John Henry Bayer

B (2) JOHN HENRY BOYER, s. of Christopher Bayer and wife
Anna Maria, was born June 5, 1724, in Palatinate, Germany, as recorded
in the Old Goshenhoppen book, on page 43. Lutheran. The tax lists
of Frederick Twp., or Salford Twp., Montg. Co., Pa., would probably
help his descendants to study biography. The church records show that
he married Maria Magdalene Kercher, February 1746. She was born
in Kreuznach, Palatinate, Germany, in 1718. The Old Goshenhoppen
book contains the baptismal records of his children on page 43. They
were John George, John Philip, Conrad, John Henry, and John Valen¬
tine. In 1752, when this entry was made in the Church Records, he was
only 28 years old. The historian can not find any other children in the
Old Goshenhoppen book, and that in the face of the fact that he evident¬
ly did not move out of the neighborhood, for his children’s children are
recorded in the same church book. The historian believes that John
Henry died in 1752, and that his brother Andrew’s wife died in the
same year. The necessary services of a minister in both families would
explain the reason for the very unusual family history of page 43, of the
Old Goshenhoppen book, where the Palatinate origin of the brothers
is recorded with the births and baptisms in both families. Andrew no
doubt married again, as explained before, and continued faithful to
this church till death, and his brother’s widow undoubtedly brought up
her children in the same connection.

One hundred and ninety seven years after his death, his tombstone has been located and unearthed in September of 2011 by Jennie Boyer.

It is located about 100 yards from the Old Goshenhoppen Church in Upper Salford, Pennsylvania. It is broken and was found laying face down--almost all covered with dirt and grass. The cemetery keeper scraped this off and turned it over. This was a very emotional and exciting experience for Jennie and her family.

The keeper said they have access to land records at the church, which may date back to the 1800's.

GEDCOM Source

MH:S286 Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Lutheran Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1556-1973 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.

GEDCOM Source

Age: 0

GEDCOM Source

MH:S11 Germany, Select Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.

GEDCOM Source

Age: 0