TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS, ST. DANIEL’S (CORNER) CHURCH,
BERKS COUNTY, PA.
By Michael Alvin Gruber, A. M., Washington, D. C.
Inscriptions from tombstone of persons born prior to the year 1776 and buried in the old graveyard adjoining St. Daniel’s (Corner) Church, or the Lutheran congregation in Heidelberg Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, located about a mile northward of the borough of Robesonia, Pa., which is on the Penn Highway, formerly the Berks and Dauphin Turnpike, and 12 miles west of Reading, Pa.
This congregation was founded about 1749, the corner-stone of the first church building having been laid in 1751.
The inscriptions were copied by M. A. Gruber and have been arranged alphabetically according to surnames for convenient reference:
Artz, Maria Elizabeth. See Adam Fiedler, husband.
Barger, Margaret. See Carl Schuckerd, husband.
Bayer, (also Beier), Abraham, born May 2, 1747; died June 11, 1832; in wedlock 41 yrs. 10 mos. With Anna Barbara ….., born Jan’y 21, 1748, and died Feb. 18, 1812; 3 sons, 8 daughters. He and the following Peter Bayer were sons of the immigrant Andreas (Andres) Beyer (1710-1768), buried at the Little Tulpehocken Church about 1 ½ miles southwest of Bernville, Berks County, Pa. The surname is found as Bayer, Beyer, Baier, Beier, and is now generally written Boyer. *
Bayer, Barbara, born Aug. 28, 1749; died April 2, 1791
Bayer, Catharine. See John Ernst, husband.
Bayer, Peter, born Oct. 27, 1741; died March 29, 1784. The Little Tulpehocken Church Record shows him born on Oct. 27, 1742, with Christian name John Peter.
Bechtel, Elizabeth. See Leonhart Kehl, husband.
Bennetsch, Henry, born Dec. 3, 1771; died April 9, 1848; in wedlock 52 years with Catharine Urich (also Urrech), born May 15, 1774, and died June 13, 1847; 2 sons and 4 daughters.
Binnetsch, Ana Catarina, born in 172(?); died in 17-4(?). This is an old-time inscription and much weather-worn, the letters being a form of English (or Latin) capitals. Two of the letters are sometimes joined together, as in the case of E attached to the last part of N, and in representing I by dotting the perpendicular lines of other letters, as E, H, and N depending upon whether I precedes or follows H or N. See the accompanying photograph of the tombstone. The following is the inscription as nearly as can be represented, part thereof being on the reverse (west) side of the tombstone and apparently not completed.
HR LIGD BEGRABEN ANA CATARINA BNNETSCHN SE IST GEBOHREN 175- U GESTORBEN 17-4 SE WAR NDERE. (reverse side) WAN DU DIE DODEN WIRST AN ENEMDAG.
Brosman, John, born in 1742; died Aug. 26, 1807; married Anna Maria Heilman, born in 1742, and died Dec. 20, 1812; 5 sons and 4 daughters.
Eckert, John, born Oct. 13, 1766; died Dec. 14, 1857; in wedlock 56 years with Catharine Haag, born Aug. 7, 1774, and died Aug. 16, 1848; 5 sons and 4 daughters.
Elick, Eva Catharine. See John Jost Fischbach, husband.
Ernst, John, born March 1, 1762; died July 23, 1838; in wedlock 50 years with Catharine Bayer, born May 17, 1769, and died July 27, 1859; 9 children.
Fiedler (also Fidler), Adam, born June 4, 1748; died July 12, 1790; in wedlock 21 yrs, 4 mos. 7 days with Maria Elizabeth Artz; 8 sons and 3 daughters.
Fidler, Henry, born Feb. 14, 1723; died Nov. 2, 1777; married Maria Magdalene …..born in 1721, and died Nov. 14, 1777; 4 sons and 5 daughters.
Fidler, Henry, born March 21, 1752; died June 6, 1831; in wedlock 29 years with Eva Lehnig, (also Lenig), born April 22, 1756, and died Oct. 9, 1804; 3 sons and 8 daughters.
Fischbach, Elizabeth. See John Ludwig Fischer, husband.
Fischbach, John Jost, born Feb. 1, 1734; died Jan’y 11, 1804; married Eva Catharine Elick, born Feb. 8, 1735, and died Nov. 18, 1806, dau. of Andreas and Philippina Elick.
Fischer, Christian, born March 7, 1759; died Nov. 20, 1832; in wedlock 50 yrs, 4 mos. with Catharine Sing, born June 7, 1760, and died Jan’y 18, 1837; 7 children. He was a son of Ludwig Fischer, (1737-1795).
Fischer, Ludwig, born Sept. 29, 1737; died Dec. 8, 1795; married on May 9, 1758, Catharine ……, born Oct. 20, 1734, and died June 2, 1812; 3 sons and 2 daughters.
Frantz, Anna Maria. See George Werheim, husband.
Geiss, Barbara. See Henry Schauer, husband.
Gerhard (also Gerhart), Jacob, born Jan’y 1, 1752; died Dec. 13, 1808; in wedlock 34 years with Elizabeth ……., born May 7, 1752, and died April 25, 1824.
