Johannes Weaver Fretz

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Dec 10 2018, 2:37:19 UTC

  ---

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.

The history of the Fretz family in America has hitherto been unpreserved save by personal recollections transmitted from generation to generation and by such information as may be found in family Bibles, church archives public records, etc., and was fast being lost to the world...

INTRODUCTION. The brothers John and Christian Fretz, together with a third brother, (whose name is said to have been Mark, and who died on the voyage), emigrated from near the city of Manheim, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, formerly known as the Palatinate, or Rheinish Prussia. They were either of German or Swiss origin, probably the former as they wrote and spoke the German language, and were connected with a distinctively German Church....

The Fretz ancestors undoubtedly landed at the Port of Philadelphia; the date of their arrival is not known, but must have been between the years of 1710 and 1725. It is said that they came to this country during what was known as "the last persecution." They were given the alternative of connecting themselves with the vState church, or leave the country, and they chose rather than to give up their religious liberty to leave the "Fatherland," the land of their birth, and the homes of their kindred and friends, the graves of their ancestors, and all the hallowed associations of the home and country of their nativity, and found for themselves a home in a strange and far-off land where they could worship God "under their own vine and figtree," according to the dictates of their own conscience without fear of molestation...

The ancestors and their immediate descendants were Mennonites, and worshiped at Deep Run. Bucks Co. Pa., first in the old log church, which was probably built in 1746, and later in the old stone church, built in 1766, and which stood for over one hundred years. They no doubt aided in erecting this church, both by contributing of their means and labor, and from it their mortal remains were carried to their last earthly resting place in the cemetery adjoining. There may their ashes rest in peace until the trumphet of Gabriel shall awake the dead to come forth, and obtain the inheritance of the faithful.

John Fretz, evidently the eldest of the brothers, was twice married, his first wife was Barbara Meyer, daughter of pioneer Hans Meyer, of Upper Salford Montgomery county Pa. She was born about 1710, and died about 1740 or later. The children by this union were John, Jacob, Christian, Abraham, and Elizabeth. For his second wife he married Maria —, by whom he had three children, viz: Mark,Henry, and Barbara.

John Fretz probably at first lived somewhere in Montgomery county, where all the children by his first wife were probably born except Elizabeth. He afterwards settled in Bucks Co. , in what was then Plumstead township, but now Bedminster, or what is known as the Old Fretz Homestead, situated about one mile Northeast of Bedminsterville, now owned and occupied by Mahlon M. Fretz.

The homestead originally consisted of 230 acres of land, which John Fretz purchased of Bartholomew Ivongstreth, in 1737 or 1738, for which he paid 106 pounds. The release being given in the year 1738 inthe month of May.

The tract when purchased had a house, barn, and other buildings, but was surrounded on all sides by vacant and unimproved wild land.

Here the pioneer sojourned until the close of his earthly pilgrimage following the vocations of farming and weaving. The homestead farm now includes the whole or part of four farms, viz: Samuel High's, 69 acres; Mahlon M. Fretz's, 57 acres; Isaac L Fretz's, 44 acres; and Reuben Miller's, 60 acres. The old homestead proper is still in the Fretz name, and is owned and occupied by Mahlon M Fretz, of the sixth generation from the pioneer, and who has remodeled the substantial stone house erected by Deacon Abraham Fretz in 1821. and who was the third owner, his father Christian Fretz being the second owner The fourth owner was Deacon Abraham Fretz's youngest son Abraham Fretz, known as "Drover Abraham Fretz." It afterwards passed into the hands of Ely Fretz, father of the present owner Mahlon M. Fretz, thelatter being sixth and present owner.

John Fretz was a weaver by trade, and is known as "Weaver John." Of his public services nothing is known of especial interest further than that he was one of a committee to form the new township of Bedminster in 1741.

The last will and testament of John Fretz was dated January 29, 1772, and was probated March 3,of the same year, showing that he died between the two dates given, probably in February 1772.

