my above-named chi ldren is to have his share. I appoint my son-in-law Peter Custard sole ex ecutor to this my last will and testament.

Their suggestion:

B:1 Jan 1666** in Goch, Kleve, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany D:3 June 1763 in Towamencin, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, United States

• * we acknowledge that the birth year on the churchyard monument differs greatly - we also know that people "fibbed" about their ages more so back then to gain entry into the military, for instance.

We ARE confident of his being born in Germany versus the Netherlands though.

GEDCOM Note

--Different spellings of the GODSHALK last name are ... CUDGEL, CUTSHALL, GAATSCHALCKS, GADSHALDT, GAEDTSCHALCK, GAEDSCHALK, GAETSCHALCK, GAETSCHALKS, GATCHALAK, GATCHALK, GATTSCHALCKS, GODSHALK, GODSCHALL, GODSCHALK, GODSCHLOG, GODSEHALL, GODSHAH, GODSHALL, GODSHALK, GODTSCHALK, GOOTSCHALCK, GOOTSCHALCKS, GOTSCHALL, GOTTESCHALK, GOTTSCHALCK, GOTTSCHALK, GOTTSHALL, GUDGEL, GUTSHALL.

--Jacobs full name was: Jacob GODTSCHALK Van Der Heggen.

--He immigrated to America in 1702.

--He was born in a little town in the Lower Rhine reigon, located on a small stream, the Niers. The land earlier belonged to the "Duchy of Cleves". Some maps showed this area to be Holland, today it is shown as Germany.

--He was baptized a Mennonite, in Goch, on 7 April 1686.

--On 11 June 1701, he received a letter from the Church in Goch, permitting him to migrate to Pennsylvania, where he arrived in 1702 at Germantown.

--In Germantown he became a minister, in 1702, and later became the First Bishop in Germantown, also called "van der Heggen", in 1708.

--In 1713, he moved from Germantown to Towamencin Township, about 25 miles north. His property there is now the location of the Towamencin Mennonite Church.

--He was naturalized on 29 September 1709, and kept the patronymic name, as he could not use the name of his family's estate that was sold in Goch.

--He died in 1763, there was a memorial built in 1962 in rememberance to him, in the Towamencin Mennonite graveyard (north side).

--Source of information: Harry ADAMS (Bedminster, PA);

Generally, members of the family in Bucks and Mongomery counties spelled the name GODSHALK up to the Civil War period. After that period, the name was usually given as GODSHALL. The name GOTTSCHALL means "God's Echo" but a translation of the German name GODSHALK means "Gods Rascal!" Perhaps this is the reason for changing the way the name was spelled in the 1860's.

Jacob Godshall [Gaetschalck Theunis] was born in Village of Goch in the district of Cleves (then Holland) about 1666. He was baptised in the Goch Mennonite Church in 1686. "What can be discovered about Jacob Gottschalk in his native land?" asks Niepoth. "The only available source for this investigation is the church record of the Mennonite Church in Goch, the first entries of which date back to 1658. Anyone transferring from one church to another received from his home church a church letter (attestatie). On June 12,1701, Jacob Gottschalks and his wife were given such a testimonial by the Mennonite Church of Goch for Pennsylvania....it can be therefore be assumed that he arrived in Germantown in the second half of 1701. The church record lists the marriage of Jacob Godtschalch with Aeltien (Adelheit) Hermans under date of February 20,1689.

"Aeltien Hermans, the daughter of Herman Davits, was baptised as a Mennonite in Goch on April 7,1686. Her father had on January 30, 1667, married Trientien (Katharine) Symons. Since girls were baptised at the age of about 18 years, she may, as the first child of her parents, have been born toward the close of 1667, or early in 1668.

"On the same day as his wife-to-be, Jacob Godtschalck was also baptised; viz., April 7,1686. Since young men applied for baptism at the age of about 20, he was probably born in 1666. In this baptismal record his father's name is also given. It was Gaatschalk Theunissen....Since the oldest son of this man was called Theunis, his father's surname Theunnissen must be patronymic, for along the lower Rhine, it was the custom, strictly followed, to give the oldest children the names of their grandparents. Hence Gottschalk Theunissen's father's name must have been Theunis (Thonis Antonius....).

"Jacob and also his wife have a second name, which is derived from his father's Christian name (a patronymic). This fact leads to the deduction that they were not among the oldest families, and that they did not possess a house or farm with a hereditary name. The spelling of Jacob's name varies: Gaatschalcks, Gootschalcks, Godtschalks, rarely Gaetschalks...The spelling of names was not yet standardized as it is at the present time. He was also called Jacob van der Heggen."

--Source of information: Jennie SPERLING (Lansdale, PA);

The Godshalk Crest is a Lion Pair holding a Cresent.

