Johann Mathias Gisch

This data is slightly different!

Birth: 1707 Eitzweiler, Sankt Wendel, Saarland, Germany

Arrival: 1733 America Residence: Philadelphia County, PA 1733 Marriage: Marriage to: Katherine Gish (born Bauer) 1734 Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States Death: Nov 23 1757 Penryn, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States

Katherine Bauer born 1709 in Wvertt, Jagstkreis, Jagetzell, Germany died 1771 in Penryn, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Father: Andreas Bauer Mother: Maria Mohdock

Husband: Matthias Gish married in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1735

Several years ago I found that Matthias was in Philadelphia and must have stayed there for nearly a year. I then found that an Aunt Marie had come to America ahead of Matthias and that must be where he stayed.

"Matthias Gisch arrived at Philadelphia on the Penn. merchant ship, in Sept of 1733. He is listed on pg. 237 in the book "First families of America". He received a grant of land from William Penn under the name of Matthew Keatch. He was one of first settlers of Lancaster Co, Pa. He was the father of five sons and three daughters. All these children were born inLancaster Co. and were the progenitors of all the Gish families in America, which dates from colonial times. The name Gisch was derived from Kirsch the German word for cherry because in the local dialect the pronunciation is the same. The spelling was later changed to Gish. There has been published some old eighteenth century documents which tell of the departure of emigrants from various localities in Birkenfeld, Saarbrucken and the Pflaz. Amoung these in the records of Nohfelden occurs the announcement that Matthias Gisch of Asweiler was departed for America.

From land records in the state house at Harrisburg the first warrant for a survey was issued to Mathias Gisch in 1739. This called for 107 acres plus six percent for roads and highways. The deed, was signed by James Hamilton, Lieutenant Governor, and was issued in 1743. He soon secured more land until the final acreage was 180, this was in the White Oak district. Matthias was both farmer and blacksmith, as farmer he made a living, as blacksmith, earned money.

Matthias and Katharine were married soon after they landed at Philadelphia. Their oldest child must have been born within a year or two after the landing. When he came to America he came with a nephew Christian Lauer. Their son, Abraham, who married Susanna Kuhns, moved to Abilene, Kansasand from them movie stars, Lilian and Dorothy Gish were descended. Some researchers believe that our line of Gishs descended from Phillip Matthias Gish and Maria Seibert, but after many years of research by Katherine Melton and Joanne Wilkerson (both of Henderson, Ky and authors of "The Gish cousins of Kentucky) they concluded that this line descended from Phillip's brother Hans Jacob Gish and Maria Catharina Heyl. They came to this conclusion after they wrote the book. When Matthias arrived here there were 191 persons on board the ship, 71 males above 16 years of age, 64 under 16 and 56 females. He took the oath of allegiance the same day of arrival. He and wife became members of the White Oak congregation. The descendants spread westward to Shippensburg, Pa. and south to Virginia as early as 1780. Matthias was 26 years old when he arrived and his nephew Christian Lauer was 18. Matthias left Tulpehocken where he landed and bought his farm where now stands the Matthias Gish marker at Penryn, near Manheim Pa.The marked was erected Aug 17, 1933 commemorating the first 200 years of the landing of Matthias Gish in America. Asweiler where he came from is located near the extreme southeastern border of Birkenfeld, probably part of the duchy of Saarbrucken.

Mathias received a land grant under the name of Matthew Keach.

Source References: Becky Gish's GEDCOM @ RootsWeb.com [S0003]

Gish descendants visiting Asweiler, Germany, found Gishs still living there. They found records of a Philip Gish whose son was Phillip Matthias Gish whose wife was Maria Barbara Siebert. They found a home there where they were told that Gisches had lived since 1600. The first Gisch to live there was believed to be the grandfather of our Matthias Gish of White Oak. Asweiler is near Nohfelden, Principality of Birkenfeld, Germany. Among the records of Nohfelden is the announcement that "Matthias Gisch of Asweiler has departed for America." He left Berthelsdorf, Germany on 19 April 1733 and arrived in Philadelphia, PA 28 September 1733. He "qualified" on September 18, 1733, by signing his signature to the Declaration of Allegiance and to the Declaration of Fidelity and Abjuration. Six years later he made application for the survey of a tract of the domain of the Penns which he purposed to purchase. We do not know where he was prior to that, but it is possible that he was squatting on that land for some time . In 1739 he received a warrant for a survey for 107 acres plus 6 % for roads and highways. The grant was under the name Mathew Keach. The deed was issued in 1743. He ended up with 180 acres.

