Jacob Mathias Showalter, VI

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Arrived in Philadelphia with wife and eleven children on November 3, 1750, on the ship "Brotherhood", commanded by Captain John Thomson. Ship departed Rotterdam, with last port Cowes, England (Rupp, Brown). Settled in Whitehall Twp., Bucks Co., PA (11752 Whitehall Twp. to Northampton Co., 1812 Whitehall Twp., to Lehigh Co.) (Brown, Rupp p. 173, Hott p. 137).

Name: Jacob Showalter

Given Name: Jacob

Surname: Showalter

Sex: M

Birth: Abt 1694 in Wissembourg, Alsace, France

Death: 28 Apr 1773 in Northampton County, Pennsylvania

Immigration: Philadelphia, Phildelphia Co., Pennsylvania 3 Nov 1750

Will: Whitehall Twp., Northampton Co., Pennsylvania 7 Mar 1767

_UID: AAD92F5E0784444B87E68513B9C779CDF5F1

Change Date: 8 Jul 2004

Note:

WILL:

I, Jacob Showalter of Whitehall Township in the County of N orthampton in the Province of Pennsylvania having by the bl essing of the Almighty God considerably advanced to Old Ag e an d feeling the Infirmities whereof that at the time bei ng of sound understanding of Memory I do in the first plac e recommend my Soul to the Hands of my True Redeemer Jesu s Christ and my b ody to the Earth Until Resurrection agree able to the Lords Will and for preventing all conte sts an d disputes which might arise after my decease I have made a nd published this my Last Will and Testament in manner foll owing. First, I have delivered unto my son Valentine Showal ter my plantation or a tract of one hundred acres of land s ituate in the township and county af oresaid that is to sa y for the consideration of four hundred pounds lawful mone y of Pennsylva nia and the said money shall be paid to my c hildren in manner following, Valentine Showalter shall of t he afores'd four hundred pounds have sixteen pounds beforeh and and then my children shall have each an equal part ther eof. But in consideration that I have given to my son Valen tine sixteen pounds before hand, he shall pay twenty pound s every year commincing to pay the Eldest who is now livin g and so continuing to the youngest untill each shall hav e received his part of the afores'd four hundred pounds an d he shall give his brothers and sisters notes and bonds fo r their inheritance. Further I do ordain that my Eldest So n Peter Showalter or his heirs shall have one shilling ster ling for his double share of inheritance and over an d abov e the said one shilling he shall not under any pretence wha tever have more than an equal part with my other children . And moreover, I Will that the Heirs of my Eldest Son shal l in the last place receive their Inheritance. But whateve r I have yet in my hands shall remain till after the Mother 's death and then it shall be divided like moveable goods a mong my heirs. And I do further Will and Ordain that if m y daughter Ann Trisler should marry again then so much of h er hereditary portion as she has yet to receive shall be di vided among her chil dren in equal parts tho my daughter ma y have it in use untill the children come to Age. Furthe r I do constitute and ordain my son Joseph Showalter Overse er. Now I hope that this my Last Will shall be inviolatel y kept so that if possible none may be wronged. In witnes s whereo f I have in the presence of subscribing witness se t my hand and seal hereunto the 7th day o f March 1767. (Wi tnesses: George Graff & Jacob Ber). Signed: Jacob Showalder.

Zidlicky/Tesar/Huston/Deardorff/Tullis/Mrazek Family

Entries: 21252 Updated: Sun May 12 08:17:17 2002 Cont act: Robert F. Zidlicky Jr. Home Page: Zid's Place

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db= rzidlicky&id=I2 0584

Sources:

Title: A Collection of Upwards of Thirty Thousand Names o f German Swiss, Dutch, French and Other Imm igrants in Penn sylvania 1727

Author: Daniel Rupp

Publication: Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Genealogical Publishi ng Co., 1980

Page: p. 173

Note: Arrived on the ship Brotherhood, commanded by Capt. J ohn Thomson. Ship departed Rotterdam, with last port Cowes , England. Signed on ship's register, Jacob Mathias and son s, Jacob, Peter , Johannes, Christian, over 16 years old, p lus other members of his family. Settled in Whiteh all Town ship, Bucks Co (to Northampton Co 1752; to Lehigh Co 1812 ) , Pennsylvania. They were members of the Mennonite faith.