The chronological family record name GODSHALK and its various forms come from the German and its literal meaning is "God's Servant". The name has been associated in Europe with the Church from the earliest times and its members frequently were found in the Church in high positions as Monks, Priests, and Crusaders. They were firm in their belief and many suffered the traditional hardship of excommunication, imprisonment, and death. Many were Mennonites who lived in the lower Palatinate, lying on both sides of the Rhine River in Germany, in the largest province of Southern Germany and the capital being Heidelburg. Most of the Minnonites in Southern Pennsylvania came from the Palatinate and brought their language with them. This language or dialect is now called Pennsylvania German.

Jacob purchased 50 acres from Isaac SHOMAKER in Germantiwn at 5273 Germantown Ave. He built a one story stone house with a Douch roof. They lived here for 12 years. Germantown was founded in 1683. In 1690, the Mennonite Church was founded in Germantown, by Rev. William RITTENHOUSE and Dirck KEYSER.

William PENN, an Englishman obtained his Royal Charter from King Charles II, on 4 March 1681, granting him 40,000 square miles of land as a payment for a debt the King owed his father. The land being in the New World included the Province of Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Penn, a Quaker, went to Germany and Holland and appointed agents in all cities to form companies for emigration. Penn preached to the persecuted people inviting them over to his land where they would have free excercise of their religion.

The first immigrants arrived in 1683, in Philadelphia, finding it already occupied by Quakers. They therefore moved seven miles in to the country, at a settlement they called Germantown.

An Educator, Idealist, and Schlor, Francis Daniel PASTORIUS, born in Franconia Germany, persuaded Jacob GODTSCHALK Van Der Heggen to come to the new world. He left for the new world with his wife and five children. It is not known if any of his other relatives came to the new world with him, but he has so many descendants now living here. On 29 September 1709, Jacob and his family became naturalized as British Subjects, and Van Der Heggen was dropped from the name. His wife had died in 1706, it is not known where she is buried. They married in 1689.

--Source of information: N.B. Grubb's book; Rev Jacob Gaedschalk came from Gog, in the community of Cleeves [present-day Kleve, Germany (as of 1924)].

--Source of information: David GODSHALK (Hartsville, SC);

Jacob GOTTSCHALK was born in Goch (Gog) about 1666. Goch is in western Germany, north of Krefeld, near the border of Holland. It is near a little town in the Lower Rhine region, located on a small stream, the Niers. It earlier belonged to the Duchy of Cleves, where the Mennonites had been tolerated since the beginning of the 17th Century.

The only available source for this information is the church record of the Mennonite Church in Goch, the first entries of which date back to 1658. Anyone transferring from one church to another had to receive a letter from the home church ('attestatie'). On 12 June 1701, Jacob GOTTSCHALK and his wife were given such a testimonial by the Minnonite Church at Goch for Pennsylvania. It can therefore be assumed that he arrived in Germantown in the second half of 1701. The church record lists the marriage of Jacob GOTTSCHALK with Aeltien (Adelheid) HERMANS under the date of 20 February 1689.

Aeltien HERMANS, the daughter of Herman DAVITS, was baptized as a Mennonite in Goch on 7 April 1686. Her father had on 30 January 1667, married Trientien (Katharina) SYMONS. Since girls were baptized at the age of about 18 years, she may, as the first child of her parents, have been born toward the close of 1667 or early in 1668.

On the same day as his wife-to-be Jacob GODTSCHALK was also baptized; viz., 7 April 1686. Since young men applied for baptism at the age of about 20, he was probably born in 1666. In this baptismal entery, his father's name is also given. It was Gottschalk THONIS (aka: Gaatschalk THEUNISSEN).

Jacob and also his wife have a second name, which is derived from the father's Christian name (a patronymic). This fact leads to the deduction that they were not the oldest families, and that they did not possess a house or a farm with a hereditary name. The spelling of Jacob's name varies: GAATSCHALCKS, GOOTSCHALCKS, GODTSCHALKS, rarely GAETSCHALKS. The spelling of names was not yet standardized as it is at the present time. He was also called Jacob van der Heggen.

When he had migrated to America in 1701 he joined the German settlement at Germantown, Pennsylvania. Not long afterward he was called to the ministry, and shared the service of this office with the preachers already there, namely Wilhelm RITTINGHAUSEN and Dirck KEYSER. Rittinghausen was chosen elder, and Gottschalk ws requested to ordain him, although he was himself not an elder. This was done upon the advice of the church council in Altona on the Elbe in Germany, to whom the Germantown congregation had appealed for aid. After Rittinghausen's death in 1708, Gottschalk was ordained as elder. He performed the first baptism in North America. He was naturalized on 29 September 1709, and kept the patronymic name, as by law he could not use the name of the sold estate.

