Johann "John" Fleck was a son of the immigrant Conrad Fleck, born 1748. This gent remains murky for many reasons. He is likely of my line, but it cannot yet be proven, as his children are not known to me yet. Still, of all of Conrad Fleck's sons, he is the only one whose life seems connected to Chester County. That is huge because as far back as I can definitely trace my Fleck family, they have been in Chester County - at least as early as 1847, and probably earlier.
On January 29, 1749 John was baptized at the New Hanover Lutheran Church, in what is now Montgomery County (but was then Philadelphia County). The church had several circuit preachers around this time, but it's exciting to think John may have been baptized by Henry Melchior Muhlenberg who was one of the pastors. John's father Conrad gave each of his sons the baptismal name of "Johann" so there was Johann Adam, Johann Peter and Johann George, but there really was one son who was named simply Johann - our John.
John was a farmer. When his father died in what is now Montgomery County, John inherited a share of what was probably a considerable estate. During his life he sold land himself at least twice in Montgomery County, and probably bought and sold earlier as well, though those transactions are probably in Philadelphia's records (yet to be checked), since the county of Montgomery was carved from Philadelphia later.
The New Hanover Lutheran Church where John was baptized did more than christen him; it may have been a portent. In the fall of 1777 the Continental Army, led by General George Washington, retreated before the oncoming British, and the church became a temporary hospital for Washington's wounded men.
Like his brothers, John served in the Revolutionary War; he was with Capt. Lowrie's Company, Worchester, Pennsylvania. The four brothers were known to be deeply moved by the revolutionary struggle and much devoted to George Washington. This latter jives with a man of my line being named George Washington Fleck. It was said of these immigrant Fleck brothers in Jesse C. Sell's 1911 book Twentieth Century History of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens "When the colonies called for aid in the war with Great Britain, these brothers shouldered their flint-lock muskets and fought through the entire period of the Revolutionary War. It is said that their loyalty to their adopted country was so genuine and their devotion to General Washington so sincere, that long years after the issues of this war were no longer matters of general comment, a mention of either the cause or the great commander in their presence would bring tears to the eyes of these aged patriots."
On April 9, 1771 the Rev. Christian F. Foehring of the Germantown Reformed Church (aka Market Square Presbyterian Church, Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) united John Fleck and Mary Fries or Friess in marriage. Mary Fries is likely related to the Fries Rebellion family. It is probable John and Mary had children, as early censuses suggest he had a family (but do not show each household member). No estate papers or other transactions showing his children have come to light. Still, it is intriguing to note that our John and his wife Mary (of Whitemarsh Township) jointly sold land with Jacob Ingard and his wife Dorothea (of Hatfield Township). That land -all 134 acres and 54 perches- had been jointly acquired in May 1774 from John Simon Friess and his wife Elizabeth.
The question is, of course, why would John Simon and Elizabeth Friess sell land to two men jointly who appear unrelated to one another? The only answer springing to mind is that they sold land to their sons in law, which makes John Fleck's wife Mary Friess or Fries fit very nicely.
After living most of his life in Montgomery County, John seems to have moved to Chester County in the early 1800's. In 1815 he sold 99 acres of land in Montgomery County. Clearly he could not write, as these documents of the sale show he left "his mark" rather than a signature.
Moving on to another county - Chester County Archives indicate that John Fleck first appeared there in 1802 when he was taxed as an "inmate" until 1811 when he began renting land. For a short time between 1819 and 1820 he moved to Brandywine Township. He is unaccounted for from 1823 until 1834, possibly living in someone else's home due to his advanced years.
There were no Flecks in the county until 1800 so this jives with his Montgomery County origins. The only documented Chester County Fleck in 1800 is Samuel, and in the coming few years there would be a George and a William, as well as our John. It would be worthwhile to see how these gents may tie together.
Not much else is known of his life in Chester County, but the county records show that in 1834, John Fleck was admitted to the county poorhouse, dying in 1835. The age shown on the record of admittance, 98, is off by ten years.
My known Fleck line has the names George and William repeating. My first eldest known Fleck is William about 1818-1900. There was also a William who died in 1878, and lies buried in a lot bought by my senior William so I suspect it was his father. Could my line then be Conrad, John, William d. 1878, William d. 1900, William J d. 1918, George d. 1926, and William d. 1965? Let's work on and hope to find the answers.
What became of John's remains is not positively known, and records to support or disprove where he rests no longer exist. The story goes that the records may have been lost when Embreeville State Hospital (the modern later incarnation of the county poorhouse) closed. If the records made it to Harrisburg as they were supposed to, those records were lost in a flood.
I hope yet to find more out about John's life. Related or not, as the Pennsylvania Germans would say "it wonders me" how he ended up where he did. What became of his children? Did he end up getting a family burial despite passing at the almshouse?
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Regarding the possible Fries connection:
From an examination of the register's office at Doylestown, Bucks county, it appears John Fries died about the last of February, 1818, at the age of 70. His will is dated June 6, 1815, and probated March 1, 1818. At the time of his death he lived in Lower Milford township, Bucks county. His two sons, John and Solomon, were his executors.
The will mentions two pieces of real estate, a lot of 14 acres in Lower Milford, and one of 3 acres in Marlborough township, Montgomery county. The names of his surviving
children given in the will, are Solomon, John, Daniel, Sarah, Margaret and Catharine. The wife s name was Margaret. After paying his debts and funeral expenses the residue of this estate was divided among his children, "share and share alike." As we have been unable to find the settlement of his estate, we are ignorant of its amount.
So Fries' wife was not named Elizabeth, and no daughters of the famous John Fries appear to have had the name of John Fleck's wife Mary, or Ingard's wife Dorothea. But how many men were named John Simon Fries and spent their lives in that section of Pennsylvania? Were his daughters gone at the time his will was written in 1815? Did Fries marry more than once, or have a wife who used both Elizabeth and Margaret?
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The early beginnings of the Fleck family, mentioning John and his brothers, were laid out by a local historian, Edward Mathews. An article on Mathews' life appeared in 1997 in the Philadelphia Inquirer, 80 years after he died. It is currently available at this link.
His essay on the Flecks, now out of copyright, currently appears on two places on the web. No one, including the historical society which as the clipped original, knows where it was published or when. Fearing this important work could easily be lost, I include it here in the hope it may assist Fleck researchers, after him, and after me:
The Fleck Lands and Family of Gwynedd
Conrad Fleck, The Immigrant--Adam Fleck and Descendants
The Fleck family have been for four or five generations extensive landholders in Lower Gwynedd. The present sketch is intended to more particularly give an account of the original properties held by those of that name. Their land was between Penllyn and the Springhouse, on the southeast side of the turnpike, and was crossed by the Bethlehem road. It comprised three hundred and fifty acres and was a mi1e in length from east to west. It is now contained in the farms and lots of Adam F. Hoover, estate of William A. Platt, William B. Churchman, Henry Markoe, William 0. B. Merrill, and Samuel Fleck's estate.
Their first seat or foothold here was at the present Hoover premises, for many years past in tenure of John Fry, and which was obtained before the Revolution.
Conrad Fleck
was the American ancestor of the present family. He was a German immigrant and a Lutheran. The time of his arrival is not known, but before coming to Gwynedd he lived in the Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Towards the close of his life he bought a plantation here of Christopher Rex, of Flourtown, a speculator and landjobber of that day. This purchase was made in 1764. Here was already a house, and a fine spring westward of it had decided the site of the first dwelling. Improvements had been made here probably fifty years before. The previous history of the land was as follows:
William John, a Welsh Quaker, had, in addition to the whole upper third of the township of Gwynedd, been granted another piece of 322 acres in 1701, extending from the Whitpain line northeast nearly a mile, and being three-quarters of a mile in width. At his death, in 1714, his three daughters, E11en, Gainor and Catharine, became heirs to this land. In the same year (1714) they sold the same to a We1sh tailor named Owen Roberts, for L120. Roberts built a house on the Houston place before 1719. In 1715, he sold off the northern half, or l5 1/2 acres, to Lewis Williams. Of the next transfer we have no record, but in 1750 one Hannaniah Pugh was the owner.
The plantation of 144 acres conveyed to Conrad Fleck, in 1764, by Christopher Rex was bounded as follows: Beginning at corner of Edward Foulke; thence partly by same and Thomas Fou1ke southwest 163 perches; thence by Rev. Nanna southeast 156 perches; thence by Evan Roberts northeast 127 perches; thence by Lewis Williams northwest 72 perches; thence northeast l7 perches to line of Thomas Davis; thence by same northwest 84 perches to beginning.
Conrad Fleck did not live long to reside on this property, for he died in middle life, three years afterwards. His death occurred in the spring of 1767 when one of his sons was yet a minor. His will was made on the 8th of April and registered May 9th of that year. It was witnessed by Wendle Vetter and Baltus Wick, two or his countrymen residing in Gwynedd.
Will of Conrad Fleck
In this document mention is made of his wife, Anna Maria, and several children; Adam, Peter, John, George, Elizabeth, wife of Leonard Neidich, and Anna, wife of Jacob Kneedler, of Horsham. George was a minor. Adam, the eldest, got L100 and the homestead. The other children got the residue of the estate, to be equally divided among them. How much was this residue is not stated, but probably it was a considerable sum, showing that Conrad Fleck was a man of property and had considerable belongings besides the Gwynedd farm. John Fleck, some years later, was a resident of Worcester, and George and Peter Fleck were living in Gwynedd. The wife of the latter was named Christian. The writer has no knowledge of their descendants.
Adam Fleck
Adam Fleck the eldest son of Conrad Fleck, was born in 1739, probably in Philadelphia, and his second wife, Maria Margaret, was born in 1749. She reached the great age of ninety-five years. In 1775, part of the other heirs signed a release to Adam for the homestead, whilst that of his brother Peter was not signed til1 1782. In the Gwynedd assessment of 1776 Adam Fleck was rated as the owner of 140 acres, and as having three horses and six cows. His youngest brother, George, also lived in Gwynedd and was assessed for two horses and three cows, but no land. He was probably a renter. Concerning the descendants of the other children of Conrad Fleck the writer has not made investigations.