Marriage 1 Maria Saunders b: Abt 1705

Married: Abt 1720

Change Date: 25 Sep 2005

Children

Johannes Showalter b: Abt 1732 in Chester County, Pennsylvania

—— sponsored links ——

Death: 28 APR 1773 in Whitehall Township, Northampton County, PA 1 2

Burial: Siegfried Cemetery, Whitehall Township, Northampton County, PA 1 2

LDS Baptism: 19 JUN 1945 SLAKE 1 2

Endowment: 7 NOV 1946 SLAKE 1 2

Note:

[Farrenburg_11_4_2005.FTW]

[Showalter.FTW]

A Dorothy Long sent Martha Fern Hartman Jones some photocopies of letters written from 1875 to 1885. Written by Adam to his brother, Peter, asking him to contact "Aunt Agnes (Linville),"wife of David Showalter. That she had information about the family. Peter follows Adam' s request. Agnes answered. She tells Peter that,"his grandfather Mathias/Jacob Showalter came from Germany with seven sons and two daughters and a girl named Ma rgrett Saunders, who later married Daniel, one of the seven sons."

Jacob and his children arrived, from Rotterdam, via Cowles, England, at Philidelphia, 3 Nov. 1750. The ship was theBrotherhood', which was sailed by, Captian John Thomson.

Six Showalters' signed the ships manifest. The Father, Jacob, signed Schauwalder. Five sons signed, Showalter.

He settled near Allentown, PA where the town of Cementon now stands. See Deed Book b1 , page 190, Northampton County, PA

Letters found in a leather pouch in the walls of a Christian Showalter family home in Lancaster Co. revieled that Jacob was a Mennonite Bishop. He established the first Mennonite church, in the area, across the Lehigh River where the town of Northampton (Seigfried) now stands .

From the "History of the Mennonites of the Franconia Conference" by John C. Wenger, and Published by the Franconia Mennonite Historical Societ y, Telfore, PA 1937, the following is entered:

SIEGFRIEDS, now West Twenty-first Street, Northampton, Northampton County.

In the 1773 letter to Holland the Franconia Conference bishops menti on a "Lehay" congegation. So far as the present author (John C. Wenger) knows, no one has ever identified "Lehay. " But it is at once evident th at "Lehay" is "Lehigh." And Lehigh is the name of a river which drains Carbon, Northampton, Lehigh and other counties and empties into the Delaware River at Easton. The only known Mennonite congregation which would have appropriatly been called Lehigh in 1773 met in the so-called Siegfried meetinghouse which stood in a grove in what is now the borough of Northampton. Fortunately the meager records have been carefully examined by a capable historian, John Baer Stoudt, in 1914. The remainder of th is text, giving the story of the Lehigh Church is taken in full from John Stoudt's account.

"The true history of any state, town or community must begin with its first centers of worship, its venerable churches and well filled graveyards .......Such a center of influance, and in all probability the nucleus for the town of Siegfried (now Northampton), is to be found in the old Mennonite Meetinghouse, which stood in a grove on what is now West Twenty-first Street, opposite their cemetery, now generally known as the Seigfried burial ground......

"No definate data as to the settlement of the Mennonites in Whitehall and Allen township s has been handed down to us, and the names of some of t hem are entirely forgotten, nor is the year of their arrival definately known. That the Showalters, Baslers, Funks, Zeiglers, Heistands, Siegfrieds and Landis' are of Mennonite extraction, is however a known fact, and these, no doubt, were the founders of the congregation, and the people wors hipped in the meeting house, which stood on West Twenty-first street. Jacob Schowalter, Sr., of Whitehall township, appears to have been one of the leaders, including the undivide half belonging to John Moore, the high sheriff of Northampton county, situated between the Lehigh river and the Deshler, Kern and Koehler plantations, and the Indian Falls in the Lehigh river and the Schreiber plantation.

"In the same year (William) Allen sold the same again in four tracts,v iz: 150 acres to Joseph Showalter (Jacob's son); 100 acres to John Showalter, Sr.(Jacob's son, also); and 100 acres to Peter Bassler (Jacob's son-in- law) and 100 acres to........

.

"These four families as stated above were Mennonites and probably the nucleus of the congregation. This was apparenty only a paper transaction, for the purpose of giving the occupants a clear title and deed to the ir already established homes. Having obtained a lawful title to their posessions, they, no doubt, if not already built, determined to erect a house of worship.....

"It is therefore probable that their meeting house was erected in 1760, or possibly a few years prior. Surely not later than 1761, for on an old land draft of that year the church is already designated. Tradition describes it as a small log building, rudely condtructed, and also tells us that the early worshippers were frequently disturbed in their services by Indians. During the summer and when the building became insecure, services were held in the adjoining woods. In 1771 Joseph Showalter sold his farm to Conrad Leisering (this land was Peter Showalters property. Joseph was the executor of Peter's will.), John Showalter to Christopher Kern and Jacob Showalter, Jr., to George Koehler, and removed to Lancaster c ounty, to dwell among their fellow members in the faith (and relatives ). A few years later Peter Bassler (and wife, Margaret Showalter) sold h is property to Phillip Jacob Schreiber and joined his former neighbors in their new homes. He is said to have been the last of the Mennonites in Whitehall township. Through removal and death the congregation gradually declined and the building became insecure and was finally abandoned.

