Jost “Joseph” Cope

According to the History Books of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Johannes Jost (Joost) [Joseph] Cope (Kupp, Coope), (spelling is phonetic), and wife Dorothea Barbara Beuscher, came to America on October 2, 1727, along with their son, Johannes Nicholas, age 10 years, aboard the good ship "Adventure," captained by John Davies, from Rotterdam, The Netherlands [Holland], to the Port of Philadelphia from Wuerttemberg, the Palatine State of Germany. People from this area were very poor and persecuted because of their religious beliefs [they were Lutheran]. Jost lived during the reign of three King George's of England. Queen Ann reigned during the settling of America during the early 1700's. During that time, about 1709, many Germans were given a tract of land from the English government. After they had lived there for awhile and built their houses, their liberties and privileges were infringed. They were deprived of parts of their land. The Germans returned violence for violence upon those who robbed them of their possessions. Several were punished fiercely. The greater part of them left their homesteads and went to settle in Pennsylvania, where they received considerable tracts of land and were allowed great privileges. The Germans wrote their friends and relatives and advised them to not go to New York when coming to America. As a result of this, many of the Germans arriving in North America avoided New York and arrived in Pennsylvania. Yost Cope, his wife, Dorothea, and family arrived in Pennsylvania on 2 October 1727 on the ship "Adventure." The ship lists him as "Joost Coope" and "Jost Cope." He was among 465 German, Dutch, and French inhabitants of Philadelphia County, who owned land and paid quit rent prior to 1734. Quit rent is defined as a reserved rent in the grant of land by the proprietary payment of which the landholder was to be freed from other taxes.Quit rents were not uniform. They varied from one shilling to six shillings per annum and sometimes more. In a land lease or deed it tells of 6 children. The sons are listed as farmers or coopers. Yost was naturalized in Pennsylvania in 1738-1739. He came into possession of a tract of land in the Southeastern corner of Franconia Township. The original homestead is located in the middle of the tract, where the present house and barn stand. He settled first in what is now Montgomery County, where 150 acres of land was surveyed to him by William Penn's commissioners by warrant dated January 8, 1734. Yost was one of the petitioners requesting the court at Philadelphia, March 1739, to open a public road on the county line of Bucks and then Philadelphia County [later Montgomery County]. He purchased 420 acres in 1750 from Richard Craxall in Fredrick CO, MD. The property was described as "The Range" near Little Pipe Creek. Naturalized in 1738. There were 30,000 Palantines that immigrated to the Port of Philadelphia, and from 1727 to 1775, 324 ships made the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. Johann Jost Cope and his wife and son were on the 4th ship to come over, and the "Adventure," made the voyage three (3) times. I have a copy of the passenger list that lists Joost Coope as a passenger. This document will be scanned and converted into a computer file for this Family Tree. Johann Jost settled in what is now Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, where 150 acres of land was surveyed to him by William Penn's commissioners by warrant dated January 8, 1734. He later purchased 420 acres in 1750 from Richard Craxall in Frederick County, Maryland, near Little Pipe Creek. **NOTE: There is a 3-volume book set entitled, "30,000 Palantines Arrive at Philadelphia Harbor." This book depicts every adult male German immigrant that arrived at the Philadelphia Harbor between 1726 and 1775. It is advisable to purchase this set if you want a record of those who made the voyage, survived the ordeal, and settled in Pennsylvania during those years. The above mentioned tract of land was in the possession of Yost in 1755. In 1769, a resurvey was made because errors were discovered in the draft of the tract. The whole tract that was surveyed had three owners, Jacob Leidy, John Cope, and William Althouse. Patents or "Confirmation" deeds were issued to Jacob Leidy for 246 acres, to William Althouse for 94 acres, and to John Cope for 148 acres, less the usual 6% allowance for roads. Yost later moved back to Bucks County, Pennsylvania where his sons Abraham and Adam had purchased land in 1759. Yost did not appear on any Indian Creek Church Confirmation Lists, but his sons did, beginning with the first record in 1768 and until 1796. Thus Abraham, Adam, John, Michael, and Henry Cope were all on these lists. Margaret Cope, wife of John Adam, appears on the 1805 list. The farm where Yost lived was surrounded by other farms, all in the possession of members of the Indian Creek Church. We know that Yost and Dorothea Cope had at least six children, with the older sons members of the Indian Creek Church until the time of death. Yost died 26 November 1756.