It is significant that neither all enterprises nor all improvements were stifled by the exigencies of the Revolutionary war. We find that Adam Fleck proceeded to build a large barn at the homestead while hostile armies were marching across and devastating the country. This was erected in 1778 and bears his initials and that of his wife, which may be seen to this day at the Hoover farm, occupied by John Fry. A new house was probably built about the same time, succeeding the inferior one of the first settler here. These improvements, made at such a time, indicate that Fleck was either making money or had previously acquired a considerable sum. The barn was a large and roomy one for that period and yet does good service. [Personal note - the author died in 1916, so the barn still standing when he wrote this piece means it had lasted over 100 years.] A few years later he began to branch out and purchase adjoining lands. The first was a lot of fourteen acres, bought in 1784 of James Roney, which then had a house on it. Roney had bought this in 1772 of John Shehmie (Shelmire). This appears to have been down the crossroad to the Bethlehem pike (the old road to Foulke's mill) and adjoining the present Dager place. There, by the roadside, stands an old one-story stone house, which may be the same that was standing in 1784, when Fleck bought the lot of Roney. The Flecks used it for a tenant house for their farm laborers and others.
The next purchase was a larger tract, of 91 acres, bought from the guardians of Robert Davis, who were Levi and Jessie Foulke. This was bought in 1789 and comprised all that eastern portion of the Merrill farm beyond the turnpike, and also some lands where the present buildings are, on the western side. It was part of the 225 acres once held by Thomas Davis. Another small purchase of four acres was made from one Kaody, and later a tract of 67 acres, now partly comprised in the farm of Samuel Fleck was bought from Isaac Davis in 1801. For this Fleck paid L1319.
Previous to this, in 1798, Fleck also bought 23 acres of Isaac Davis. This was along the road from Springhouse to Penllyn and adjoining the crossroad. For this, L503 were paid. The boundaries of the 67 acres bought of Isaac Davis in 1801 were: Beginning in great road leading from Springhouse to Foulke's mill, being a corner of Adam Fleck's other land; thence by same southeast 203 perches, and northeast 45 perches to corner of this and John Clemens, in 1ine of Adam Fleck's other land; thence by Clemen's northwest 54 perches to corner in great road leading to Bethlehem; thence up said road by Clemen's land northwest 32 perches to corner in sa1d road; thence by Clemen's land northwest 72 perches, and southwest 13 perches and northwest 50 perches to corner of first mentioned road; thence along said road southwest 49 perches to beginning.
At the present Merrill farm Adam Fleck built a house and barn for his son, Jacob. The latter bears the date of l804 and the house was built within a year or two from that time. The records of the old Yellow Church show that Adam Fleck was one of its members in 1793. It was then under the pastorate of Jacob V. Buskirk, The burial place of the Fleck's, however, was at St. John's church, Belfry.
Will of Adam Fleck
Adam Fleck had a long and prosperous life. His death took place April 27, 1820, at the age of 81. His wife survived him, her death taking place March 25, 1844, at the age of 95 years. His will was registered in 1820. In this document he mentions his wife, Maria Margaret, to whom he gave the interest on L1500, besides the usual privileges of house room, etc. He then says: "I give to my sons, Jacob and Daniel, the following properties: The 140 acres which was devised to me by my father, Conrad Fleck; fourteen acres, which I hold by deed from James Roney; about 91 acres which I hold by deed from Jesse and Levi Foulke, as guardians of Robert Davis; about four acres which I hold from _____ Kaoley, and so much of the plantation which I hold by deed from Isaac Davis which is enclosed in a field occupied by my son Jacob, containing eight acres, all of which several tracts I devise to my sons, Jacob and Daniel. My son Daniel shall have that part at present in his possession, and my son Jacob shall have the premises he at present occupies, and where I now reside. I give my remaining tract of land, adjoining the other, which my son Adam (now deceased) did occupy, to Hannah, his widow, until her son Samuel is 21 years old." Other children are mentioned: John, Margaret, Mary, wife of Frederick Runier; Catharine, wife of Jacob Hoover; Susannah, wife of Jacob Weber. The will was witnessed by John Marshall, Philip Hoover and Frederick Conard (sic- possibly Conrad).
Adam Fleck was born in 1739, and was therefore 25 years old when his father came to Gwynedd. He was twice married. The last name of his first wife is unknown. She was buried at Puff's church, but has no memorial stone. Her death occurred before the Revolution. He died on the present Merrill premises, whither he removed towards the close of his life. John Fleck, one of his sons, was born in 1790 and died in 1842. It is said that the first Adam Fleck intended that his son Adam should have the original homestead, but that his death caused a change of plans, and his son Daniel received it.
None of the descendants of Adam Fleck whom the writer has seen know the maiden name of his wives. They were sisters, however, and he married the eldest first whose name was Magdalena. His children by the first wife were Daniel, Adam, Jacob, Mary and Catharine. Meanwhile, the younger sister had married and had daughters, Betsey and Ann. Of these, Ann married a Wier, and Betsey married John Kuhler. Being left a widow, this sister of the first wife married Fleck and had three children, John, Margaret and Susan. Of these, the latter only was married, and she had three husbands --Joseph Bisbing, Jacob Weber and Samuel Bisbing.
Of the four sons of Conrad who came with him from Germany, two went to what is now Blair county, Pennsylvania. These were George and Peter. They left numerous descendants there, who claimed relationship to the family in Montgomery county, and between whom visits were made.
The Premises of Adam Fleck Hoover
This was the original homestead and is situated on the Penllyn turnpike about half a mile from that station. It is now held by the heirs of the late owner, Adam F. Hoover, who was a relative of the Fleck family. His father John [Jacob] Hoover, married Catharine, daughter of Adam Fleck. This property came into possession of Daniel Fleck in 1821 a year after the death of his father, but he had always lived there previously. In the farm there were 156 acres and two dwellings, one a tenant house. Daniel Fleck married Mary Martin, of Upper Gwyne1d. He removed to Philadelphia and was an innkeeper in the Northern Liberties. His children were Christian, Mary, wife of David Knipe; Ellen Robbins and Rebecca Hillegas. His death took place in 1835. Christian Keisel was the administrator of his estate, who, in 1836 sold the same to Adam F. Hoover. In 1885 ten acres were sold off the southwest side to William A. Platt for $3806, who proceeded to erect a fine country seat and otherwise improve the property. A meadow stream passes through the Hoover estate, running westward and falling into the Wissahickon near Penl1yn. It was part of the water power that in former days propelled Foulke's m11l.
The Merrill Farm
This farm was the eastern part of the Fleck lands. It has belonged to William O.B. Merrill since 1871, who has much improved the appearance of the buildings and their surroundings, which are on the western side of the turnpike to Ambler. The house and barn have now stood for about ninety years. The acquisition of this land by Adam Fleck from the guardians of Robert Davis, in 1789, has already been told. It fell to the share of his son, Jacob Fleck, in 1821, but who had previously resided here. The wife of Jacob Fleck was Mary Hallman. They had children, Henry, Allen, Catharine, wife of John Kuhler, and Mary Ann, wife of Charles Berkheimer. The death of Jacob Fleck took place in 1824, at the age of 41. In 1836 the eldest son, Henry, took possession of the farm and owned it for the next 25 years. In 1871 he sold to Merr111 for $16,000 the 100 acres, and so the farm passed from the Fleck name after an ownership of 82 years.
The Farm of Samuel Fleck
This comprised the northeast side of the Fleck tract. It bordered the Bethlehem turnpike, by the side of which was the dwelling. It also reached to the mill road and the Penllyn and Springhouse road. This homestead has long been the residence of Samuel Fleck but as yet is of the estate of his father, Samuel Fleck, recently deceased. The surface mostly level, is a depression between two slopes. The western corner and a wooded hillside bordering the Penllyn turnpike have been sold off, in recent years, to Henry Markoe and William B. Churchman, who have erected fine country seats thereon. At the homestead are modern farm buildings. These were built by the late Samuel Fleck, the barn in 1851 and the house in 1857. They succeeded structures that were quite old, probably relics of the Davis ownership in the last century. The former house was of stone, large in size, and hip-roofed. It stood about where is the present lane. It has not been ascertained where was the original Davis house, but it was either here or on the opposite side of the road, at the late Allen Fleck farm. When the sons of Thomas Davis divided his property, this was the portion of one named David Davis, who came into possession in 1722. At that time, then, we may suppose a house was built there, if there had not been one built earlier.
As above mentioned, Robert and John Davis gave a release to their brother David, in 1772, for this portion of their father's estate. David Davis died intestate, leaving a widow named Leah, who afterwards married Arthur Bradis. Leah Davis had four children, Isaac, Elizabeth, David and Tacy. No partition of the estate being practicable, Isaac took the property in 1792, paying out L887 to the other heirs. Of Isaac Davis, Adam Fleck bought in 1801, paying $1319 for 67 acres. In the deed a house is mentioned as being on the property.
As has been told in the account of the will of Adam Fleck, this property, together with 23 acres additional, was devised to Hannah Fleck, widow of his son Adam, during the minority of her son Samuel. Adam Fleck her husband, was one of the militia who went into camp at Marcus Hook in the fall of 1814, for the defence of Philadelphia. Returning from thence, he was taken with the camp, or typhus fever, and died February 15, 1815, at the age of 38. He had many years previously married Hannah Weber, of Worcester. His children were Charlotte, wife of Jacob Smith; Samuel who married Abigail Knipe, of Gwynedd; Maria, wife or Frederick Hoover; Eliza, wife of John Holland; Adam, who married Mary Dannehower, and Benjamin, who married Caroline Smith. Irvin Fleck, of Springhouse, is a son of Adam. The mother of this family survived till August 22, l861, reaching her eightieth year.
Of these children, Samuel was born on December 30, 1804, and in pursuance of his grandfather's will took possession or the farm in 1826. This he held during a long life. His death took place June 9, l889. His children were: Charles, Hannah, wife of George Johnson, of North Wales; Almon, Samuel, Margaret, and Emma, wife of Abel K. Shearer, of North Wales. Of the grandchildren of Adam Fleck, Mrs. Eliza Holland, of Fort Washington, is the only one yet living.
