Conrad Weiser came to the US in 1710 with the Palatines and settled in the Hudson Valley. A lot has been written about him, including a novel about his son, John. A fairly good account of Weiser is in the Story of the Palatines by Stanford Cobb.)
Wonderful history of the Paltinate at
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/1pa/history/local/palatinatehist01.txt
From Leaves of the Loesch Family Tree compliled by banjamin Lesh and copied by Gilbert Lesh:
There was another group these people who will demand attention now and then. They are somewhat remarkable and seem to have a broad streak of genius in their makeup. I introduce them here so that you may recognize them later as they appear. This was John Conrad Weiser who had three sons and twelve daughters. His wife is dead ... small wonder........
Thus it would appear that the land had been transfered to the Palatines.
The seven envoys sent out by the Palatines, and headed by John Conrad Weiser, proceeded by way of Albany and there employed an Indian guide. When they reached their destination they marveled at the beauty of the place. The like of it they had seen since leaving the Rhine. Their longing for the Schohare had not been an idle dream. It lay in a broad valley with a background of gentle sloping hills, with fertile meadows and the placid river winding through the center. The Indians informed them that the land had already been transfered to Queen Anne for their use. The first contigent to leave for the Schohare consisted of 50 families who started soon after the scouts returned. They made crude sleds, loaded their meager effects upon them and, pulling them by human strength, moved through three feet of snow towards their dream home, clearing a road as they progressed. They evidently retained the axes with which they bad peeled pine trees and there was plenty of timber along the way, and though they had to sleep in the snow or in hastily constructed lean-tos they could at least have a as great fires as they chose........
The Indians shared their scanty stock of corn with the people. Young Conrad Weiser wrote of it: "We broke ground enough to provide corn for the next winter but the first year our hunger was scarcely endurable." The Indians showed them many edible roots and plants and how to snare game and so most of them survived.
In early spring another contingent made the journey and as usual, when these people went anywhere, it snowed--a heavy late snow of great depth--but they wallowed through
The people finally gathered in seven villages, naming each village, or "drop" as they called them after a leader. Weiser's drop was at the site of the present Middleberg. Fudu's drop (later called Fox drop) was at the junction of Fox creek and the Schohare River. Kniskern's drop was at the mouth of Cobbleskill.
......
Another, by the name of Vrooman, who cane from Schenectady held title to a tract well up the valley where the township of Middleberg is now located.
He claimed to have purchased his land from the Indians in 1711, which would have been after the Indians had transfered it to the Queen. It developed that his title or claim rested on a patent given him by Hunter and also dated 1711, which gave the entire transaction a bad smell. It lookes as though Hunter was sending them as much trouble as possible or even selling their houses out from under them. Vrooman's personal report of his trouble with the Palatines is rather amusing. He said he had fertilized some of the land to which Hunter had been pleased to give him a patent, and had also weeded it, and they drove their horses over it all night. He said: "I was building a stone house 28 feet square so high as I had laid the beams for the chamber. They had a contrivance to tie bells about their horse's necks. As they drove the horses to and fro they pulled down my house, stones and all, to the ground. They used much rebellious language as I never heard of. John Conrad Weiser has been the ring-leader of all the devilment. They made Indians drunk to the degree to go and make off their land with them. I am in no wise secure of my life. They went and pulled my son off of the wagon and beat him and said they would
kill him or anybody else who came there. Weiser and two or three others have made their escape by way of Boston and said they would go to England but has left his son who is their interpreter to the Indians. Every day he tells lies to the Indians whereby much mischief may ensue, more than we think of, and is much to be feared.
I don't find many concerned with Weiser and his son in their disobedient, unlawful and rebellious proceedings. Those that are good subjects among them and will not join them are afraid the others will burn their houses down with their threatening words."....................
