John Wigard Levering

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Though his father was named by Wigard, without specifying his domicile, he recorded of his mother and of his wife that they were of the old cities of Wesel and Leyden, respectivelv, in and near to Holland. Wigard was born in Germany. By his family register, and other records, we know his language was Teutonic. What evidence have we that Rosier was not of the same mold.- I believe none. pg. 15 - LEVERING FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY. BY COL. JOHN LEVERING, 1897, Indianapolis aka: John Wigard "Weigardt"

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PRESBYTERY OF THE EVANGELICAL PARISH AT GEMEN. 1674. No. I. Sunday Occuli, of the year '74, for the first time is pi
claimed, John Wigard Levering, Hosier's son, with t chaste virgin Magdalena Bokers, of Essen. (Note.—Occuli : Fourth Sunday before Easter, in 1674, Vj March 22d, according to the Churchman's Almanac, by Wm. Whitworth, M. A., published in London, in 1882. J. L.) - pg. 44 - LEVERING FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY. BY COL. JOHN LEVERING, 1897, Indianapolis

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Geburth Register meiner Wigard Levering Kinder," i.e., Family Register of Wigard Levering. children.

I, Wigard Levering, was bom in Germany, in the Principality of Westphalia, in the District of Munster, and town of Gemen.

My father's name was Rosier Levering, and my mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Van de Walle, who was born in Wesel.

In the twenty-third year of my age, I, Wigard Levering, was married to my beloved wife, Magdalena Boker. Her father's name was William Boker, and her mother's maiden name was Sidonia Williams Braviers, of the city of Leyden, in Holland.

The above said Magdalena, my wife, was also born in Leyden, and God hath blessed us with the following children, to wit : The first born, JOANNA SOPHIA, born in Gemen, in the year of our Lord 1672, in March, and died in the third week. The second, ANNA Catharine, born in Mulheim on the Rhur, in March, 1673. The third, MaRIA ELIZABETH, born in July, 1676, and died in the eighteenth week of her age. The fourth, WILLIAM LEVERING, was born the 4th day of May, 1677. The fifth, AMELIA ANNA Sophia, was born in the middle of July, 1682. The sixth, ANNA SiBELLA, was born in the middle of September, 1684.

The above named children were all born in Mulheim on the Rhur, in Germany, and the following six children were born in North America, in the province of Pennsylvania :

The seventh, HERMAN, was born the i8th of November, 1686, and died. in the fourth year of his age, in May. The eighth, ELIZABETH, born the 7th of January, 1689, and died in the fourteenth year of her age, in September. The ninth, SiDONIA, born the 23d of April, 1691. The tenth, JACOB LEVERING, born the 21st of January, 1693 The eleventh, MagDALENA, born the 13th of January, 1695, and died in the third week of her age. The twelfth, Magdalena, born the 4th of June, 1696.

The last, after the perfect number of twelve, was an untimely birth.

God, who is the father of all that are called children, in heaven and on earth, have mercy on my children who are still in the land of the living, that they, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, may be born again, and registered with their children in heaven ; that they, after they are taken from this vain world, the parents with the children, and the children with the parents, may rejoice before God in a blessed and happy eternity. Amen."

It is noticed in the copies of original church records at Gemen, as heretofore given, that but two items relate to Wigard, viz.: The proclamation of his marriage, March 22, 1674, and the birth of Anna Sophia, his first child, on January 16, 1675. This, because of his removal to Mulheim soon after.

Comparing these dates with those given in his family register, discloses the discrepancies before named. Wigard states the birth date of Anna Sophia as March, 1672. That, we see, was two years before his marriage. If original records of other children following Anna Sophia existed and could be availed of, similar errors would, doubtless, be observable.

The contract entered into between Wigard Levering and the agents of the Frankfort Company, dated March 20, 1685, to transport himself and family to America, is, 1 believe, the most reliable written testimony, as to ages of the respective members of the family, existing, in that Wigard states his own age as "old 36 or 37 years," and of his wife Magdalena " 36 years," and gives the names and ages of the children, viz.: Anna Catharine, 9 vears ; William, 5 ; Amelia, 2 1/2, and Sibella, 1/2.

As other parents, they knew the ages of their several young children, and they—especially the mother—could answer without hesitation.

Now, if the birth date of Anna Catharine was stated correctly in the family register in the Bible, she would have been over 12 years old at the date of the shipping contract, and William would have been nearly 8, instead of 5 years old.

The fact is, the contract statements are correct. Wigard and Magdalena were married in March, 1674. Anna Catharine was born in March, 1676 (instead of 1673), and icas just 9 when she came to America, and William was not born until 1679. As to Amelia and Sibella, the birth years appear correctly stated.

The first child, Anna Sophia, born in Jauuary, 1675 (not in March, 1672), sustains the characteristic ante-nuptial charm accorded to her mother, as asserted by the chronicler of her marriage alliance.

Further than this: Wigard asserted that he was married "in the 23d year of his age." There being no doubt of his having attained 36 years when he came to America fixes his birth year 1649, and he was in his 25th year when married in 1674. Can these erroneous dates, as stated, manifestly by Wigard himself, be explained ? Easily, I believe !

An examination of the family register in the Bible, which is written in the German language, shows by the consecutive listing of names, and expressions relating to each, that it was written after all the children were born, and after the eighth child had attained 14 years of age and died, say, in 1703.

The volume is a very large folio, bound with leather, has metal clasps ; was printed in Germany, in the year 1693—eight years after Wigard, with his family, and his brother Gerhard, came to America.

Another telltale feature is disclosed in the chirography of the register. it is written in the same "hand," with the same pen and ink, and manifestly all, including the invocation, written at the same time —the kindly service of some friend, as Wigard could not write.

pg. 50-2 - LEVERING FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY. BY COL. JOHN LEVERING, 1897, Indianapolis

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Wigard and Gerhard Levering were of the "fresh accessions to the ranks in 1684-5," "they having arrived before the month of August, 1685.

As has been stated, the Frankfort Company was engaged in the transportation of persons desiring to remove to their colony. The written contract entered into by Wigard Levering with the local agents at Wesel, Dr. Thomas Van Wylick and Johannes Le Brun, for transportation of himself and family to Philadelphia, dated 20th of March, 1685, is still preserved. It was possessed by Mr. H. G. Jones, and among the papers willed by him to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. I have seen it. The instrument stipulates that "We, the subscribers, do acknowledge and confess by these Presents, that we have contracted and agreed together, that Doctor Thomas Van Wylick and Johannes Le Brun, in behalf of the Pennsylvania Company, in which they, and other friends of Frankfort and other parts, are engaged, to except or receive me, Wigard Levering, old 36 or 37 years, and Magdalena Boeckers, old 36 years, and four children, Anna Catharine, William, Amelia, and Sibella, respectively 1/2. 2 1/2, 5 and 9 years, to and for the service of the aforementioned Company, to transport by shipping out of Holland or In<iland, to Pennsylvania, upon their cost," etc. On arrival in Pennsylvania, they agreed to report themselves to Francis Daniel Pastorius, who was general agent tor the company.

This indicates that, at the time of its execution, Gerhard had not determined to emigrate, as there is written upon the margin of the instrument an agreement to include "the Contractor's brother, Gerhard Levering." it is regretted that his age was not given, as were specifically noted of the others. We have no data relating to Gerhard's age, nor is he mentioned, except incidentally in the German records. I believe -him to have been the voungest brother in the family.

The next documentary - evidence of the brothers is contained in a recorded deed, executed in August, 1685. As stated by Mr. Jones, "On the tenth of that month and year, Francis Daniel Pastorius, as the attorney of Jacob Van de Walle and others, forming the Frankford Company, conveyed to Wigard Levering a lot in Germantown containing fifty acres of land. The deed is in the German language, and closes as follows: 'So done in Germantown, on the loth day of the 6th month (August), in the vear of Christ 1685, in the sixteenthyear of the reign of King James the Second of England, and in the fifth year of the reign of William Penn.' "

Gerhard Levering also purchased a like area of land...

This relates to the first emigrant settlers. Cassel furnishes a list of the owners of these lots, as held in 1689, and of the owners of the same twenty-five vears later, say 1714, by which it appears that lot numbered 10, on the " east side of the main road," was acquired (by "lot" in 1683) by Dirk Kolk, who transferred to WiGGERT Levering (no date), and that James Delaplaine owned the lot in 1 7 14. The lists show also that Gerhard Levering owned lot 12 in 1689, and that he conveyed to Henry Sellen, who sold to John Doeden before 1714.

These lots were, apparently, allotted to the persons listed, and by them transferred to others without actual deeds of conveyance, as I have already shown that Agent Pastorius executed a deed in favor of Wigart Levering on August lo, 1685, covering the same lot 10, and in existing records it is shown further that in 1693, the 8th day of the 6th month (August), "Francis Daniel Pastorius, as attorney, etc., delivered unto Wigart Levering a deed of enfeofment, containing 50 acres in Germantown," and that "Wigart Levering delivered unto James de la Plaine a deed of sale, containing the now mentioned 50 acres in Germantown," which had been previously bargained to him.

This dual conveyance may be explained as confirmatory of the first transfer. The land was laid out and allotted as shown, but as a patent from William Penn was not delivered until 1689, the action of 1693 conveyed a better title than was held in 1685 by ttae Frankford Company.

In " Rupp's Collection of 30,000 Names of Emigrants in Pennsylvania," which has been by many regarded as a standard reference for early settlers, his first edition does not mention Wigard and Gerhard Levering, manifestly because they were not of the class listed by Rupp from shipping registers made under a special statute of the State, but in his revised edition (1876) among the " first settlers of Germantown from 1683 to 1710 " appear the names of Wigard Levering and Gerhard Levering,

In this catalogue the names of all who were " naturalized by an Act of Assembly, 1708-1709," are designated, but the names of Wigard and Gerhard Levering, are not so marked, because—as shown in "Watson's Annals of Philadelphia"—they, with several others, had been naturalized "on the 7th of the 3d month, [May] 1691, by Thomas Lloyd, being Deputy Governor," The record shows: "They having solemnly promised faith and allegiance to William and Mary, and fidelity and lawful obedience to William Penn, as Proprietary, it is declared and granted to them to be henceforth, Freemen in Law," etc.

Both Wigard Levering and Gerhard, were now entitled to be freeholders, as well as free men, and in this they exercised their rights, as Wigard acquired five hundred acres of land by purchase, and Gerhard bought one hundred acres, adjoining. These tracts reached from the Wissahickon Creek to the Schuylkill River, and embraced a considerable portion of Roxborough, (formerly known as Leverington) where the family name is still conspicuously used ; the old "Leverington Hotel" being preserved and conducted, also " Leveiington Cemetery," so known under special charter from the State of Pennsylvania. The "Levering Grammar School" is a commanding building, erected and supported under control of the city School Board of Education.