After 1727 the Captain of each vessel landing at Philadelphia presented a list of male passengers over the age of sixteen to the court house. Each adult male immigrant signed an oath or declaration. These papers were filed and preserved. Matthias Gish signed his name in a precise, practiced, and highly individual hand. The spelling was clearly "Mattes Gisch". He was the only person with this family name on the List of the Pennsylvania Merchant or any other list of Colonial times. In later years some used the spelling Kish, and many continued to use the "c" in the name. By 1900 Gish had become the uniform spelling. There were four single Katherines on board the same ship. The most likely of those to be "our Katherine" due to similar family backgrounds would be Cathrina Bourin (Bauer, Boyer).

Matthias Gisch (spelling in 1733) homesteaded in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Today there is a beautiful monument dedicated to him on the corner of the property, a lovely spot 1/8th of a mile south of Penryn on the main highway. That is quite close to the city of Elizabethtown. Mattihias and Catharine joined the White Oak Congregation of the Brethern. A Gish woman married into the Hershey family, and one married into the Musser family. Both families were very active in the development of the area as well as many Gish descendants who farmed there. Matthias was a blacksmith as well as a farmer. When the English captured Philadelphia the Continental Congress fled to Lancaster. The famous "Witness Tree" where the community gathered and pledged allegiance to the colonies is in the area. Two Gish brothers were among the troops stationed around Lancaster.

The descendants began to scatter before the end of the century.

Other researchers have listed his birthplace as Asweiler, Oldenburg, Germany. They also show him as traveling on the Pennsylvania Merchant arriving on 18 Sept 1733. This is a work in progress so I have not been able to prove which is correct yet.

Matthias Gisch arrived at Philadelphia on the Pennsylvania Merchant in Sept of 1733. He is listed on page 237 in the book "First Families of America". He received a grant of land from William Penn under the name of Matthew Keatch. He was one of first settlers of Lancaster Co, Pa. He was the father of five sons and three daughters. All these children were born in Lancaster Co. and were the progenitors of all the Gish families in America, which dates from colonial times. Matthias was a Dunkard minister as were several generations of his male descendents.

The name Gisch was derived from Kirsch, German for cherry because in the local dialect the pronunciation is the same. The spelling was later changed to Gish. There have been published some old eighteenth century documents which tell of the departure of emigrants from various localities in Birkenfeld, Saarbrucken (also known as “The Palatine”) and the Pflaz. Among these in the records of Nohfelden occurs the announcement that Matthias Gisch of Answeiler was departed for America.

From land records in the state house at Harrisburg the first warrant for a survey was issued to Mathias Gisch in 1739. This called for 107 acres plus six percent for roads and highways. The deed, was signed by James Hamilton, Lieutenant Governor, and was issued in 1743. He soon secured more land until the final acreage was 180, this was in the White Oak district.

Matthias was both farmer and blacksmith, as farmer he made a living, as blacksmith, earned money.

Some researchers believe that our line of Gishes descended from Phillip Matthias Gisch and Maria Seibert but after many years of research by Katherine Melton and Joanne Wilkerson (both of Henderson, Ky and authors of "The Gish cousins of Kentucky) they concluded that this line descended from Phillip's brother Hans Jacob Gish and Maria Catharina Heyl.

They came to this conclusion after they wrote their book. When Matthias arrived here there were 191 persons on board the ship, 71 males above 16 years of age, 64 under 16 and 56 females. He took the oath of allegiance the same day of arrival. He and wife became members of the White Oak congregation. The descendants spread westward to Shippensburg, Pa. and south to Virginia as early as 1780.