Read drums Along the Mohawk
From the Weiser-Keithley gedcom:
They had sixteen children. After his wife, Anna's, death, he came to America with eight children, arriving in New York on 13 June 1710. In the Spring of 1711,he had married Anna Margaret Miller, and with her he had three children. However, nothing is known of their life together. They came from the Palatinate to East Camp, Dutchess County. It is generally believed that Johann Conrad Weiser was buried at Zion or Reed's Churchyard in Stouchburg, Pennsylvania; however there are some grounds forassuming he found his last resting place at the Weiser farm, now Weiser Park, in Womeldorf. Weiser Family, Phalzische Familien und Wappenkunde Vol. Five No. 10 (1966). Translated January 1973; JDBaldwin): Among theleaders of the German colonists who settled in America in 1710 (the majority came from the Pfalz so they were generally called Pfalzer, or Palatines) were two Schwabians, Johann Conrad Weiser Sr. born about 1662 in Grossaspaach, Wuerttember, died 1746 in Tulpehocken, Berks Co, Penna., and his son Johann Conrad Weiser Jr. born in Kueppingen bei Affstaett, Wuerttemberg, Nov 2, 1696, died in Tulpehocken July 13, 1760. Johann Conrad Sr. first entered into marriage with Anna Magdalena Ubelen (?-Ubele), daughter of Hans Ubelen. The couple had fifteen children, the names of thirteen of which are known. Johann Conrad was corporal the Wuerttemberg "Blue Dragoons" as he wrote down in his family record. He must have concluded his service in the troop about 1700, for at that time he first appears in the
records as a baker, an occupation which he pursued up to his emigration for America in 1709. During fifteenth confinement, Anna Maria died suddenly on May 1, 1709, following convulsions. Johann Conrad left Grossaspach (probably from dissatisfaction with living conditions there) on June 24, 1709. His oldest daughter, already married, bought his property, and he took his eight remaining living children with him. They went to London, from where they sailed for America a month later. Their ship "The Lyon" landed in New York June 13, 1710. Then began an unaccustomed career for the German emigrant who up to this time had led a harsh life in Wuerttemberg. As soon as Johann Conrad came into association with the other German immigrants, he became more and more their leader.In New York, Palatine immigrants were undertaking production of tar from the rosin of the sprucewood. They lived in an encampment in the vicinity of Hudson, about 100 miles north of New York City. Next, the colonists were divided among five villages. Johann Conrad was the administrator of one of these villages. Inthis position he represented the interests of the settlers before Governor Robert Hunter in facing the most impossible problems. No more tar could be produced from the trees, the overseer of the Palatines, Robert Livingston, was a villain, and the Germans needed better living conditions, above all better nutritionand some land. During the military campaign of 1711, the difficulties reached their highpoint.
Johann Conrad was one of the leaders of the Palatine troop contingents. As the soldiers returned from an unsuccessful battle in the north ofNew York and recognized that their families were on the edge of hunger, Weiserbrought the grievances of the Palatines before the governor. This event ended with Hunter becoming enraged against the Palatines and ordered their disarmament. Nevertheless, the following year he guaranteed them complete freedom in the selection of their settlements. Johann Conrad was one of the men who were subsequently selected by the German immigrants to seek land at Schoharie, about fifty miles west of Albany. Soon after, a small village known as Weiserdorf was established there. This place is known as Middleburg today. The living conditions were wretched, however through hard work, they created a new home
for themselves in this wilderness. Since the Palatine settlers had no legal claims, more often than not when they concluded purchase agreemen
from descendant Patricia Richley Foy who attended a celebration at the Weiser Family Association:
Pastor Weiser explained how the Weisers were a poor family from Germany having suffered much from several wars. 7th great-grandfather CONRAD WEISER's father was JACOB WEISER, a baker. Jacob's father and grandfather JACOB & SIMON WEISER had been town mayors before him. But the ravages of generations of wars in the 1500-1600s had caused the people to be quite poor. So 7th great-grandfather Weiser was a baker. He and others had heard that Queen Ann of England was sympathetic to the plight of the Germans. Rumor had it that she would provide passage to the new world for German refugees. So 7th Great Grandfather, following the sadness of the death of his wife and infant, traveled to the shores of Rotterdam. Here he and and number of his countrymen tried to persuade some British ship captains to provide passage across the Channel to England. The captains were reluctant, but our ancestors nevertheless prevailed in obtaining passage. Once in England, the Germans found the rumors to be incorrect. Consequently, the Germans lived on the dole in the city of London in tents, and suffered much from the lack of proper housing and nutrition. The children managed to make a little money selling the wood carvings made by the older gentlemen to curious visitors to the downtown marketplaces.