These ownerships embraced, also, the suburban manufacturing town of Manayunk, also Wissahickon, Manatawny, and reaching down to the Falls of Schuylkill, taking in a great portion of the grand Fairmount Park, the pride of Philadelphians.

Leverington Cemetery occupies a portion of Wigard Levering's purchase of more than two centuries ago, and is upon or near to the spot occupied by the old pioneer as a dwelling place. His remains repose in the oldest portion of this Peace Yard, set apart by himself. He is surrounded by hundreds of his posterity and the silent congregation is being increased from year to year. The grounds are well kept and are adorned with many fme monuments, conspicuous among them, an artistic soldier's monument, a tribute to the participants in the war of the rebellion.

Horatio Gates Jones, author of " The Levering Family," 1858, was recognized as one of the owners of the cemetery grounds in the State charter mentioned ; he, and his brothers and sister, having inherited the possession from their mother Deborah, daughter of Nathan Levering, in line from Wigard.

As these lands and matters in connection thereto, written of, covered the place of Mr. Jones' birth, and of his whole life, I will let him tell the story of the pioneer advancements, experiences and achievements, by extracting from his publication, as follows

" How long Wigard Levering remained in Germantown can not now be ascertained with certainty, but it is probable that he removed to Roxborough in 1691 or 1692, as, on the 29th of Februarv, 1691, he bought from Thomas Hill, of the City of Philadelphia, Merchant, and Rachel, his wife, for the sum of sixty-eight pounds, a tract of two hundred acres of land situated in Roxborough. In this deed he is designated as " Weekhard Libering of Germantown."

The land is described as follows : "All that tract of land situate, h'ing and being upon Schoolkill,beginning att a corner marked Hickory tree, thence by the lands of John Jennet five hundred and thirt\' perches, east, North East to a post for Corner standing on the East side of Wischikon Creek.; Thence by the lands of Germantowne township North west and by North, Seaventv perches to a post standing by a large White Oak mark for another Corner ; thence, by the land of Mary Fincher, West South West, five hundred and fifteen perches to a White Oak standing by the Schoolkill ; thence, by the Schoolkill, the several courses thereof to the first mentioned marked Hickory tree, containing by estimation two hundred acres (little more or less). Together with a Mansion house and all other buildings, Orchards, "Gardens, Apple Trees &c. &c."

It is highly probable that this was the period of his settlement in Roxborough, as his name does not appear in Germantown after this date.

Well satisfied with his new position as a landed proprietor, and doubtless having an eye to the future, we find that on the 5th of July, 1697, our pioneer made another purchase of three hundred acres adjoining his former tract.

This tract was conveyed for the sum of sixty pounds current money, by ' Christopher Sibthorp, of Philadelphia, Brazier, and Mary his wife, late widow of Francis Fincher,' to ' Wickert Levering of the county of Philadelphia, Yoeman,' and is described as follows

"All that tract of land situate on the east side of Schoolkill, in "the county aforesaid, beginning at a White Oak on the River "Schoolkill; thence by the land now in the tenure of the said Wickert, east-north-east, five hundred and thirty perches to a post standing in the line of Germantown land ; thence North-West and by north, by the said Germantown land, ninety one perches to "another corner post; thence West South-West, by the land late of James Claypoole, five hundred and fifteen perches, to the said Schoolkill, and then down the several courses thereof to the place of beginning, containing three hundred acres of land."

By this latter purchase Wigard Levering became the owner of five hundred acres of land in one entire body. This had originally been patented by William Penn to Francis Fincher, by a warrant dated April 25, 1684, and confirmed to Fincher, by a Deed from Penn's Commissioners, dated- November 4, 1691.

The residence of the Pioneer settler has, by common consent, been fixed in the valley, northwest of Roxborough Baptist Church, (former site) on the northerly side of Ridge Avenue, and nearly opposite the end of Green Lane. The original house which stood there has long since disappeared and nothing remains of it, except the lower part of the mainstack of stone chimneys.

Mrs. Clement, of Ohio, who has treasured numerous traditions :oncerning her family, writes as follows : ' I heard my uncle, Nathan .evering, say that the old stone house on the Tan Yard lot was vvhere the family first settled. It had a large fire-place in the basement, with seats in the corner ; they had some antiquated chairs, willow net back, with arms, and a curious cabinet with many drawers. I had a piece of lead for a long time, that came out of a window in my great grandfather's house, in Roxborough. The panes of glass were set in lead ; there were two sashes, and they slid in a frame aside the walls.'

It is now (1858) owned and occupied by William' Levering, a great, great, great grandson of Wigard. More recently, however, it has been suggested that Wigard's residence, was in a field on the sonthwestern side of the Ridge Road, (now Avenue) nearly opposite the Leverington Hotel. Within the memory of the writer there was a very old stone house in that field, (the site now—1858—occupied by the dwelling of Jacob Skinkle) and it fell to decay some twenty years since. It was here that Wigard's son William lived and died.

A lease dated February 7, 1745-6, is still in existence by which William leased to his son Benjamin, his Plantation of about one hundred and fifty acres, reserving the dwelling house, cellar &c. for the use of said William: during his natural life. William' died in September 1746, and after devising, by a Will previously executed, to his son, William*, certain lands, described by metes and bounds, gave all the residue of his estate, to his son Benjamin, and charged the same with the support of his aged father Wigard'-, and also of his own wife Catharine. It is well known that Benjamin inherited this land on the southwesterly side of the Ridge Road down as far as the river Schuylkill, and hence it is probable that the aged settler died at this house. The two statements may be reconciled, by supposing that Wigard as he advanced in ytars, removed from his first residence to the place where he subsequently died. Either spot was at that time a desirable abode, and thus surrounded by the primeval forests, and rich lands, the cultivation of which yielded him all the necessaries of life, he could be well termed a Patriarch ; for, as far as the eye could reach, were the houses and lands of his children and grand children.

But he was not destined to remain in the enjoyment of quiet for a very long time. When he made the contract with Dr. Van Wylick and John Le Brun to come to Pennsylvania he had obligated himself, both on his own account and that of his brother, to render service under the direction of Pastorius, so as to repay the Frankford Company the advances made to him and his brother. How long they remained in the employ of the company does not appear, but Wigard was soon engaged in business on his own account, and evidently regards himself as free from any liability to the company. Doubtless he was frequently dunned by Pastorius, until at last, to rid himself of so troublesome a neighbor, he resorted to the law, and, although unacquainted with our language, he succeeded, according to Pastorius' account, in getting the better of that celebrated man and the entire Frankford Company.

"The whole transaction is best explained in the following curious document, which I fortunately discovered in September, 1856, and which now (1858) appears in print for the first time.

"To the Proprietary & Gov'r of Pennsylvania & Territories thereof in Councell mett. An humble Petition of Francis Daniel Pastorius, in the behalf of the German Company, Sheweth, That whereas, the said company above 14 years ago transport Wigard Levering his wife, four children & brother into this Province and lent unto him at Wesel 16£. 4S. & further disbursed on his account for transportation of him and his family, 57£. 18S. 11d. expecting that all this sum should be deducted here of the said Wigard and his brother. He instead of deducting, sued the said Comp. as debtors to him, & to deprive me, the now Agent of the sd Company of all advice & assistance in Law, employed all the Attorneys in the Country, who pleaded that he the sd Wigard, his wife & 4 children, are not to disaccount anything for this Transportation, obtained Judgmt in the last County Court against the said Compy for 32£. 16S. lod Now, supposing the said German Company had Intended to transport the sd Wigard his wife & children gratis or free, as I have proofs to the contrary, Yet seeing his Brother's part of the 57£. 18S. 11d. (wch he besides the aforementioned 16£. 4S. lent unto him in Germany allows to be defalkable) comes to 12£. 17S. 6d. the said Comp. cannot owe him but 29£. 16S. lod.

"Therefore your Petitioner in behalf of the sd German Comp. humbly entreats you to grant to have the cause tried again (a thing he thinks not so unheard of as that a Plaintiff should employ all the Lawyers to impede & hinder the Defendants to get any). And to the end that a Just Cause may not suffer by my unskillfullness in pleading & notorious want or defect, to express myself sufficiently in tho English tongue to the full understanding of a Jury ; May it please the Govr & his Councill to appoint a Person learned in the Law to patronize or manage the same. And as your petitioner requests these things only for Justice and Truth's sake, so (he hopes) It will tend to the preventing both of others, who being transported by the said Company's disbursmt may probably follow the steps of Wigard ; as also to the allaying of dissatisfaction of several honest hearted people in Germany and especially oblige your petitioner. "F. D. Pastorius."

On the back (if the petition is the following endorsement: "At a Council held at Pliiladelphia die Lunoe 15th April, 1700. Present, William Penn, Pro'r. & Gov'r. Edward Shippen, Thomas Bedwell, Griffith Owen, John Hill. David Lloyd, Saml. Preston, John Donaldson, John ffenwick.

" Upon reading of the Petition in respect the Petitioner was butAnient for the German Company, who are strangers & absentees, it was the Opinion and Resolve of the Gov'r. & Councill that the Petitioner & the within Wizard Leverinjj; appear before the Gov'r & Council the 24th inst. with a friend with each of them, that under stands the German & Dutch Lan^zuages & to brinjT with them all papers & accts relating to the said difference, when the cause shall be heard extrajudicially and if the Gov'r and Council shall see cause thereafter to hear & decide it Judicially they will do so. And that the Secretary acquaint the said Daniel Pastorius, and he the said Wigard Levering herewith. Signed by order. PAT. ROBINSON, Secr'y.

"Of the merits of this celebrated case we know nothing, except what is stated in the petition and order of the Council. One thing is quite evident, that Wigard understood the value and importance of retaining gentlemen learned in the law—and to make assurance doubly sure—supposing if it was a good thing to have one lawyer, it would be better to have more, ' ]ie employed all the Attorneys in the Country, a very grave and serious offense, at least in the estimation of Pastorius. It is much to be regretted that no record of the fmal decision of the Governor and Council can be found.

"On the 4th of March, 1701, ' Wichert Levering of the County of Philadelphia, Yeoman,' sold to Peter Conrats 160 acres of his large tract of land, on the Northeast (?) side of Wissahickon Greek.

"On the 23d of March, 1703, he bought 100 acres at Summerhausen, which was part of the upper end of Germantown, adjoining Cresheim. This was conveyed to him by ' Daniel Falckner and John Jarret, the now agents of the Frankford Company.' This tract he sold for £60, on the 19th of October, 1706, to John Am. Wegg. In the deed he describes himself as 'Wigard Levering, of the County of Philadelphia, Carpenter.

At a subsequent period he sold 100 acres of the North-western part of his plantation to John Henry Linderman, and in 1738, October 4, Wigard and his son William, styled, * his eldest son and heir apparent,' confirmed the said tract to the children of John Linderman, the deed reciting that the former deed had been lost.The witnesses to this deed are Andrew Robeson and Jacob Levering.