Matthias was 26 years old when he arrived and his nephew Christian Lauer was 18. Matthias left Tulpehocken where he landed and bought his farm where now stands the Matthias Gish marker at Penryn, near Manheim Pa.The marker was erected Aug 17, 1933 commemorating the first 200 years of the landing of Matthias Gish in America.

Answeiler where he came from is located near the extreme south eastern border of Birkenfeld, probably part of the duchy of Saarbrucken.

Mathias received a land grant under the name of Matthew Keach.

Matthias Gisch (10-19-1710 – 11-12-1757) married Katharine Bauer (1709 – 1771)

Data from German Reformed Chuch-Philadephia, PA:

Jun 1, 1790-Paul Bauer-Polly Roun

Oct 1748-Heinrick Baur-Anna Cathearine Ries

Arrived on same ship as Matthis Gish Sept 18, 1733, "Penn. Merchant." Also with Hans George Hock, Katherine Bauer would marry Matthias Gish, and their son Christian would marry Hans George Hock's daughter, Sophia

They had 8 children, five sons and three daughters.

Despite being devout Dunkard ministers like their father (the Church of the Brethern) and therefore pacifists like the Amish, Quakers and Mennonites the three eldest brothers served in the revolutionary war with George Washington. with John being killed in the Lancaster Militia in 1783. Christian was in Captain Peebles' Company 1777-1782.

Christian Gish I was born in 1735.

Immigration: 18 SEP 1733 Pennsylvania Merchant

Individual Note Blacksmith 

http://genealogytrails.com/ill/woodford/gish_family.htm

    The original Gish, Matthias Gish, arrived in America, sometime between 1729 and 1733 as per William Hamaker in his book Matthias Gish of White Oak. It is belies that he arrived on the Pennsylvania Merchant, witch was captained by John Stedman. The Original belief is that he arrived in 1729, however written proof cannot be found. The first written proof is in 1733 at which time he purchased land near White Oak, Pennsylvania, where his blacksmith now stands.

    It is also believed that he met his future wife while on board this ship and that they were married about 1735. This is the start of the Gish family in the United Stated.

    We will continue on dealing mostly with the Gish's that migrated to Minnesota.

Matthias Gish Father is Phillip Matthias Gish Mother is Barbara Seibert married in 1766.

                         Grandfather Philip Gish of Asweiler Germany

Matthias Gisch arrived at Philadelphia on the Pennsylvania merchant September 18, 1733. He is listed on pg. 237 in the book "First families of America". He received a grant of land from William Penn under the name of Matthew Keatch. He was one of first settlers of Lancaster Co, Pa. He was the father of five sons and three daughters. All these children were born in Lancaster Co. and were the progenitors of all the Gish families in America, which dates from colonial times.

The name Gisch was derived from Kirsch the german for cherry because in the local dialect the pronunciation is the same. The spelling was later changed to Gish. There has been published some old eighteenth century documents which tell of the departure of emigrants from various localities in Birkenfeld, Saarbrucken and the Pflaz. Among these in the records of Nohfelden occurs the announcement that Matthias Gisch of Asweiler was departed for America.

From land records in the state house at Harrisburg the first warrant for a survey was issued to Matthias Gisch in 1739. This called for 107 acres plus six percent for roads and highways. The deed, was signed by James Hamilton, Lieutenant Governor, and was issued in 1743. He soon secured more land until the final acreage was 180, this was in the White Oak district.

Matthias was both farmer and blacksmith, as farmer he made a living, as blacksmith, earned money.

Matthias and Katharine were married soon after they landed at Philadelphia. Their oldest child must have been born within a year or two after the landing. when he came to America he came with a nephew Christian Lauer.

Their son, Abraham, who married Susanna Kuhns, moved to Abilene, Kansas and from them movie stars, Lilian and Dorothy Gish were descended.