See Geroges family for more information at http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=georgesfamily&id=I595
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=burkewarden&id=I0264
Wonderful history of the Paltinate at
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/1pa/history/local/palatinatehist01.txt
From Leaves of the Loesch Family Tree compliled by banjamin Lesh and copied by Gilbert Lesh:
There was another group these people who will demand attention now and then. They are somewhat remarkable and seem to have a broad streak of genius in their makeup. I introduce them here so that you may recognize them later as they appear. This was John Conrad Weiser who had three sons and twelve daughters. His wife is dead ... small wonder........
Thus it would appear that the land had been transfered to the Palatines.
The seven envoys sent out by the Palatines, and headed by John Conrad Weiser, proceeded by way of Albany and there employed an Indian guide. When they reached their destination they marveled at the beauty of the place. The like of it they had seen since leaving the Rhine. Their longing for the Schohare had not been an idle dream. It lay in a broad valley with a background of gentle sloping hills, with fertile meadows and the placid river winding through the center. The Indians informed them that the land had already been transfered to Queen Anne for their use. The first contigent to leave for the Schohare consisted of 50 families who started soon after the scouts returned. They made crude sleds, loaded their meager effects upon them and, pulling them by human strength, moved through three feet of snow towards their dream home, clearing a road as they progressed. They evidently retained the axes with which they bad peeled pine trees and there was plenty of timber along the way, and though they had to sleep in the snow or in hastily constructed lean-tos they could at least have a as great fires as they chose........
The Indians shared their scanty stock of corn with the people. Young Conrad Weiser wrote of it: "We broke ground enough to provide corn for the next winter but the first year our hunger was scarcely endurable." The Indians showed them many edible roots and plants and how to snare game and so most of them survived.
In early spring another contingent made the journey and as usual, when these people went anywhere, it snowed--a heavy late snow of great depth--but they wallowed through
The people finally gathered in seven villages, naming each village, or "drop" as they called them after a leader. Weiser's drop was at the site of the present Middleberg. Fudu's drop (later called Fox drop) was at the junction of Fox creek and the Schohare River. Kniskern's drop was at the mouth of Cobbleskill.
......
Another, by the name of Vrooman, who cane from Schenectady held title to a tract well up the valley where the township of Middleberg is now located.
He claimed to have purchased his land from the Indians in 1711, which would have been after the Indians had transfered it to the Queen. It developed that his title or claim rested on a patent given him by Hunter and also dated 1711, which gave the entire transaction a bad smell. It lookes as though Hunter was sending them as much trouble as possible or even selling their houses out from under them. Vrooman's personal report of his trouble with the Palatines is rather amusing. He said he had fertilized some of the land to which Hunter had been pleased to give him a patent, and had also weeded it, and they drove their horses over it all night. He said: "I was building a stone house 28 feet square so high as I had laid the beams for the chamber. They had a contrivance to tie bells about their horse's necks. As they drove the horses to and fro they pulled down my house, stones and all, to the ground. They used much rebellious language as I never heard of. John Conrad Weiser has been the ring-leader of all the devilment. They made Indians drunk to the degree to go and make off their land with them. I am in no wise secure of my life. They went and pulled my son off of the wagon and beat him and said they would
kill him or anybody else who came there. Weiser and two or three others have made their escape by way of Boston and said they would go to England but has left his son who is their interpreter to the Indians. Every day he tells lies to the Indians whereby much mischief may ensue, more than we think of, and is much to be feared.
I don't find many concerned with Weiser and his son in their disobedient, unlawful and rebellious proceedings. Those that are good subjects among them and will not join them are afraid the others will burn their houses down with their threatening words."....................
