Nicholas Neuhardt Kern

"Nicholas Kern, the ancestor of the Kern family, sailed from Rotterdam, Holland on the ship "Adventurer" and arrived at Philadelphia on Oct. 2, 1727. The first mention of him in Lehigh region is on Sept. 23, 1734, when he and wife were sponsors to the child of Peter Troxell, baptized by Rev. John Philip Boehm. He probably lived in Whitehall township, sometime before securing title to land. The first warrant for which he applied was dated Dec. 3, 1735, for 150 acres; the second, Feb. 24, 1737, for 100 acres and the third on Oct 28, 1737, for 50 acres. The first and third warrant for 200 acres were surveyed Nov. 7, 1737, described as situated on a branch of the Lehigh Creek, in Bucks County, beginning at a marked elm tree by vacant land, south 20 degrees west 142 perches, north 70 degrees west, 239 perches; then by land Caspar Wistar, north 20 degrees west 63 perches and by vacant land north 20 degrees, west 79 perches; thence by vacant land south 70 degrees, west 239 perches to the place of beginning; containing 200 acres and 16 perches. The warrant dated Feb. 24, 1737, was for 100 acres beginning at a small white oak; thence by vacant land south 20 degrees west, 136 perches to a post, a corner of Leonard Steininger's land; thence by the same north 70 degrees west, 160 perches to the corner of Jacob Weaver's land; thence by the same north 20 degrees east, 106 perches by vacant land south 70 degrees east, 160 perches to the place of beginning. On Feb. 27, 1739, Nicholas Kern and his wife Maria Margaret, sold these tracts to Lawrence Guth. The names of Nicholas Kern and his wife appeared as sponsors in the Egypt Reformed Church records in 1736, 1739, 1740, 1741. On Dec. 13, 1744, Cornelia Kern, daughter of Nicholas Kern, was a sponsor to the child of John Nicholas Schneider. June 14, 1741, Nicholas Kern and his wife Margaret, were sponsors to John Nicholas, son of Ulrich Sensinger. Lorentz Kern, son of Nicholas, was born march 5, 1741, and baptized May 7, 1741, at the Jordan Lutheran Church. His sponsors were Lorentz Guth and wife, Salome. On Nov. 24, 1737, he secured a warrant for 300 acres of land situated along the Lehigh river, described as the west branch of the Delaware. Gottfried Knauss in 1739, secured 200 acres adjoining Kern on the south. After 1741, we find no mention of Nicholas Kern in Whitehall, and it is probable at that early date he removed to his 500 acre tract and began to cultivate the land. He was naturalized April 10, 1742. At this time several of his sons were nearing manhood and with their assistance, at an early date, he erected a grist mill and a saw mill on his land, which he mentions in his will. He died in the early part of 1749 and his will was probated May 11, 1949. This will was one of the first recorded by an inhabitant of this section and is recorded at Philadelphia in Book 1, page 120. It reads as follows: "In the Name of the Holy Trinity, Amen. I, Nicholas Kern, being afflicted by the Lord's Privence, with Sickness and weakness of Body, which makes me doubtful about my recovery, but being by God's Mercy of Sound Mind, I first of all recommend my soul into the hands of my dear Redeemer, Jesus Christ and have declared this to be my last Will and Testament in the presence of the under-written Witnesses in manner as follows, Viz: first, it is my will and order that my wife Maria Margaretha after my decease shall hold our plantation, Grist Mill, and Saw Mill, all our cattle and implements, together with all the moveable or Household furniture until the youngest of our children, vizt: Lorentz Kern, will be of age; that is, my said wife Maria Margaretha shall, until the time above limited, have full power to manage and act with all and every of our aforesaid goods or estate of what denomination soever, for the best of herself and the children, according to Justice and it ought to be done and at the time our said youngest son will be of age, then all our Estate above mentioned to be justly divided according to our law of Pennsylvania, that is to say, one just and equal third part of all our Estate unto my wife Marie Margaretha and the remainder two-thirds part unto my eight children: vizt: Henry, Federick, Cornelia, William, Nicholas, John, George and Lorentz Kern share and share alike, and as my daughter Maria Barbara, now living in Philadelphia, never did contribute and assist us in the least about which I and the rest of my family earned by hard labour, but on the contrary has spent the time she lived in this country for her own advantage, nevertheless, notwithstanding to withdraw my affection as a father from her or to exclude her totally from her portion, I therefore bequeath unto her 10 pounds, our Lawful Pennsylvania current money, which shall be paid unto her at the time of the reparation to be made amongst my remaining children, moreover, I give and bequeath unto my last mentioned daughter, Marie Barbara, one cow, which shall be given and delivered unto her the next spring. Moreover, I ordain and state my wife Maria Margaretha and Jacob Farber to be guardians of my children and executors of all my estate to the end that they have direction of my children under age for their instruction and education in the Christian religion, as also that nothing may be wrong, administration be lost but rather increased of what I left behind me and to the end, that al which is above mentioned may be firmly and unchangeably kept and followed, I do confirm these presents with my own hand writing and seal and is attested by the under written witneses: Done in Bucks County, near Lehigh, December ye 28th, 1748. Signed Nicholas Kern J. Ch. Seybert Jacob Heffelfinger Jacob Farber John Nicholas Sneider Translated September 18, 1749, by Joseph Crell. Salford, the 11th day of May, 1749. There personally appeared Jacob Farber and John Nicholas Schneider, two of the witnesses to the within written will, and on their oath respectively declare they saw and hear Nicholas, the testator within mentioned, sign seal, publish and declare the same will be his last will and testament and at the time thereof he ws of sound mind, memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge. Cosam. Jacob Reiff by authority for William Plumstead, Recorder General, May 11, 1749. Proved. Letters testamentary granted to Maria Margaret Kern, Jacob Farber,the other executor having renounced executorship. Margaret, widow of Nicholas, was still living in 1770, and on Jan 4, 1770, with Henry, Federick, William, Nicholas, George and Lorentz Kerns, and Martin Singling and wife, Cornelia, released to John Kern for 200 pounds part of a tract of 226 acres of land, and to William Kern, a tract of 140 acres of land for 300 pounds. Of the children of Nicholas Kern as it was customary to name the children in order of their age in wills, we assume that Henry was the eldest." - From: Anniversary History Of Lehigh County, Vol. II, Copyright 1914