Some researchers believe that our line of Gish's descended from Phillip Matthias Gish and Maria Seibert, but after many years of research by Katherine Melton and Joanne Wilkerson (both of Henderson, Ky and authors of "The Gish cousins of Kentucky) they concluded that this line descended from Phillip's brother Hans Jacob Gish and Maria Catharina Heyl.

They came to this conclusion after they wrote they book. When Matthias arrived here there were 191 persons on board the ship, 71 males above 16 years of age, 64 under 16 and 56 females. He took the oath of allegiance the same day of arrival. He and wife became members of the White Oak congregation. Their descendants spread westward to Shippensburg, Pa. and south to Virginia as early as 1780.

Matthias was 26 years old when he arrived and his nephew Christian Lauer was 18. Matthias left Tulpehocken where he landed and bought his farm where now stands the Matthias Gish marker at Penryn, near Manheim Pa.The marker was erected Aug 17, 1933 commemorating the first 200 years of

the landing of Matthias Gish in America.

Asweiler where he came from is located near the extreme south eastern border of Birkenfeld, probably part of the duchy of Saarbrucken.

Matthias received a land grant under the name of Matthew Keach.

Arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 at the age of 23 with Katharine on the Pennsylvania Merchant.

TOPIC OVERVIEW

The Compendium of American Genealogy: The Standard Genealogical Encyclopedia of the First Families of America Ed. Frederick Adams Virkus. Vol. 4: 1930. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing, 1987. p237. COPYRIGHT 1987 Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. Save Article Page 237

6–Mathias (Gisch) Gish, landed 1733;

Johann Mathias Gisch Gish Memorial Photos Flowers Edit Share Birth:  Oct. 19, 1710 Saarland, Germany Death:  Nov., 1757 White Oak Lancaster County Pennsylvania, USA

"Our Matthias Gish, the immigrant, was a son of Jacob and Maria Caterina (Heyd) Gish, as shown in Burgert's 'Pennsylvania Pioneers of Wolfersweiler Parish, Saarland, Germany" Wolfersweiler Reformed KB - Hans Jacob Gisch, son of the late Philip Gisch of Answeiler, married 19 Nov 1709 Maria Catherine, daughter of late Jacob Heyd of Schellweiler. They had a son Joh. Matheis, bap 19 Oct 1710." "Emigrants to America From the Duchy of Zweibrucken" Translated by Krebs 1972 "Matthes Gisch, stepson of Andreas Kneibes of Asweiler, has gone to America in 1733 and received 40 gold florins for the journey expenses" (Pennsylvania Merchant) Also we have the German church records on all the Gish's that have been transcribed. Came to Pennsylvania September 1733 on the Pennsylvania Merchant with his cousin Christian Lauer. In the court records you find the spelling Gish, Gisch, Kish Keach, etc. By the third generation the spelling is Gish. He is listed on page 237 in the book "First Families of America". He received a grant of land from William Penn under the name of Matthew Keach. He was one of the first settlers of Lancaster Co, Pa., and was the father of five sons and three daughters, all of these children born in Lancaster Co, Pa. Christian,John, David, Abraham,and Jacob, Anna Katerin , Anna Maria and Catherine. There had been published some old eighteenth century documents which tell of the departure of emigrants from various localities in Birkenfeld, Saarbrucken and the Pflaz. Among these in the records of Nohfelden occurs the announcement that Matthias Gisch of Answeiler, stepson of Andreas Kniebes, has left for America. From land records in the state house at Harrisburg, the first warrant of survy was issued to Mathias Gisch in 1739. This called for 107 acres plus six percent for roads and highways. The deed, was signed by James Hamilton, Lieutenant Governor, and was issued in 1743. He soon secured more land until the final acreage was 180 acres, this was in the White Oak district. Matthias was both a farmer and blacksmith, as farmer he made a living and as a blacksmith. We know that Mathias went to Lancaster and started building on his farm as early as 1733 although it was 1739 when he applied for the warrent of survy. When the barn he built burned a few years ago (2002), the cornerstone said 1733. Mathias took his oath of Allegience Sep 18 1733 when he stepped off the Pennsylvania Merchant, John Stedman Captain, from Rotterdam. So he must have gone to his property right away and started the barn. Guardians of the minor children Of Mathias are Christian Lauer(cousin to Mathias), Christian Gish(the oldest son) and Conrad Mark (probably relative of his wife Katherine). Katherine and Mathias married about 1734 as their first son Christian was born Sep 1735 "Our Matthias Gish, the immigrant, was a son of Jacob and Maria Caterina (Heyd) Gish, as shown in Burgert's 'Pennsylvania Pioneers of Wolfersweiler Parish, Saarland, Germany"