"The Old Mennonite Cemetery on West Twenty-first Street, generally spoken of as the Siegfried burial plot on which the proposed Siegfried monument is to be erected, is one of Northhampton's few really old landmarks, and all that is left to remind the preseant generation that the town was once a center of a peace loving and God fearing Mennonite settlement. In it are said to repose the ashes of almost a hundred of the early settlers.

"The cemetery originally comprised one acre. It was conveyed March 1 0, 1770 (Just three years before Jacob Showalter's death), by Daniel Chambers to Joseph Showalter (Jacobs son), Henry Funk (Jacobs son-in-law), Pet er Freid and Jacob Baer, in trust and for the Mennonite congregation of Whitehall and Allen Townships. When in 1802, the new meeting house along t he road from Weavesville to Kreidersville, was erected and the cemetery opened, few interments, if any, were made on the old plot (Where was the "old Plot"?). By a special acct of assembly , May 8, 1829, Jacob Funk, a surviving member of the old congregation, was given permission to sell the unoccupied part of the cemetery and use the proceeds to erect a sto ne fence around the part containing burials. On the 28th day of the same month, the unused part was conveyed to Daniel Siegfried, a son of Col. John Siegfried. A stone wall, three feet high and sixteen inches wid e, was subsequently erected. This wall was removed in 1885 and the present(1914) iron fence erected. The money for which was raised by popular sub scription through the efforts of Rev. Tilghman Seiple, a grandson of Henry Funk. It was subscribed chiefly by descen dants of Mennonite families, several members of the Grand Army of the Republic, and a few public spirited citizens. After the fence was erected, the cemetery was rededicated on a Sunday afternoon in the presence of a large concourse of people.

"When 21st street was raised, the cemetery was also filled in to bring it up to the level of the street and all the little mounds were cove rd over and even the headstones, with the exception of those of John Siegfried and Jacob Baer, both of Revolutionary fame. Until quite recently (1914), it was run over with weeds and briers, a neglected, and in the minds of some, a haunted spot. It has however of late years been well kept by several descendants of Adam Laubach, members of the Daughters of t he American Revolution. A neat tablet recounts it s history and some of t he patriotic services of Col. John Siegfried, the friend of Washington. A flag pole has been erected, from which there floats on the bree ze an American Flag. The inscription on the headstone of Col. Siegfried 's grave is unique in that the inscription is in both English and German. ...

"Note: The mennonites herein mentioned are not to be confused with the Mennonite Brethern in Christ, which represents a different type of religion." In 1802 the "Settlement" Congregation of Allen and Whitehall Township s, Northampton County , PA was formed. A frame building, twenty-six by th irty feet in size was erected in 1802, for the sum of eighty-four pound s. In 1936, it was the private residence of William Schweitzer. It still stands in 1995.

It is believed Jacob is buried in the cemetery just over the bridge. ( Others report that he is buried in a cemetery in or near Cementon. I ha ve not found a cemetery in Cementon during my several, but brief visits .) The cemetery was conveyed March 10, 1770, by David Chambers to Joseph Showalter, Henry Funk, Peter Fried, and Jacob Baer, in trust and for t he Mennonite congregation of Whitehall and Allen Townships. A monument to Col. Seigfried, a Revelotionary soldier, stands at its location.

It is my belief that Jacob must have been financialy sound. He and his children were able to make the long journey from the Rhine Valley witho ut indenturing themselves. Also, his oldest son, Peter, was able to buy a bout 67 acers upon arriving at the location of Cementon. This must have be en all they had, as Jacob took the ajoining 450 acers without deed or warrant . A combined effort of all the children secured the land at a later d ate. In 1759, Jacob and Maria deeded to William Allen an undivided half-i nterest in a tract of land in Whitehall Twp. Northamption County. The only remaining landmark of the family land is the springhouse foundatio n. It is located behind the Lessering house, which sets on the location of Peter Showalter's cabin. In 1995 water still flowed from this spring. The current owner had a photo of the homestead taken about 1900. In it is the old cabin, standing right where it should be , just in front of the springhouse. The original is supposed to be in the posession of the Historical Society. We have not yet found it. The one I saw was a newspaper cliping and was so badly discolored that it would not photo copy.