"Wigard Levering had only two sons who reached maturity. The older son, William, was born at Mulheim, May 4, 1677 (the year should be 1680), and the younger, JACOB, was born January 21, 1693, at Roxborough, it is supposed. These sons, no doubt, lived with their parents at the family mansion in Roxborough, until they married, and it is probable they assisted their father in his various occupations, as was customary then, and is, still, in different parts of the country. But when the father was seventy years of age, the younger son, JACOB, married, and desirous to advance the young man in life, the father conveyed to him as ' Jacob Levering, Joiner,' a tract of eighty-five acres of land on the Schuylkill, for the sum of £50. The deed is dated February 20, 17 16-17. The grantors are described as ' Weeckart Levering, of Roxborrow town ship, in the County of Philadelphia, Joiner, and Magdalena, his wife.' The witnesses to the deed were John Henry Hogeman and Garret Levering.

The description of the land is as follows "A certain tract of Land scituate in the aforesd township & ' County, beginning at a hickory tree standing on the bank of the ' river Schuylkill, thence North sixty six degrees forty eight minutes ' East, one hundred and eleven perches and a half, by the land of ' Henry ffrey, to a corner stone ; thence North, twenty three degrees 'forty-eight minutes West, one hundred perches by the land of ' William Levering, to a stone sett up ffor a corner ; thence South, sixty-six degrees forty eight minutes West, one hundred and sixty perches and a half by the said William's land, to a large gum tree ' marked ffor a corner, standing on the bank of the sd Skulkill; 'thence, along the sd river. South Fifty degrees East, one hundred 'and eleven perches to the place of beginning. Containing eighty 'ffive acres of land. &c. (Being part of Two Hundred acres conveyed to Weekart Levering by Thomas Hill & wife.) As also, 'free egress and regress to or from the hereby bargained tract 'through the said Weeckart and William's other land as ffar as the ' Plymouth road. Provided always, the said Jacob Levering his ' heirs and assigns do forever allow a passage or way, through the 'herein purchased tract, unto the sd. William his heirs and assigns, "so, Nevertheless that it shall he lavvfull for the sd Jacob, and his aforevvritten, to ffence in all said tract, leaving a gate of Barrs or

shut rails.

I have given the grant of the ' right of way ' in the words of the deed, as I have every reason to suppose this is t/ie origin of tlie present important street knoien as Green Lane, whose tortuous course over the steepest hill between the Ridge Road (now Avenue) and the Schuylkill River, has given rise to many a query. Wigard lived in the house which stood opposite the end of Green Lane, on thenortherly side of the Ridge, and it seems probable, at least, that the passage way was to lead from Jacob's house, up to the Ridge, so as to enable his father to visit him, and he visit his father.

On the first of November, 1717, Wigard conveyed to his older son, William, all the residue of his lands that remained unsold, consisting of about one hundred and fifty-five acres. He describes himself as ' Wichert Levering of the Township of Roxborrow, in the County of Philadelphia and Province of Pensilvania, Yeoman.' After reciting the title, the deed states : "And the said Wichert Lev " ering hath since sold several parcels of the said Five Hundred acres "of Land, Now know Ye, That the said Wichert Levering as well "for and in consideration of the sum of Five shillings &c. as for and "in consideration of his natural Love and Affection which he has "and beareth towards his said son William" &c. He then grants William, "All and every such part and parts or " parcels of the aforesaid Five Hundred acres of Land, which now " remains unsold, and whereof the said Wichert Levering now stands "possessed, and invested in the lawful Right of, &c." This deed is signed by Wigard Levering, only, which suggests the decease of his wife Magdalena, since February of the same year, when she joined in a deed to Jacob If such is fact, she was about sixty-eight years old.

Advanced in years, the pioneer felt that his latter days ought to be less laborious than his earlier had been, and we may imagine him as enjoxing the otiiim cum dignitate of life, if that were possible in those times. His sons and daughters were married, and had settled around him ; some on parts of his own plantation, and others in contiguous neighborhoods, which he, the patriarch, visited in turn, comforting, cheering and encouraging them in their battle with life. He made his home with his older son William, and died there."

Wigard Levering lived to very advanced age. When his death occurred it was announced in the city papers as that of more than centenarian. The Pennsylvania Gazette of February 12, 1744-45, stated : " Last week died not far from this city Mr. Wichart Levering, aged 109 years."

Watson's Annals of Pliiladeiphia records the event as the decease of a first settler, in February 1744 (O. S.), and gave his age as 109 years.

In the patriarch's bible—hereinbefore described—the record is made that he "departed this life February 2, 1744-45, aged, according to his account, 107 years."

This is certainly erroneous. As has been already shown, he was aged "36 or 37 years " when he emigrated to America in 1685. Conceding the higher figure, he could not have been more than 97 years old when he died. As his family register and some additional entries in his bible were made "according to his account," it must be again charged that failI'jig memory was responsible.

Wigard had experienced a rugged life, mainly of hardship. Contending with the "iron circumstances" which environed him, he toughened as an oak, and, doubtless, dead at the top, as an oak, hedied. His contemporary, Dryden, exemplified the going out in his tribute

"Of no distemper, of no blast he died; But fell like autumn fruit that mellowed long, Even wondered at, because he dropped no sooner. Fate seemed to wind him up for four score years, Yet freshly he ran on ten winters more, Till, like a clock worn out with beating time, The wheels of weary life at last stood still."

pg. 57-67 - LEVERING FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY. BY COL. JOHN LEVERING, 1897, Indianapolis

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I. JOHN WlGARD : born in 1648 or '49, in the town of Gemen, in Germany. In April, 1674, he married "the chaste virgin," Magdalena Bokers, of Essen. She was a native of Leyden, in Holland. They lived in Gemen until some time after the birth and decease of their first child, and then removed to Mulheim, where they remained until they emigrated to America, after the 20th of March, 1685, bringing their surviving four children. (9)

He settled first in Germantown, Philadelphia, and removed from there a short distance west, into Roxborough Township, in 1691, where he bought a tract of five hundred acres of land, lying between and bordering upon both the River Schuylkill and Wissahickon Creek. Upon this estate he lived his remaining years with his family,, and died there.

His wife Magdalena died in the summer of 1717, aged about 67 years. He died February 2, 1745, at the probable age of 97 years, and was buried upon his farm in a spot overlooking the romantic Wissahickon, which has become a part of the famous Fairmount Park of Philadelphia. This spot subsequently became the churchyard and burial ground of the Baptist Church, organized in 1789, which was greatly enlarged, and is now known as Leverington Cemetery, under a special charter from the State of Pennsylvania. This ground doubtless contains the remains of Magdalena. A gravestone marking the interment, in June, 1744, of their grandchild, Clement Levering, still stands, and points the place where repose the old pioneers, though no sculptured tablet was ever erected there to their memory.

I have copied Wigard's family register in another part of this volume, as taken from his bible, hereinbefore described, but which has lost its charm and specific value in some measure since the discovery of the original records in Germany, which relate to the same subjects, and expose its erroneous dates. His bible was in the possession of Mrs. Sarah Kirk, of Germantown, a great-great-great granddaughter of the old pioneer, until her death, in 1863, when it passed to her granddaughter, Mrs. Linton, who also died. Her husband probably has the relic.

Wigard Levering left a will, dated August 23, 1742, which reads as follows

WILL OF WIGARD LEVERING. I, Wichert Levering, of the Township of Roxborrow, in the County of Philadelphia, in the Province of Pennsylvania, Joyner, being in good health of body and of a sound and perfect mind and Memory, and calling to mind the frailty of this transitory life and that it's appointed for all flesh once to dye. Do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following, revoking. Disannulling and making utterly void and of none effect all other and former Wills by me at any time heretofore made.

Imps. I will that all my Just Debts and ffuneral expenses be paid and discharged by my Executor hereinafter named with all convenient speed after my Decease.

Item. I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Katherine ye sum of tenn pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania to be paid to her by my Executor hereinafter named within twelve months after my Decease.

Item. I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Amelia the sum of tenn pounds lawful money afd to be paid to her by my said Executor hereinafter mentioned, within two years after my Decease.

Item. I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Sebilla the sum of tenn pounds lawful money af to be paid to her by my said Executor within three years after my Decease.

Item. 1 give and Bequeath unto my son in law Peter Indehaven ye sum of tenn pounds lawful money afd to be paid to him by my said Executor within ffour years after my Decease.

Item. I give and Bequeath unto my son in law William Tunes ye sum of tenn pounds lawful money afd to be paid to him by my said' Executor within ffive years after my Decease.

Lastly. I give and Bequeath unto my son William Levering whom I hereby constitute ordain and appoint sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament all other my Estate and Effects of what kind soever.

Ini witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal this twenty third Day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fforty two. his mark. WiCHERT W L Levering.

Signed, sealed, published pronounced and declared by the said Wichert* Levering as his last Will & Testament in ye presence of us. Witnesses William Levering, Hannah Levering, Thos. Yorke."

This will was probated after the death of the testator on the 7th day of February, 1745, in Court at Philadelphia. A former will executed by Wigard on May 10, 1736, and which was revoked by the above instrument, contained the names of all his children, and of the husbands of his daughters. Its preservation as a relic, saved also, valuable history.

The spelling of the Christian name by his attorney, suggests the pronunciation of W-i-g-a-r-d by the yet Teutonic neighbors. "His mark " to this instrument, and to all other documents signed by him, was composed of large Roman letters W L, of peculiar form, with a distinctive mark upon the W. In his day " his mark " meant a scrawl which each man adopted as his signature, and the use of it by another was regarded a forgery

Two sons; William, born at Mulheim, in Germany, and Jacob, born in Roxborough, survived the old pioneer. Jacob, on his marriage in 17 17, was made the owner of eighty-five acres, bordering on the river Schuylkill, of the home farm, by deed from his parents, dated February 20 of that year. The signature of his mother, Magdalena, to this deed is the last record evidence we have of her.

This deed provided an easement for "free egress and regress to or from the hereby bargained tract through the said Wechart and William's other land as far as the Plymouth Road (now Ridge Avenue), nevertheless it shall be lawful for the s' Jacob, afore written, to ffence in all the said tract leaving a. gate of Barrs or Shut rails." This right of way became what is known as the steep hill street between Manavunk and Roxborough, called Green Lane, it is now bordered by business houses and dwellings, many of them are fine residences.

On November 1, 1717, Wigard conveyed all the residue of his five hundred acres to his older son William, estimating the area at 155 acres, in this deed no wife joins, which suggests the death of Magdalena prior to the date noted.