Source: Historical Society of Montgomery County Scrapbook D-7/95, pages 31-32. Article by Edward Mathews as printed in the North Penn papers.
On January 29, 1749 John was baptized at the New Hanover Lutheran Church, in what is now Montgomery County (but was then Philadelphia County). The church had several circuit preachers around this time, but it's exciting to think John may have been baptized by Henry Melchior Muhlenberg who was one of the pastors. John's father Conrad gave each of his sons the baptismal name of "Johann" so there was Johann Adam, Johann Peter and Johann George, but there really was one son who was named simply Johann - our John.
John was a farmer. When his father died in what is now Montgomery County, John inherited a share of what was probably a considerable estate. During his life he sold land himself at least twice in Montgomery County, and probably bought and sold earlier as well, though those transactions are probably in Philadelphia's records (yet to be checked), since the county of Montgomery was carved from Philadelphia later.
The New Hanover Lutheran Church where John was baptized did more than christen him; it may have been a portent. In the fall of 1777 the Continental Army, led by General George Washington, retreated before the oncoming British, and the church became a temporary hospital for Washington's wounded men.
Like his brothers, John served in the Revolutionary War; he was with Capt. Lowrie's Company, Worchester, Pennsylvania. The four brothers were known to be deeply moved by the revolutionary struggle and much devoted to George Washington. This latter jives with a man of my line being named George Washington Fleck. It was said of these immigrant Fleck brothers in Jesse C. Sell's 1911 book Twentieth Century History of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens "When the colonies called for aid in the war with Great Britain, these brothers shouldered their flint-lock muskets and fought through the entire period of the Revolutionary War. It is said that their loyalty to their adopted country was so genuine and their devotion to General Washington so sincere, that long years after the issues of this war were no longer matters of general comment, a mention of either the cause or the great commander in their presence would bring tears to the eyes of these aged patriots."
On April 9, 1771 the Rev. Christian F. Foehring of the Germantown Reformed Church (aka Market Square Presbyterian Church, Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) united John Fleck and Mary Fries or Friess in marriage. Mary Fries is likely related to the Fries Rebellion family. It is probable John and Mary had children, as early censuses suggest he had a family (but do not show each household member). No estate papers or other transactions showing his children have come to light. Still, it is intriguing to note that our John and his wife Mary (of Whitemarsh Township) jointly sold land with Jacob Ingard and his wife Dorothea (of Hatfield Township). That land -all 134 acres and 54 perches- had been jointly acquired in May 1774 from John Simon Friess and his wife Elizabeth.
The question is, of course, why would John Simon and Elizabeth Friess sell land to two men jointly who appear unrelated to one another? The only answer springing to mind is that they sold land to their sons in law, which makes John Fleck's wife Mary Friess or Fries fit very nicely.
After living most of his life in Montgomery County, John seems to have moved to Chester County in the early 1800's. In 1815 he sold 99 acres of land in Montgomery County. Clearly he could not write, as these documents of the sale show he left "his mark" rather than a signature.
Moving on to another county - Chester County Archives indicate that John Fleck first appeared there in 1802 when he was taxed as an "inmate" until 1811 when he began renting land. For a short time between 1819 and 1820 he moved to Brandywine Township. He is unaccounted for from 1823 until 1834, possibly living in someone else's home due to his advanced years.
There were no Flecks in the county until 1800 so this jives with his Montgomery County origins. The only documented Chester County Fleck in 1800 is Samuel, and in the coming few years there would be a George and a William, as well as our John. It would be worthwhile to see how these gents may tie together.
Not much else is known of his life in Chester County, but the county records show that in 1834, John Fleck was admitted to the county poorhouse, dying in 1835. The age shown on the record of admittance, 98, is off by ten years.
My known Fleck line has the names George and William repeating. My first eldest known Fleck is William about 1818-1900. There was also a William who died in 1878, and lies buried in a lot bought by my senior William so I suspect it was his father. Could my line then be Conrad, John, William d. 1878, William d. 1900, William J d. 1918, George d. 1926, and William d. 1965? Let's work on and hope to find the answers.
What became of John's remains is not positively known, and records to support or disprove where he rests no longer exist. The story goes that the records may have been lost when Embreeville State Hospital (the modern later incarnation of the county poorhouse) closed. If the records made it to Harrisburg as they were supposed to, those records were lost in a flood.
I hope yet to find more out about John's life. Related or not, as the Pennsylvania Germans would say "it wonders me" how he ended up where he did. What became of his children? Did he end up getting a family burial despite passing at the almshouse?
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Regarding the possible Fries connection:
From an examination of the register's office at Doylestown, Bucks county, it appears John Fries died about the last of February, 1818, at the age of 70. His will is dated June 6, 1815, and probated March 1, 1818. At the time of his death he lived in Lower Milford township, Bucks county. His two sons, John and Solomon, were his executors.
The will mentions two pieces of real estate, a lot of 14 acres in Lower Milford, and one of 3 acres in Marlborough township, Montgomery county. The names of his surviving
children given in the will, are Solomon, John, Daniel, Sarah, Margaret and Catharine. The wife s name was Margaret. After paying his debts and funeral expenses the residue of this estate was divided among his children, "share and share alike." As we have been unable to find the settlement of his estate, we are ignorant of its amount.
So Fries' wife was not named Elizabeth, and no daughters of the famous John Fries appear to have had the name of John Fleck's wife Mary, or Ingard's wife Dorothea. But how many men were named John Simon Fries and spent their lives in that section of Pennsylvania? Were his daughters gone at the time his will was written in 1815? Did Fries marry more than once, or have a wife who used both Elizabeth and Margaret?
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The early beginnings of the Fleck family, mentioning John and his brothers, were laid out by a local historian, Edward Mathews. An article on Mathews' life appeared in 1997 in the Philadelphia Inquirer, 80 years after he died. It is currently available at this link.
His essay on the Flecks, now out of copyright, currently appears on two places on the web. No one, including the historical society which as the clipped original, knows where it was published or when. Fearing this important work could easily be lost, I include it here in the hope it may assist Fleck researchers, after him, and after me:
The Fleck Lands and Family of Gwynedd
Conrad Fleck, The Immigrant--Adam Fleck and Descendants
The Fleck family have been for four or five generations extensive landholders in Lower Gwynedd. The present sketch is intended to more particularly give an account of the original properties held by those of that name. Their land was between Penllyn and the Springhouse, on the southeast side of the turnpike, and was crossed by the Bethlehem road. It comprised three hundred and fifty acres and was a mi1e in length from east to west. It is now contained in the farms and lots of Adam F. Hoover, estate of William A. Platt, William B. Churchman, Henry Markoe, William 0. B. Merrill, and Samuel Fleck's estate.
Their first seat or foothold here was at the present Hoover premises, for many years past in tenure of John Fry, and which was obtained before the Revolution.
Conrad Fleck
was the American ancestor of the present family. He was a German immigrant and a Lutheran. The time of his arrival is not known, but before coming to Gwynedd he lived in the Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Towards the close of his life he bought a plantation here of Christopher Rex, of Flourtown, a speculator and landjobber of that day. This purchase was made in 1764. Here was already a house, and a fine spring westward of it had decided the site of the first dwelling. Improvements had been made here probably fifty years before. The previous history of the land was as follows:
William John, a Welsh Quaker, had, in addition to the whole upper third of the township of Gwynedd, been granted another piece of 322 acres in 1701, extending from the Whitpain line northeast nearly a mile, and being three-quarters of a mile in width. At his death, in 1714, his three daughters, E11en, Gainor and Catharine, became heirs to this land. In the same year (1714) they sold the same to a We1sh tailor named Owen Roberts, for L120. Roberts built a house on the Houston place before 1719. In 1715, he sold off the northern half, or l5 1/2 acres, to Lewis Williams. Of the next transfer we have no record, but in 1750 one Hannaniah Pugh was the owner.
The plantation of 144 acres conveyed to Conrad Fleck, in 1764, by Christopher Rex was bounded as follows: Beginning at corner of Edward Foulke; thence partly by same and Thomas Fou1ke southwest 163 perches; thence by Rev. Nanna southeast 156 perches; thence by Evan Roberts northeast 127 perches; thence by Lewis Williams northwest 72 perches; thence northeast l7 perches to line of Thomas Davis; thence by same northwest 84 perches to beginning.
Conrad Fleck did not live long to reside on this property, for he died in middle life, three years afterwards. His death occurred in the spring of 1767 when one of his sons was yet a minor. His will was made on the 8th of April and registered May 9th of that year. It was witnessed by Wendle Vetter and Baltus Wick, two or his countrymen residing in Gwynedd.
Will of Conrad Fleck
In this document mention is made of his wife, Anna Maria, and several children; Adam, Peter, John, George, Elizabeth, wife of Leonard Neidich, and Anna, wife of Jacob Kneedler, of Horsham. George was a minor. Adam, the eldest, got L100 and the homestead. The other children got the residue of the estate, to be equally divided among them. How much was this residue is not stated, but probably it was a considerable sum, showing that Conrad Fleck was a man of property and had considerable belongings besides the Gwynedd farm. John Fleck, some years later, was a resident of Worcester, and George and Peter Fleck were living in Gwynedd. The wife of the latter was named Christian. The writer has no knowledge of their descendants.
Adam Fleck
Adam Fleck the eldest son of Conrad Fleck, was born in 1739, probably in Philadelphia, and his second wife, Maria Margaret, was born in 1749. She reached the great age of ninety-five years. In 1775, part of the other heirs signed a release to Adam for the homestead, whilst that of his brother Peter was not signed til1 1782. In the Gwynedd assessment of 1776 Adam Fleck was rated as the owner of 140 acres, and as having three horses and six cows. His youngest brother, George, also lived in Gwynedd and was assessed for two horses and three cows, but no land. He was probably a renter. Concerning the descendants of the other children of Conrad Fleck the writer has not made investigations.