Records of Mrs. Lynn Murdock, LDS film #G89241-432707.

"Family Record of the Showalters" by Preston Showalter, Maugansville, Md.

History of Lehigh and Northampton Counties, PA

Compendium of American Genealogies, First Families in America.

Mrs. J. E. Daughtry, Waynesboro, Va.

Dr. Wilmer L. Kerns. 4715 North 38th Place, Arlington, Va. 22207-2914.

Jacobs place of birth is not proven.

Mrs. Conrad records state the, Palantine. Mrs. Conrad has recorded that Jacob had the middle name of, Thomas. Have not seen any proof. I ha ve some reservations, and will not enter that name at this time. I think she was confused with the name of the captian of the ship the family came over on.

REF:F857645 S/N:00300-9 MFID00934127 LDS GEN DPT

Jacob died at Margarets home. According to a land map in my posession, Margaret lived in Northampton Co. which could not be considered as near Philidelphia. It is my belief that the location of Margarets home was thought to be near Philidelphia because Jacobs Will was probated there. The will was dated 17 March 1767 and written in Lancaster County, PA and gi ves his residence as Whitehall, Northampton Co. PA The will was prov en 28 April, 1773.

They settled in Whitehall Twp. Northampton Co. PA. Their land is now owned by the Portland Cement Company, and the town of Cementon. The only remaining vestage of the first homestead is the springhouse foundation. It s tands beside and just behind the old Lesering house. The present owner is raising trout in it. 1984.

A small part of the cemetery still stands. It is believed that Jacob was burried there. The DAR has preserved a little cemetery in the town of Cementon, PA where Jacob is supposed to be buried.'

Hott Ancestors, by Richard & Kaytryn Hott, 1984. Please note that the cemetery is not in Cementon. It is across the river.

Charles Roberts wrote,Jacob Showalter is buried in the Burough of Northampton - has no tombstone. Northampton was called, Seigfried, and is across the Lehigh River from the town of Cementon

History of Lehigh and Northampton Countys, PA

"A Will dated March 7, 1767 was probated April 28, 1773. It is reasonab le to believe he died in March 1773. Children mentioned were Valentine, Peter, Ann Trisler, and Joseph. Execs. were his son-in-law Henry Funk and s on Joseph Showalter. Son John Showalter was overseer. Wittness were George Graff and Jacob Ber. Will P-279-400, Philadelphia Court House, PA

Maria's maiden name of Saunders appears only as speculation. Other names, including Funk appear on some records." Letters by Francis Jobson, 7 05 Gulf Road, Wayne, PA dated Feb. 22 , 1965 and Jan 18, 1966.

LDS IGI SOURCE 6000170 places the birth of his children in Schweitz, Switzerland. Will require further study. Have not found confermation of this location.

Henry Showalter recorded that Jacob was born in Switzerland and moved to Germany in 1732.

Records state that the name "Showalter" was very common in Switzerland and at one time also popular in Germany. It is my belief that only a few family may still reside in both localities.

The research of Ressie Roark Lawrence says that Jacob Showalter was born in 1694 in Basle , Switzerland. It also says that he and Maria migrated from Switzerland to Holland in 1744 . There is no source imformation to prove these statements.

The research of Barbara Akins gives Jacobs birth as, 1702. She states that Swiss research acomplished at the turn of the 18th Century showed that he was born in that country, in 1702. His spouse, Maria Saunders, was born in 1706, in the same country.

Barbara gives her linage as being through Jacobs son, John, and wife Anna Garver.

Land Probate Record: In 1767, Henry and Barbara (Showalter) Funk were granted over 400 acres of land, south of the Showalter homesead. The land w as granted by Jacob Showalter, the father of Barbara.

Name: Jacob Mathias Showalter Sex: M Birth: 1702 in Strengelbach, Canton St, Gallus, Switzerland Reference Number: 25986 Note: It is unclear exactly where Jacob Showalter was born, in Switzerland or in Germany of Swiss descent. He may have been born in Schafbusch or Geisberg, near Weissembourg, in the Palatinate. His family's ancestral home may have been Canton St. Gallus, at the foot of the Alps in Switzerland and he may have been born there. He emigrated on 3 November 1750 aboard the ship Brotherhood, from Germany to Pennsylvania. Jacob purchaed land in 1759 and settled his family on a 450 acre tract in Whitehall Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, along the east side of the Lehigh River. The old family burying ground is now in the heart of the little town of Siegfied, just across the river from Amenson. They worshipped at the Siegfried Mennonite Meetinghouse, probably built in 1760. The meetinghouse and cemetery were conveyed on 10 March 1770 by Daniel Chambers to Joseph Showalter, Henry Funk, Peter Fried and Jacob Baer in trust for the Mennonist Congregation of Whitehall and Allen Townships. Another source claims that Jacob is buried at Cementon in an unmarked grave in a cemetery maintained by the DAR. Most of his children relocated to Chester or Lancaster Counties but Jacob remained in Northampton County and lived with his son-in-law, Peter Basler until his death in 1773. Jacob's daughter Barbara and her husband, Henry Funk, received over 400 acres south of the Showalter homestead, in his will. His will was writtren on 7 March 1767 and probated 28 April 1773.