The provisions of the will were that his son Christian should have the farm, and pay 800 pounds, and each of the children were to have equal shares, except the sum of 60 pounds which was to be distributed among the children of his first wife, and which came from their Grandfather Hans Meyer. To the widow Maria, was willed a 100 pounds of which she was to receive the interest as long as she remained his widow. She was to have the house in which George White lived at that time.

The last Will and Testament of John Fretz reads as follows:—

In the name of God Amen. I, John Fretz, of the Township of Bedminster in the County of Bucks in the Province of Pennsylvania Weaver beine: sick in body, but of sound memory blessed be God unto this day the twenty-ninth day of January in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-two make this as mv last Will and Testament in manner and form following:

First of all it is my Will that when it shall please god to call me out of this world my body shall be decently buried, and my Soul 1irecommend to God my Savior.

Secondly, I Will that all my just debts shall be paid carefully out of my estate, and rest disposed of as followth, that is to say, I give unto my beloved wife Maria, one hundred pounds lawful money to be paid out of my estate and the said hundred pounds shall be put on interest, and my wife shall have the interest yearly during her natural life, or so long as she remains my widow, and if she shall want any of the principal of the said hundred pounds so that the interest would not be sufficent for her yearly maintenance, it shall be allowed to her sufficient to maintain her during: her natural life, or so long she remains my widow, and if any is remaining of the said hundred pounds after her decease; or if she marries again, the remainder shall be equally divided amongst my children in equal shares, and it is my Will that my wife shall live in the house wherein George White lives now, during" her natural life or so long as she remains my widow, and my Executors shall finish the house off sufliciently and build a good stable to the house to put her cow in and her hay, and my son Christian Fretz shall let her have so much meadow hay as to give two cows, and my said son Christian shall give unto my said wife yearly eleven bushels of good winter grain half wheat and half rye, and to sow yearly one acre of Buckwheat, and to plow a half acre of land for Indian corn, and to plow and sow a half acre for flax yearly during her natural life or so long as she remains my widow, and my wife shall have a row of apple trees in my orchard, the fourth row from the barn, and my wife shall have to choose a cow from my cows which she please, and her bed and clothes and the furniture belonging to her bed, and my wife shall have one iron pot, and two pails, and all her household goods which she brought to me she shall take again, and my said wife shall have liberty to cut fire-wood on my place suflicient during her natural life or so long as she remains my widow. The garden by the house of George White shall be for her during her natural life, and it is further my Will that all my children shall have equal shares-except sixty pounds lawful money shall be paid unto the children of ray first wife out of ray estate which money came by their Grandfather, and the said sixty pounds shall be equally divided amongst ray said children of my first wife. And as my children which are married have had fifty pounds apiece it is my Will that my son Mark shall have fifty pounds likewise to make him equal with the rest, and my son Henry shall have so much as my children from my first wife except what is above excepted, and except the fifty pounds which is paid unto ray children when married.

And it is further my Will that my daughter Barbara shall have one hundred pounds lawful money out of my estate, and a cow, and a bed, all which she shall have when she comes to the age of eighteen years, and my son Henry shall have his share when he comes to the age of twenty-one years—and no sooner. And it further my Will that my son Christian Fretz shall have all ray lands to him, his Heirs and assigns, and he shall pay 800 pounds lawful money for my said land or plantation, and to have the half of the grain in the ground with the place, and he is to pay the Legatees as the Will directs, and he, the said Christian fulfill all the articles mentioned in this Will to my wife accordingly and ray son Christian shall have always a equal share with the rest of my children.