The inventory of Wigard's estate, as made by Matthew Houlgate and Isaac Cook, on the 9th day of February, 1744-45, lists household effects sufficient for one room only—except "one bible valued [symbol pounds] 1. 10 and one singing book—shows that he had retired from active life and was " only waiting till the shadows a little longer grew"; the while, clinging to His Word as the beacon which would guide him safely "over the river

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Children of Wigard" and Magdalena (Bokers) Levering.

9. I. Anna Sophia b. Jan., 1675, in Gemen, and died in infancy.

10. II. ANNA Catharine: b. March, 1676, in Mulheim, on theRhur. She was brought to America in 1685 by her parents when aged "9 years," as stated in the contract of transportation. She married Henry Prey at Germantown, April 26, 1692 (O. S.), of whom Cassel states: " Heinrich Prey and Joseph Blatenbach were the first two German emigrants who came to Pennsylvania. They emigrated in 1680 and settled in Philadelphia." Their marriage was among the first weddings which were contracted and solemnized in the province. The evidence of it still exists in the certificate and previous notice which was posted on the door of the meeting-house, as follows

Whereas, Henry Pry, of Altheim, in the province of Alsace, in High German, now inhabitant of Germantown, in the county of Philadelphia, bachelor, and Annie Catharine Levering, of the county of Bruck, likewise in High Germany, a young woman, after due consultation with their respective parents, have produced a sufficient certification of their clearness of all other engagements, under the hand of several credible persons, unto one of the Justices of the Peace, in the bailiwick of Germantown, and have published and affixed their intention of marriage in the meeting-house of the said town on the 24th of the first month past.

As no objections were filed the ceremony was performed, and This Certificate witnesseth that the said Henry Pry and Anna Catharine Levering have this day solemnized such their marriage by taking one another as husband and wife, according; to the law of this country, and before and in the presence of us, whose names are hereunder written at Germantown, the 26th day of the second month (April), 1692. Francis Daniel Pastorius, Justice of the Peace.

Witnesses: Wigart Levering, Gerhard Levering, Magdalena Levering, Hans Peter Umstat, Arnold Cassel, Henrich Shellenberg, Jon Ponder, Andrew Supplee, Manigha May, Catein Tompkins, William Rittinghuysen, Henrich Zollern, Jacob Pfoutz, Henrich Bucholtz, Elias Tossen, Honnas Miller, Elizabeth Cassel, Herman Trapman, Sara Hendricks, Anecki Supplee, Maria Bonus and others

• This certificate is in possession of Abm. H. Cassel, of Harleysville, Pa., the antiquarian. As his ancestors appear among the witnesses, the old document is of special value to him. I have urged that upon his decease it should be deposited in the archives of the Hist. Society of Pennsylvania. Wizard's old bible should be there also. Such relics are of more than personal concern. I have seen this certificate. It is written in a plain " hand," upon a comparatively small sheet of paper, which is much discolored by age. Henry Fry was the owner for many years of one hundred acres of land in Ro.xborough, adjoining the tract of like area then owned by Gerhard Levering. The dates of their respective deaths are not known. As appears by the will of her father, Wigard, Anna Catharine was , living at the time of its execution, in 1742. In the unproved will of prior date, mentioned, she was recognized as " Catharine ffrey " (36). See biog. in the absence of record evidence to disprove the statements of date, made by Wigard in his Register, F will adopt his months or years as proper data.

11. III. Maria Elizabeth b. July, 1677 (.?),t at Mulheim, and "died in the eighteenth week of her age."

12. IV. WILLIAM b. May 4, 1679, at Mulheim ; was brought to America by his parents in the year 1685, and shared the family experiences until of age.

Mr. Jones stated of William: "He no doubt resided with his father at the old mansion in the valley, northwest of the present (1858) Baptist Church, and a short distance from the Ridge Road. In Nov., 17 17, his father conveyed to him a large tract of land, being the residue of his Plantation that remained unsold. He carried on the farm thus bestowed upon him, and no doubt had some other occupation. His will shows that his aged father resided with him at the time of his decease. (43)

He was a man of substance in those early days, and was the friend of JOHN Sehlee, alias, SeeLIG, a Hermit, who, tradition says, lived on a part of his farm, in the valley back of the present Leverington Cemetery, and a short distance beyond the dwelling of William Levering This Hermit had been a pupil and follower of John Kelpius, a learned and pious scholar, who came from Germany in 1694, and settled on the banks of the beautiful and romantic Wissahickon. What was the precise relation existing between the Hermit Sehlee and Mr. Levering is not known, but it was a very intimate friendship.

The death of the Hermit is thus noted in the Levering Family Bible : " JOHN Sealy, hermit, died April 26, 1745, aged 77 years."

His will bears date 17th Sept., 1735, and in it he is described as " John Sehlee of Roxborough, in the county of Phila., gentleman." His name is written in English. He bequeathed the whole of his estate to " my ffriend William Levering, Senr., of Roxborough," and appointed him his Executor.

The Inventory of his estate embraced wearing apparel, tools, I scale, with gold and silver weights, 5 bibles, 14 books, 10 of Jacob Boehm's books, and 120 Latin, Dutch and Greek books."

His manifest education and the scales with so delicate weights, suggest that Mr. Sehlee was a remnant of the assumed science of alchemy, which obtained for several centuries, but which faded out in the 17th century.

Mr. Watson, the Annalist, says, there was a tradition concerning Sehlee to the effect that he had a divining rod, which he directed should be cast into water at his death. This was done, and the rod exploded with a loud noise.

William Levering m. Catharine . He died in Aug. or Sept., 1746. He left a will dated 20th Dec, 1744. As this instrument was executed before the death of his father, Wigard, whom he names and makes provision for, also names children and other relations, I can not omit it.

WILL OF WILLIAM LEVERING.

"Be it remembered that I, William Leverino;, of Roxborough, in the County of Philadelphia, Yeoman, being in good Health of Body and of sound and well disposing Mind and Memory, Blessed be the Lord for the same and all other his Mercies and Favours bestowed on me, and being mindful of m\' mortality and willing to settle my Worldly Affairs in the best manner I can, DO make and declare my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all others in manner following.

That is to say, First it is my mind and will that my just Debts and Funeral expenses be duly paid and satisfied. And I do give and bequeath unto my eldest son William, All that piece of land (Part of my Plantation in Roxborough aforesaid) containing Thirty acres or thereabouts be it more or less, extending from the corner of his Orchard North West to the Upper corner of the same Orchard and thence continuing that Breadth East to Wessahickon, Together with the Appurtenances thereunto belonging. To hold to him my said son William Levering his Heirs and Assigns forever. Paying unto my grand daughter Catharine Engle the sum of Ten pounds within one year next after my Decease.

And as for and concerning all the Rest and Residue of my Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments whatsoever or wheresoever 1 give and devise the same unto my younger son Benjamin, Together with the Appurtenances, To hold to Him the said Benjamin Levering his Heirs and assigns forever. Under the conditions and Charges hereinafter expressed. That is to say on condition that he or his Heirs pay unto my eldest daughter Amelia the sum of fifteen pounds within one year next after my Decease and unto my Daughter Elizabeth the like sum of Fifteen Pounds within two years next after my Decease and unto my Daughter Magdalen the sum of Twenty Pounds within three years next after my Decease, And 1 do charge my said son Benjamin and the Lands and premises hereinbefore devised unto him with the maintenance and support of my Dear Father Wichert Levering, providing him my said Father with all necessaries of Life, Comfort and Attendance befitting his age and Condition in a tender Christian like manner. And with the maintenance and support of my Dear and Loving wife Catharine, Providing her my said wife with all necessaries of Life, Comfort and attendance befitting her Condition in a tender Christian like manner. And I do release unto each of my children sons and daughters all moneys and things heretofore given or lent them respectively.

And I do give and bequeath unto my said dear wife Catharine all the residue of my moneys, goods, chattels and credits whatsoever or wheresoever. And I do nominate and appoint my said dear wife Catharine, together with my cousin Jacob Levering, who is my uncle Garret Levering's son, to be the executrix and executor of this my last will and testament.

In witness whereof, I, the said William Levering, have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the twentieth Day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty-four, and I do give unto my daughters Amelia and Elizabeth the further sums of Five pounds apiece to be added to what is before given them. And unto my son Benjamin my clock, with my cart and team of five horses thereto belonging, with their harness. WlLLEM LEVERING. [SEAL]

Witnesses : C. Brockden, Arthur Forster, Jr., Paul Isaac Voto, Jr.

This will was probated Sept. lo, 1746. The inventory filed amounted to [symbol pound] 7 0.13.6, and included one servant lad named Johti Fox," who was appraised at [symbol pound] 1.10

It will be noticed his " Dear Father Wickert Levering," for whom he made provision in this will, died within sixty days after its execution, and the testator lived for a year and a half after. Further, that his "Executor," Jacob Levering, was a resident of Whitpain Township—since 173 1—a dozen or more miles away, but still within the county,

13. V. AMELIA anna Sophia': b. July, 1682, at Mulheim; was brought to America by her parents in 1685, as shown in the contract (if transportation cited. She married at Roxborough to Benjamin Moro;an, a blacksmith, who died in August, 1706. Letters of administration on his estate were granted to the widow on August 19, 1706. The inventory of the estate aggregated ; [symbol pound] 75.09.3, as appraised by Andrew Robeson and William Palmer.

Mr. Jones stated : "1 have seen a release dated March 8, 1745-46 from Amelia Morgan to William Levering, Exr. of Wigard Levering, deceased, for a legacy of [symbol pound] 10. 1 think it probable that the shop was near to Robeson's Mills, at the Wissahiccon. Mrs. Morgan d. Feb. 5, 1771, aged 88 years. 1 have never met with any of her posterity, but am informed that they reside in Whitpain and Gwynedd Townships, in Montgomery Co., Pa."

14. VI. ANNA SiBELLA b. Sept., 1684, at Mulheim ; was brought to America by her parents in the summer of 1685. She m. George Miller, who resided at Chestnut Hill, above Germantown. Mr. Miller died in Nov., 1719. He left a will dated " Sommerhausen, 21st of September, 1719." At the office of Register of Wills in Philadelphia, is recorded " A translation of George Miller's will, the original befng writ in Dutch. ' in the instrument he provides'for his "wife Anna Sibella Miller, daughter of Wigard Levering." Mention is also made of " sons and daughters," but none are named. Mrs. Miller was buried at the Concord Burial Ground, near to Chew's House, Germantown, where on a small headstone is the following inscription: "in Memory of SiBELLA MILLAR, who died August 17th, 1764, aged 80 years. (48)

15. VII. Herman': b. at Germantown, Pa., Nov. 18, 1686, and d. May, 1691.

16. Vlll. Elizabeth: b. at Germantown Jan. 7, 1689; d. Sept., 1703, at 14 years. It is probable that she was the first Levering buried at Roxborough, in what is now the " Leverington Cemetery."

