Wigard Levering Sr. [AKA Wechard, Wichard, Wickard] b. 1719 Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA; d. 06 JUL 1782 Plymouth Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA [became part of Montgomery Co., PA in 1784]; buried: Leverington Cemetery, Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA; m.#1 Elizabeth Sturges; m.#2 Elizabeth ____ (nee unknown).

LEVERING SURNAME SPELLING VARIATIONS: DeLeveryng, Lefering, Lefferinck, Leffrick, Leverinck, Levering, Leverink, etc.

NOTE: Roxborough Township was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia in 1854 following the passage of the "Act of Consolidation". The township had also been variously known as Manatawna and Leverington in it's earlier history.

m.#1 Abt. 1747 Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA; Elizabeth Sturges b. (date/place unknown); d. Aft. 1756 Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA; buried: Leverington Cemetery, Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA.

CHILDREN (All born Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA):

1) Joseph Levering 25 APR 1748-10 SEP 1822
2) Jacob Levering Abt. 1750
3) Elizabeth Sturges Levering Abt. 1753-1783
4) Benjamin Levering Abt. 1754-Abt. 1816
5) Wigard Levering Jr. Abt. 1756-FEB 1785

Widower Wigard Sr. m.#2 Bef. 1762 Plymouth Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA [became part of Montgomery Co., PA in 1784]; Elizabeth ______ (nee unknown); b. Abt. 1732 (place unknown); d. Bef. 12 OCT 1813 Plymouth Twp., Montgomery Co., PA; buried: Leverington Cemetery, Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA.

NOTE: From the "LEVERING FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY" by Col. John Levering, published 1897: "The second Elizabeth Levering left a will, dated 13 AUG 1812, which was proved at Norristown, 12 OCT 1813."

CHILDREN (All born PA):

6) Mary Levering b. 1762
7) Peter Levering b. 01 JAN 1764
8) Margaret Levering b. 1765
9) William Levering b. 1767
10) Magdalena Levering b. 12 MAR 1768
11) Alice Levering b. 1771
12) Hannah Levering b. 20 DEC 1775

PARENTS: Alice Tunes [also spelled "Alce", "Aeltie"] b. Bet. 1690-1692 Germantown, Philadelphia Co., PA; d. Bet. 1749-1753 Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA; m. 02 FEB 1717 Lancaster Co., PA; Jacob Levering b. 21 JAN 1693 Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA; d. OCT 1753 Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA. Both buried: Leverington Cemetery, Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA. TUNES SURNAME SPELLING VARIATIONS: Teun, Teunis, Teunisen, Teunissen, Theunissen, Tunes, Tunis, Tunnes, Tennis, etc.

SIBLINGS (All born Roxborough Twp., Philadelphia Co., PA):

1) Magdalena Levering b. Abt. 1716
2) Abraham Levering b. MAY 1717
3) Wigard or Wechard Levering b. 1719
4) William Levering b. 1721
5) Jacob Levering b. Abt. 1723
6) Anthony Levering b. Abt. 1725
7) Benjamin Levering b. 15 SEP 1728
8) Septimus Levering b. Abt. 1731

MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS: Beatrix Luken m. Abraham Tunes. LUKEN SURNAME SPELLING VARIATIONS (with/without an "s" on the end): Lucken, Luecken, Lueken, Luken, etc.

MATERNAL GREAT-GRANDPARENTS: Adelheid Oettgenoeltgen m. Wilhelm Jansen Luken.

PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS: Magdalena Boeker m. John Wigard Levering. BOEKER SURNAME SPELLING VARIATIONS (with/without an "s" at the end; Böker spelled in English: "Boeker"): Bäcker, Baecker, Baker, Bakker, Becke, Becker, Bocker, Boecker, Boeker, Boekr, Böker, Boker, etc.

PATERNAL GREAT-GRANDPARENTS: 1) Elizabeth Van De Walle m. Rosier Levering. 2) Sidonia Wilhelmina Braviers m. Willem "William" Böker.

NOTES: From the "LEVERING FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY" by Col. John Levering, published 1897:

Mr. Jones states: "He owned several tracts of land in Roxborough. One contained 88 acres, which he bought in 1753, and which he sold in parcels to various persons. Several of the deeds for this land, signed by Wechard and his wife, I have seen. To recover this land one of his grandsons brought an action of ejectment in the year 1854 and another in 1857. He also owned a farm on the northerly side of the Ridge Road, at the corner of Hermit's Lane, and on it erected a large stone house similar to that of his brother Abraham. The date stone marked WL., 1742, is now in possession of Enoch Levering, who uses it as a back to his fireplace in order to keep it safe. Having sold all his lands in Roxborough. Wechard removed to Plymouth Township (then in Philad., now in) Montgomery Co., where he bought a large tract of land," etc.

The farm at the "corner of Hermit's Lane" Wechard sold and transferred to his nephew, John Levering, who lived in the house described, and died there July 28, 1832. His son Enoch succeeded to the ownership, and lived in the premises until he died, in June, 1775, aged 79 1/2 years. All the children of John, from the year 1778 to 1795, including Enoch, were born in this house. It is now numbered 3905 Ridge Avenue, Philad., being north of 3900th Street, formerly Hermit Street. It is still (1894) occupied by Sophia, widow of Enoch, and their unmarried daughter Sarah S., who will succeed to the title, by provision of the will of her father, on the death of her mother, who is now 86 years old.

During February, 1884, I again visited the old homestead, and slept in the room where "all the children"--including my father Abraham were born. Since the death of Enoch the house has been enlarged and much improved. The old "date stone," referred to by Mr. Jones, is still preserved in an upper room (not "fireplace"). It is of hard soapstone, measures 16 by 24 inches, and is 4 inches thick. It is carved distinctly with sunken letters and ornamental scroll work. The inscription is W L, 1843 (not 2, as Mr. Jones notes).

Wechard died July 6, 1782, and was buried in Lev. Cem. His will, on record in Philadelphia, is dated May 24, 1782, and was proved July 22, 1782. His signature to this will is written WECHARD Levering, a corruption of Wigard, and spelled as his pronunciation sounded.