Pvt. Johannes "John" Hildebrand

Pvt. Johannes (John) Hildebrand

Find A Grave Memorial ID # 70749703

A Patriot of the American Revolution for PENNSYLVANIA. DAR Ancestor #: A055500

Probably the "Hans Hilderbrand" listed on the "Francis and Elizabeth" ship manifest of 1743, would mean he traveled with Casper Glattfelder

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Private in the Pennsylvania Militia. Participation in the American Revolution. When the time came for the American Colonists to back up their claims for Independence from the British crown, those of German ancestry entered into the conflict without hesitation. It must be remembered that those who took up arms were volunteers - - they had to be because there was, as yet, no central government to draft them. When the Pennsylvanians cast the deciding vote that adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Johannes Hildebrand and all four of his sons stood ready for Military duty, and as the war progressed, all entered the service of the Continental Army. The father, as was proper, was the first to enroll. In the Year of Independence, 1776, when he was 61 years old, he enlisted in Capt. John Jones company of Militia in Col. Peter Grubb’s battalion of “Associators” raised in nearby Lancaster County. (Pa. Archives, Ser. 5, Vol. 7, P. 803.) “Associators” was a name used to designate the men who as volunteers made up an organized militia in the counties of Pennsylvania. Within two years of the four sons of Johannes had followed their father’s example. In 1778, the returns of associators in the militia in York County for a company raised in Codorus township, list the name of Felix, Jacob, Casper and Henry Hildebrand, (all sons of the pioneer Johannes) enrolled in the Sixth Company of the Seventh Battalion. (York County, Pa., in the American Revolution, a source book by H. J. Young, pp. 591. 592, 601 and 602.) It is interesting to note the ages of these young men at this time: Felix was 29, Jacob 26, Casper 23, and Henry 21 years old. The services of father and sons in the armed forces of the infant nation were continuous to the end of the war, and, in one instance, after peace had come. In 1779, Jacob transferred to a unit from Shrewsbury township in the Fifth company of the Fifth Battalion of militia. In 1780 his name appears upon Capt. Ferries’ company til 1782 when the fighting was over. Apparently Jacob was discharged from duty that year while Felix remained in the service some years more as will be described later in the treatment of his generation. (Pa. Archives, Ser.6, Vol. 2. pp. 654, 670-71.) Meantime Johannes, the father, appears as a private in 1780 in Capt. George Gieselman’s company from York County. He was then 65 years old and undoubtedly assigned to some duty other than combat.

In 1782, a year after Cornwallis had surrendered his army at Yorkstown, V., the names of both Casper and Henry Hildebrand also appear on the muster rolls of Capt. Gieselman’s company. (Pa. Archives, Ser. 6, Vol.2, pp. 674-75.) Close of an Eventful Life It is a coincidence that when the independence of the United States became secure in 1783, the old immigrant, patriot and soldier should also come to the end of his days. The rigors of service in the Revolutionary War undoubtedly took a heavy toll of the physical strength of a man of his years. In his will, which was written in 1781, he states, “being Aged and weak in my Mortal Body’ yet he lived two years longer.

They laid the body of Johannes Hildebrand to rest in a little graveyard on high ground overlooking the rolling acres of his own plantation. Here his old friends had preceded him –Casper Glatfelder in 1773; Henry Walter in 1781; and now himself, the last of these three pioneers, in 1783. His wife, Barbara, out-lived him nine years, and on August 8, 1794, she too, was carried to the hilltop and laid beside her husband. There to mark their graves are field stones of slate, a characteristic geological formation of the region. The engraving upon them is crude, and for that all the more impressive because in the absence of artisans, skilled in the fashioning of monuments, the affection and esteem of their descendents are manifest along with the desire to perpetuate a lasting memory to them.