17. IX. SidONIa: b. April 23, 169 1 ; bore tlie euphonious name of her grandam. She m. Peter Indehaven, or De Haven, as subsequently called—originally Inden Hoff. (49)

In 1698 Evert Inden Hoff, with wife and three sons, Gerhard, Herman and PETER came to America and settled in VanBebber Tp., afterward called Skippack, in Philadelphia County. In 1706 Evert acquired 200 acres of land. They were members of the Reformed Church ; the father a " Ruling Elder" at Skippack Church, where he was buried after decease. The burial ground has been neglected and obliterated, and no record can be found.About 1730 Evert sold a part of his land to his son Peter. 1 have already mentioned the latter as an owner of land in Whitpain, adjoining the tracts purchased by Gerhard Levering for his three sons in 173 1.

That Wigard Levering in his Will, dated 23d of August, 1742, bequeathed "unto my son-in-law Peter Indehaven, ye sum of tenn pounds," suggests the death of Sidonia prior to the date of the instrument. Hon. Jones Detwiler, of Whitpain, in letter of Aug.1, 1892 wrote me: "Peter De Haven died May 23, 1768, aged 82 years, and was buried in the old churchyard of Boehm's Church in Whitpain Tp." There is no doubt that Sidonia was interred in the same spot. The church was founded in 1740. Mr. Detwiler subsequently wrote me. In the month of May, 1894, "I have received a visit from Baron Van Alten, a German nobleman, who came to this country to look after an estate of his wife, who was a De Haven. He gave me information, viz.: Peter Inden Hoff (alias Ten Heaven ; Inden Hoffen

Hoven ; De Haven), born and baptised at Mulheim, on the Rhur, in Germany ; married Sidonia Levering born April 23, 1691, and had twelve children, whom he named. He afterwards married Sarah Hughes.

[Mrs. A. M. Holstein, in her Holstein Family History, 1892, states that Peter and Sarah (Hughes) De Haven,' had an only son, Hugh, born 1750 who married Sarah Holstein in 1775.]

18 X Jacob b. Jan. 21, 1693, at Roxborough, which has become a part of the 21st ward of the city of Philadelphia. He was probably the first of the family name born in the place. He married Alice, or Alee, Tunes. (61) On February 20, 1717, his father conveyed to him 85 acres of land upon which he settled. The tract bordered upon the river Schuylkill, and embraced a large part of what since became the borough of Manayunk, and subsequently a ward of the city. The area comprised all between Washington and Levering Streets as now subdivided, Jacob lived in, probably, a log house in the meadow on the easterly side of Green Lane until 1736, when he built a stone house on the westerly side of this street. The date stone—which was an ostentatious embellishment in the architecture of those days—bears his initials, and is still preserved. His great grandson, Peregrine Wharton Levering, during his lifetime and occupancy of the premises, enlarged the structure. Since his death, which occurred in 1888, his unmarried daughter, Eliza, demolished the old mansion and (in 1890) erected a modern dwelling upon the site. Ever since Feb. 29, 1691, when Wigard purchased the land of Thomas Hill, it has been owned by some Levering, and since 1736, has the occupant of the dwelling site, ancient and modern, born the family name. Jacob owned, also, a considerable estate on the opposite side of the Schuylkill, now in Lower Merion Township, in Montg. Co. This remained in family succession to and including his great-grandson John Levering"', who died in 1878.

His wife Alice died, as evidenced by documents, between the dates of Jan. 15, 1750, and March 24, 1753, and he followed in October, 1753. He left a considerable estate. The inventory of personalty alone amounted to ;£594.01.

His will is dated December 22, 1752. In this he describes himself as Jacob Levering, of Roxborrow Township, in the county of Philada., Joyner. After providing for the payment of any debts and funeral expenses, he bequeaths

To his " Daughter Magdalen, who is married to Samuel Showier, and to her heirs or assigns mv Negro girl called Peg.

To his " Three eldest sons, Abraham, Wigard and William Levering, and to each of them, the sum of five pounds, money of Pensilvania, apiece."

To his "son Jacob Levering twenty-four acres of land in Roxborrow Township aforesaid between the Plymouth Road (now Ridge Avenue) and Schnllkill," as described, "and the sum of Ninety Pounds Lawful Money," etc.

To his "son Anthony Levering all my Land in Merion Township, in the county aforesaid (then Philad.) by computation fifteen acres, together with the Saw Mill, Buildings, and timber Wheels, thereunto belonging," etc.

To his "son Benjamin Levering, twenty-four acres of land along the side of the beforementioned piece given to my son Jacob"—described—"and the sum of one hundred and thirty pounds money aforesaid."

To his "youngest son Septimus Levering, All that tract of land whereon I live, Together with all the Improvements and buildings thereon erected"; also, sundry articles of personal property, as listed, to which he adds, " and my Negro boy called Kit," and

Lastly. I do nominate and appoint my sons Abraham Levering and Septimus Levering to be my whole and sole Executors, giving them full power and authority to sell and dispose of all my other Land or Lands, Ground Rents, whatsomever, etc., and to Sign, Seal and Deliver any Deed or writing of confirmation for the same as absolute and fully as if I myself were Personally Present."

And with the usual afterthought, he adds, "It is my will that my Executors Pay the sum of Ten Pounds above mentioned (.?) to my above-named Daughter Magdalen, and that my son William shall have my large Iron Kettle which 1 have long since also promised to him, before my estate be divided as above."

This will was proved October 22, 1753. Among the articles listed in the inventory of the estate were "A large Bible in the Germain tongue," appraised at [symbol pound] 1.10, and "A large Dutch Bible," appraised at [symbol pound] 0.15, and other books.

Mr. Jones states: "None of these books can now be found." As the first bible was in German, and appraised at the precise valuation affixed in the inventory of his father's estate but a few years before, I believe this to have been Wigard Levering's old volume, which was handed down in the line of Jacob to Mrs. Kirk, before named.

19. XL Magdalena b. Jan. 13, 1695, at Roxborough, and d. when three weeks old.

20. XII. MaGDALENa'': b. June 4, 1696, at Roxborough. She married William Tunes, alias Tennis. She died prior to May 10, 1736, as she is mentioned in the first will of her father, Wigard, as deceased. Mr. Jones states: "A Release, dated Feb. 13, 1751, recites that 'Samuel Tennis and John Tennis, grandsons of Wichert Levering," had received the Legacy of Ten Pounds bequeathed by Wichert Levering to his son-in-law, William Tennis. They are described as ' of Towamencin Township, in the County of Philadelphia. Nothing further has been discovered of her posterity.'

It will be observed in this volume that I have discovered and gathered numerous descendents to Samuel and other children to Magdalena

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When Wigard was twenty three years of age about the 1671-2 he married Magdalena Boker He says Her was William Baker and her mother's maiden name Williams Braviers of the city of Leyden in Holland aforesaid Magdalena my wife was also born in Leyden the brief statement which he gives in his own Family Bible concerning his wife's family

His movements after his marriage be gathered from this same Bible His first child was born and the next five were born at Mulheim on the river Rhiir that it is probable he left Gamen the latter part of 1672 and Mulheim to reside as his second child Anna Catharina was in March 1673 The sixth child Anna Sibella was born in Sept It was at this time that he probably heard of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania founded by the illustrious quaker

The Frankford Company had become the purchasers of tract of about 25,000 acres of land in Pennsylvania part was already located by Jacob Vandewall and most likely agents scattered through Germany to induce young and to emigrate thither with their families On Holmes Map seen the following inscription Germantown Jacob Company It does not appear who this Jacob Vandewall as the mother of Wigard Levering was named Elizabeth Vandewall it was perhaps some relative who had become interested in land speculation.

Besides the name of William Penn was not unknown in Germany Holland In 1677 he made quite an extended tour through those He had visited Krisheim in the 6th month 1677 and says 3d of 8th mo 1677 we came to Wesel and from thence he to Cleves and Mulheim at which latter place Wigard Levering residing at the time of Penn's visit When therefore it became that William Penn had founded a colony in America and great inducements to settlers so strong was the faith of the in his principles and character that immense numbers at once to his standard Among this number were the brothers and Gerhard Levering

The agents of the Frankford Company at Wesel were Doctor Thomas Van Wylich and Johannes Le Brun and on the 20th of March 1685 an agreement was concluded between Wigard Levering and these agents by the terms of which they were to transport Wigard and his family to Pennsylvania and he engaged to repay the Company either in labor or otherwise as soon as he could

The beginning of the agreement is as follows:

We the subscribers do acknowledge and confess by these Presents that we have contracted and agreed together that Doctor Thomas Van Wylich and Johannes Le Brun in behalf of the Pennsylvania Company in which they and other ffrinds of Frankford and other parts are engaged to except or receive me Wighard Levering old 36 or 37 years and Magdalena Boeckers old 36 years and four chil dren Anna Catharina William Amelia and Sibella respectively 2 5 and 9 years to and for the service of the aforementioned Com pany to transport by shipping out of Holland or Ingland to Pennsylvania upon their cost

On their arrival in Pennsylvania they were to report themselves to Francis Daniel Pastorius who was the general agent of the Company

At the foot of the contract there is an addition to it relative to the contractor's brother Gerhard Levering setting forth his intention to emigrate and the terms of his transportation  

The precise date of their arrival in Pennsylvania is unknown but it no doubt before the month of August 1685 as on the tenth of month and year Francis Daniel Pastorius as the Attorney of Jacobus Vandewall and others forming The Frankford Company conveyed Wigart Levering a lot in Germantown containing 50 acres of land deed for this land is in the German language The deed closes follows So done in Germantown on the 10th day of the 6th Augustus in the year of Christ 1685 in the 1 6th year of the of King James the Second of England and in the 5th year of reign of William Penn

The records of the Courts of Record held in the Corporation of a MS volume in the Recorder's Office at Philadelphia the following statements

1693 the 8th day of the 6th month Francis Daniel Pastorius as of the Frankford Company delivered unto Wigart Levering deed of Enfeoffment containing 50 acres in Germantown
Wigard Levering delivered unto James de la Plaine a Deed of containing the now mentioned 50 acres of land in

Germantown

On an early Plan of Germantown in the possession of Benjamin Lehman of that place the lot of Wigard Levering is marked as being at the west end of Market Square and no doubt is the as that on which the mansion of the late Charles Stokes stands 

On the 19th of June 1692 Wigart Levering an inhabitant Germantown weaver conveyed the said 50 acres to Jacobus De Plaine who was at one time Bailiff of Germantown This Deed in the Dutch language At this early period Roxborough it had a local habitation had no name and lands situated are described as being in the Germantownship perhaps from proximity to the lands of the Frankford Company and having a Court of Record and possessing full corporate powers as Borough

How long Wigard Levering remained in Germantown cannot be ascertained with certainty but it is probable that he removed Roxborough in 1691 or 1692 as on the 29th of February 1691 bought from Thomas Hill of the City of Philadelphia Merchant Rachel his wife for the sum of sixty eight pounds a tract of hundred acres of land situated in Roxborough In this deed he designated as Weekhart Libering of Germantown