Read drums Along the Mohawk
From the Weiser-Keithley gedcom:
They had sixteen children. After his wife, Anna's, death, he came to America with eight children, arriving in New York on 13 June 1710. In the Spring of 1711,he had married Anna Margaret Miller, and with her he had three children. However, nothing is known of their life together. They came from the Palatinate to East Camp, Dutchess County. It is generally believed that Johann Conrad Weiser was buried at Zion or Reed's Churchyard in Stouchburg, Pennsylvania; however there are some grounds forassuming he found his last resting place at the Weiser farm, now Weiser Park, in Womeldorf. Weiser Family, Phalzische Familien und Wappenkunde Vol. Five No. 10 (1966). Translated January 1973; JDBaldwin): Among theleaders of the German colonists who settled in America in 1710 (the majority came from the Pfalz so they were generally called Pfalzer, or Palatines) were two Schwabians, Johann Conrad Weiser Sr. born about 1662 in Grossaspaach, Wuerttember, died 1746 in Tulpehocken, Berks Co, Penna., and his son Johann Conrad Weiser Jr. born in Kueppingen bei Affstaett, Wuerttemberg, Nov 2, 1696, died in Tulpehocken July 13, 1760. Johann Conrad Sr. first entered into marriage with Anna Magdalena Ubelen (?-Ubele), daughter of Hans Ubelen. The couple had fifteen children, the names of thirteen of which are known. Johann Conrad was corporal the Wuerttemberg "Blue Dragoons" as he wrote down in his family record. He must have concluded his service in the troop about 1700, for at that time he first appears in the
records as a baker, an occupation which he pursued up to his emigration for America in 1709. During fifteenth confinement, Anna Maria died suddenly on May 1, 1709, following convulsions. Johann Conrad left Grossaspach (probably from dissatisfaction with living conditions there) on June 24, 1709. His oldest daughter, already married, bought his property, and he took his eight remaining living children with him. They went to London, from where they sailed for America a month later. Their ship "The Lyon" landed in New York June 13, 1710. Then began an unaccustomed career for the German emigrant who up to this time had led a harsh life in Wuerttemberg. As soon as Johann Conrad came into association with the other German immigrants, he became more and more their leader.In New York, Palatine immigrants were undertaking production of tar from the rosin of the sprucewood. They lived in an encampment in the vicinity of Hudson, about 100 miles north of New York City. Next, the colonists were divided among five villages. Johann Conrad was the administrator of one of these villages. Inthis position he represented the interests of the settlers before Governor Robert Hunter in facing the most impossible problems. No more tar could be produced from the trees, the overseer of the Palatines, Robert Livingston, was a villain, and the Germans needed better living conditions, above all better nutritionand some land. During the military campaign of 1711, the difficulties reached their highpoint.
Johann Conrad was one of the leaders of the Palatine troop contingents. As the soldiers returned from an unsuccessful battle in the north ofNew York and recognized that their families were on the edge of hunger, Weiserbrought the grievances of the Palatines before the governor. This event ended with Hunter becoming enraged against the Palatines and ordered their disarmament. Nevertheless, the following year he guaranteed them complete freedom in the selection of their settlements. Johann Conrad was one of the men who were subsequently selected by the German immigrants to seek land at Schoharie, about fifty miles west of Albany. Soon after, a small village known as Weiserdorf was established there. This place is known as Middleburg today. The living conditions were wretched, however through hard work, they created a new home
for themselves in this wilderness. Since the Palatine settlers had no legal claims, more often than not when they concluded purchase agreemen
from descendant Patricia Richley Foy who attended a celebration at the Weiser Family Association:
Pastor Weiser explained how the Weisers were a poor family from Germany having suffered much from several wars. 7th great-grandfather CONRAD WEISER's father was JACOB WEISER, a baker. Jacob's father and grandfather JACOB & SIMON WEISER had been town mayors before him. But the ravages of generations of wars in the 1500-1600s had caused the people to be quite poor. So 7th great-grandfather Weiser was a baker. He and others had heard that Queen Ann of England was sympathetic to the plight of the Germans. Rumor had it that she would provide passage to the new world for German refugees. So 7th Great Grandfather, following the sadness of the death of his wife and infant, traveled to the shores of Rotterdam. Here he and and number of his countrymen tried to persuade some British ship captains to provide passage across the Channel to England. The captains were reluctant, but our ancestors nevertheless prevailed in obtaining passage. Once in England, the Germans found the rumors to be incorrect. Consequently, the Germans lived on the dole in the city of London in tents, and suffered much from the lack of proper housing and nutrition. The children managed to make a little money selling the wood carvings made by the older gentlemen to curious visitors to the downtown marketplaces.