On 21 October 1702, he purchased a tract of fifty acres of land from Isaac SHOEMAKER. On this land he erected a quaint, low but substantial house and lived there for twelve years at which time he moved to Towamenchin Township, which is now in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The exact spot is now 5273 Germantown Avenue. He was a close neighbor to Dennis CONRAD, one of the original settlers in Germantown, who came to America in 1683 on the ship Concord.

A deed on record in Philadelphia records that Rev. Gottschalk purchased 120 acres of land from James SHATTUCK in Towamenchin Township, the considerations of the purchase being 36 pounds. The deed bears the date of 30 February 1713-14 and was acknowledged 20 April 1714. At the same time his son Gottshall GOTTSHALL purchased from the same party 120 acres, adjoining his father's tract. The consideration was the same and the deed bears the same dates as that of his father's.

In 1708 Gottschalk joined with four other brethren in a letter to Amsterdam, asking for some catechisms for the children and little testaments for the young, stating that only one Bible was among the membership of the church. In 1728 the Mennonite confession of faith was translated into English and printed by Bradford, in Philadelphia, and Gottschalk was one of the signers testifying to the correctness of the translation. Rev. Gottschalk was a literary man and capable of using three languages, Dutch, German, and English.

He assisted in the translation of Van Braght's "Martyrs' Mirror" from the Dutch into German, and in its publication by the Ephrata Cloister. He also participated in the preparation of an English edition of a Mennonite catechism. His will, dated in 1760, indicates that he was a man of great age. His occupation was a wood turner. He had three sons, Gottschall, John, and Herman. Gottschall and John were deceased at the time of his will, and Herman was residing with him on the farm in Towamenchin Township to which Jacob Gottschalk had moved from Germantown in 1714. Jacob Gottschalk also had two daughters, Ann (wife of Peter GUSTARD (KUSTER), and Magdalena, wife of William NASH, both of whom were deceased at the time of his will.

Jacob died in Towamenchin Township in 1763, at the age of ninety-seven years and there is a memorial to him in the Towamenchin Mennonite grave yard adjoining the Towamenchin Mennonite Church near Kulpsville.

--Source of info: Ann M. WOODLIEF (http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/home/godshall.htm);

Jacob arranged with the Ephrata cloister in 1745 to have them translate (from Dutch into German) and print Thielman J. Van Braght's 1660 "Blutige Schau-platz oder Martyrer Spiegel (The Bloody Theatre or Martyr's Mirror)", a history of religious persecutions of Christians opposed to infant baptism and war; the work took 15 men 3 years to finish and in 1749, at 1512 pages, was the largest published before 1800.

His grave is unmarked; however, there is a memorial stone that reads; "In memory of Bishop Jacob Gottshall 1670-1763. Born in Goch Germany, ordained a bishop in the Germantown Mennonite Church in 1702 and also served the Skippack and Towamencin congregations. He performed the first baptism and conducted the first communion service in the American church in 1708. The Skippack alms audits were signed by him from 1745-1757. He owned a farm of 120 acres which included this chruch site. Undoubtedly, he is buried here but no marker remains, therefore this marker is erected in memory of this energetic leader."

Much of the older information and through Jacob's grandchildren come from typed and handwritten manuscripts in the Historical Society of Montgomery County library and are reasonably documented by deeds, wills, etc.

--Source of information: Carl H. GOTTSHALL gottshalatl.mindspring.com>;

On 12 June 1701 Jacob & Aeltien Godshalk asked for a letter or "assistate" from the Goch Mennonite Church transferring their membership "to or into Pennsylvania". They came to Germantown in late 1701, buying 50 acres on 21 Oct 1702. Jacob, a turner and carpenter, built a one-story stone house with a Dutch roof at what is now 5273 Germantown Ave.

Although Jacob asked to be excused from jury duty on religious grounds, he seems to have accepted an appointment as viewer of fences in 1704. Between 1706 and 1708 he was a patron of the Pastorius School.

He petitioned for naturalization in 1706 and, together with son Godshalk and many of his Germantown neighbors, was naturalized on 29 Sep 1709. In February 1713/4 Jacob paid James Shattuck #36 for 123 acres in Towamencin Township in what is now Montgomery County. He was among those petitioning for a road from Skippack to Farmer's Mill in 1713. In 1722/3 he paid a quit rent of #1.9.6.

Jacob was one of the most influential members of the early Mennonite Church in America. On 8 Oct 1702, within a year of his arrival in Germantown, he was chosen preacher at Germantown. Mennonite historian John L. Ruth says because he lacked the gift of public speaking, he ministered only by reading. "Rev. Jacob Godtschalk and wife" headed the 1708 membership list of the Germantown Mennonite Church. Ordained bishop that same year, Jacob officiated at the first Mennonite baptism in America in 9 May 1708, and at the first communion two weeks later on 23 May. Because he didn't think he was eloquent enough to preach, he ministered "only by reading".