It is significant that neither all enterprises nor all improvements were stifled by the exigencies of the Revolutionary war. We find that Adam Fleck proceeded to build a large barn at the homestead while hostile armies were marching across and devastating the country. This was erected in 1778 and bears his initials and that of his wife, which may be seen to this day at the Hoover farm, occupied by John Fry. A new house was probably built about the same time, succeeding the inferior one of the first settler here. These improvements, made at such a time, indicate that Fleck was either making money or had previously acquired a considerable sum. The barn was a large and roomy one for that period and yet does good service. [Personal note - the author died in 1916, so the barn still standing when he wrote this piece means it had lasted over 100 years.] A few years later he began to branch out and purchase adjoining lands. The first was a lot of fourteen acres, bought in 1784 of James Roney, which then had a house on it. Roney had bought this in 1772 of John Shehmie (Shelmire). This appears to have been down the crossroad to the Bethlehem pike (the old road to Foulke's mill) and adjoining the present Dager place. There, by the roadside, stands an old one-story stone house, which may be the same that was standing in 1784, when Fleck bought the lot of Roney. The Flecks used it for a tenant house for their farm laborers and others.
The next purchase was a larger tract, of 91 acres, bought from the guardians of Robert Davis, who were Levi and Jessie Foulke. This was bought in 1789 and comprised all that eastern portion of the Merrill farm beyond the turnpike, and also some lands where the present buildings are, on the western side. It was part of the 225 acres once held by Thomas Davis. Another small purchase of four acres was made from one Kaody, and later a tract of 67 acres, now partly comprised in the farm of Samuel Fleck was bought from Isaac Davis in 1801. For this Fleck paid L1319.
Previous to this, in 1798, Fleck also bought 23 acres of Isaac Davis. This was along the road from Springhouse to Penllyn and adjoining the crossroad. For this, L503 were paid. The boundaries of the 67 acres bought of Isaac Davis in 1801 were: Beginning in great road leading from Springhouse to Foulke's mill, being a corner of Adam Fleck's other land; thence by same southeast 203 perches, and northeast 45 perches to corner of this and John Clemens, in 1ine of Adam Fleck's other land; thence by Clemen's northwest 54 perches to corner in great road leading to Bethlehem; thence up said road by Clemen's land northwest 32 perches to corner in sa1d road; thence by Clemen's land northwest 72 perches, and southwest 13 perches and northwest 50 perches to corner of first mentioned road; thence along said road southwest 49 perches to beginning.
At the present Merrill farm Adam Fleck built a house and barn for his son, Jacob. The latter bears the date of l804 and the house was built within a year or two from that time. The records of the old Yellow Church show that Adam Fleck was one of its members in 1793. It was then under the pastorate of Jacob V. Buskirk, The burial place of the Fleck's, however, was at St. John's church, Belfry.
Will of Adam Fleck
Adam Fleck had a long and prosperous life. His death took place April 27, 1820, at the age of 81. His wife survived him, her death taking place March 25, 1844, at the age of 95 years. His will was registered in 1820. In this document he mentions his wife, Maria Margaret, to whom he gave the interest on L1500, besides the usual privileges of house room, etc. He then says: "I give to my sons, Jacob and Daniel, the following properties: The 140 acres which was devised to me by my father, Conrad Fleck; fourteen acres, which I hold by deed from James Roney; about 91 acres which I hold by deed from Jesse and Levi Foulke, as guardians of Robert Davis; about four acres which I hold from _____ Kaoley, and so much of the plantation which I hold by deed from Isaac Davis which is enclosed in a field occupied by my son Jacob, containing eight acres, all of which several tracts I devise to my sons, Jacob and Daniel. My son Daniel shall have that part at present in his possession, and my son Jacob shall have the premises he at present occupies, and where I now reside. I give my remaining tract of land, adjoining the other, which my son Adam (now deceased) did occupy, to Hannah, his widow, until her son Samuel is 21 years old." Other children are mentioned: John, Margaret, Mary, wife of Frederick Runier; Catharine, wife of Jacob Hoover; Susannah, wife of Jacob Weber. The will was witnessed by John Marshall, Philip Hoover and Frederick Conard (sic- possibly Conrad).
Adam Fleck was born in 1739, and was therefore 25 years old when his father came to Gwynedd. He was twice married. The last name of his first wife is unknown. She was buried at Puff's church, but has no memorial stone. Her death occurred before the Revolution. He died on the present Merrill premises, whither he removed towards the close of his life. John Fleck, one of his sons, was born in 1790 and died in 1842. It is said that the first Adam Fleck intended that his son Adam should have the original homestead, but that his death caused a change of plans, and his son Daniel received it.
None of the descendants of Adam Fleck whom the writer has seen know the maiden name of his wives. They were sisters, however, and he married the eldest first whose name was Magdalena. His children by the first wife were Daniel, Adam, Jacob, Mary and Catharine. Meanwhile, the younger sister had married and had daughters, Betsey and Ann. Of these, Ann married a Wier, and Betsey married John Kuhler. Being left a widow, this sister of the first wife married Fleck and had three children, John, Margaret and Susan. Of these, the latter only was married, and she had three husbands --Joseph Bisbing, Jacob Weber and Samuel Bisbing.
Of the four sons of Conrad who came with him from Germany, two went to what is now Blair county, Pennsylvania. These were George and Peter. They left numerous descendants there, who claimed relationship to the family in Montgomery county, and between whom visits were made.
The Premises of Adam Fleck Hoover
This was the original homestead and is situated on the Penllyn turnpike about half a mile from that station. It is now held by the heirs of the late owner, Adam F. Hoover, who was a relative of the Fleck family. His father John [Jacob] Hoover, married Catharine, daughter of Adam Fleck. This property came into possession of Daniel Fleck in 1821 a year after the death of his father, but he had always lived there previously. In the farm there were 156 acres and two dwellings, one a tenant house. Daniel Fleck married Mary Martin, of Upper Gwyne1d. He removed to Philadelphia and was an innkeeper in the Northern Liberties. His children were Christian, Mary, wife of David Knipe; Ellen Robbins and Rebecca Hillegas. His death took place in 1835. Christian Keisel was the administrator of his estate, who, in 1836 sold the same to Adam F. Hoover. In 1885 ten acres were sold off the southwest side to William A. Platt for $3806, who proceeded to erect a fine country seat and otherwise improve the property. A meadow stream passes through the Hoover estate, running westward and falling into the Wissahickon near Penl1yn. It was part of the water power that in former days propelled Foulke's m11l.
The Merrill Farm
This farm was the eastern part of the Fleck lands. It has belonged to William O.B. Merrill since 1871, who has much improved the appearance of the buildings and their surroundings, which are on the western side of the turnpike to Ambler. The house and barn have now stood for about ninety years. The acquisition of this land by Adam Fleck from the guardians of Robert Davis, in 1789, has already been told. It fell to the share of his son, Jacob Fleck, in 1821, but who had previously resided here. The wife of Jacob Fleck was Mary Hallman. They had children, Henry, Allen, Catharine, wife of John Kuhler, and Mary Ann, wife of Charles Berkheimer. The death of Jacob Fleck took place in 1824, at the age of 41. In 1836 the eldest son, Henry, took possession of the farm and owned it for the next 25 years. In 1871 he sold to Merr111 for $16,000 the 100 acres, and so the farm passed from the Fleck name after an ownership of 82 years.
The Farm of Samuel Fleck
This comprised the northeast side of the Fleck tract. It bordered the Bethlehem turnpike, by the side of which was the dwelling. It also reached to the mill road and the Penllyn and Springhouse road. This homestead has long been the residence of Samuel Fleck but as yet is of the estate of his father, Samuel Fleck, recently deceased. The surface mostly level, is a depression between two slopes. The western corner and a wooded hillside bordering the Penllyn turnpike have been sold off, in recent years, to Henry Markoe and William B. Churchman, who have erected fine country seats thereon. At the homestead are modern farm buildings. These were built by the late Samuel Fleck, the barn in 1851 and the house in 1857. They succeeded structures that were quite old, probably relics of the Davis ownership in the last century. The former house was of stone, large in size, and hip-roofed. It stood about where is the present lane. It has not been ascertained where was the original Davis house, but it was either here or on the opposite side of the road, at the late Allen Fleck farm. When the sons of Thomas Davis divided his property, this was the portion of one named David Davis, who came into possession in 1722. At that time, then, we may suppose a house was built there, if there had not been one built earlier.
As above mentioned, Robert and John Davis gave a release to their brother David, in 1772, for this portion of their father's estate. David Davis died intestate, leaving a widow named Leah, who afterwards married Arthur Bradis. Leah Davis had four children, Isaac, Elizabeth, David and Tacy. No partition of the estate being practicable, Isaac took the property in 1792, paying out L887 to the other heirs. Of Isaac Davis, Adam Fleck bought in 1801, paying $1319 for 67 acres. In the deed a house is mentioned as being on the property.
As has been told in the account of the will of Adam Fleck, this property, together with 23 acres additional, was devised to Hannah Fleck, widow of his son Adam, during the minority of her son Samuel. Adam Fleck her husband, was one of the militia who went into camp at Marcus Hook in the fall of 1814, for the defence of Philadelphia. Returning from thence, he was taken with the camp, or typhus fever, and died February 15, 1815, at the age of 38. He had many years previously married Hannah Weber, of Worcester. His children were Charlotte, wife of Jacob Smith; Samuel who married Abigail Knipe, of Gwynedd; Maria, wife or Frederick Hoover; Eliza, wife of John Holland; Adam, who married Mary Dannehower, and Benjamin, who married Caroline Smith. Irvin Fleck, of Springhouse, is a son of Adam. The mother of this family survived till August 22, l861, reaching her eightieth year.
Of these children, Samuel was born on December 30, 1804, and in pursuance of his grandfather's will took possession or the farm in 1826. This he held during a long life. His death took place June 9, l889. His children were: Charles, Hannah, wife of George Johnson, of North Wales; Almon, Samuel, Margaret, and Emma, wife of Abel K. Shearer, of North Wales. Of the grandchildren of Adam Fleck, Mrs. Eliza Holland, of Fort Washington, is the only one yet living.
Source: Historical Society of Montgomery County Scrapbook D-7/95, pages 31-32. Article by Edward Mathews as printed in the North Penn papers.