Gruber, John Adam, born Oct. 24, (church record shows Oct. 19), 1735; died March 6, 1807; married Elizabeth ……, Dec. 24, 1734, and died Sept. 1, 1790; 8 sons and 4 daughters, of whom 6 sons and 4 daughters survived their father. He is the oldest of 4 sons and 3 daughters of the immigrant Henry Gruber (died in 1777) and wife Eva Maria Rosina…….
Gruber, John, born March 4, 1769; died Nov. 25, 1840; married Anna Maria Lasch, born Dec. 13, 1769, and died June 30, 1829; 5 sons and 1 daughter. He is the second son of John Adam Gruber (1735-1807), and the great-grandfather of the contributer of these inscriptions.
Heilman, Anna Maria. See John Brosman, husband.
Jackly (later Yeakley), Matthias, born June 13, 1769; died Nov. 2, 1852; married Oct. 27, 1792, Elizabeth Munnich (also Minnich), born Jan’y 8, 1771, and died June 9, 1842; 2 sons and 8 daughters.
Kalbach, Sophia. See Matthias Wenrich, husband.
Kalbach, Susanna. born March 20, 1765; died April 5, 1833; married (1) in 1787 George Braun (Brown); married (2) in 1795 Christian Seibert, born June 22, 1773, and died Aug. 28, 1855.
Kehl, Leonhart, born April 7, 1772; died May 26, 1835; in wedlock 38 years with Elizabeth Bechtel, born Aug. 9, 1775, and died May 18, 1862 (27 years a widow); 1 son and 1 daughter.
Klopp, John Peter, born Sept. 11, 1775; died March 13, 1850; in wedlock 30 yrs. 8 mos. with Maria Eva Ulrich, born May 20, 1768, and died Dec. 13, 1830; 3 sons and 3 daughters.
Klopp, Peter, born May 13, 1751; died Feb. 24, 1835; married (1) Eliza Hain; married (2) Elizabeth Fidler, born April 28, 1763, and died Jan’y 10, 1835. He is a son of Peter Klopp (1719-1794) and wife Werrina Becker (1718-1792).
Lasch, Anna Maria. See John Gruber, husband.
Lasch, Susanna (sister of Anna Maria). See Jonathan Minnich, husband.
Leininger, Catharine. See John Palm, husband.
Leininger, Peter, born Sept. 21, 1755; died Sept. 11, 1835.
Lenig, Eva. See Henry Fidler, husband.
Lenich (also Lenig, Lehnig), John, born March 18, 1721; died Nov. 17, 1789; in wedlock 39 years with Barbara ……; 2 sons and 5 daughters.
Mauntz (also Mountz), Elizabeth. See Jacob Wenrich, husband.
Mauntz, (also Mountz), George, Oct. 22, 1732; died Oct. 22, 1800; 8 children.
Miller, Matthias, born July 14, 1762; died Nov. 13, 1848; in wedlock 60 yrs. 6 mos. with Maria Elizabeth Knopp (or Schell), born Oct. 7, 1765, and died Nov. 21, 1844.
Minnich, Jonathan, born Feb. 24, 1764; died April 24, 1844; in wedlock (1) 45 years with Susanna Lasch, born April 21, 1771, and died March 10, 1838, in wedlock (2) 5 years with Maria Jones.
Munnich (also Minnich), Elizabeth. See Matthias Jackly.
Palm, John, born June 22, 1755; died Oct. 23, 1830; married Catharine Leininger, born March 11, 1760, and died Oct. 18, 1830.
Pfatteicher (also Batteicher, Potteiger), John Martin, born Aug. 21, 1701; died April 23, 1761; his wife Anna Barbara, born Dec. 16, 1702, and died April 25, 1761; 8 children, of whom 4 survived their parents and erected the stone in 1761.
Both parents are recorded on one stone (a sandstone), both sides of the stone being used. The top of the front (east) side is ornamented with a cherub face in relief, and the reverse (west) side with two forgetmenots. See the accompanying photographs. The inscription in the original is as follows: Hie ligen die leiber eines verlebten ehebars, Neml: Joh: Martin Pfatteicher ist geb. 1701 den 21 August: und gestor: 1761 D; 23 ApL dessen Eh-frau: Neml Ana Barbara ist geboh: 1702 D. 16 Decem: und gestor: 1761 den 25 April Haben Erzeiget 8 Kinder seind noch im Leben 4. welche diesen stein gestelt haben Im Jahr 1761
Potteiger, Martin, born Sept. 24, 1725; died Nov. 20, 1791; wife Catharine. He is a son of John Martin Pfatteicher.
Rohrer, Anna Maria. See Leonhart Stupp, husband.
Schaeffer, John, born Feb. 20, 1735; died Nov. 17, 1804.
Schauer, (now Shower), Henry, born in Heidelberg, June 14, 1751; died Nov. 21, 1818; married Barbara Geiss, born Oct. 5, 1750, in Pfalz (Palatinate), Germany; and died April 13, 1818; 6 sons and 5 daughters.