The Schowalters were of the Mennonite faith.

Third most common name in the Mennonite congregations of the Palatinate, exceeded only by Krehbiel and Stauffer.

The chief congregations with numerous Schowalters were

Deutschof-Geisberg,

Monsheim-Obersuelzen,

Neudorferhof and

Ludwigshafen.

First ancestor HANS SCHONWALDER is found in 1566 in the Strengelbach area where he owed a tax. Strengelbach was in the Canton of Bern (now Aargau), Switzerland, near Zofingen which is half-way between Luzern and Basel. Zofingen was the last site of Mennonites in the Canton of Aargau.

As late as 1720 Hans Bachmann removed from Aargau to the Palatinate.[

The wife of Hans has not been identified and

the only child identified is SILVESTER.

SILVESTER SCHOWALDER was born ca. 1550, married (1) BARBLIN HUNTZINGER,

married

(2) ANNA WIDMER, a daughter of Joseph Widmer(?), a Mennonite preacher who was seized in Feb. 1649 in the Emmental District, Canton of Bern, Switzerland?

The children of Silvester & Barblin (Huntzinger) Schowalder (1) were all baptized in Strengelbach:

VRENI SCHOWALDER, baptized 12 Apr. 1573.

ULY SCHOWALDER, baptized 3 July 1575.

FRIEDLY SCHOWALDER, baptized 13 Oct. 1577

CASPER SCHOWALDER, baptized 10 May 1579.

HANS RUDOLF SCHOWALDER, baptized 1 Jan. 1583.

   and

the children of Silvester (Vester) & Anna (Widmer) Schowalder (2) were:

MADLEN SCHOWALDER, baptized 22 Feb. 1590.

JAKOB (I) SCHOWALDER (See below)

VESTER (2) SCHOWALDER

- JAKOB (I) SCHOWALDER, baptized 27 Oct. 1594, married (1) ANNA LERCH 8 May 1615 in Zofingen Church,

married (2) ANNA LIENHARD.

Jakob & Anna (Lerch)(2) Schowalder had a son

JAKOB (II) SCHOWALDER (See below).

and brother:

- VESTER SCHOWALDER (2), baptized 29 Oct. 1598, married BARBLI JAEGGI.

They had the following children, all baptized in Strengelbach (Schleipfe):

ANNA SCHOWALDER, baptized 28 Sep. 1617, died before 1637.

MADLEN SCHOWALDER, baptized 3 Jan. 1619.

JAKOB (III) SCHOWALDER, (See below).

ELSBETH SCHOWALDER, baptized 18 Dec. 1625.

HEINRICH SCHOWALDER, baptized 1 Feb. 1629.

ULI SCHOWALDER, baptized 12 Feb. 1632.

WERNI SCHOWALDER, baptized 9 Feb. 1634.

ANNA SCHOWALDER, baptized 11 Dec. 1636.

RUDOLF SCHOWALDER, baptized 3 Dec. 1643.

JAKOB (II) SCHOWALDER, baptized in Strengelbach 9 Feb. 1617

JAKOB (III) SCHOWALDER, baptized 25 June 1620, married MARGARETHA LUETWYLER. They had the following two children, both baptized in Strengelbach:

ELSBETH SCHOWALDER, baptized 26 Oct. 1645.

JAKOB (IV) SCHOWALDER, baptized 18 June 1648 in Strengelbach, died Apr. 1731 in Schafbusch (near Wissembourg).

JAKOB (VI) SCHOWALTER probably married KATHARINA [-?-]. She was born in Switzerland in May 1680, died 13 June 1727 in Schafbusch, Alsace.

Jacob (VII) was born on a large farm (tenant farmers) called Schafbusch (two miles east of Wissembourg in Alsace, after leaving Swiss persecution

for the Wissembourg area of Alsace et Lorraine, France. Upward of 2,400 Mennonites went with them).