Jost [Yost] (Joseph) and his wife, Dorothea, had children, Johannes Nicholas, b. ca 1717, Heidelberg, Germany, Katherine Cope, b. 1725, Johannes Adam, b. July 2, 1731, Johannes Abraham, b. August 1734, Johannes Georg (John), (referred to as Captain John), b. December 12, 1737, and Philip Jacob, b. 1740. Other than Nicholas, these Cope men, and their sister, remained in Pennsylvania and their history has been thoroughly researched. Most of that information is available in the Bucks County Genealogy Society's Library in Montgomery, Pennsylvania. Johannes Jost Cope is buried in Leidy's Old Cemetery, Souderton, Montgomery CO, Pennsylvania

A lot of people do not realize the hardships that the German Palantines went through and had to endure to immigrate to the New World. It was not an easy trip. In the next several paragraphs, I will quote a German immigrant who wrote a vivid and graphic description about what it was like to make the trip. For those of you with weak stomachs or extreme emotions, I wish to apologize here and now, and will only do it this time. What I am about to quote is the harsh reality of travel during the early 1700s. This description will also be scanned and turned into a computer file for this Family Tree.

Montgomery CO, Pennsylvania History

"A History of Christ's Reformed Church at Indian Creek (Indianfield)"

Compiled, Edited and Published by Charles H. Price, Jr., 1966

Page 37 YOST COPE (Joost Cop, Kop) was born in Wittenberg [Wuertemburg], in former Prussia [Prussian Saxony, Germany], formerly a part of East Germany, now it is free due to the dismanteling of the Berlin Wall, during 1700: D. November 26, 1784 (ERROR, Actually died November 26, 1756], Married DOROTHEA Barbara Beuscher [Bucher), BORN IN 1700 IN Prussia. Died October 6, 1784. Both buried in Leidy's Cemetery.

Wittenberg [Wuertemburg/Wurttemberg], the city of his birth, is in former Prussian Saxony, Germany, reputed to be the city where the Reformation started in 1517. The garrison church contains the graves of Martin Luther and Melanchton. Martin Luther's Cell and melanchton's house are said to still be preserved.

Yost Cope and his family arrived in Pennsylvania on October 2, 1727, on the Ship Adventurer [Actually named "Adventure"], and was naturalized in 1738 - 39. He came into possession of a tract of land in the southeastern corner of Franconia township, bounded by the Cherry Lane, County Line, Hatfield Township line. The western line was not certain, but believed to be the Hatfield Road, Washington Avenue extension. On the eastern border of present Souderton. The original homestead was located in the center of the tract, where the present house and barn stand. There was 150 acres surveyed to him by Penn's Commissioners by warrant dated January 8, 1734. (Hist. Soud.)

He was once of the petitioners requesting the Court at Philadelphia, March, 1739, to open a public road, now known as the Cowpath Road. In 1744, he was a petitioner on the request for the opening of a public road on he County Line of Bucks, and then Philadelphia County, from the vicinity of Cherry Lane to Line Lexington, the present County Line Road, and now also partly Highway Route 309 (Hist. Soud.)

Reverand John Peter Miller, in the Old Goshenhoppen Church Record, recorded a baptism on "August 22, 1731, of Johann Adam, Son of Johann Jost Kob and wife--witness, Johann Adam Beuscher and wife," showing that Yost Cope and his wife were Reformed in their faith. It is, therefore, a fair assumption that when this new Reformed Congregation started here in 1744 - 45, it being considerably closer to home, they actively engaged in

Page 38

worship here, evidenced by three sons marrying three daughters of families of this congregation, and themselves active in its affairs during their lifetime.

The above mentioned tract was in the possession of Yost Cope in 1755. In 1769, a resurvey was made because errors were discovered in the draft of the tract, the whole tract that was surveyed had three owners, Jacob Leidy, John Cope and William Althouse. Patents or "confirmation" deeds were issued to Jacob Leidy for 246 acres, to William Althouse for 94 actes, to John Cope for 148 acres, less the usual six percent allowance for roads. (Hist. Soud.)