The land described as follows

All that tract of land situate lying and being upon Schoolkill beginning att a Corner marked Hickory tree thence by the lands of John Jennet five hundred and thirty perches east North East to a post for a Corner standing on the East side of Wischikon Creek Thence by the Lands of Germantowne township North west and by North seaventy perches by a post standing by a large White Oak markt for another Corner thence by the land of Mary Fincher West South West five hundred and fifteen perches to a White Oak standing by the Schoolkill thence by the Schoolkill the several Courses thereof to the first mentioned marked Hickory tree Con taining by estimation two hundred acres little more or less To gether with a Mansion House and all other buildings Orchards Gardens Apple Trees &c &c

It is highly probable that this was the period of his settlement in Roxborough as his name does not appear among the records of Germantown after this date Prior to purchasing this property Wigard Levering his brother Gerhard and a number of others being Germans became naturalized

for the better securing of their Estates real and personal Mr Watson the Annalist says that on the 7th of the 3d month 1691 Thomas Lloyd being Deputy Governor 64 persons whom were Wiggert and Gerhard Levering William and Rittinghuysen were duly naturalized or as the Records state they having solemnly promised faith and allegiance to William Mary and fidelity and lawful obedience to William Penn as Proprie tary it is declared and granted to them to be henceforth Freemen Law &c

Well satisfied with his new position as a landed proprietor having an eye to the future we find that on the 5th of our pioneer made another purchase of three hundred acres his former tract

This tract was conveyed for the sum of sixty pounds current Christopher Sibthorp of Philadelphia Brazier and Mary late widow of Francis Fincher to Wickert Levering of of Philadelphia yeoman and is described as follows

All that tract of land situate on the east side of Schoolkill in county aforesaid beginning att a White Oake on the River School kill thence by the land now in the tenure of the said Wickert north east five hundred and thirty perches to a post standing in line of Germantown land thence North west and by north by said Germantown land ninety one perches to another corner post thence West south west by the land late of James Claypoole hundred and fifteen perches to the said Schoolkill and then the several courses thereof to the place of beginning three hundred acres of land

By this latter purchase Wigard Levering became the owner of 500 of land in one entire body This had originally been patented by Penn to Francis Fincher by a warrant dated April 25th 1684 confirmed to Fincher by a Deed from Penn's Commissioners dated 4 1691

The Emigrant has now become a Yeoman and to his various occupations of Weaver and Joiner he added that of farming which those early days was no uncommon thing and he was esteemed most thrifty man who could bear the appellation of Jack of all a name by no means desirable at the present day The residence of the Pioneer settler has by common consent been fixed in the north west of the Roxborough Baptist Church on the northerly of the Ridge Road and nearly opposite Green Lane The house which stood there has long since disappeared and remains of it except the lower part of the main stack of stone Mrs Clement of Ohio who has treasured up numerous concerning her family writes as follows

I heard my uncle Nathan Levering say that the old stone house on the Tan Yard Lot was where his family first settled It had a large fire place in the with seats in the corner they had some antiquated chairs willow net back with arms and a curious Cabinet with many drawers I had a piece of lead for a long time that came out of a window in my great grand father's house in Roxborough The panes of glass were set in lead there were two sashes and they slid in a frame aside the walls

It is now owned and occupied by William Levering (355) a great great great grandson of Wigard More recently however it has been suggested that Wigard's residence was in a field on the south western side of the Ridge Road nearly opposite the Leverington Hotel Within the memory of the writer there was a very old stone house in that field the site now occupied by the dwelling of Jacob Shinkle and it fell to decay some twenty years since It was here that Wigard's son William (7) lived and died A lease dated February (7) 1745 6 is still in existence by which William (7) leased to his son Benjamin (20) his Plantation of about one hundred and fifty acres reserving the Dwelling House cellar &C for the use of the said William during his natural life William (3) died in September 1746 and after devising to his son William (16) certain lands described by metes and bounds gave all the residue of his estate to his son Benjamin and charged the same with the support of his aged Father Wigard and also of his own wife Catharine support aged Wigard It is well known that Benjamin (20) inherited this land on the southwesterly side of the Ridge Road down as far as the River and hence it is probable that the aged settler died at this house two statements may be reconciled by supposing that Wigard as advanced in years removed from his first residence to the place he subsequently died Either spot was at that time a desirable and thus surrounded by the primeval forests and rich lands the cultivation of which yielded him all the necessaries of life he could well termed a Patriarch for as far as the eye could reach were houses and lands of his children and grandchildren

But he was not destined to remain in the enjoyment of quiet for long time When he made the contract with Dr Van John Le Brun to come to Pennsylvania he had obligated both on his own account and that of his brother to labor for of four years under the direction of Pastorius so as to repay Frankford Company the advances made to him and his brother

How long they remained in the employ of the Company does but Wigard was soon engaged in business on his own evidently regarded himself as free from any liability to the Doubtless he was frequently dunned by Pastorius until at rid himself of so troublesome a neighbor he resorted to the although unacquainted with our language he succeeded Pastorius account in getting the better of that celebrated man entire Frankford Company

The whole transaction is best explained in the following which I fortunately discovered in September 1856 now appears in print for the first time 

To the Proprietary & Gov r of Pensilvania & Territories Councell mett An humble Petition of Francis Daniel Pastorius in the behalf German Company Sheweth That Whereas the said Company above 14 years ago did transport Levering his wife four children & brother into this Province lent unto him at Wesel 16£ 4s to pay his debts there & further on the Transportation of him and his family 57£ 18s that all this sum should by little & little be deducted here the said Wigard & his brother's wages He instead of deducting the said Comp as debtors to him & to deprive me the of the sd Company of all advice & assistance in Law the Attorneys in the Country who pleading that he the sd Wigard wife & 4 children are not to disaccount anything for their Transportation obtained Judgm in the last County Court against the for 32£ 16s lOd Now supposing the said German Company had Intended to transport the sd Wigard his wife & or free as I have proofs to the contrary Yet seeing his of the 57£ 18s lid wch he besides the aforementioned 16 unto him in Germany allows to be defalkable comes to 12 the said Comp cannot owe him but 29£ 16s 10 A For wch Wigard's brother having workt 163 days less than he done & Wigard himself 500 days less both together do his his wife's & children pretended free transportation
Therefore your Petitioner in the behalf of the sd German humbly entreats you to grant to have the cause tried again a he thinks not so unheard of as that a Plaintiff should employ all Lawyers to impede & hinder the Defendants to get any And to end that a Just Cause may not suffer by my unskillfullness in & notorious want or defect to express myself sufficiently in the tongue to the full understanding of a Jury May it please the & his Council to appoint a Person learned in the Law to patronize manage the same And as your Petitioner requests these things for Justice & Truths sake so he hopes It will tend to the both of others who being transported by the said Company's bursmt may probably follow the steps of Wigard as also to the of dissatisfaction of several honest hearted people in Germany especially oblidge your Petitioner FD PASTORIUS

On the back of the petition is the following endorsement

At a council held at Philadelphia die Lune 15th April 1700 William Penn Pro'r & Gov'r
Edward Shippen Thomas Bedwell Griffith Owen John Hill David Lloyd Saml Preston John Donaldson John ffenwick

Upon reading of the within Petition in respect the Petitioner was Agent for the German Company who are Strangers & absentees It the Opinion and Resolve of the Gov & Council that the Petitioner & the within Wigard Levering appear before the Gov r & the 24th inst with a friend with each of them that understands the German & Dutch Languages & to bring with them all & accts relating to the said difference when the cause shall be extrajudicially and if the Gov r & Council shall see cause thereafter to hear & decide it Judicially they will do so And that the acquaint the said Daniel Pastorius and he the said Wigard herewith Signed by order PAT ROBINSON Secr y

Of the merits of this celebrated case we know nothing except is stated in the Petition and order of the Council One thing quite evident that Wigard understood the value and importance retaining gentlemen learned in the law and to make doubly sure supposing if it was a good thing to have one lawyer would to be better to have more he employed all the Attorneys the Country a very grave and serious offence at least in the estimation of Pastorius It is much to be regretted that no record of final decision of the Governor and Council can be found

In this age we are said to learn by experience but Pastorius seems did not for it appears from Watson's Annals that in 1708-9 Pastorius presented to the Council a similar petitionf relief against John Henry Sprogel alleging that he had to obtain redress through the plotting of Daniel Falkner attorney for the Frankford Company for lands in Germantown seems that Sprogel feed or retained the four known lawyers of Province and as Pastorius was unable to fetch lawyers from York he prayed the Governor and Council to interfere

It is a little singular that within so short a time he was again caught in the same trap

On the 4th of March 1701 Wichert Livering of the County Philadelphia Yeoman sold to Peter Conrats 160 acres of his large tract of land on the Northeast side of Wissahickon Creek

On the 23d of March 1703 he bought 100 acres at Sommerhausen which was part of the upper end of Germantown adjoining Cresheim This was conveyed to him by Daniel Falckner and John Jarrett the now agents of the Frankford Company

This tract he sold for 60£ on the 19th of October 1706 to John Am Wegg In the Deed he describes himself as Wigart Levering of the County of Philadelphia Carpenter

At a subsequent period he sold 100 acres of the north western part of his plantation to John Henry Linderman and in 1738 Oct 4 Wigard and his son William styled his eldest son and heir apparent confirmed the said tract to the children of John Linderman the deed reciting that the former deed had been lost The witnesses to this deed are Andrew Robeson and Jacob Levering

As far as I can learn Wigard Levering had only two sons reached maturity The older son William was born at May 4 1677 and the younger Jacob was born it is supposed Roxborough January 21st 1693

These sons no doubt lived with their parents at the family in Roxborough until they married and it is probable they assisted father in his various occupations as was customary then and still is different parts of the country But when the father was seventy of age the younger son Jacob married and desirous to advance young man in life the father conveyed to him as Jacob Levering Joiner a tract of eighty five acres of land on the Schuylkill for the of 50£ The deed is dated February 20 1716-17 The grantors described as Weeckart Levering of Roxborrow township in County of Philadelphia Joiner and Magdalena his wife If

The description of the land is as follows

A certain tract of Land situate in the aforesd township & beginning at a hickory tree standing on the bank of the river Shulkill thence North Sixty six degrees forty eight minutes East one and eleven perches and an half by the land of Henry ffrey to a stone thence North twenty three degrees forty eight minutes one hundred perches by the land of William Levering to a stone up ffor a Corner thence South sixty six degrees forty eight West one hundred and sixty perches and an half by the said Wil liam's land to a Large gum tree marked ffor a corner standing the Bank of the sd Skulkill thence along the sd river South Fifty degrees East one hundred and eleven perches to the place of Beginning Containing Eighty ffive acres of Land &c Being part of Hundred acres conveyed to Weekhart Levering by Thomas Hill wife As also free egress and regress to or from the hereby gained tract through the said Weeckart and William's other as Mr as the Plymouth road Provided always the said Jacob ing his heirs and assigns do fforever allow a passage or way the herein purchased tract unto the sd William his heirs and assigns Nevertheless that it shall be lawfull for the si Jacob and his written to ffence in all the said tract leaving a gate of Barrs shut rails