Johann "John" Fleck was a son of the immigrant Conrad Fleck, born 1748. This gent remains murky for many reasons. He is likely of my line, but it cannot yet be proven, as his children are not known to me yet. Still, of all of Conrad Fleck's sons, he is the only one whose life seems connected to Chester County. That is huge because as far back as I can definitely trace my Fleck family, they have been in Chester County - at least as early as 1847, and probably earlier.
On January 29, 1749 John was baptized at the New Hanover Lutheran Church, in what is now Montgomery County (but was then Philadelphia County). The church had several circuit preachers around this time, but it's exciting to think John may have been baptized by Henry Melchior Muhlenberg who was one of the pastors. John's father Conrad gave each of his sons the baptismal name of "Johann" so there was Johann Adam, Johann Peter and Johann George, but there really was one son who was named simply Johann - our John.
John was a farmer. When his father died in what is now Montgomery County, John inherited a share of what was probably a considerable estate. During his life he sold land himself at least twice in Montgomery County, and probably bought and sold earlier as well, though those transactions are probably in Philadelphia's records (yet to be checked), since the county of Montgomery was carved from Philadelphia later.
The New Hanover Lutheran Church where John was baptized did more than christen him; it may have been a portent. In the fall of 1777 the Continental Army, led by General George Washington, retreated before the oncoming British, and the church became a temporary hospital for Washington's wounded men.
Like his brothers, John served in the Revolutionary War; he was with Capt. Lowrie's Company, Worchester, Pennsylvania. The four brothers were known to be deeply moved by the revolutionary struggle and much devoted to George Washington. This latter jives with a man of my line being named George Washington Fleck. It was said of these immigrant Fleck brothers in Jesse C. Sell's 1911 book Twentieth Century History of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens "When the colonies called for aid in the war with Great Britain, these brothers shouldered their flint-lock muskets and fought through the entire period of the Revolutionary War. It is said that their loyalty to their adopted country was so genuine and their devotion to General Washington so sincere, that long years after the issues of this war were no longer matters of general comment, a mention of either the cause or the great commander in their presence would bring tears to the eyes of these aged patriots."
On April 9, 1771 the Rev. Christian F. Foehring of the Germantown Reformed Church (aka Market Square Presbyterian Church, Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) united John Fleck and Mary Fries or Friess in marriage. Mary Fries is likely related to the Fries Rebellion family. It is probable John and Mary had children, as early censuses suggest he had a family (but do not show each household member). No estate papers or other transactions showing his children have come to light. Still, it is intriguing to note that our John and his wife Mary (of Whitemarsh Township) jointly sold land with Jacob Ingard and his wife Dorothea (of Hatfield Township). That land -all 134 acres and 54 perches- had been jointly acquired in May 1774 from John Simon Friess and his wife Elizabeth.
The question is, of course, why would John Simon and Elizabeth Friess sell land to two men jointly who appear unrelated to one another? The only answer springing to mind is that they sold land to their sons in law, which makes John Fleck's wife Mary Friess or Fries fit very nicely.
After living most of his life in Montgomery County, John seems to have moved to Chester County in the early 1800's. In 1815 he sold 99 acres of land in Montgomery County. Clearly he could not write, as these documents of the sale show he left "his mark" rather than a signature.
Moving on to another county - Chester County Archives indicate that John Fleck first appeared there in 1802 when he was taxed as an "inmate" until 1811 when he began renting land. For a short time between 1819 and 1820 he moved to Brandywine Township. He is unaccounted for from 1823 until 1834, possibly living in someone else's home due to his advanced years.
There were no Flecks in the county until 1800 so this jives with his Montgomery County origins. The only documented Chester County Fleck in 1800 is Samuel, and in the coming few years there would be a George and a William, as well as our John. It would be worthwhile to see how these gents may tie together.
Not much else is known of his life in Chester County, but the county records show that in 1834, John Fleck was admitted to the county poorhouse, dying in 1835. The age shown on the record of admittance, 98, is off by ten years.
My known Fleck line has the names George and William repeating. My first eldest known Fleck is William about 1818-1900. There was also a William who died in 1878, and lies buried in a lot bought by my senior William so I suspect it was his father. Could my line then be Conrad, John, William d. 1878, William d. 1900, William J d. 1918, George d. 1926, and William d. 1965? Let's work on and hope to find the answers.
What became of John's remains is not positively known, and records to support or disprove where he rests no longer exist. The story goes that the records may have been lost when Embreeville State Hospital (the modern later incarnation of the county poorhouse) closed. If the records made it to Harrisburg as they were supposed to, those records were lost in a flood.
I hope yet to find more out about John's life. Related or not, as the Pennsylvania Germans would say "it wonders me" how he ended up where he did. What became of his children? Did he end up getting a family burial despite passing at the almshouse?
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Regarding the possible Fries connection:
From an examination of the register's office at Doylestown, Bucks county, it appears John Fries died about the last of February, 1818, at the age of 70. His will is dated June 6, 1815, and probated March 1, 1818. At the time of his death he lived in Lower Milford township, Bucks county. His two sons, John and Solomon, were his executors.
The will mentions two pieces of real estate, a lot of 14 acres in Lower Milford, and one of 3 acres in Marlborough township, Montgomery county. The names of his surviving
children given in the will, are Solomon, John, Daniel, Sarah, Margaret and Catharine. The wife s name was Margaret. After paying his debts and funeral expenses the residue of this estate was divided among his children, "share and share alike." As we have been unable to find the settlement of his estate, we are ignorant of its amount.
So Fries' wife was not named Elizabeth, and no daughters of the famous John Fries appear to have had the name of John Fleck's wife Mary, or Ingard's wife Dorothea. But how many men were named John Simon Fries and spent their lives in that section of Pennsylvania? Were his daughters gone at the time his will was written in 1815? Did Fries marry more than once, or have a wife who used both Elizabeth and Margaret?
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The early beginnings of the Fleck family, mentioning John and his brothers, were laid out by a local historian, Edward Mathews. An article on Mathews' life appeared in 1997 in the Philadelphia Inquirer, 80 years after he died. It is currently available at this link.
His essay on the Flecks, now out of copyright, currently appears on two places on the web. No one, including the historical society which as the clipped original, knows where it was published or when. Fearing this important work could easily be lost, I include it here in the hope it may assist Fleck researchers, after him, and after me:
The Fleck Lands and Family of Gwynedd
Conrad Fleck, The Immigrant--Adam Fleck and Descendants
The Fleck family have been for four or five generations extensive landholders in Lower Gwynedd. The present sketch is intended to more particularly give an account of the original properties held by those of that name. Their land was between Penllyn and the Springhouse, on the southeast side of the turnpike, and was crossed by the Bethlehem road. It comprised three hundred and fifty acres and was a mi1e in length from east to west. It is now contained in the farms and lots of Adam F. Hoover, estate of William A. Platt, William B. Churchman, Henry Markoe, William 0. B. Merrill, and Samuel Fleck's estate.
Their first seat or foothold here was at the present Hoover premises, for many years past in tenure of John Fry, and which was obtained before the Revolution.
Conrad Fleck
was the American ancestor of the present family. He was a German immigrant and a Lutheran. The time of his arrival is not known, but before coming to Gwynedd he lived in the Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Towards the close of his life he bought a plantation here of Christopher Rex, of Flourtown, a speculator and landjobber of that day. This purchase was made in 1764. Here was already a house, and a fine spring westward of it had decided the site of the first dwelling. Improvements had been made here probably fifty years before. The previous history of the land was as follows:
William John, a Welsh Quaker, had, in addition to the whole upper third of the township of Gwynedd, been granted another piece of 322 acres in 1701, extending from the Whitpain line northeast nearly a mile, and being three-quarters of a mile in width. At his death, in 1714, his three daughters, E11en, Gainor and Catharine, became heirs to this land. In the same year (1714) they sold the same to a We1sh tailor named Owen Roberts, for L120. Roberts built a house on the Houston place before 1719. In 1715, he sold off the northern half, or l5 1/2 acres, to Lewis Williams. Of the next transfer we have no record, but in 1750 one Hannaniah Pugh was the owner.
The plantation of 144 acres conveyed to Conrad Fleck, in 1764, by Christopher Rex was bounded as follows: Beginning at corner of Edward Foulke; thence partly by same and Thomas Fou1ke southwest 163 perches; thence by Rev. Nanna southeast 156 perches; thence by Evan Roberts northeast 127 perches; thence by Lewis Williams northwest 72 perches; thence northeast l7 perches to line of Thomas Davis; thence by same northwest 84 perches to beginning.
Conrad Fleck did not live long to reside on this property, for he died in middle life, three years afterwards. His death occurred in the spring of 1767 when one of his sons was yet a minor. His will was made on the 8th of April and registered May 9th of that year. It was witnessed by Wendle Vetter and Baltus Wick, two or his countrymen residing in Gwynedd.
Will of Conrad Fleck
In this document mention is made of his wife, Anna Maria, and several children; Adam, Peter, John, George, Elizabeth, wife of Leonard Neidich, and Anna, wife of Jacob Kneedler, of Horsham. George was a minor. Adam, the eldest, got L100 and the homestead. The other children got the residue of the estate, to be equally divided among them. How much was this residue is not stated, but probably it was a considerable sum, showing that Conrad Fleck was a man of property and had considerable belongings besides the Gwynedd farm. John Fleck, some years later, was a resident of Worcester, and George and Peter Fleck were living in Gwynedd. The wife of the latter was named Christian. The writer has no knowledge of their descendants.
Adam Fleck
Adam Fleck the eldest son of Conrad Fleck, was born in 1739, probably in Philadelphia, and his second wife, Maria Margaret, was born in 1749. She reached the great age of ninety-five years. In 1775, part of the other heirs signed a release to Adam for the homestead, whilst that of his brother Peter was not signed til1 1782. In the Gwynedd assessment of 1776 Adam Fleck was rated as the owner of 140 acres, and as having three horses and six cows. His youngest brother, George, also lived in Gwynedd and was assessed for two horses and three cows, but no land. He was probably a renter. Concerning the descendants of the other children of Conrad Fleck the writer has not made investigations.