He, the said Christian, my son, shall pay unto John Fretz ray son, and Jacob Fretz, and Jacob Kulp, my son-in-law, for ray daughter Elizabeth, her share fifteen months after my decease, and unto my son Abraham two years and three months after ray decease, and unto my son Marcks, three years and three months after my detease, and the said Barbara, ray daughter which is mentioned in this "Will she shall have no more of my estate as the hundred pounds and the cow, and bed, as above mentioned, and Lastly, I do ordain, constitute, and appoint my sons ( hristian and John Fretz, to be my Executors of this my Last Will and Testament, wLom 1 do empower authorize to sell all my Estate except what is in this Will excepted and to pay all my debts and the Legacies aforesaid in ray name, utterly revoking'and disannulling all other and former Wills or Testaments and Executors by me before this time made or named Ratifyiny and Confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof 1 have to this presents set my hand and seal this the twenty-ninth day of January in the year 1772.

Sealed signed pronounced — declar by this presents this as my last Will and Testament in the presence of us John Fretz (seal) Daniel Gross — Jacob Kolb —

His children in the order of tlieir births were, viz: John, Jacob, Christian, Abraham, Elizabeth, Mark, Henry, and Barbara. pg. 1-10

===================

1. Johannes Gross FRETZ Jr. (Johannes S. FRETZ III6, Johannes W. FRETZ Jr.5, Johannes K. FRETZ4, Jacob K. FRETZ3, Jacob W. FRETZ2, Johannes FRETZ1) was born 7 Feb 1703/1704 in Germany, and died Feb 1772. He married Barbara MOYER (Meyer) (Meyers), daughter of Johannes MOYER (Meyer) and Barbara. She was born 1710 in Montgomery Co., PA, and died 12 May 1799 in Bucks Co., PA. He married Maria FRIEDT. She was born 1728 in Bucks Co., PA.

Children of Johannes Gross FRETZ Jr. and Barbara MOYER (Meyer) (Meyers) are:

• + 2 i. Johannes M. FRETZ was born 1729 in Upper Salford Twp., Montgomery Co., PA.
• + 3 ii. Jacob M. FRETZ Sr. was born 1732 in Bucks Co., PA, and died 1781 in Bucks Co., PA.
• + 4 iii. Christian M. FRETZ was born 1734 in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co., PA, and died 1 May 1803.
• + 5 iv. Abraham M. FRETZ Sr. was born 1736 in Montgomery Co., PA, and died ABT 1800 in Bucks Co., PA.
• + 6 v. Elizabeth M. FRETZ was born 9 Jul 1739 in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co., PA.

 Children of Johannes Gross FRETZ Jr. and Maria FRIEDT are:

* + 7 i. Mark FRETZ was born Dec 1750 in Bucks Co., PA, and died 24 Feb 1840.

• + 8 ii. Henry F. FRETZ was born 11 Nov 1755 in Bucks Co., PA, and died 30 May 1831 in Bucks Co., PA.

  ---

Born in Manheim, Baden, Germany, formerly known as the Palatinate or Rhenish Prussia. John and his brothers Christian and Mark left Prussia sometime around 1710-1720, fleeing religious persecution. They were of the Mennonite faith. Mark died enroute. Arrival in US before 1720. It is not known where John first settled. Later settled in what was then Plumstead twp, now Bedminster twp on what is known as the Old Fretz Homestead. Christian settled in Tinicum Twp, Bucks Co, PA.

From Schwenk, Naugle & Allied Families of PA, tsh@harborside, com: Arrived in US around 1715-20... Resided in Montgomery Co. until moving to Bucks Co abt 1737-1738. They were of the Mennonite faith and were among the founders of Deep Run Mennonite Church. In 1737 or 1738, John purchased what became the Fretz homestead. It consisted of 230 acres of land, for which he paid 106 pounds. John willed the farm in Bedminster Twp to his son, Christian.

Will Abstract: FRETZ, JOHN. Bedminster. Bucks Co. Weaver. January 29, 177 2. March 3, 1772. Wife, Maria. Children, Marckes, Henry, Barbara, John, Jacob, Elizabeth, Abraham. Son in law: Jacob Kulp. Execs: Christian and John Fretz. Witnesses: Daniel Gross, Jacob Kulp. (p 226).

In the Deep Run West Mennonite Cemetery there is a monument that reads: In Memory of John Fretz died 1772 and his brother Christian Fretz