Christian Gross Fretz

 "Christian Fretz, (brother of "Weaver" John), settled in Tinicum township Bucks Co., Pa., along the Tinicum Creek, at the place now known as Heaney's Mill, The house stood on the opposite side of the road, a short distance from the present dwelling. The farm originally contained 140 acres, and is now divided into three tracts. The present house is of stone, built by his son Christian Fretz, and is now over one hundred years old, The homestead proper, with about 40 acres of the original tract, is owned and occupied by Joseph Hockman, a descendant of the pioneer Christian Fretz. Sixty-five acres was owned by the late Henry S. Wolfinger, and twenty-five acres by --Johnson.

It is not known whom Christian Fretz married. All that is known is that her name was Elizabeth.
Christian Fretz, Sr. made his Will Jan. 22, 1777, and was probated Apr. 26, 1784. He evidently died some time in the early part of 1784, probably in April of that year."
You can read his Will in the source I have given.

12 MAY 1709 in Manheim, Germany 2 Event: Emigration To Pennsylvania 3 Immigration: Year: 1710-1720 3 Event: Source Emigration Record Source Annotation: Date and place of arrival or settlement. Periodical published by Pennsylvania Folklife Society, P.O. Box 92, Collegeville, PA, 19426. Also see no. 9968 below. 3 Burial: Deep Run Mennonite-West Section, Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co., PA 4 Death: 26 APR 1784 in Bucks Co., PA 5 Birth: 12 MAY 1709 in Hagenau, Alsace, Germany 6 Death: 26 APR 1784 in Tinicum Twp., Bucks Co., PA 6 Note: Christian and his wife had at least four children-Abraham, Mark, Christian and Daniel. The first three sons, Abraham, Christian and Mark, married three Kulp sisters, Dorthea, Gertrude, and Judith. It is also believed that three other children were theirs-John, Jacob and Henry (source: Fretz Family Hist, page 365).

In 1923, the descendants of John and Christian Fretz (brothers) erected a memorial at the Deep Run Mennonite Cem., West Section, Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co., PA. (source: Bucks Co. tombstone inscriptions, page D10).

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CHRISTIAN FRETZ, BROTHER OF WEAVER JOHN.
(Tinicum Branch)

Christian Fretz, (brother of "Weaver" John), settled in Tinicum township Bucks Co. Pa. , along the Tinicum Creek, at the place now known as Heaney's Mill. The house stood on the opposite side of the road, a short distance from the present dwelling. The farm originally contained 140 acres, and is now divided into three tracts. The present house is of stone, built by his son Christian Fretz, and is now over one hundred years old. The homestead proper, with about 40 acres of the original tract, is owned and occupied by Joseph M. Hockman, a descendant of the pioneer Christian Fretz. Sixty-five acres was owned by the late Henry S. Wolfinger, and twentyfive acres by — Johnson.

It is not known whom Christian Fretz married. All that is known is that her name was Elizabeth. Christian Fretz, Sr, made his Will January 22, 1777, and was probated Apr. 26, 17S4. He evidently died some time in the early part of 1784, probably in April of that year.