It is significant that neither all enterprises nor all improvements were stifled by the exigencies of the Revolutionary war. We find that Adam Fleck proceeded to build a large barn at the homestead while hostile armies were marching across and devastating the country. This was erected in 1778 and bears his initials and that of his wife, which may be seen to this day at the Hoover farm, occupied by John Fry. A new house was probably built about the same time, succeeding the inferior one of the first settler here. These improvements, made at such a time, indicate that Fleck was either making money or had previously acquired a considerable sum. The barn was a large and roomy one for that period and yet does good service. [Personal note - the author died in 1916, so the barn still standing when he wrote this piece means it had lasted over 100 years.] A few years later he began to branch out and purchase adjoining lands. The first was a lot of fourteen acres, bought in 1784 of James Roney, which then had a house on it. Roney had bought this in 1772 of John Shehmie (Shelmire). This appears to have been down the crossroad to the Bethlehem pike (the old road to Foulke's mill) and adjoining the present Dager place. There, by the roadside, stands an old one-story stone house, which may be the same that was standing in 1784, when Fleck bought the lot of Roney. The Flecks used it for a tenant house for their farm laborers and others.
The next purchase was a larger tract, of 91 acres, bought from the guardians of Robert Davis, who were Levi and Jessie Foulke. This was bought in 1789 and comprised all that eastern portion of the Merrill farm beyond the turnpike, and also some lands where the present buildings are, on the western side. It was part of the 225 acres once held by Thomas Davis. Another small purchase of four acres was made from one Kaody, and later a tract of 67 acres, now partly comprised in the farm of Samuel Fleck was bought from Isaac Davis in 1801. For this Fleck paid L1319.
Previous to this, in 1798, Fleck also bought 23 acres of Isaac Davis. This was along the road from Springhouse to Penllyn and adjoining the crossroad. For this, L503 were paid. The boundaries of the 67 acres bought of Isaac Davis in 1801 were: Beginning in great road leading from Springhouse to Foulke's mill, being a corner of Adam Fleck's other land; thence by same southeast 203 perches, and northeast 45 perches to corner of this and John Clemens, in 1ine of Adam Fleck's other land; thence by Clemen's northwest 54 perches to corner in great road leading to Bethlehem; thence up said road by Clemen's land northwest 32 perches to corner in sa1d road; thence by Clemen's land northwest 72 perches, and southwest 13 perches and northwest 50 perches to corner of first mentioned road; thence along said road southwest 49 perches to beginning.
At the present Merrill farm Adam Fleck built a house and barn for his son, Jacob. The latter bears the date of l804 and the house was built within a year or two from that time. The records of the old Yellow Church show that Adam Fleck was one of its members in 1793. It was then under the pastorate of Jacob V. Buskirk, The burial place of the Fleck's, however, was at St. John's church, Belfry.
Will of Adam Fleck
Adam Fleck had a long and prosperous life. His death took place April 27, 1820, at the age of 81. His wife survived him, her death taking place March 25, 1844, at the age of 95 years. His will was registered in 1820. In this document he mentions his wife, Maria Margaret, to whom he gave the interest on L1500, besides the usual privileges of house room, etc. He then says: "I give to my sons, Jacob and Daniel, the following properties: The 140 acres which was devised to me by my father, Conrad Fleck; fourteen acres, which I hold by deed from James Roney; about 91 acres which I hold by deed from Jesse and Levi Foulke, as guardians of Robert Davis; about four acres which I hold from _____ Kaoley, and so much of the plantation which I hold by deed from Isaac Davis which is enclosed in a field occupied by my son Jacob, containing eight acres, all of which several tracts I devise to my sons, Jacob and Daniel. My son Daniel shall have that part at present in his possession, and my son Jacob shall have the premises he at present occupies, and where I now reside. I give my remaining tract of land, adjoining the other, which my son Adam (now deceased) did occupy, to Hannah, his widow, until her son Samuel is 21 years old." Other children are mentioned: John, Margaret, Mary, wife of Frederick Runier; Catharine, wife of Jacob Hoover; Susannah, wife of Jacob Weber. The will was witnessed by John Marshall, Philip Hoover and Frederick Conard (sic- possibly Conrad).
Adam Fleck was born in 1739, and was therefore 25 years old when his father came to Gwynedd. He was twice married. The last name of his first wife is unknown. She was buried at Puff's church, but has no memorial stone. Her death occurred before the Revolution. He died on the present Merrill premises, whither he removed towards the close of his life. John Fleck, one of his sons, was born in 1790 and died in 1842. It is said that the first Adam Fleck intended that his son Adam should have the original homestead, but that his death caused a change of plans, and his son Daniel received it.
None of the descendants of Adam Fleck whom the writer has seen know the maiden name of his wives. They were sisters, however, and he married the eldest first whose name was Magdalena. His children by the first wife were Daniel, Adam, Jacob, Mary and Catharine. Meanwhile, the younger sister had married and had daughters, Betsey and Ann. Of these, Ann married a Wier, and Betsey married John Kuhler. Being left a widow, this sister of the first wife married Fleck and had three children, John, Margaret and Susan. Of these, the latter only was married, and she had three husbands --Joseph Bisbing, Jacob Weber and Samuel Bisbing.
Of the four sons of Conrad who came with him from Germany, two went to what is now Blair county, Pennsylvania. These were George and Peter. They left numerous descendants there, who claimed relationship to the family in Montgomery county, and between whom visits were made.
The Premises of Adam Fleck Hoover
This was the original homestead and is situated on the Penllyn turnpike about half a mile from that station. It is now held by the heirs of the late owner, Adam F. Hoover, who was a relative of the Fleck family. His father John [Jacob] Hoover, married Catharine, daughter of Adam Fleck. This property came into possession of Daniel Fleck in 1821 a year after the death of his father, but he had always lived there previously. In the farm there were 156 acres and two dwellings, one a tenant house. Daniel Fleck married Mary Martin, of Upper Gwyne1d. He removed to Philadelphia and was an innkeeper in the Northern Liberties. His children were Christian, Mary, wife of David Knipe; Ellen Robbins and Rebecca Hillegas. His death took place in 1835. Christian Keisel was the administrator of his estate, who, in 1836 sold the same to Adam F. Hoover. In 1885 ten acres were sold off the southwest side to William A. Platt for $3806, who proceeded to erect a fine country seat and otherwise improve the property. A meadow stream passes through the Hoover estate, running westward and falling into the Wissahickon near Penl1yn. It was part of the water power that in former days propelled Foulke's m11l.
The Merrill Farm
This farm was the eastern part of the Fleck lands. It has belonged to William O.B. Merrill since 1871, who has much improved the appearance of the buildings and their surroundings, which are on the western side of the turnpike to Ambler. The house and barn have now stood for about ninety years. The acquisition of this land by Adam Fleck from the guardians of Robert Davis, in 1789, has already been told. It fell to the share of his son, Jacob Fleck, in 1821, but who had previously resided here. The wife of Jacob Fleck was Mary Hallman. They had children, Henry, Allen, Catharine, wife of John Kuhler, and Mary Ann, wife of Charles Berkheimer. The death of Jacob Fleck took place in 1824, at the age of 41. In 1836 the eldest son, Henry, took possession of the farm and owned it for the next 25 years. In 1871 he sold to Merr111 for $16,000 the 100 acres, and so the farm passed from the Fleck name after an ownership of 82 years.
The Farm of Samuel Fleck
This comprised the northeast side of the Fleck tract. It bordered the Bethlehem turnpike, by the side of which was the dwelling. It also reached to the mill road and the Penllyn and Springhouse road. This homestead has long been the residence of Samuel Fleck but as yet is of the estate of his father, Samuel Fleck, recently deceased. The surface mostly level, is a depression between two slopes. The western corner and a wooded hillside bordering the Penllyn turnpike have been sold off, in recent years, to Henry Markoe and William B. Churchman, who have erected fine country seats thereon. At the homestead are modern farm buildings. These were built by the late Samuel Fleck, the barn in 1851 and the house in 1857. They succeeded structures that were quite old, probably relics of the Davis ownership in the last century. The former house was of stone, large in size, and hip-roofed. It stood about where is the present lane. It has not been ascertained where was the original Davis house, but it was either here or on the opposite side of the road, at the late Allen Fleck farm. When the sons of Thomas Davis divided his property, this was the portion of one named David Davis, who came into possession in 1722. At that time, then, we may suppose a house was built there, if there had not been one built earlier.
As above mentioned, Robert and John Davis gave a release to their brother David, in 1772, for this portion of their father's estate. David Davis died intestate, leaving a widow named Leah, who afterwards married Arthur Bradis. Leah Davis had four children, Isaac, Elizabeth, David and Tacy. No partition of the estate being practicable, Isaac took the property in 1792, paying out L887 to the other heirs. Of Isaac Davis, Adam Fleck bought in 1801, paying $1319 for 67 acres. In the deed a house is mentioned as being on the property.
As has been told in the account of the will of Adam Fleck, this property, together with 23 acres additional, was devised to Hannah Fleck, widow of his son Adam, during the minority of her son Samuel. Adam Fleck her husband, was one of the militia who went into camp at Marcus Hook in the fall of 1814, for the defence of Philadelphia. Returning from thence, he was taken with the camp, or typhus fever, and died February 15, 1815, at the age of 38. He had many years previously married Hannah Weber, of Worcester. His children were Charlotte, wife of Jacob Smith; Samuel who married Abigail Knipe, of Gwynedd; Maria, wife or Frederick Hoover; Eliza, wife of John Holland; Adam, who married Mary Dannehower, and Benjamin, who married Caroline Smith. Irvin Fleck, of Springhouse, is a son of Adam. The mother of this family survived till August 22, l861, reaching her eightieth year.
Of these children, Samuel was born on December 30, 1804, and in pursuance of his grandfather's will took possession or the farm in 1826. This he held during a long life. His death took place June 9, l889. His children were: Charles, Hannah, wife of George Johnson, of North Wales; Almon, Samuel, Margaret, and Emma, wife of Abel K. Shearer, of North Wales. Of the grandchildren of Adam Fleck, Mrs. Eliza Holland, of Fort Washington, is the only one yet living.