Other Mennonite families on the Schafbusch farm included the Muellers, Borkholders, Webers, Schmitts, Hirshlers and Kraemers. They formed the Geisberg-Niederroedern congregation.

By 1776, it was called the Schafsbusch-Roederen-Geisberg congregation.

Jacob (VII) immigrated to Philadelphia on November 3, 1750 on the ship "Brotherhood" from Rotterdam thru London.

Brothers: Hans, Christian & John?

Married MARIA ELIZABETH SAUTER /SAUNDERS /SUTTER (?) ca. 1720,

died 28 Apr. 1773 in Northampton Co., Pa. Maria was born 1706. On 3 Nov. 1750.

They had 11 children.

By 1759 Jacob (VII) Sr., and his sons John & Joseph, owned land in Whitehall Twp., Northampton Co., Pa.

Later the family moved between Lancaster and Philadelphia before finally settling in Chester Co. Jacob wrote his will 7 Mar. 1767 in Whitehall Twp., Northampton Co., Pa

Sons Jacob Jr., Christian, Valentine, Joseph, Daniel (and possibly John) all fought in the Revolutionary War.

Son Ulrich was a member of the Rangers of the Frontier.

Children -

PETER SCHOWALTER, born 1722, died 1775-8. He may have been killed by Indians in Bucks Co., Pa.

JACOB (VIII) SCHOWALTER, born 1724, died 1778 in New Britain Twp., Bucks Co., Pa.

MARGARET SCHOWALTER married PETER BASSLER. The Bassler family had accompanied the Schowalter family to America.

CHRISTIAN SCHOWALTER, born 1727, married BARBARA SHERRICK, died in Apr. 1805 in Franklin Co., Pa.

BARBARA SCHOWALTER, born 1733, married Rev. HENRY FUNK, died 1824 in Singers Glen, Rockingham Co., Va. Henry was born in 1730, died in 1817. Henry was a son of Heinrich & Anne (Meyer) Funck. He was a Mennonite minister having been ordained in the Swamp district of Franconia, Montgomery Co., Pa. in 1768. He was excommunicated because of the War Tax issue ca. They moved to Rockingham Co., Va. in 1786. Henry & Barbara had a daughter ELIZABETH FUNK who married her cousin Jacob Showalter (see below).

JOHN SCHOWALTER married ESTHER FUNK, died in 1805 in Chester Co., Pa. where he was a preacher. Esther was a sister of Henry Funk (see above)

JOSEPH SCHOWALTER died in 1802 in Chester Co., Pa. He was a Mennonite minister and was ordained prior to 1773. He was a minister at the Siegfried Mennonite Church where the immigrant Schowalter family worshipped when they settled in America. Later he was the preacher at the Charlestown Mennonite Congregation in Chester Co.

VALENTINE SCHOWALTER, born 1738, married ANNA FUNK in 1765 in Pa., died in 1803 in Rockingham Co., Va. Valentine & Anna had a son JACOB SHOWALTER, born 1767. Jacob married his cousin, Elizabeth Funk, ca. 1790 in Montgomery Co., Pa. Elizabeth was a daughter of Henry & Barbara (Showalter) Funk (see above).

DANIEL SCHOWALTER, born 20 June 1738, married MARGARET SUTTER (SAUNDERS) in 1760, died 10 May 1822 in Broadway, Rockingham Co., Va. Margaret was born in 1734, died 1 Feb. 1816 in Broadway, Va. In 1770 they moved to Chester Co., Pa. In 1780 Daniel was muster fined £1/4/1 while a private in Capt. Rowland’s Company, Chester Co. Battalion. Then on 19 April 1781, he was muster fined $4.00 while in the 5th Company, 4th Battalion, Chester Co.[28] In 1788 Daniel followed his sister Barbara and family (see above) to Rockingham Co., Va. Members of the Sutter family also settled in Rockingham Co. In 1538 Jacob Suter of Switzerland had been persecuted for his Anabaptist faith. Their son JOSPEH SCHOWALTER (1776-1838) married ANNIE RHODES (1780-1853) 18 Feb. 1799 in Rockingham Co., Va. Roy Showalter is a descendant. A John Rhodes, Mennonite minister, born near Zurich, Switzerland, emigrated to America in 1728, settled in Shenandoah Co., Va. in 1730 and later moved to Page Co., Va. (immediately NE of Rockingham Co.). In Aug. 1766 Indians massacred eight members of this family. A son was held captive by the Indians for two years.