Yost Cope later moved to Bucks County (copy had in margin "no because died-1756) where his sons, Abraham and Adam had purchased land in 1759. Yost Cope did not appear on any of the Indian Creek Church Contribution Lists, but his sons did beginning with the first record in 1768 and until 1796. This Abraham Cope, Adam Cope, John Cope, Michael and Henry Cope all were on these lists. Margrette Cope appears on the 1805 list.

The farm on which Yost Cope lived was surrounded by other farms, all in the possession of members of Indian Creek Church. His three oldest sons married into two of these families. It seems, this, reasonably certain that he and his family were in the audience at Indian Creek when Rev. Michael Schlatter preached on October 20, 1746, and no doubt with at least two of his son, Adam, who was 15 years of age, and Abraham, who was 12 years of age.

We know that Yost and Dorothea Cope has at least six children, with the three oldest sons members of indian Creek Church until the time of their death. Their children were--

Johan ADAM COPE b. July 2, 1731 mar. Margaret Hartzell ABRAHAM COPE b. August 11, 1734 mar. Christina Hartzell JOHN Georg COPE b. December 12, 1737 mar. Sophia Hengey Philip JACOB COPE b. About 1740 mar. Maria Salome Webber CATHERINE COPE b. About 1725 mar. Henry Haines (margin says "Michael Heintz") Johann NICHOLAS COPE b. About 1716* later lived in Dauphia Co., PA. (margin says "error-a different man") Then he and his family moved to Davie/Davidson CO, North Carolina.

The only descendant of Yost Cope in the membership at Indian Creek known to the author at the present time is Mary Cope, the daughter of Henry G. and Matilda (Rudy) Cope.

• Note: It has been noted that Johannes Nicholas Cope was born ca. 1716 - 17, and was the only child of Johannes Yost Cope and Dorothea Barbara Beuscher Cope who was born in Germany, which is incorrect as now, his sister Catherine was born Abt 1725, Page 39

John ADAM COPE, son of Yost and Dorothea Cope, b. July 2, 1731, d. Decembedr 2, 1799. Mar. November 8, 1762, to MARGARET HARTZELL, DAUGHTER of Heinrich and Margaretha Hartzell, of Rockhill Township. They are both buried in Leidy's Cemetery. She was b. August 2, 1743, d. May 7, 1813

In their early life, he and his brothers and sister lived on the farm on which his father settled when he arrived from Europe. This was located in Franconia Township, just south of the present Borough of Soudertonm, with the east end of the farm bordering on the hatfield Township line, the tracks of the Reading Railway traverse the western end of the tract, and consisting of 150 acres. Then in 1759, brothers Adam and Abraham Cope purchased a tract of land in Hilltown Township just east of their father-in-law, Heinrich Hartzell's farm, on which they both lived for some time. Abraham later bought a farm on the corner of which the Hilltown, St. Peter's Reformed Church was later built. Adam and margaret Cope reared their family on the farm they purchased in 1759. He added more land so that at the time of his death, he owned 350 acres, which made him one of the larger landowners in Hilltorn Township at the time. They lived on this farm until their deaths. By his will, Adam devised that half of the farm should go to his son Abraham, and the other half go to his other son Jacob, each was to pay the estate 400 Pounds for his part of the farm.

They were members of the Reformed Church at Indian Creek, where we find his name on the Deacon's Collection Lists from 1774 to 1796. The New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church Record, East Greenville, Pennsylvania, records his baptism by Rev. John Peter Miller, August 22, 1731 in the presence of his parents and Johann Adam Beuscher and wife, witnesses, baptized "Johann Adam."