Source: Historical Society of Montgomery County Scrapbook D-7/95, pages 31-32. Article by Edward Mathews as printed in the North Penn papers.
On January 29, 1749 John was baptized at the New Hanover Lutheran Church, in what is now Montgomery County (but was then Philadelphia County). The church had several circuit preachers around this time, but it's exciting to think John may have been baptized by Henry Melchior Muhlenberg who was one of the pastors. John's father Conrad gave each of his sons the baptismal name of "Johann" so there was Johann Adam, Johann Peter and Johann George, but there really was one son who was named simply Johann - our John.
John was a farmer. When his father died in what is now Montgomery County, John inherited a share of what was probably a considerable estate. During his life he sold land himself at least twice in Montgomery County, and probably bought and sold earlier as well, though those transactions are probably in Philadelphia's records (yet to be checked), since the county of Montgomery was carved from Philadelphia later.
The New Hanover Lutheran Church where John was baptized did more than christen him; it may have been a portent. In the fall of 1777 the Continental Army, led by General George Washington, retreated before the oncoming British, and the church became a temporary hospital for Washington's wounded men.
Like his brothers, John served in the Revolutionary War; he was with Capt. Lowrie's Company, Worchester, Pennsylvania. The four brothers were known to be deeply moved by the revolutionary struggle and much devoted to George Washington. This latter jives with a man of my line being named George Washington Fleck. It was said of these immigrant Fleck brothers in Jesse C. Sell's 1911 book Twentieth Century History of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens "When the colonies called for aid in the war with Great Britain, these brothers shouldered their flint-lock muskets and fought through the entire period of the Revolutionary War. It is said that their loyalty to their adopted country was so genuine and their devotion to General Washington so sincere, that long years after the issues of this war were no longer matters of general comment, a mention of either the cause or the great commander in their presence would bring tears to the eyes of these aged patriots."
On April 9, 1771 the Rev. Christian F. Foehring of the Germantown Reformed Church (aka Market Square Presbyterian Church, Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) united John Fleck and Mary Fries or Friess in marriage. Mary Fries is likely related to the Fries Rebellion family. It is probable John and Mary had children, as early censuses suggest he had a family (but do not show each household member). No estate papers or other transactions showing his children have come to light. Still, it is intriguing to note that our John and his wife Mary (of Whitemarsh Township) jointly sold land with Jacob Ingard and his wife Dorothea (of Hatfield Township). That land -all 134 acres and 54 perches- had been jointly acquired in May 1774 from John Simon Friess and his wife Elizabeth.
The question is, of course, why would John Simon and Elizabeth Friess sell land to two men jointly who appear unrelated to one another? The only answer springing to mind is that they sold land to their sons in law, which makes John Fleck's wife Mary Friess or Fries fit very nicely.
After living most of his life in Montgomery County, John seems to have moved to Chester County in the early 1800's. In 1815 he sold 99 acres of land in Montgomery County. Clearly he could not write, as these documents of the sale show he left "his mark" rather than a signature.
Moving on to another county - Chester County Archives indicate that John Fleck first appeared there in 1802 when he was taxed as an "inmate" until 1811 when he began renting land. For a short time between 1819 and 1820 he moved to Brandywine Township. He is unaccounted for from 1823 until 1834, possibly living in someone else's home due to his advanced years.
There were no Flecks in the county until 1800 so this jives with his Montgomery County origins. The only documented Chester County Fleck in 1800 is Samuel, and in the coming few years there would be a George and a William, as well as our John. It would be worthwhile to see how these gents may tie together.
Not much else is known of his life in Chester County, but the county records show that in 1834, John Fleck was admitted to the county poorhouse, dying in 1835. The age shown on the record of admittance, 98, is off by ten years.
My known Fleck line has the names George and William repeating. My first eldest known Fleck is William about 1818-1900. There was also a William who died in 1878, and lies buried in a lot bought by my senior William so I suspect it was his father. Could my line then be Conrad, John, William d. 1878, William d. 1900, William J d. 1918, George d. 1926, and William d. 1965? Let's work on and hope to find the answers.
What became of John's remains is not positively known, and records to support or disprove where he rests no longer exist. The story goes that the records may have been lost when Embreeville State Hospital (the modern later incarnation of the county poorhouse) closed. If the records made it to Harrisburg as they were supposed to, those records were lost in a flood.
I hope yet to find more out about John's life. Related or not, as the Pennsylvania Germans would say "it wonders me" how he ended up where he did. What became of his children? Did he end up getting a family burial despite passing at the almshouse?
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Regarding the possible Fries connection:
From an examination of the register's office at Doylestown, Bucks county, it appears John Fries died about the last of February, 1818, at the age of 70. His will is dated June 6, 1815, and probated March 1, 1818. At the time of his death he lived in Lower Milford township, Bucks county. His two sons, John and Solomon, were his executors.
The will mentions two pieces of real estate, a lot of 14 acres in Lower Milford, and one of 3 acres in Marlborough township, Montgomery county. The names of his surviving
children given in the will, are Solomon, John, Daniel, Sarah, Margaret and Catharine. The wife s name was Margaret. After paying his debts and funeral expenses the residue of this estate was divided among his children, "share and share alike." As we have been unable to find the settlement of his estate, we are ignorant of its amount.
So Fries' wife was not named Elizabeth, and no daughters of the famous John Fries appear to have had the name of John Fleck's wife Mary, or Ingard's wife Dorothea. But how many men were named John Simon Fries and spent their lives in that section of Pennsylvania? Were his daughters gone at the time his will was written in 1815? Did Fries marry more than once, or have a wife who used both Elizabeth and Margaret?
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The early beginnings of the Fleck family, mentioning John and his brothers, were laid out by a local historian, Edward Mathews. An article on Mathews' life appeared in 1997 in the Philadelphia Inquirer, 80 years after he died. It is currently available at this link.
His essay on the Flecks, now out of copyright, currently appears on two places on the web. No one, including the historical society which as the clipped original, knows where it was published or when. Fearing this important work could easily be lost, I include it here in the hope it may assist Fleck researchers, after him, and after me:
The Fleck Lands and Family of Gwynedd
Conrad Fleck, The Immigrant--Adam Fleck and Descendants
The Fleck family have been for four or five generations extensive landholders in Lower Gwynedd. The present sketch is intended to more particularly give an account of the original properties held by those of that name. Their land was between Penllyn and the Springhouse, on the southeast side of the turnpike, and was crossed by the Bethlehem road. It comprised three hundred and fifty acres and was a mi1e in length from east to west. It is now contained in the farms and lots of Adam F. Hoover, estate of William A. Platt, William B. Churchman, Henry Markoe, William 0. B. Merrill, and Samuel Fleck's estate.
Their first seat or foothold here was at the present Hoover premises, for many years past in tenure of John Fry, and which was obtained before the Revolution.
Conrad Fleck
was the American ancestor of the present family. He was a German immigrant and a Lutheran. The time of his arrival is not known, but before coming to Gwynedd he lived in the Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Towards the close of his life he bought a plantation here of Christopher Rex, of Flourtown, a speculator and landjobber of that day. This purchase was made in 1764. Here was already a house, and a fine spring westward of it had decided the site of the first dwelling. Improvements had been made here probably fifty years before. The previous history of the land was as follows:
William John, a Welsh Quaker, had, in addition to the whole upper third of the township of Gwynedd, been granted another piece of 322 acres in 1701, extending from the Whitpain line northeast nearly a mile, and being three-quarters of a mile in width. At his death, in 1714, his three daughters, E11en, Gainor and Catharine, became heirs to this land. In the same year (1714) they sold the same to a We1sh tailor named Owen Roberts, for L120. Roberts built a house on the Houston place before 1719. In 1715, he sold off the northern half, or l5 1/2 acres, to Lewis Williams. Of the next transfer we have no record, but in 1750 one Hannaniah Pugh was the owner.
The plantation of 144 acres conveyed to Conrad Fleck, in 1764, by Christopher Rex was bounded as follows: Beginning at corner of Edward Foulke; thence partly by same and Thomas Fou1ke southwest 163 perches; thence by Rev. Nanna southeast 156 perches; thence by Evan Roberts northeast 127 perches; thence by Lewis Williams northwest 72 perches; thence northeast l7 perches to line of Thomas Davis; thence by same northwest 84 perches to beginning.
Conrad Fleck did not live long to reside on this property, for he died in middle life, three years afterwards. His death occurred in the spring of 1767 when one of his sons was yet a minor. His will was made on the 8th of April and registered May 9th of that year. It was witnessed by Wendle Vetter and Baltus Wick, two or his countrymen residing in Gwynedd.
Will of Conrad Fleck
In this document mention is made of his wife, Anna Maria, and several children; Adam, Peter, John, George, Elizabeth, wife of Leonard Neidich, and Anna, wife of Jacob Kneedler, of Horsham. George was a minor. Adam, the eldest, got L100 and the homestead. The other children got the residue of the estate, to be equally divided among them. How much was this residue is not stated, but probably it was a considerable sum, showing that Conrad Fleck was a man of property and had considerable belongings besides the Gwynedd farm. John Fleck, some years later, was a resident of Worcester, and George and Peter Fleck were living in Gwynedd. The wife of the latter was named Christian. The writer has no knowledge of their descendants.
Adam Fleck
Adam Fleck the eldest son of Conrad Fleck, was born in 1739, probably in Philadelphia, and his second wife, Maria Margaret, was born in 1749. She reached the great age of ninety-five years. In 1775, part of the other heirs signed a release to Adam for the homestead, whilst that of his brother Peter was not signed til1 1782. In the Gwynedd assessment of 1776 Adam Fleck was rated as the owner of 140 acres, and as having three horses and six cows. His youngest brother, George, also lived in Gwynedd and was assessed for two horses and three cows, but no land. He was probably a renter. Concerning the descendants of the other children of Conrad Fleck the writer has not made investigations.