MARTHA ANN SCHOWALTER married (1) JOHN TRESSLER, married (2) JOSEPH TRISSEL. They settled near Broadway, Rockingham Co., Va. The Tressler Mennonite Church near Greenwood, Del., was begun in 1914. The heirs of William Tressler donated a school building and ground to the church. In 1822 the first log meeting house of the Trissels Mennonite Church was built four miles southwest of Broadway. One of the first ministers serving this church was a Henry Rhodes (see above).

ULRICH SCHOWALTER, born 1743, married SUSANNAH WATTERSON (WOLERSON?), died 1815 in Rockingham Co., Va. On 12 Jan. 1786 Ulrich Showalter of the Northampton Co. Militia received a £3/1/? Militia loan under Certificate 9564.

Alternate birth date/place: circa 1696 / Schafbusch, Steinseltz, Bas-Rhin, Grand Est, France

The earliest known ancestor of the Showalter line is Hans Schonwalder, first found in the Strengelbach area in the Canton of Bern, now Aargau, Switzerland near Zofingen, half way between Luzern and Basel. According to Heinrich Fehr, a "schonwalder" is a man who lives in a protected forest, that is, a forest which is not cut for wood or timber but is protected so as to act as a barrier to catch and hold the snow in case of an avalanche.

Wissembourg, modern street scene Jacob Mathias Schowalder, the immigrant and founder of the Showalter family in America was born about 1694 in Schafbusch,a Mennonite commune near Wissembourg, Alsace, France. Jacob married about 1720 Maria (surname unknown) who was born in 1705 and died in 1778 in Pennsylvania.The Schowalder family had been expelled from Zofingen, Switzerland, about 1671 and removed to the Wissembourg area of Alsace-Lorraine, France. Upward of 2,400 Mennonites, mostly from Switzerland, were believed to have removed to Alsace at that time due to persecution by the Swiss government.[i]

The Mennonites of Switzerland and Alsace were relegated to living in rural areas where they were engaged in agricultural pursuits.

The Schowalders settled on a large farm called Schafbusch two miles east of Wissembourg in Alsace. They were tenant farmers of the Catholic land owners who knew from experience that these Mennonites industriously performed their labors and promptly paid their tithes. Other Mennonite families on the Schafbusch farm included Muellers, Borkholders, Webers, Schmitts, Hirshlers and Kraemers. [i]

Jacob Mathias and his family immigrated to America aboard the ship "Brotherhood" arriving Philadelphia November 3, 1750. [ii] He and his sons, Jacob, Peter, Johannes, Joseph and Christian over sixteen years of age, were recorded by Captain John Thompson's clerk. [iii] The Captains were not required to record the names of the wife, daughters or male children under the age of sixteen. In addition, males over 16 were required to sign two oaths: an oath of allegiance to the British Crown and an oath of abjuration which was an oath to to abjure, or renounce, any previous connection to the Pope. [iv]

The "brotherhood" had sailed out of Rotterdam with a stopover in Cowes, England before taking the trans-Atlantic journey to Philadelphia. To reach Rotterdam, the family had traveled about seventy miles southward from Schafbusch to Strasbourg where they had taken passage on a boat down the Rhine to Rotterdam. More details on the river and ocean voyage is given in the page entitled "Journey from Alsace to Philadelphia" Jacob Mathias Showalter and his family settled in Whitehall Township, Bucks County, (later Northamption County, then Lehigh County in 1812) Pennsylvania. Jacob Mathias Schowalter died 28 March 1773. His will of 7 March 1767, Northampton Co., Whitehall Township is given below: ​

I, Jacob Showalter of Whitehall Township in the County of Northampton in the Province of Pennsylvania having by the blessing of the Almighty God considerably advanced to Old Age and feeling the Infirmities whereof that at the time being of sound understanding of Memory I do in the first place recommend my Soul to the Hands of my True Redeemer Jesus Christ and my body to the Earth untill Resurrection agreeable to the Lords Will and for preventing all contests and disputes which might arise after my decease I have made and published this my Last Will and Testament in manner following. First, I have delivered unto my son Valentine Showalter my plantation or a tract of one hundred acres of land situate in the township and county aforesaid that is to say for the consideration of four hundred pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania and the said money shall be paid to my children in manner following, Valentine Showalter shall of the afores'd four hundred pounds have sixteen pounds beforehand and then my children shall have each an equal part thereof. But in consideration that I have given to my son Valentine sixteen pounds before hand, he shall pay twenty pounds every year commincing to pay the Eldest who is now living and so continuing to the youngest untill each shall have received his part of the afores'd four hundred pounds and he shall give his brothers and sisters notes and bonds for their inheritance. Further I do ordain that my Eldest Son Peter Showalter or his heirs shall have one shilling sterling for his double share of inheritance and over and above the said one shilling he shall not under any pretence whatever have more than an equal part with my other children. And moreover, I Will that the Heirs of my Eldest Son shall in the last place receive their Inheritance. But whatever I have yet in my hands shall remain till after the Mother's death and then it shall be divided like moveable goods among my heirs. And I do further Will and Ordain that if my daughter Ann Trisler should marry again then so much of her hereditary portion as she has yet to receive shall be divided among her children in equal parts tho my daughter may have it in use untill the children come to Age. Further I do constitute and ordain my son Joseph Showalter Overseer. Now I hope that this my Last Will shall be inviolately kept so that if possible none may be wronged. In witness whereof I have in the presence of subscribing witness set my hand and seal hereunto the 7th day of March 1767. (Witnesses: George Graff & Jacob Ber). Signed: Jacob Showalter.