The Will of Christian Fretz, Sr, reads as follows, viz: —
In the Name of God, Amen. I, Christian Fietz, Senior of the Township of Tinicum in the County of bucs in the province of pennsylvinia, Yeoman, being weak of Body, but of sound and perfect Mind and Memory, blessed be Almighty God for the same, considering the Uncertainty of this mortal Life, and that it is appointed for all Men once to die. Do make and publish this my Last Will and Testament in Manner and Form following. Imprimis, 1 bequeath my soul to God who gave it, and my body to the Earth, to be buried in a decent and Christian Manner, at the Discretion of my E.vecutors hereinafter named; And as Vouching all my Goods and worldly Estate, wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this Life, 1 do give, devise, bequeath and disi)ose of the same as follows, that is to say, Fii-st, It is my Will and 1 do hereby order, that all my just debts and funeral Expenses thall be first and immediately paid; Item, 1 do give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Elizabeth, all my Land and pilantation with the House &c. where I now live to hold unto her during her natural Life, for her Support and Maintenance, together with ten Bushels of Wheat, and ten Bushels of Kie out of my last years Crop, and also two good Milch Cows and one breeding Mare, and all my Winter Crops now in the Ground, a Bed and Bedding, brass Kettle, four Chairs, Spinning "Wheels & Reel, My Linen and Clock, My Chest & Tables, Doe Trough, six bread Baskets, one Dozen Spoons, six pewter plates, two pewter Basons, an Iron Ladle, two Iron pans, an Iron Stove that must be left in the House, a pestol & mort;ir, tea Kettle and tea pot with all My tea Cups and Sawsers, & Lamps, & Candlesticks, three Bottles, all my reading Books, two Ewe Sheep, pork and dried Beef as much as she wants for this season out of My Stock of Provisions laid in, a tin Strainer, a Sled, a plough and Harrow, a Waggon and Geers, four Cow Chains a Dung fork & Hook, a churn, a Cream pot and Milk pail and Milkpots, and what Salt is in my House, two Cedar washing Tubs, a side Saddle & Briddle, and all other of my household Furniture that shall be necessary for her own Use, during her natural Life and at her Decease, all "the foregoing Goods, shall be delivered to my Heirs, except such as worn out by long Use &c And further I do give unto her the Sum of Fifty pounds lawful Money of Pennsylvania, to be paid unto her by My Executors immediately after My Decease; Item, It is my Will and I do hereby order and direct that after my Decease, in some Convenient and reasonable Time, My Executors shall sell all the remaining part of my Goods and Challets, which are not here pet down and expressed, for the best price that can be gotten for them, and shall divide the Monies arising from such Sale, together with all other Goods or Monies belonging to me; amongst my six Chilldren, viz, four Sons and two Daughters, each of the said six Children must have an equal Share as soon as the Money can be gotten or gathered in: And further it is my Will and I do hereby order that after my Wife Elizabeth, aforesaid, is dead, that then my Executors shall put up my Land in Tinnicum and home aforesaid, whereon she lived after my Decease, and shall sell the same Home and Land for the best price that can be gotten for the same, and also the Moveables, Goods & Challets which are mentioned above, and shall also divide the Monies arising from the Sale of all my said Land Goods and Challets, aforesaid, among my six Children, aforesaid, viz. My four Sons and two Daughters, all six of which each is to have an equal and just Share or part of such Monies: And I do hereby authorise and impower My Executors hereafter named, to Sell my Land &c as in Manner aforesaid, and to give a good and Sufficient Title or Deed for the same to the purchasor of the said Land: And further be it remembered, that it is ray Will and I do hereby order and direct, that in case it should so happen that my Wife Elizabeth above mentioned should marry another man after my Decease that then and in such Case She may live in my House and Occupy my Land, as is aforesaid, or may Rent it out Year after Year during her natural Life And May be also intitled to receive the above said Legacy of Fifty Pounds but in no wise she must not receive, hold nor possess all or any of the Challets, Goods or household Effects which are mentioned above as given unto her but shall deliver them all up to be Divided among my Six Children Aforesaid: Item, it is my Will and I do hereby order and direct that Whereas I had Sold all my Land in Bedminster unto my Son Daniel for Six Hundred pounds to be paid Yearly by One Hundred pounds in each Year. Now I do hereby order that Yearly in each year as each Payment becomes Due, my said Six Children, viz. Daniel, Abraham, Christian, Mark, Barbara, and Esther shall each of them have an equal Share or Part thereof everj' Year until the whole Sum be paid, and as the Receipt of such their Share or parts, shall execute Sufficient Releases or Acquittances unto my said Son Daniel for the said Land in Bedminster aforesaid: And Lastly 1 do hereby Nominate, Constitute and appoint my beloved Son Daniel Fratz aforesaid of Bedminster, and my Son in Law Jacob Yoder of New Brittaiu Township in Bucks County in Pennsylvania aforesaid to be Joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking, disannulling and Disallowing of all all former and other Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made and Ratifying and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament, in Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand and Seal the Twenty Second Day of January in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven 1777. Be it Remembered that Whereas my son Christian purchased of me one half of a Mill & about Five Acres of Land in Tinnicum Aforesaid for which he paid 40 £ in part and left the rest unpaid, this is therefore to Impower my Executors above mentioned to make the said Christian Fratz a good and Sufficient Title or Deed of Conveyance for the said half of a Mill and five Acres of Land when he shall have paid or other ways sold and Sufficiently Satisfied for the premises. Christian — Fratz Senior { seal testator mark} Signed Sealed published and Declared his by the above named Christian Fratz Senior to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto Subscribed our names as | — { seal } witnesses in the presence of the said Edward Murphy Samuel Fretz Jacob Fretz

The children in the order as given in the will are, Daniel, Abraham, Christian, Mark, Barbara, Esther.