My comments: The italicized in above, I think, are comments by Betty Gibson (of Gabel ancestry). I agree with each of them. The rest is best I have. Of interest to me is the name of Johann Adam Beuscher in the baptism of Johann Adam Cope. It is surmised that either Yost's wife was a sister to him or HIS wife was sister to Yost. They both paid the fee to leave the same town in Germany at the same time and were on the "Adventure" passenger list. Also from the Leimen Lutheran Parish Records, Christenings 1702-1735: File #11891340: [page 147] [At] Waldorf, Johann Jost Kob, Cooper, had a daughter born November 13th [1725]. The godmother was Catherina Benz of Ochsenback, for whom she [the child] was named. [page 151] [At] Waldorf, Joh(ann) Adam Beuscher had a daughter born on May 22nd [1726], whose godmother was Miss Walburga Osterhelde, the master hunter's daughter, for whom she [the child] is named. Also I found a redord in Rowan County referring to Bolsher Cope's improvement in sale of land. I have never seen other references to that. Also in the Leimen records above is: [page 126] [At] Waldorf, Mr. Johann Jost Kob had two sons born January 28th [1723], for whom the godfather was the honorable town mayor. We have no records of them. Maybe they did not survive. Roy D. Cope

[List 4 A, B] Adventure Galley Captain: John Davies (Mirion) From: Rotterdam By Way of: Plymouth Arrival: Philadelphia, 2 Oct 1727

1727 ADVENTURE GALLEY

Fifty-three Palatine, who with their families, make about one hundred and forty Persons.

Name, Age Place of Origin (Town, Province) Source Remarks (USA, Spelling Variations, Occupation, Relationships, etc.) Michel Müller Susanne Krottelbach, Bayern-Pfalz Bur1985 Miller; To Washington, MD. Ulrich Pitcha Jasper Mingale Johannes Beydeler Badler Johannes Lehman Anna Barbara Johannes, 27 Lachen-Speyerdorf, Bayern-Pfalz Bur2000 Layman; To York, PA. Casber Ney Neye Christopher Miller Jacob Leidy Lydie Jacque Simoult Symone Michael Eichert Ikart Johannes Ullerich Ulrick Hans Adam Osser Peter Shilling Jacob Meyer Mathias Rysling Risling Jacob Baumann Susanna Nee (Müller) Lambsheim, Bayern-Pfalz Bur2000 Powman; To Philadelphia, PA. Peter Rool Rule Jacob Schmidt Anna Elisabetha Johann Jacob, 25 Weisenheim am Sand, Bayern-Pfalz Bur2000 To Montgomery, PA. Mich Kern John Seyham Christo. Exell Derrick Romshower Franz Balthasar Franz Anna Elisabeth Georg Christoffel, 29 Frantz Balthasar, 29 Assenheim, Bayern-Pfalz Bur2000 To Lancaster, PA. Johannes Kurtz Cortes Johann Peter Weisner Wiser Johann Sower Nicklos Chron Corn Hans Martator Adam Pister

• *Joost Coope** Balsar Leine Lyme Jacob Wihelmus Willhelmus Jacob Hoghman Jacob Fisher Ulrich Rieser Riser Katherine Rowland Leonhard Rothermel Margretha (Zimmermann) Christian, 23 Anna Margretha, 22 Johann Peter, 12 Lorentz, 12 Johann Paul, 8 Johannes, 5 Böhl, Bayern-Pfalz Bur2000 To Lehigh, PA. Johann Carl Horlacher Horlogh Henrich Horlacher Horlogh Jacob Riser Alexd Fritley Anna Barbara Fiseling Nicolas Keyser Jean Dieter Borleman Boorlinger Christian Frier Benetick Nuel Johann Peter Hess Hus Scipilo Hoffmaning Jacob Filler Hans Holdeman Christopher Ulrich Ulrick Hans Hisley Evan Fosterhave Christian Bikler Piger Joanes Yirk Heriger Henery Smith Johann Jacob Stutzman Daniel Borman Georg Christoff Oechslen Maria Margretha (Müller) Henrich, 0 Böhl, Bayern-Pfalz Bur2000 Exline; To Montgomery, PA.