Schauer (now Shower), Michael, born in 1699; died Aug. 16, 1772; in wedlock 45 years; 12 children and 91 grand and great-grandchildren. Notation of his death is made in the record of Christ Tulpehocken Lutheran Church, a short distance westward of Stouchsburg, Berks County, Pa., in which it is shown that he was born in 1699 at Massebach, came to America in 1709, married in 1717 Elizabeth Catharine Lauck, and had 2 sons and 10 daughters.
Schuckerd, Carl, born March 6, 1743; died March 4, 1807; married Margaret Barger; 1 son.
Seibert, Christian. See Susanna Kalbach, wife.
Sing, Catharine. See Christian Fischer, husband.
Sohl, John, born Sept. 29, 1737; died April 3, 1790; in wedlock 25 years with Rosina ….., born Sept. 30, 1746, and died Oct. 9, 1799; 1 son.
Sohl, John, born Jan’y 11, 1767; died Aug. 22, 1837; married Eva Werheim, born Sept. 14, 1766, and died Dec. 14, 1821; 2 sons and 1 daughter.
Spatz, Conrad, born Feb. 14, 1755; died Sept. 16, 1794; in his wedlock of 15 years had 8 children.
Stiegel, Henry William (known as “Baron” Stiegel), born May 13, 1729; died Jan’y 10, 1785. He is said to have died at Charming Forge on the Tulpehocken, Berks County, Pa., and is supposed to be buried at St. Daniel’s (Corner) Church, in the old graveyard, but no tombstone marks his resting place. Mannheim, Germany, is sometimes referred to as his native city. He was the oldest son of John Frederick Stiegel and wife Dorothea Elizabeth. Records in the State Museum at Harrisburg, Pa., show that his father died in Germany on June 22, 1741, and his mother in this country on Jan’y 11, 1781, aged 76 yrs. 8 mos. His father’s age is shown as 44 yrs. 6 mos. 5 days. He, his mother, and youngest brother Anthony, out of a family of 6 children, landed at Philadelphia on Aug. 31, 1750.
Stupp, Leonhart, born June 26, 1756; died March 23, 1827; married (1) in 1778 Anna Maria Roehrer, born Sept. 26, 1755; died Feb. 14, 1815; and in a wedlock of 27 yrs. 4 mos. 21 days had 1 son and 4 daughters; married (2) in 1818 Magdalene Miller.
Ulrich, Maria Eva. See John Peter Klopp, husband.
Urich, (also Urrech), Catharine. See Henry Bennetsch, husband.
Wengert (also Wingert), John Geo., born Aug. 24, 1739; died Feb. 13, 177- (last figure indistinct); in 11 years wedlock had 3 sons and 1 daughter.
Wengert (also Wingert, Wenger, Winger), Lazarus,* born Nov. 10, 1715; died Dec. 16, 1796. He landed (qualified) at Philadelphia, being among the “Switzers, late inhabitants of the Canton of Bern, in Switzerland, imported in the ship Billander Oliver, Samuel Merchant, Master, from South Carolina,” consisting of 18 men, 18 women, 6 boys and 3 girls, among them being Ann Winger aged 56 and Ann Winger aged 18 years, Lazarus Wenger at the time being 19 years of age. There was surveyed to him by warrant dated Sept. 27, 1737, a tract of 275 acres in Heidelberg Township, Lancaster (now Berks) County, Pa., which was patented to him on May 11, 1784, by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This tract was sold by Lazarus Winger on Nov. 27, 1784, to Isaac Heller. The southwestern corner of this tract, a farm of about 59 acres, subsequently became the property of Richard M. Gruber, the father of M. A. Gruber, on which farm the latter grew up and assisted in performing the various duties and labors connected therewith.
The inscription reads: Heir Ruhen die Gebeine Lazaru (s) Wengert ist gebo d: 10 Nove: 1715 starb d: 16 Dec: 1796 ist Alt worden 81 Jahr 1 mo: 5 Tag.
Translation: Here rest the remains of Lazarus Wengert, born Nov. 10, 1715; died Dec. 16, 1796; aged 81 years 1 mo. 5 days.
* Lists of Swiss Enigrants in the Eighteenth Century to the American Colonies, Vol. 1. Faust, 1920, pp. 101-2, Plates 12-14.
Wenrich, Jacob, born April 2, 1773; died June 12, 1844; married Elizabeth Mauntz, born Aug. 16, 1774, and died July 14, 1852.
Wenrich, Mattias, born Aug. 11, 1735 (or 1733); died March 18, 1808.
Wenrich, Matthias, born Oct. 18, 1763; died Oct. 27, 1840; married Sophia Kalbach, born Oct. 20, 1771, and died Dec. 14, 1841. He was a son of the preceding Matthias Wenrich.
Werheim, Eva. See John Sohl, husband.
Werheim (also Wirheim), George, born Sept. 27, 1742, in Germany; died Feb. 12, 1823; married Anna Maria Franz, born Aug. 28, 1745; and died April 28, 1828; 2 sons and 7 daughters.
Werner, Frederick William, born Dec. 23, 1761; died June 15, 1849; married Catherine Bens.
Yeakley, See Jackly.
National Genealogical Society Quarterly; Vol. IX, October, 1920, Number 3; pp 296-299.
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