I have given the grant of the right of way in the very words the deed as I have every reason to suppose this is the origin of present street known as Green Lane whose tortuous course the steepest hill between the Ridge Road and the Schuylkill River given rise to many a query Wigard lived in the house which stands opposite Green Lane on the Northerly side of the Ridge and it probable at least that the passage way was to lead from Jacob's up to the Ridge so as to enable his father to visit him and he his father On the First of November 1717 Wigard conveyed to his older William all the residue of his Lands that remained unsold of about one hundred and fifty five acres

He describes himself as

Wichert Levering of the Township in the County of Philadelphia and Province of Pensil Yeoman After reciting title the deed states And Wichert Levering hath since sold several parcels of the said Five Hundred acres of Land Now know Ye That the said Levering as well for and in consideration of the sum of Five &c as for and in consideration of his natural Love and which he hath and beareth towards his said son William &c He then grants William All and every such part and parts of the aforesaid Five Hundred acres of Land which now re main unsold and whereof the said Wichert Levering now and invested in the lawful Right of he This deed is by Wigard Levering only

As the deed to Jacob was signed by Wigard and his wife it that Mrs Levering the Progenitress of the of America died during the year 1717 and if that is so about seventy years of age There are no other records upon the fact As she is not referred to in Wigard's will have died prior to its date

Advanced in years the Pioneer felt that his latter days ought to be laborious than his earlier had been and we may imagine him as the otium cum dignitate of life if that were possible in those His sons and daughters were married and had settled around  him some on parts of his own Plantation and others in contiguous neighborhoods while he the patriarch visited them in turn comforting cheering and encouraging them in their battle with life He made his home with his older son William and for eleven years matters moved along very pleasantly but with advanced age came infirmities and doubtless the father was more exacting than the son thought he ought to be or perhaps William did not appreciate the position of his father was not careful enough of his feelings and evinced the spirit of the ruler of the house when the wiser course would have been to let his aged and venerable sire imagine that he was yet the Pater familias Be that as it may it seems when Wigard had reached the age of eighty years he imagined perhaps it was really true that his son William was not treating him as he should do and he consulted his friend John Cadwalader an eminent merchant of Philadelphia as to the course he ought to pursue The result was a letter from Mr C to William Levering which breathes such a pure spirit of Christian kindness that I cannot forbear giving it entire I feel sure that its publication will be acceptable to all branches of the family both as a relic of the past and as a specimen of the manner in which family disputes were accustomed to be settled at that early day 

Philad the 3d of 6m 1728 Frd William Levering Thy father who is very old & cannot live long according to the Course of nature seems to Complain very much of thy hard dealing & would not be satisfied without carrying it further but I thought it the best way to prevent it if possible for any difference between father & son cannot be of much credit to Either and when a father hath been kind to a Son and given him all or most of what he had there is a dutiful gratitude owing to a parent from a Child and he ought if possible to make his parents life Easie and Comfortable without oppression or giving any Just occasion of uneasiness and Complaint And as our parents have dealt very tenderly with us in our Infancy & youth & born with all our infirmities with abundance of patience it is our duty to Cherish them in their old age and as far as in us Lies to give them no J ust occasion of grief or uneasiness And our duty to our parents will undoubtedly Entail a blessing on us & our posterity and we ought to bear with the peevishness of age without taking any notice of it Therefore pray let me Entreat & prevail with thee for the Credit and reputation of the family to prevent all grounds & occasions of offence and let what is past be buried in oblivion & forgott & as the Laws of God & men direct & oblige Let us pay all dutiful regards to parents and study peace with all which is the Cordial Advice of thy sincere FRd ___

Pray make all things Easy to thy father & do not keep anything from him that can be thought reasonable

He reckons part of the produce of the plantation Except the 100 acres gave thee is his due & ought not to detained from him neither fruit or Summer grain

This most excellent letter no doubt had a good effect for I can of no farther complaints on the part of the venerable sire whose was prolonged for seventeen years and in 1744 when this son his Will he spoke of his dear Father Wickert Levering in the respectful and tender manner thus showing that all unpleasant had passed away Tradition states that Father and son continued to reside together all their days

Wigard Levering the Pioneer ancestor died February 2d 1744 5 death was announced in The Pennsylvania Gazette No 844 12th 1744 5 as follows

Last week died not far from this City Mr Wichart Levering 109 years

This account of his age differs from the statement in Family Bible which says he departed this life February 2d aged according to his account one hundred and seven years For a long time the tradition of his great age was received as and until the discovery of the agreement made with Dr Van in which he states his age to be 36 or 37 in March 1685 it was impossible to give it with exactness That document together with age when married and the date of the birth of his first child that he was born about the year 1648 and consequently at the of his death he could not been more than ninety seven years old It probable that he himself had not been questioned on the subject he had attained a very advanced age when his faculties had failed and when doubtless he had forgotten the date of his birth

His remains were interred as I have every reason to believe in the Family Burial Ground then in the midst of his Farm on an elevated knoll which overlooked the valley where his old mansion stood and also the banks of the Wissahiccon No stone marks the spot where he was buried nor is the exact place now remembered but it is probable that it was in the line of the lot where his grandson William Levering (16) and his children are interred

Mrs Clement of Lancaster Ohio in a letter to the author dated 12 Feb 1845 says 

he was buried with his wife in Roxborough grave yard on the left hand side about half way between the western wall and the gate

That spot was used as a Burial Ground as early as June 1744 when Clements Levering (35) a grandson of Wigard was buried there as appears from his tombstone It is somewhat singular that no stone was ever erected to the memory of Wigard or his son William and yet one was put up at the grave of a child five weeks old who died at least eight months before Wigard

Wigard left a will which was proved at Philadelphia February 7th 1744 of which the following is a true copy

WILL OF WIGARD LEVERING

I Wichert Levering of the Township of Roxborrow in the of Philad in the Province of Pennsylvania Joyner being in health of Body and of a sound and perfect mind and Memory calling to mind the frailty of this transitory Life and that its ted for all flesh once to dye Do make and ordain this my Last and Testament in manner and form following revoking and making utterly void and of none effect all former and Wills by me at any time heretofore made

Imps I will that all my Just Debts and funeral expences be and Discharged by my Executor hereinafter named with all speed after my Decease 

Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Katherine ye of tenn pounds lawful money of Pennsylvania to be paid her by Executor hereafter named within twelve months after my Decease

Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Amelia the sum tenn pounds lawful money afd to be paid her by my said hereafter mentioned within two years after my Decease

Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Sebilla the sum tenn pounds lawful money afd to be paid her by my sd within three years after my Decease

Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son in law Peter ye sum of tenn pounds lawful money afd to be paid him by my Executor within ffour years after my Decease 

Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son in law William Tunes sum of tenn pounds lawful money af d to be paid him by s within ffive years after my Decease

Lastly I give and Bequeath unto my Son William whom I hereby constitute ordain and appoint sole Executor of my Last Will and Testament all other my Estate and Effects what kind soever

In Witness whereof I have hereunto put hand and Seal this twenty third Day of August in the year of Lord one thousand Seaven hundred and fforty two   his WICHERT LEVERING mark

Signed Sealed published pronounced  and declared by the said Wichert Levering as his last Will & Testament in ye presence of us 

* Witnesses

• William Levering Smith
• Hannah Levering
• Thos Yorke

The following Inventory was subsequently filed An Inventory of the goods of Wechord Levering Desesed the ninth day of February 174 Prasers Matthew Houlgate Isaac Cook

• To one bead and Beading. . . . . . . . . . . ......... .£ 3.00.0
• To 2 bed steds. . . . . . . . . . . . . ........... . . ........... 0.10.0
• To one Cobert and one Chest. . . . . . .. . . ........... 1.10.0
• To waring apparrel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................. . 1.15.0
• To Sate of Curtings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................1.00.0
• To one bible. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................... 1.10.0
• To one song book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................. 0.01.6
• To 2 Spice Boxes and a bible frame. . . . . .............0.04.0
• To one Table and 5 Chears. . . . . . . . . . . ............. 1.03.6
• To 2 benshes and one Tobaco Knife. . . . ............ .0.02.0
• To 3 Iron Potts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..................... 0.16.0
• To pare Tongs and Shifell and pare hand Irons. .. 0.14.0
• To 2 puter Dishes and 4 plats. . . . . . . . . ........... 0.14.0
• To one Stone Gudg and puter mog. . . . . . . . ...... 0.03.6
• To one morter and Iron box and a Gudg. . . . . .... 0.03.0
• To one Chamber Pott and Porenger. . . . . . . . ..... 0.01.0
• …………………………………………….…£ 13.7.6

Two of the witnesses to this will were his grandson and wife The signature to the will is remarkably good when the great age of the writer is considered he being at that time ninety four years old

prior will dated May 10th 113 has a similar signature and the which I have examined as well as the copies in the Recorder's are also signed with his initials I have not been able to discover any further proof of his ability to write The Family Bible of Wigard Levering is now in the possession of Sarah Kirk of Germantown Pa who is a ggg grand of the first settler Her grandmother Hannah Levering 5 32 was the third child of William Levering 4 16 who was grandson of Wigard It is a large folio German Bible with clasps was printed in 1693 The records of Wigard Levering's family written in German the other entries are in English and contain dates of the deaths of some of his children and grand children

To gratify the curiosity of those members of the family who have seen the Bible I shall give a translation of the Records which headed Oeburth Register meiner Wigard Levering Kinder do not vouch for the correctness of the translation

FAMILY REGISTER OF WIGARD LEVERING CHILDREN

I Wigard Levering was born in Germany in the Principality of Westphalia in the District of Munster and town of Games

My Father's name was Rosier Levering and my mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Van de Walle who was born in Wesel

In the twenty third year of my age I Wigard Levering was married to my beloved wife Magdalena Boker Her father's name was William Baker and her mother's maiden name was Sidonia Williams Braviers of the City of Leyden in Holland The above said Magdalena my wife was also born in Leyden and

God hath blessed us with the following children to wit  The first born Joanna Sophia born in Games in the year of our Lord 1672 in March and died in the third week

The second Annd Gatharina born in Mulheim on the Rhiir in March 1673  The third Maria Elizabeth born in July 1676 and died in the eighteenth week of her age  The fourth William Levering was born the 4th day of May 1677  The fifth Amelia Anna Sophia was born in the middle of July 1682  The sixth Anna Sibella was born in the middle of September 1684