II. Daniel Fretz, b about 1738, m Mary, (maiden name unknown). But little is known of this Daniel Fretz. In 1800 most of his children emigrated to Westmoreland Co. Pa., where many of his descendants still live. There are also some of his descendants living in Fayette Co. Pa. and in other parts of the west. In 1 840 the name was changed from P'retz to Fretts. One son and daughter remained, and d in Bucks Co. Pa. C: Christian, Eve, Daniel, Jacob, Samuel, Lisbet.

II Abraham Fretz, (son of Christian Fretz, of Tinicum), b as early as 1745, or before that date, m Dorothea Kulp. In 1775 he purchased a farm in Bedminster Twp. consisting of 224 acres of Alexander Brown, who purchased it from Richard and Thomas Penn, (Governors and Esqs), in 1758. The farm is now divided into four farms, owned and occupied as follows: Jacob F. Hockmon on the north; Levi Hockman on the northeast; and Anthony R. Fretz and Ouincy A. Fretz on the southwest. It is quite probable that Abraham Fretz and wife were among the early worshipers of the Mennonite church at Deep Run, and were buried there. C: Judith, Elizabeth, Henry, Joseph, Esther, Anna, Barbara.

II. Christian Fretz, (son of Tinicum Christian Fretz), b in Bucks Co. Pa., d there, m Judith Kulp. He lived on the Old Homestead in Tinicum, where he followed the vocation of farmer and miller. He built the stone house on the homestead, which is now over a hundred years old; still in good repair, and occupied as a dwelling. C: Judith, Christian, John, Henry.

II. Mark Fretz, b in Tinicum Twp. Bucks Co, Pa., m Gertrude Kulp Dec. 22, 1772. He lived in Tinicum Twp. near the Durham road on a farm of 200 or more acres. The tract now comprises of three farms owned b} Jacob Steely, (where the homestead buildings were), Levi Yost, and Reuben Heaney. C: Anthony, Judith, Elizabeth, Mary, Gertrude. Mark m second wife, Mary, widow of Abraham Fretz, (son of Weaver John), Sept. 26, 17S0. C: Anna.

II. Barbara Fretz, m Jacob Yoder, and lived in New Britain Twp. Descendants not traced.

II. Esther Fretz, b in Bucks Cb. Pa. about 1748, d in Tuscarawas Co. Ohio Feb. 181 3, m Martin Overholt, son of Martin and Agnes Oberholtzer of Bedminster. He was b in Bucks Co. Pa. Dec. 20, 1743, d in Westmoreland Co. Pa. Mar. 1811. In early life they lived in Tinicum Twp. Bucks Co. Pa. within half a mile or so of the Delaware river. It is said that in the time of the Revolution, not being friendly to the war, and being loyal to the King, that he with others of the family went to Canada, but not liking the climate he returned and emigrated to Western Pennsylvania, settling at Alverton in Westmoreland Co. on the farm owned by the late Mrs. Agnes (Stauffer) Fox, a great grand-daughter. About 1 8 10 Martin Overholt made a trip to Ohio and selected land in Coshocton and Tuscarawas counties, intending to move there—but six weeks before he and family were ready to start, "King's Evil" (cancer), came on his neck from which he bled three days and nights, causing his death. He made his will Jan. 14, 1811, which was recorded Mar. 2, 1811. After his death his widow and all the family except the daughter Agnes Stauffer moved to OJiio, Dover Twp. Tuscarawas Co., where the widow, Esther, and several of the children died during an epidemic of spotted fever. There was a large family of children born to them; the youngest, Anna, born when the mother, Esther, was 55 years old. C: Elizabeth, Agnes, Christian, Henry, Mary, Barbara, Magdalena, Martin, Abraham, Isaac, Esther, Sarah, Joseph, Anna.

pg. 28- 37 A brief history of John and Christian Fretz and a complete genealogical family register to the fourth generation, 1904, Fretz, Rev. A. J. (Abraham James), Press of the Evergreen news Milton, NJ.