Marriage 1720 • Philadelphia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, United States

Maria Saunders (1706–1776) 1720 18 Birth of Son Peter Showalter(1722–1756) 1722 • Palentine, Germany 1722 20 Birth of Son Jacob Mathias Lutwyler Showalter(1724–1778) 1724 • Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States 1724 21 Birth of Daughter Barbara Showalter(1733–1824) 1 Jan 1733 • Geisberg, Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Hessen, Germany 1733 31 Birth of Son Johannes John(1734–1805) 1734 • Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States 1734 32 Birth of Son Valentine Felty Showalter(1736–1803) 1736 • Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States 1736 33 Birth of Son Ulrich Showalter(1738–1815) 20 Jun 1738 • Geisberg, Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Hessen, Germany 1738 36 Birth of Son Daniel Showalter(1738–1822) 20 Jun 1738 • Palatinate, Germany 1738 36 Birth of Daughter Martha Ann Showalter(1748–) 1748 • Geisberg, Main-Kinzig-Kreis, Hessen, Germany 1748 45 Birth and Death of Daughter Anne Saunders Showalter(1750–1750) 1750 • Ontario, Canada

At the Court house in Philadelphia are these records: Saturday , November 3 1750 Imported on the "good Ship Brotherhood" Jacob Showalter and children listed as over 14 was listed" Jacob Showalter Jr." There have been many accounts of the Showalter's some say John was the father of Henry Sr, some say no record of Jacob Jr exists. But he was on the ship list of the "Good Brotherhood" the information I Lee Uzzell have obtained

it is evident that Jacob Showalter Jr is the father of Henry Showalter Sr. Others have made mistakes and I could also. records indicate that Jacob was the father of Henry Sr and Jacob Jr married Elizabeth Funk according to the Funk book.

Children

Jacob SHOWALTER , Jr b: 1724 in Germany

Christian SHOWALTER b: 1727
John SHOWALTER
Joseph SHOWALTER
Valentine SHOWALTER
Daniel SHOWALTER b: 20 JUN 1738
Ulrich SHOWALTER b: ABT. 1743
Margaret SHOWALTER
Martha Ann SHOWALTER
One source gives his birth year as 1702. It also says he married Maria abt 1720 in Germany and Maria Saunders before 1750 and an unknown spouse.

Another source gives his birth as 1694 in Germany and his wife as Elizabeth Marie Saunders in 1720 in Germany.

Mennonite Family was persecuted in Switzerland and also the Palatinate in Germany. .

Immigrated to America Nov. 3, 1750 ship Brotherhood. Came with 11 children and wife. Only the children who were over the age of 16 signed their names on the ships list of immigrants: Jacob Jr., John, Joseph, Christian, and Peter.

Jacob Showalter, born 1697 in Schafbusch or Geisberg, near Weissembourg, Palatinate Germany; died April 1773 in Philaddelphia, PA. He was the son of 3432. ? Showalter. He married 1717. Maria Saunders or Marion Funk 1720. Maria Saunders or Marion Funk, born Abt. 1706; died Unknown in PA Immigrated to America Nov. 3, 1750 ship Brotherhood.

[http://boards.ancestry.netscape.com/localities.northam.usa.states.p...[]

I just found an old family tree in my Grandfather's things in my parents basement. I just found this site and in searching for info., found this posting. My great grandfather was Jackson Whipps Showalter. He once held the U.S. Chess Championship. There is a man writing a book on him now. His parents were Benoni and Peggy Whipps Showalter. Benoni's parents were John and Sarah Bowers Showalter. John's parents were Ulrich and Susannah Showalter. Ulrich's parents were Jacob and Maria Showalter.

Ulrich Showalter also had a daughter named Elizabeth. The family tree says she married a Jackson, but it does not say his first name. I didn't know if this would be of any help to you.

Ginger