See Geroges family for more information at http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=georgesfamily&id=I595
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=burkewarden&id=I0264
Conrad Weiser came to the US in 1710 with the Palatines and settled in the Hudson Valley. A lot has been written about him, including a novel about his son, John. A fairly good account of Weiser is in the Story of the Palatines by Stanford Cobb.)
Wonderful history of the Paltinate at
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/1pa/history/local/palatinatehist01.txt
From Leaves of the Loesch Family Tree compliled by banjamin Lesh and copied by Gilbert Lesh:
There was another group these people who will demand attention now and then. They are somewhat remarkable and seem to have a broad streak of genius in their makeup. I introduce them here so that you may recognize them later as they appear. This was John Conrad Weiser who had three sons and twelve daughters. His wife is dead ... small wonder........
Thus it would appear that the land had been transfered to the Palatines.
The seven envoys sent out by the Palatines, and headed by John Conrad Weiser, proceeded by way of Albany and there employed an Indian guide. When they reached their destination they marveled at the beauty of the place. The like of it they had seen since leaving the Rhine. Their longing for the Schohare had not been an idle dream. It lay in a broad valley with a background of gentle sloping hills, with fertile meadows and the placid river winding through the center. The Indians informed them that the land had already been transfered to Queen Anne for their use. The first contigent to leave for the Schohare consisted of 50 families who started soon after the scouts returned. They made crude sleds, loaded their meager effects upon them and, pulling them by human strength, moved through three feet of snow towards their dream home, clearing a road as they progressed. They evidently retained the axes with which they bad peeled pine trees and there was plenty of timber along the way, and though they had to sleep in the snow or in hastily constructed lean-tos they could at least have a as great fires as they chose........
The Indians shared their scanty stock of corn with the people. Young Conrad Weiser wrote of it: "We broke ground enough to provide corn for the next winter but the first year our hunger was scarcely endurable." The Indians showed them many edible roots and plants and how to snare game and so most of them survived.
In early spring another contingent made the journey and as usual, when these people went anywhere, it snowed--a heavy late snow of great depth--but they wallowed through
The people finally gathered in seven villages, naming each village, or "drop" as they called them after a leader. Weiser's drop was at the site of the present Middleberg. Fudu's drop (later called Fox drop) was at the junction of Fox creek and the Schohare River. Kniskern's drop was at the mouth of Cobbleskill.
......
Another, by the name of Vrooman, who cane from Schenectady held title to a tract well up the valley where the township of Middleberg is now located.
He claimed to have purchased his land from the Indians in 1711, which would have been after the Indians had transfered it to the Queen. It developed that his title or claim rested on a patent given him by Hunter and also dated 1711, which gave the entire transaction a bad smell. It lookes as though Hunter was sending them as much trouble as possible or even selling their houses out from under them. Vrooman's personal report of his trouble with the Palatines is rather amusing. He said he had fertilized some of the land to which Hunter had been pleased to give him a patent, and had also weeded it, and they drove their horses over it all night. He said: "I was building a stone house 28 feet square so high as I had laid the beams for the chamber. They had a contrivance to tie bells about their horse's necks. As they drove the horses to and fro they pulled down my house, stones and all, to the ground. They used much rebellious language as I never heard of. John Conrad Weiser has been the ring-leader of all the devilment. They made Indians drunk to the degree to go and make off their land with them. I am in no wise secure of my life. They went and pulled my son off of the wagon and beat him and said they would
kill him or anybody else who came there. Weiser and two or three others have made their escape by way of Boston and said they would go to England but has left his son who is their interpreter to the Indians. Every day he tells lies to the Indians whereby much mischief may ensue, more than we think of, and is much to be feared.
I don't find many concerned with Weiser and his son in their disobedient, unlawful and rebellious proceedings. Those that are good subjects among them and will not join them are afraid the others will burn their houses down with their threatening words."....................