It is significant that neither all enterprises nor all improvements were stifled by the exigencies of the Revolutionary war. We find that Adam Fleck proceeded to build a large barn at the homestead while hostile armies were marching across and devastating the country. This was erected in 1778 and bears his initials and that of his wife, which may be seen to this day at the Hoover farm, occupied by John Fry. A new house was probably built about the same time, succeeding the inferior one of the first settler here. These improvements, made at such a time, indicate that Fleck was either making money or had previously acquired a considerable sum. The barn was a large and roomy one for that period and yet does good service. [Personal note - the author died in 1916, so the barn still standing when he wrote this piece means it had lasted over 100 years.] A few years later he began to branch out and purchase adjoining lands. The first was a lot of fourteen acres, bought in 1784 of James Roney, which then had a house on it. Roney had bought this in 1772 of John Shehmie (Shelmire). This appears to have been down the crossroad to the Bethlehem pike (the old road to Foulke's mill) and adjoining the present Dager place. There, by the roadside, stands an old one-story stone house, which may be the same that was standing in 1784, when Fleck bought the lot of Roney. The Flecks used it for a tenant house for their farm laborers and others.
The next purchase was a larger tract, of 91 acres, bought from the guardians of Robert Davis, who were Levi and Jessie Foulke. This was bought in 1789 and comprised all that eastern portion of the Merrill farm beyond the turnpike, and also some lands where the present buildings are, on the western side. It was part of the 225 acres once held by Thomas Davis. Another small purchase of four acres was made from one Kaody, and later a tract of 67 acres, now partly comprised in the farm of Samuel Fleck was bought from Isaac Davis in 1801. For this Fleck paid L1319.
Previous to this, in 1798, Fleck also bought 23 acres of Isaac Davis. This was along the road from Springhouse to Penllyn and adjoining the crossroad. For this, L503 were paid. The boundaries of the 67 acres bought of Isaac Davis in 1801 were: Beginning in great road leading from Springhouse to Foulke's mill, being a corner of Adam Fleck's other land; thence by same southeast 203 perches, and northeast 45 perches to corner of this and John Clemens, in 1ine of Adam Fleck's other land; thence by Clemen's northwest 54 perches to corner in great road leading to Bethlehem; thence up said road by Clemen's land northwest 32 perches to corner in sa1d road; thence by Clemen's land northwest 72 perches, and southwest 13 perches and northwest 50 perches to corner of first mentioned road; thence along said road southwest 49 perches to beginning.
At the present Merrill farm Adam Fleck built a house and barn for his son, Jacob. The latter bears the date of l804 and the house was built within a year or two from that time. The records of the old Yellow Church show that Adam Fleck was one of its members in 1793. It was then under the pastorate of Jacob V. Buskirk, The burial place of the Fleck's, however, was at St. John's church, Belfry.
Will of Adam Fleck
Adam Fleck had a long and prosperous life. His death took place April 27, 1820, at the age of 81. His wife survived him, her death taking place March 25, 1844, at the age of 95 years. His will was registered in 1820. In this document he mentions his wife, Maria Margaret, to whom he gave the interest on L1500, besides the usual privileges of house room, etc. He then says: "I give to my sons, Jacob and Daniel, the following properties: The 140 acres which was devised to me by my father, Conrad Fleck; fourteen acres, which I hold by deed from James Roney; about 91 acres which I hold by deed from Jesse and Levi Foulke, as guardians of Robert Davis; about four acres which I hold from _____ Kaoley, and so much of the plantation which I hold by deed from Isaac Davis which is enclosed in a field occupied by my son Jacob, containing eight acres, all of which several tracts I devise to my sons, Jacob and Daniel. My son Daniel shall have that part at present in his possession, and my son Jacob shall have the premises he at present occupies, and where I now reside. I give my remaining tract of land, adjoining the other, which my son Adam (now deceased) did occupy, to Hannah, his widow, until her son Samuel is 21 years old." Other children are mentioned: John, Margaret, Mary, wife of Frederick Runier; Catharine, wife of Jacob Hoover; Susannah, wife of Jacob Weber. The will was witnessed by John Marshall, Philip Hoover and Frederick Conard (sic- possibly Conrad).
Adam Fleck was born in 1739, and was therefore 25 years old when his father came to Gwynedd. He was twice married. The last name of his first wife is unknown. She was buried at Puff's church, but has no memorial stone. Her death occurred before the Revolution. He died on the present Merrill premises, whither he removed towards the close of his life. John Fleck, one of his sons, was born in 1790 and died in 1842. It is said that the first Adam Fleck intended that his son Adam should have the original homestead, but that his death caused a change of plans, and his son Daniel received it.
None of the descendants of Adam Fleck whom the writer has seen know the maiden name of his wives. They were sisters, however, and he married the eldest first whose name was Magdalena. His children by the first wife were Daniel, Adam, Jacob, Mary and Catharine. Meanwhile, the younger sister had married and had daughters, Betsey and Ann. Of these, Ann married a Wier, and Betsey married John Kuhler. Being left a widow, this sister of the first wife married Fleck and had three children, John, Margaret and Susan. Of these, the latter only was married, and she had three husbands --Joseph Bisbing, Jacob Weber and Samuel Bisbing.
Of the four sons of Conrad who came with him from Germany, two went to what is now Blair county, Pennsylvania. These were George and Peter. They left numerous descendants there, who claimed relationship to the family in Montgomery county, and between whom visits were made.
The Premises of Adam Fleck Hoover
This was the original homestead and is situated on the Penllyn turnpike about half a mile from that station. It is now held by the heirs of the late owner, Adam F. Hoover, who was a relative of the Fleck family. His father John [Jacob] Hoover, married Catharine, daughter of Adam Fleck. This property came into possession of Daniel Fleck in 1821 a year after the death of his father, but he had always lived there previously. In the farm there were 156 acres and two dwellings, one a tenant house. Daniel Fleck married Mary Martin, of Upper Gwyne1d. He removed to Philadelphia and was an innkeeper in the Northern Liberties. His children were Christian, Mary, wife of David Knipe; Ellen Robbins and Rebecca Hillegas. His death took place in 1835. Christian Keisel was the administrator of his estate, who, in 1836 sold the same to Adam F. Hoover. In 1885 ten acres were sold off the southwest side to William A. Platt for $3806, who proceeded to erect a fine country seat and otherwise improve the property. A meadow stream passes through the Hoover estate, running westward and falling into the Wissahickon near Penl1yn. It was part of the water power that in former days propelled Foulke's m11l.
The Merrill Farm
This farm was the eastern part of the Fleck lands. It has belonged to William O.B. Merrill since 1871, who has much improved the appearance of the buildings and their surroundings, which are on the western side of the turnpike to Ambler. The house and barn have now stood for about ninety years. The acquisition of this land by Adam Fleck from the guardians of Robert Davis, in 1789, has already been told. It fell to the share of his son, Jacob Fleck, in 1821, but who had previously resided here. The wife of Jacob Fleck was Mary Hallman. They had children, Henry, Allen, Catharine, wife of John Kuhler, and Mary Ann, wife of Charles Berkheimer. The death of Jacob Fleck took place in 1824, at the age of 41. In 1836 the eldest son, Henry, took possession of the farm and owned it for the next 25 years. In 1871 he sold to Merr111 for $16,000 the 100 acres, and so the farm passed from the Fleck name after an ownership of 82 years.
The Farm of Samuel Fleck
This comprised the northeast side of the Fleck tract. It bordered the Bethlehem turnpike, by the side of which was the dwelling. It also reached to the mill road and the Penllyn and Springhouse road. This homestead has long been the residence of Samuel Fleck but as yet is of the estate of his father, Samuel Fleck, recently deceased. The surface mostly level, is a depression between two slopes. The western corner and a wooded hillside bordering the Penllyn turnpike have been sold off, in recent years, to Henry Markoe and William B. Churchman, who have erected fine country seats thereon. At the homestead are modern farm buildings. These were built by the late Samuel Fleck, the barn in 1851 and the house in 1857. They succeeded structures that were quite old, probably relics of the Davis ownership in the last century. The former house was of stone, large in size, and hip-roofed. It stood about where is the present lane. It has not been ascertained where was the original Davis house, but it was either here or on the opposite side of the road, at the late Allen Fleck farm. When the sons of Thomas Davis divided his property, this was the portion of one named David Davis, who came into possession in 1722. At that time, then, we may suppose a house was built there, if there had not been one built earlier.
As above mentioned, Robert and John Davis gave a release to their brother David, in 1772, for this portion of their father's estate. David Davis died intestate, leaving a widow named Leah, who afterwards married Arthur Bradis. Leah Davis had four children, Isaac, Elizabeth, David and Tacy. No partition of the estate being practicable, Isaac took the property in 1792, paying out L887 to the other heirs. Of Isaac Davis, Adam Fleck bought in 1801, paying $1319 for 67 acres. In the deed a house is mentioned as being on the property.
As has been told in the account of the will of Adam Fleck, this property, together with 23 acres additional, was devised to Hannah Fleck, widow of his son Adam, during the minority of her son Samuel. Adam Fleck her husband, was one of the militia who went into camp at Marcus Hook in the fall of 1814, for the defence of Philadelphia. Returning from thence, he was taken with the camp, or typhus fever, and died February 15, 1815, at the age of 38. He had many years previously married Hannah Weber, of Worcester. His children were Charlotte, wife of Jacob Smith; Samuel who married Abigail Knipe, of Gwynedd; Maria, wife or Frederick Hoover; Eliza, wife of John Holland; Adam, who married Mary Dannehower, and Benjamin, who married Caroline Smith. Irvin Fleck, of Springhouse, is a son of Adam. The mother of this family survived till August 22, l861, reaching her eightieth year.
Of these children, Samuel was born on December 30, 1804, and in pursuance of his grandfather's will took possession or the farm in 1826. This he held during a long life. His death took place June 9, l889. His children were: Charles, Hannah, wife of George Johnson, of North Wales; Almon, Samuel, Margaret, and Emma, wife of Abel K. Shearer, of North Wales. Of the grandchildren of Adam Fleck, Mrs. Eliza Holland, of Fort Washington, is the only one yet living.
Source: Historical Society of Montgomery County Scrapbook D-7/95, pages 31-32. Article by Edward Mathews as printed in the North Penn papers.
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