When The Confessions of Faith, the book of Mennonite teachings, was printed in English in 1728, Jacob was one of the signers who attested to the correctness of the translation. He also read and corrected proofs of the Ephrata edition of Martyr's Mirrors when it was translated from Dutch to German. (Dutch was Jacob's native tongue.) In 1745 he had written the Dutch asking for help in publishing the book.

In 1708 Jacob wrote Dutch Mennonites requesting catechisms, testaments and Bibles. He also wrote the history of the Germantown Mennonite Church, probably in 1712. In 1725 Jacob attended a meeting of 16 American Mennonite leaders who adopted the Dordrecht confession and appendix. He was the first to sign the document.

Jacob signed his will on 26 Dec 1760; it was proven 3 June 1763. He willed #25 to son Herman and daughter Anna, as well as #25 to the heirs of sons Godshalk and John and daughter Magdalena, who had all died before him. He bequeathed his 122 1/2 acre plantation to son Herman, with the stipulation that Herman pay #125 to the heirs within a year and a day after Jacob's death. The residue of the estate was to be divided into five equal shares. He was buried at the Towamencin Mennonite Meetinghouse Cemetery in Montgomery County.

Jacob came from a family that had been Mennonite for generations. He and Aeltien were baptized together in the Goch Mennonite Church on 7 Apr 1686, and married there three years later. "Here at Goch were joined in wedlock by Abraham Jansen the honorable young man Jacob Godtschalck with the honorable young lady Altien Harments both are members of this Doopsgezinde congregation."

The family name was viet ander Heiden or van der Hegge, a name Jacob dropped when he was naturalized in 1709.

REFERENCES:
1) William Niepoth, "Early Ancestors of Jacob Gottschalk, MENNONITE QUARTERLY REIVEW, 1947 2) William Niepoth, "Jacob Godshalk and His Ancestry," MENNONITE QUARTERLY REIVEW, July 1949, p 47 PERIOMEN REGION, Vol X #1 Jan 1932 p 63-4; Vol XII, #3 and #4, October 1934, p 15-16 3) Robert Ulle, "Research Notes--Materials on Mennonites in Colonial Germantown," MENNONITE QUARTERLY REVIEW, Vol lLLVII, #4, Oct 1983, pp 368, 378-79, 382-83; Vol XIX, k#2, April 19985, pp 150-51 4) John L Ruth, MAINTAINING THE RIGHT FELLOWSHIP, Herald Press, Scottsdale, Pennsylvania, 1984, pp 69, 77-78, 82-83, 92, 97, 102, 123, 134-35, 143, 148, 250 Ruth, "The Immigration from Krefeld to Pennsylvania in 1683...." MENNONITE QUARTERLY REVIEW, Vol LVLII, #4, October 1983, pp 323, 325, 328-29 5) Joel D Alderfer, "New Discoveries in Godshalk-Godshall-Gottshall Family Research," MENNONITE HISTORIANS OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA NEWSLETTER, May 1983, pp 1-2 6) Philadelphia Will Book M, p 532, 1763, Will #299 7) Correspondence w/Jeanne W. Jackson, Ukiah California

--Source of information: The following material is excerpted from the eighth grade social studies course produced by Christian Light Publications. http://www.anabaptists.org/history/ss8001.html;

Bishop Jacob Godshalk's History of the Germantown Mennonites:

Jacob Godshalk (1670-1763) came to Pennsylvania in 1702. In 1708 he became the first Mennonite bishop in America. He later moved to Skippack. Here is Godshalk's account of the Mennonites in America from 1683 to 1708:

"The beginning of the community of Jesus Christ here at Germantown, who are called Mennonites, took its rise in this way. Some friends out of Holland and Germany came here together. They found it good to have meetings. They were regarded as sheep who had no shepherd since they had no preacher.

"In 1698 more friends came into the land, who were also of our brethren. These, with the first chose by unanimous votes a preacher and some deacons. Thereupon was William Rittenhouse chosen preacher and Jan Nice as a deacon. In 1702 Jacob Godshalk and Hans Nice were chosen preachers. Hans Nice later separated from the community.

"In 1707 some brethren came to us out of the Palatinate. In 1708 the first- chosen preacher William Rittenhouse died to the great sorrow of the community. Since Jacob Godshalk alone served the community, they considered it necessary to chose three deacons. There were besides three preachers chosen.

"After this we remained sometime living in good peace. Meanwhile some persons presented themselves to be taken into the community through baptism. The community having consulted together ordered that the request should be complied with. Accordingly this rite was conducted by Jacob Godshalk. Later we celebrated the Lord's Supper as instructed by the Apostles."

GEDCOM Note