Read drums Along the Mohawk
From the Weiser-Keithley gedcom:
They had sixteen children. After his wife, Anna's, death, he came to America with eight children, arriving in New York on 13 June 1710. In the Spring of 1711,he had married Anna Margaret Miller, and with her he had three children. However, nothing is known of their life together. They came from the Palatinate to East Camp, Dutchess County. It is generally believed that Johann Conrad Weiser was buried at Zion or Reed's Churchyard in Stouchburg, Pennsylvania; however there are some grounds forassuming he found his last resting place at the Weiser farm, now Weiser Park, in Womeldorf. Weiser Family, Phalzische Familien und Wappenkunde Vol. Five No. 10 (1966). Translated January 1973; JDBaldwin): Among theleaders of the German colonists who settled in America in 1710 (the majority came from the Pfalz so they were generally called Pfalzer, or Palatines) were two Schwabians, Johann Conrad Weiser Sr. born about 1662 in Grossaspaach, Wuerttember, died 1746 in Tulpehocken, Berks Co, Penna., and his son Johann Conrad Weiser Jr. born in Kueppingen bei Affstaett, Wuerttemberg, Nov 2, 1696, died in Tulpehocken July 13, 1760. Johann Conrad Sr. first entered into marriage with Anna Magdalena Ubelen (?-Ubele), daughter of Hans Ubelen. The couple had fifteen children, the names of thirteen of which are known. Johann Conrad was corporal the Wuerttemberg "Blue Dragoons" as he wrote down in his family record. He must have concluded his service in the troop about 1700, for at that time he first appears in the
records as a baker, an occupation which he pursued up to his emigration for America in 1709. During fifteenth confinement, Anna Maria died suddenly on May 1, 1709, following convulsions. Johann Conrad left Grossaspach (probably from dissatisfaction with living conditions there) on June 24, 1709. His oldest daughter, already married, bought his property, and he took his eight remaining living children with him. They went to London, from where they sailed for America a month later. Their ship "The Lyon" landed in New York June 13, 1710. Then began an unaccustomed career for the German emigrant who up to this time had led a harsh life in Wuerttemberg. As soon as Johann Conrad came into association with the other German immigrants, he became more and more their leader.In New York, Palatine immigrants were undertaking production of tar from the rosin of the sprucewood. They lived in an encampment in the vicinity of Hudson, about 100 miles north of New York City. Next, the colonists were divided among five villages. Johann Conrad was the administrator of one of these villages. Inthis position he represented the interests of the settlers before Governor Robert Hunter in facing the most impossible problems. No more tar could be produced from the trees, the overseer of the Palatines, Robert Livingston, was a villain, and the Germans needed better living conditions, above all better nutritionand some land. During the military campaign of 1711, the difficulties reached their highpoint.
Johann Conrad was one of the leaders of the Palatine troop contingents. As the soldiers returned from an unsuccessful battle in the north ofNew York and recognized that their families were on the edge of hunger, Weiserbrought the grievances of the Palatines before the governor. This event ended with Hunter becoming enraged against the Palatines and ordered their disarmament. Nevertheless, the following year he guaranteed them complete freedom in the selection of their settlements. Johann Conrad was one of the men who were subsequently selected by the German immigrants to seek land at Schoharie, about fifty miles west of Albany. Soon after, a small village known as Weiserdorf was established there. This place is known as Middleburg today. The living conditions were wretched, however through hard work, they created a new home
for themselves in this wilderness. Since the Palatine settlers had no legal claims, more often than not when they concluded purchase agreemen
from descendant Patricia Richley Foy who attended a celebration at the Weiser Family Association:
Pastor Weiser explained how the Weisers were a poor family from Germany having suffered much from several wars. 7th great-grandfather CONRAD WEISER's father was JACOB WEISER, a baker. Jacob's father and grandfather JACOB & SIMON WEISER had been town mayors before him. But the ravages of generations of wars in the 1500-1600s had caused the people to be quite poor. So 7th great-grandfather Weiser was a baker. He and others had heard that Queen Ann of England was sympathetic to the plight of the Germans. Rumor had it that she would provide passage to the new world for German refugees. So 7th Great Grandfather, following the sadness of the death of his wife and infant, traveled to the shores of Rotterdam. Here he and and number of his countrymen tried to persuade some British ship captains to provide passage across the Channel to England. The captains were reluctant, but our ancestors nevertheless prevailed in obtaining passage. Once in England, the Germans found the rumors to be incorrect. Consequently, the Germans lived on the dole in the city of London in tents, and suffered much from the lack of proper housing and nutrition. The children managed to make a little money selling the wood carvings made by the older gentlemen to curious visitors to the downtown marketplaces.