Name: Yost Cope Sex: M Birth: 1700 in Wurttemburg, Germany Death: 26 NOV 1762 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania Note: Residence: 1727 Came from Wurttemburg Germany on the Adventure on passenger list as Joost Coope, came to Philadelphia Residence: 6 APR 1750 Bought property in Frederick, Maryland 1 Immigration: 2 OCT 1727 "...one of fifty-three Palatines and families, about 140, imported on the ship Adventurer, John Davies, Master, from Rotterdam last from Plymouth." 2 Immigration: ABT. 1727 Point of origin unknow destination Montgomery, Pennsylvania. Conflict on ship name Joost Coope was a Palatine passenger on the Andrew Galley arriving in Philadelphia in Oct 1727: Joost Coop is also listed as a passenger on the Adventurer. 1 Reference Number: 63 Note: per web site The German COPE family (http;//www2.fwi.com/~migen/cope/german.htm)

Wurttemberg, the city of his birth, is in former Prussian, Saxony, reputed to be the city where the Reformation started in 1517. The garrison church contains the graves of Luther and Melanchton. Luther's Cell and Melanchton's house are said still to be preserved. Yost Cope and his family arrived in Pennsylvania on October 2, 1727 on the 'Good Ship" Adventure, and was naturalized on Sept. 25-27, 1740. He came into possesion of a tract of land in the southeastern corner of Franconia township, bounded by the Cherry Lane, County Line, Hatfield Township line. The western was not certain, but believed to be the Hatfield Road, Washington Avenue extension, on the eastern border of present Souderton. The original homstead was located in the center of the tract, where the present house and barn stand. There was 150 acres surveyed to him by Penn's Commissioners by warrant dated January 8, 1734. (Hist. Soud.) He was one of the petitioners requesting the Court at Philadelphia, March, 1739, to open a public road, now know as the Cowpath Road. In 1744 he was a petitioner on the request for the opening of a public road on the County Line of Bucks and then Philadelphia county, from the vicinity of Cherry Lane to Line Lexington, the present County Line Road, and now also partly Highway Route 309. (Hist. Soud.) Rev. John Peter Miller, in the Old Goshenhoppen Church Record, recorded a baptism on "Aug. 22, 1731, of Johann Adam, son of Johann Jost Kob and wife-witness, Johann Adam Beuscher & wf," showing the Yost Cope and his wife were Reformed in their faith. It is, therefore, a fair assumption, that when this new Reformed Congregation started here in 1744-45, it being considerable closer home, they actively engaged in worship here, evidenced by three sons marrying three daughters of families of this congregation, and themselves active in its affairs during their lifetime. The above mentioned tract was in the possession of Yost Cope in 1755. In 1769 a resurvey was made, because errors were discovered in the draft of the tract that was surveyed had three owners, Jacob Leidy, John Cope and William Althouse. Patents of "confirmation" deeds were issued to Jacob Leidy for 246 acres, to William Althouse for 94 acres, to John Cope for 148 acres, less the usual six percent allowance for roads. (Hist. Souns.) Yost Cope later moved to Bucks County where his sons, Abraham and Adam had purchased land in 1759. Yost Cope did not appear on any of the Indian Creek Church Contribution Lists, but his sons did beginning with the first record in 1768 and until 1796. Thus Abraham Cope, Adam Cope, John Cope, Michael and Henry Cope all were on these lists. Margrette Cope appears on the 1805 list. The farm on which Yost Cope lived was surrounded by other farms all in the possession of members of the Indian Creek Church. His three oldest sons married into two of these families. It seems, thus, reasonably certain that he and his family were in the audience at Indian Creek when Rev. Michael Schlatter preached on Oct. 20, 1746, and no doubt with at least two of his sons, Adam who was 15 years of age, and Abraham who was 12 years of age. We know that Yost and Dorothea Cope had at least six children, with the three oldest sons members of the Indian Creek Church until the time of their death." (A. Hisory of Christ Reformed Church at Indian Creek (Indianfield). He was a cooper by trade. His will is recorded in Philadelpia, Pa

Förnamn Jost or Yost or Johannes Jost Joost , Yost or Johannes Jost Cope Efternamn Cope Jost Födelsedatum 1700 ca 1700 Födelseort Sttutgart, Baden Wurttenburg West, Germany Germany Dödsdatum 26 november 1762 26 november 1784 Dödsort Franconia, Bucks, Pennsylvania, USA Philadelphia County, PA