Sophia Burkholder

Sophia De Roche was of French ancestry. Some data gives her maiden name as Reich or Roche. She was also French Huguenot in her religion. The Huguenots were a group of Protestants who believed in the teachings of John Calvin and were members of the Reformed Church They became the center of religious quarrels in the 15th and 16th centuries. The French Roman Catholic Church gave them the name of Huguenots. The name may have come from that of the Bezanson Huges. He was a Swiss religious leader.

when Henry of Navarre became king of France the Huguenots were given the Edict of Nantes. This law allowed them to worship in about 72 towns or cities in France, Also it gave them complete freedom in their political ethics. They formed a sort of Protestant republic within the Catholic kingdom.

Under the reign of Louis XIII they lost their political freedom. His minister, Cardinal Richelieu, conquered their cities. They wee still allowed freedom of worship but that was lost in 1685 when Louis XIV repealed the Edict of Nantes. Thousands of the French Huguenots fled to new homes in England, Holland, Germany and the Colonies of the New World!

sophia came to the New World on the English ship Myrtilla, according to Mabel Burkholder, on about 1763. She may have been born in England. Her life with Jacob Burkholder began on the ships crossing of the ocean! They wqere married shortly after arriving into the new world! Jacob and Sophia settled in Lancaster County of Pennsylvania.

Even though little is knowb about her actual life history it is not hard to imagine the hardship and turmoil she must have endured, as she left her home for a new land. Then after a marriage to be faced with a new war as the colonies fought for their freedom from England. As Jacob was in favor of the English it grew hard on him and his family after the conclusion of the war. they finally decided to move to Canada!