The above named children were all born in Mulheim on the Rhiir in Germany and the following six children were born in North America in the Province of Pennsylvania

The seventh Herman born the 18th of November 1686 and died in the fourth year of his age in May The eighth Elizabeth born the 7 h of January 1689 and died in the fourteenth year of her age in September The ninth Sidonia born the 23d of April 1691 The tenth Jacob Levering born the 21 of January 1693 The eleventh Magdalena born the 13th of January 1695 and died in the 3d week of her age The twelfth Magdalena born the 4th of June 1696

The last after the perfect number of twelve was an untimely birth God who is the Father of all that are called children in heaven and on earth have mercy on my children who are still in the land of the living that they through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be born again and registered with their kindred in heaven that they after they are taken from this vain world the parents with the children and the children with the parents may rejoice before God in a blessed and happy eternity Amen

This old Bible is the only relic now known of the venerable Founder of the Levering Family and it ought to be cherished and preserved his posterity as a memento of auld lang syne

From Wigard and Gerhard Levering I am disposed to believe that the Leverings in the United States of America have descended only family about which there is any doubt is that of John Levering who once resided at Nazareth Pa My deliberate conviction is that the Leverings of Nazareth are descended from Gerhard and I have accordingly so arranged their history My reasons regarding them as the posterity of Gerhard Levering will be fully in a subsequent part of this work

So far as these researches have extended no relationship has been to exist between the Lovering's of Philadelphia and Boston the Levering Family although the names are so nearly alike

Mr Joseph S Lovering of Philadelphia has informed the writer his ancestors were of English descent and settled originally in Mass 

There is a family named Lovering in Baltimore who have been visited by Mr AJ Levering They were originally from the Northwest of France settled in St Domingo and came to Philadelphia in 1795

One of the family Mr George A Lovering residing in Baltimore his name Lovering while his brother Lewis who lives in New spells his name Levering pg. 2-16 The Levering Family, Or, A Genealogical Account of Wigard Levering and ... By Horatio Gates Jones, 1858 , BY KING & BAIRD 607 SANSOM ST Philadelphia

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

Abstracts From Ben Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette" 1728-1748 by Kenneth Scott

States that in 1745, that Leveringe, Wigard died last week not far from Phila. Age 109 (12 Feb)

=======

1684, Telner Emigration Party Ship:
Captain: From: Holland or England, about Aug/Sep 1684 By Way of: Arrival: New York, by 12 Dec 1684

On 10 Mar 1682 William Penn conveyed to Jacob Telner of Krefeld, Jan Streypers of Kaldenkirchen, and Dirck Sipman of Krefeld each 5,000 acres of land in Pennsylvania. Jacob Telner was a merchant in Amsterdam and had contacts with the Quakers in London and some people in New York. After being granted the land in Pennsylvania he began to advertise extensively. In 1683 he accompanied the 13 families that emigrated on the Concord to Rotterdam. He recruited many emigrants to join him to Pennsylvania the following year from Mülheim and was a key figure in the 1684 emigration.

In Mülheim (Ruhr) Theodor Undereyck, who had studied in England among the Presbeterians, Baptists, Quakers, and others, was the pastor during the 1660s. His successor, the reformed pastor Arnold Siebel visited William Penn in Duisburg in 1677. Four years later (1681) Penn was granted Pennsylvania by King Charles II. The teacher Labadie from Holland also taught new doctrines in Mülheim. There was a group of dissidents in Mülheim as a result of exposure to these new ideas which included the schoolmaster Backhaus and the tailor Verfohren of Styrum. Among the people here Jacob Telner and offers from the Frankfurt Company were able to entice emigration of many to Germantown in 1684, 1687, and 1696, including at east 33 emigrants. [From "Die auswanderung der Mülheimer nach Pennsylvanien" (The Emigration of Mülheimers to Pennsylvania) in Zeitschrift des Geschictesvereins Mülheim a.d. Ruhr (Periodical of the Mülheim a.d. Ruhr History Organization), Vol. 32, Dec 1938 No. 3 by Karl Broermann. Translated by Rosalie N. Castleberry; FHL 974.811/G1 W2b]

In 1684 several Germans came from Mülheim, Mörs, Nenwied, and Köln (Cologne) to Germantown.

After arriving in New York12 Dec 1684 Jacob Telner wrote a 1684/5 Gerhard Levering Wigard Levering

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

The book "SHIP PASSENGER LISTS Pennsylvania and Delaware (1641-18250" edited and indexed by Carl Boyer, 3rd published by Carol Boyer, 3rd Newhall California, 1980

Page 7

"Einwanderer in Pennsylvania vor 1700," Jahrbuch Fur Auslanddeutsche Sippenkunde, 4 (1936), 53-54[Lancour No. 116]

Frey, Heinrich, aus Althenim in Elsass, 1685

Levering, Gerhart und Wigart, von Muhlheim 1685

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

"Naturalizations, Germantown, PA., 3/7/1691/92; Copia Naturalizations of Frances Daniel Pastorius and of 61 persons. More of German Town from William Penn, Esq., a National Genealogical Society Quarterly, 28(1940), 7-8 [Lancour no 129]

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

"Lineage Book National Society of the Daughters of the American Colonists" volume VII, 1946

'Mrs. Bessie A. McCormick Snyder born in Gerardstown, W. Va. wife of Daniel Webster Snyder

Descendant of Wigard Levering as follows:

• 1 James B McCormick b 1857-93 m 1879, Effe Belle Snapp b 1861 d 1889
• 2 Harrison McCormick b 1882 d 1901 m 1845 Mary DeHaven b 1824 d 1872
• 3 Isaac DeHaven jr b 1794 d 1869 m Mary Wooley Light b 1796 d 1808
• 4 Isaac DeHaven Sr b 1765 d 1838 m Suannah Branawary d 1811
• 5 Peter DeHaven b 1741 d 1822 m 1764 Abigail West d 1827
• 6 William DeHaven b 1714 d 1784 m 1738 Hanna Cranbar
• 7 Peter Dehaven b 1688 d 1768 m Sidonia Levering b 1691
• 8 Wigard Levering m 1674 Magdalena Boker b 1650 d 1717

Wigard Levering of Pennsylvania, a Huguenot refugee, took the Oath of Allegiance to William and Mary, 1691; landed proprietor and founder of Roxborough, He died in Pennsylvania"

I join the National Society of the Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century with this family thru Wigard and Magdalena daughter Catherine who married Heinrich Frey.

Sources: [http://archive.org/details/leveringfamilyhi00byuleve Levering family : history and genealogy ]  BY COL. JOHN LEVERING, 1897, Indianapolis

The Levering Family, Or, A Genealogical Account of Wigard Levering and .. By Horatio Gates Jones 1858 , BY KING & BAIRD 607 SANSOM ST Philadelphia

Janet Ariciu family Bush

---

John "Wigard" Levering was born in Gemen, Westphalia, Prussia in 1647/48. He was the son of Rosier Levering and Elizabeth Van De Walle. He married Magdalena Boker on March 22, 1673/74 in Westfallen, Gemen, Borken, Prussia. She was the daughter of William Boker and Sidonia Braviers. Several children were born to this union; Anna Catherine, Joanna Sophia (d. age three weeks), Maria Fria (d. abt. eighteen weeks), William, Amelia Anna Sophia, Anna Sibella, Herman (d. age four), Elizabeth, Sidonia, Jacob, Magdalena ( d. at three weeks), and Magdalena.

Wigard and his brother, Gerhard, emigrated in 1685 and settled in Germantown, Philadelphia. He was a Weaver, Yeoman, and a Joiner in Roxborough, PA. In 1691, Wigard bought 500 acres in Roxborough between the River Schuykill and the Wissahickon Creek. Wigard spoke German and was unable to write. He lived his last twenty-eight years of his life with his son, William, in Germantown, PA. He is buried on his farm, Leverington Cemetery in a spot overlooking the Wissahickon Creek. His mother and daughter Elizabeth are buried in the same cemetery.

John Wigard: born in 1648 or '49, in the town of Gemen, in Germany. In April, 1674, he married "the chaste virgin," Magdalena Bokers, of Essen. She was a native of Leyden, in Holland. They lived in Gemen until some time after the birth and decease of their first child, and then removed to Mulheim, where they remained until they emigrated to America, after the 20th of March, 1685, bringing their surviving four children. He settled first in Germantown, Philadelphia, and removed from there a short distance west, into Roxborough Township, in 1691, where he bought a tract of five hundred acres of land, lying between and bordering upon both the River Schuylkill and Wissahickon Creek. Upon this estate he lived his remaining years with his family, and died there.

His wife Magdalena died in the summer of 1717 at the age of about 67 years. He died February 2, 1745, at the probable age of 97 years, and was buried upon his farm in a spot overlooking the romantic Wissahickon, which has become a part of the famous Fairmount Park of Philadelphia. This spot subsequently became the churchyard and burial ground of the Baptist Church, organized in 1789, which was greatly enlarged, and is now known as Leverington Cemetery, under a special charter from the State of Pennsylvania. This ground doubtless contains the remains of Magdalena. A gravestone marking the interment, in June, 1744, of their grandchild, Clement Levering, still stands, and points the place where repose the old pioneers, though no sculptured tablet was ever erected there to their memory.

Wigard came to Philadelphia on the ship Penn's Woodland from Holland in 1685 having arrived before the month of August, 1685. The Frankfort Company was engaged in the transportation of persons desiring to remove to their colony. The written contract entered into by Wigard Levering with the local agents at Wesel, Dr. Thomas Van Wylick and Johannes Le Brun, for transportation of himself and family to Philadelphia, dated 20th of March, 1685.

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(f/g) John Wigard Levering Birth: Feb. 2, 1648 Death: Feb. 2, 1745 Philadelphia County Pennsylvania, USA

John "Wigard" Levering was born in Gemen, Westphalia, Prussia in 1647/48. He was the son of Rosier Levering and Elizabeth Van De Walle. He married Magdalena Boker on March 22, 1673/74 in Westfallen, Gemen, Borken, Prussia. She was the daughter of William Boker and Sidonia Braviers. Several children were born to this union; Anna Catherine, Joanna Sophia (d. age three weeks), Maria Fria (d. abt. eighteen weeks), William, Amelia Anna Sophia, Anna Sibella, Herman (d. age four), Elizabeth, Sidonia, Jacob, Magdalena ( d. at three weeks), and Magdalena.

[see f/g # 6105466 for extended bio]

Family links:

Children:

 Anna Sophia Levering (1675 - ____)*

 Maria Elizabeth Levering (1677 - 1677)*

 William Levering (1679 - 1746)*

 Sidonia Levering DeHaven (1691 - 1736)

Burial: Leverington Cemetery Roxborough Philadelphia County Pennsylvania, USA Created by: KRW Record added: Jan 21, 2002 Find A Grave Memorial# 6105466 -tcd

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Born in Westphalia, Prussia