See Geroges family for more information at http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=georgesfamily&id=I595
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=burkewarden&id=I0264
Wonderful history of the Paltinate at
http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/1pa/history/local/palatinatehist01.txt
From Leaves of the Loesch Family Tree compliled by banjamin Lesh and copied by Gilbert Lesh:
There was another group these people who will demand attention now and then. They are somewhat remarkable and seem to have a broad streak of genius in their makeup. I introduce them here so that you may recognize them later as they appear. This was John Conrad Weiser who had three sons and twelve daughters. His wife is dead ... small wonder........
Thus it would appear that the land had been transfered to the Palatines.
The seven envoys sent out by the Palatines, and headed by John Conrad Weiser, proceeded by way of Albany and there employed an Indian guide. When they reached their destination they marveled at the beauty of the place. The like of it they had seen since leaving the Rhine. Their longing for the Schohare had not been an idle dream. It lay in a broad valley with a background of gentle sloping hills, with fertile meadows and the placid river winding through the center. The Indians informed them that the land had already been transfered to Queen Anne for their use. The first contigent to leave for the Schohare consisted of 50 families who started soon after the scouts returned. They made crude sleds, loaded their meager effects upon them and, pulling them by human strength, moved through three feet of snow towards their dream home, clearing a road as they progressed. They evidently retained the axes with which they bad peeled pine trees and there was plenty of timber along the way, and though they had to sleep in the snow or in hastily constructed lean-tos they could at least have a as great fires as they chose........
The Indians shared their scanty stock of corn with the people. Young Conrad Weiser wrote of it: "We broke ground enough to provide corn for the next winter but the first year our hunger was scarcely endurable." The Indians showed them many edible roots and plants and how to snare game and so most of them survived.
In early spring another contingent made the journey and as usual, when these people went anywhere, it snowed--a heavy late snow of great depth--but they wallowed through
The people finally gathered in seven villages, naming each village, or "drop" as they called them after a leader. Weiser's drop was at the site of the present Middleberg. Fudu's drop (later called Fox drop) was at the junction of Fox creek and the Schohare River. Kniskern's drop was at the mouth of Cobbleskill.
......
Another, by the name of Vrooman, who cane from Schenectady held title to a tract well up the valley where the township of Middleberg is now located.
He claimed to have purchased his land from the Indians in 1711, which would have been after the Indians had transfered it to the Queen. It developed that his title or claim rested on a patent given him by Hunter and also dated 1711, which gave the entire transaction a bad smell. It lookes as though Hunter was sending them as much trouble as possible or even selling their houses out from under them. Vrooman's personal report of his trouble with the Palatines is rather amusing. He said he had fertilized some of the land to which Hunter had been pleased to give him a patent, and had also weeded it, and they drove their horses over it all night. He said: "I was building a stone house 28 feet square so high as I had laid the beams for the chamber. They had a contrivance to tie bells about their horse's necks. As they drove the horses to and fro they pulled down my house, stones and all, to the ground. They used much rebellious language as I never heard of. John Conrad Weiser has been the ring-leader of all the devilment. They made Indians drunk to the degree to go and make off their land with them. I am in no wise secure of my life. They went and pulled my son off of the wagon and beat him and said they would
kill him or anybody else who came there. Weiser and two or three others have made their escape by way of Boston and said they would go to England but has left his son who is their interpreter to the Indians. Every day he tells lies to the Indians whereby much mischief may ensue, more than we think of, and is much to be feared.
I don't find many concerned with Weiser and his son in their disobedient, unlawful and rebellious proceedings. Those that are good subjects among them and will not join them are afraid the others will burn their houses down with their threatening words."....................