In German, these two stones simply state:

English Translation On April 2. 1783 Johannes Hildebrand Fell asleep in the year of our Lord His age Was 68 years the 8th of August in the year 1794 Barbara M Hildebrand was put to rest here. Oct 6, 1794 (date of erection of stone) N. A. (Her age eroded from stone but known to be 65 years)

GEDCOM Note

Arrived in Philadelphia from Rotterdam on 5 Sep 1751.

Pvt PA Militia
Participation in the American Revolution
When the time came for the American Colonists to back up their claims for Independence from the British crown, those of German ancestry entered into the conflict without hesitation. It must be remembered that those who took up arms were volunteers - - they had to be because there was, as yet, no central government to draft them.
When the Pennsylvanians cast the deciding vote that adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Johannes Hildebrand and all four of his sons stood ready for Military duty, and as the war progressed, all entered the service of the Continental Army. The father, as was proper, was the first to enroll. In the Year of Independence, 1776, when he was 61 years old, he enlisted in Capt. John Jones company of Militia in Col. Peter Grubb’s battalion of “Associators” raised in nearby Lancaster County. (Pa. Archives, Ser. 5, Vol. 7, P. 803.) “Associators” was a name used to designate the men who as volunteers made up an organized militia in the counties of Pennsylvania. Within two years of the four sons of Johannes had followed their father’s example.
In 1778, the returns of associators in the militia in York County for a company raised in Codorus township, list the name of Felix, Jacob, Casper and Henry Hildebrand, (all sons of the pioneer Johannes) enrolled in the Sixth Company of the Seventh Battalion. (York County, Pa., in the American Revolution, a source book by H. J. Young, pp. 591. 592, 601 and 602.) It is interesting to note the ages of these young men at this time: Felix was 29, Jacob 26, Casper 23, and Henry 21 years old.
The services of father and sons in the armed forces of the infant nation were continuous to the end of the war, and, in one instance, after peace had come. In 1779, Jacob transferred to a unit from Shrewsbury township in the Fifth company of the Fifth Battalion of militia. In 1780 his name appears upon Capt. Ferries’ company til 1782 when the fighting was over. Apparently Jacob was discharged from duty that year while Felix remained in the service some years more as will be described later in the treatment of his generation. (Pa. Archives, Ser.6, Vol. 2. pp. 654, 670-71.)
Meantime Johannes, the father, appears as a private in 1780 in Capt. George Gieselman’s company from York County. He was then 65 years old and undoubtedly assigned to some duty other than combat.

In 1782, a year after Cornwallis had surrendered his army at Yorkstown, V., the names of both Casper and Henry Hildebrand also appear on the muster rolls of Capt. Gieselman’s company. (Pa. Archives, Ser. 6, Vol.2, pp. 674-75.)
Close of an Eventful Life
It is a coincidence that when the independence of the United States became secure in 1783, the old immigrant, patriot and soldier should also come to the end of his days. The rigors of service in the Revolutionary War undoubtedly took a heavy toll of the physical strength of a man of his years. In his will, which was written in 1781, he states, “being Aged and weak in my Mortal Body’ yet he lived two years longer.

They laid the body of Johannes Hildebrand to rest in a little graveyard on
high ground overlooking the rolling acres of his own plantation.  Here his old
friends had preceded him---Casper Glatfelter in 1773; Henry Walter in 1781;
and now himself, the last of these three pioneers, in 1783.  His wife Barbara,
outlived him nine years, and on August 8, 1794, she too was carried to the
hilltop and laid beside her husband.  There to mark their graves are field stones
of slate, a characteristic geological formation of the region.  The engraving upon
them is crude, and for that all the more impressive because in the absence of
artisans, skilled in the fashioning of monuments, the affection and esteem of
their descendants are manifest along with the desire to perpetuate a lasting
memory to them. 
These two stones simply state in German but translated here in English:

On April 1783           
Johannes Hildebrand
fell asleep in the Lord
His age was 68 years

On the 8th of August in the
year 1794 Barbara Hildebrand
was put to rest here.
( Her age was eroded from stone
 but known to be 65 years)