   Wolfersweiler Reformed KB -

   Hans Jacob Gisch, son of the late Philip Gisch of Answeiler, married 19 Nov 1709 Maria Catherine, daughter of late Jacob Heyd of Schellweiler.  They had a son Joh. Matheis, bap 19 Oct 1710." "Emigrants to America From the Duchy of Zweibrucken"  Translated by Krebs 1972 "Matthes Gisch, stepson of Andreas Kneibes of Asweiler, has gone to America in 1733 and received 40 gold florins for the journey expenses"  (Pennsylvania Merchant) Also we have the German church records on all the Gish's that have been transcribed. Came to Pennsylvania September 1733 on the Pennsylvania Merchant with his cousin Christian Lauer. In the court records you find the spelling Gish, Gisch, Kish Keach, etc. By the third generation the spelling is Gish. He is listed on page 237 in the book "First Families of America".  He received a grant of land from William Penn under the name of Matthew Keach.  He was one of the first settlers of Lancaster Co, Pa., and was the father of five sons and three daughters, all of these children born in Lancaster Co, Pa.  Christian,John, David,  Abraham,and  Jacob, Anna Katerin , Anna Maria and Catherine.  There had been published some old eighteenth century documents which tell of the departure of emigrants from various localities in Birkenfeld, Saarbrucken and the Pflaz.  Among these in the records of Nohfelden occurs the announcement that Matthias Gisch of Answeiler, stepson of Andreas Kniebes, has left for America.  From land records in the state house at Harrisburg, the first warrant of survy was issued to Mathias Gisch in 1739.  This called for 107 acres plus six percent for roads and highways.  The deed, was signed by James Hamilton, Lieutenant Governor, and was issued in 1743. He soon secured more land until the final acreage was 180 acres, this was in the White Oak district.  Matthias was both a farmer and blacksmith, as farmer he made a living and as a blacksmith. We know that Mathias went to Lancaster and started building on his farm as early as 1733 although it was 1739 when he applied for the warrent of survy.   When the barn he built burned a few years ago (2002), the cornerstone said 1733. Mathias took his oath of Allegience Sep 18 1733 when he stepped off the Pennsylvania Merchant, John Stedman Captain, from Rotterdam. So he must have gone to his property right away and started the barn.

Guardians of the minor children Of Mathias are Christian Lauer(cousin to Mathias), Christian Gish(the oldest son) and Conrad Mark (probably relative of his wife Katherine). Katherine and Mathias married about 1734 as their first son Christian was born Sep 1735. We do not know Cathrina/Catrina's parents but I think either John Stern or John Leaman.

Jan 11 1791 Book 1788-1791 page 318-319 (wife of Mathias, Catherine Gish has died) "The court appoints John Stern guardian of the estates of Anna Maria Gish, Abraham Gish and Jacob Gish minor children of John Gish late of Mountjoy township Yoeman(?Leaman) deceased during their minority.respectfully (their being several over the age of fourteen yearrs) agreeable to their written application for that purpose. The "court appoints John Stern of Mountjoy township guardian over the estates of Mathias Gish and Catheerine Gish minor children of John Gish, Yoeman deceased during their minority, they being several years under the age of minority.

Most of the first two generations and some of the thired generation of Gish's used the spelling Gisch. What graves have been found. Also they all have family farm cemetries. Buried on they farms they lived on. Note: unreadable stones

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jul 7 2018, 18:44:27 UTC