Read drums Along the Mohawk
From the Weiser-Keithley gedcom:
They had sixteen children. After his wife, Anna's, death, he came to America with eight children, arriving in New York on 13 June 1710. In the Spring of 1711,he had married Anna Margaret Miller, and with her he had three children. However, nothing is known of their life together. They came from the Palatinate to East Camp, Dutchess County. It is generally believed that Johann Conrad Weiser was buried at Zion or Reed's Churchyard in Stouchburg, Pennsylvania; however there are some grounds forassuming he found his last resting place at the Weiser farm, now Weiser Park, in Womeldorf. Weiser Family, Phalzische Familien und Wappenkunde Vol. Five No. 10 (1966). Translated January 1973; JDBaldwin): Among theleaders of the German colonists who settled in America in 1710 (the majority came from the Pfalz so they were generally called Pfalzer, or Palatines) were two Schwabians, Johann Conrad Weiser Sr. born about 1662 in Grossaspaach, Wuerttember, died 1746 in Tulpehocken, Berks Co, Penna., and his son Johann Conrad Weiser Jr. born in Kueppingen bei Affstaett, Wuerttemberg, Nov 2, 1696, died in Tulpehocken July 13, 1760. Johann Conrad Sr. first entered into marriage with Anna Magdalena Ubelen (?-Ubele), daughter of Hans Ubelen. The couple had fifteen children, the names of thirteen of which are known. Johann Conrad was corporal the Wuerttemberg "Blue Dragoons" as he wrote down in his family record. He must have concluded his service in the troop about 1700, for at that time he first appears in the
records as a baker, an occupation which he pursued up to his emigration for America in 1709. During fifteenth confinement, Anna Maria died suddenly on May 1, 1709, following convulsions. Johann Conrad left Grossaspach (probably from dissatisfaction with living conditions there) on June 24, 1709. His oldest daughter, already married, bought his property, and he took his eight remaining living children with him. They went to London, from where they sailed for America a month later. Their ship "The Lyon" landed in New York June 13, 1710. Then began an unaccustomed career for the German emigrant who up to this time had led a harsh life in Wuerttemberg. As soon as Johann Conrad came into association with the other German immigrants, he became more and more their leader.In New York, Palatine immigrants were undertaking production of tar from the rosin of the sprucewood. They lived in an encampment in the vicinity of Hudson, about 100 miles north of New York City. Next, the colonists were divided among five villages. Johann Conrad was the administrator of one of these villages. Inthis position he represented the interests of the settlers before Governor Robert Hunter in facing the most impossible problems. No more tar could be produced from the trees, the overseer of the Palatines, Robert Livingston, was a villain, and the Germans needed better living conditions, above all better nutritionand some land. During the military campaign of 1711, the difficulties reached their highpoint.
Johann Conrad was one of the leaders of the Palatine troop contingents. As the soldiers returned from an unsuccessful battle in the north ofNew York and recognized that their families were on the edge of hunger, Weiserbrought the grievances of the Palatines before the governor. This event ended with Hunter becoming enraged against the Palatines and ordered their disarmament. Nevertheless, the following year he guaranteed them complete freedom in the selection of their settlements. Johann Conrad was one of the men who were subsequently selected by the German immigrants to seek land at Schoharie, about fifty miles west of Albany. Soon after, a small village known as Weiserdorf was established there. This place is known as Middleburg today. The living conditions were wretched, however through hard work, they created a new home
for themselves in this wilderness. Since the Palatine settlers had no legal claims, more often than not when they concluded purchase agreemen
from descendant Patricia Richley Foy who attended a celebration at the Weiser Family Association:
Pastor Weiser explained how the Weisers were a poor family from Germany having suffered much from several wars. 7th great-grandfather CONRAD WEISER's father was JACOB WEISER, a baker. Jacob's father and grandfather JACOB & SIMON WEISER had been town mayors before him. But the ravages of generations of wars in the 1500-1600s had caused the people to be quite poor. So 7th great-grandfather Weiser was a baker. He and others had heard that Queen Ann of England was sympathetic to the plight of the Germans. Rumor had it that she would provide passage to the new world for German refugees. So 7th Great Grandfather, following the sadness of the death of his wife and infant, traveled to the shores of Rotterdam. Here he and and number of his countrymen tried to persuade some British ship captains to provide passage across the Channel to England. The captains were reluctant, but our ancestors nevertheless prevailed in obtaining passage. Once in England, the Germans found the rumors to be incorrect. Consequently, the Germans lived on the dole in the city of London in tents, and suffered much from the lack of proper housing and nutrition. The children managed to make a little money selling the wood carvings made by the older gentlemen to curious visitors to the downtown marketplaces.
See Geroges family for more information at http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=georgesfamily&id=I595
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=burkewarden&id=I0264
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