1757 David Rohrer was born about this time, based on tax records. Other researchers suggest that David, son of John and Elizabeth Rohrer, was born in March in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
1763 Mary Sherk, daughter of Jacob Scherch and Mary Lichty, was reported born on October 26 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [6]
1777 David Rora was taxed as a freeman in Lampeter Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [7] David Rorer and others were taxed as non associators. [8]
1779 David Rorer was taxed as a freeman in Lampeter Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania [9].
1781 David Rohrer was on a Lieutenant's list of fines for John Sleter's Company in the First Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia. [10] This company was identified with Lampeter Twp, Lancaster County. David Rorer, Jacob Rorer, John Rorer, and Christian Rorer were all listed in John Slater's Company. [11] [12] [13] Descriptions of these lists:
Lieutenants had many responsibilities, the most important of which was the collection and disbursement of proceeds from fines paid by persons whose religious principles, opposition to the Revolution, or simple refusal to endure the hardships of soldiering led them to disobey the militia law. [14]
The County Lieutenants ensured that militia units turned out for military exercises, provided the militia units with arms and equipment at the expense of the state, located substitutes for those who declined to serve, and assessed and collected the militia fines. It should be noted that these fines were not necessarily intended to be punitive. Recognizing that personal circumstances might in some cases make it inconvenient or even impossible for a particular individual to serve, the fine system was in part devised to provide money in lieu of service in order to hire substitutes. It also provided an avenue for conscientious objectors to fulfill their legal obligation to the state without compromising their religious convictions. [15]
1782 David Rora was taxed as a freeman in Lampeter Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [16] John Rora, perhaps his father, was taxed as a married man, as were Isaac Rora, Christian Rora Jun'r, Christian Rora Sr?, and Jacob Rora. [17] [18]
1785 David Rohrer was taxed as a freeman in Lampeter Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [19] [20]
c 1785 Mary Sherk and David Rohrer were reportedly married. They later had 7 children. [21]
1786 David Roara was taxed in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with 150 acres. [22]
1786 David Rorrer was listed on the septennial census for Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [23]
1787 David Rorer was taxed as a landowner in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with 145 acres. [24]
1787 The will of Elizabeth Rohrer, of Lampeter Twp, Lancaster County, was written in German. On May 24, Jacob Hartman and Jacob Stouffer affirmed that they had witnessed Elizabeth Rohrer sign and seal the will. Letters of administration were granted to John Stouffer on May 24, 1788. She named children Isaac, Christian, Henry, David, Magdalena, and John. [25] [26] [27]
1788 David Rohrer was taxed as a landowner in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with 150 acres, 3 horses, and 3 cows. [28]
1790 David Rohrer lived in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in a household with 1 males under age 16, 1 males age 16 and over, and 2 females. Christian Mosser was listed on the next page, see 1798 direct tax. [29]
1793 David Rorrer was listed on the septennial census for Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [30]
1795 The six heirs of Jacob Sherk, deceased, signed, on August 1, a release related to his estate. The estate, administered by Joseph Sherck, Henry Neff, and Andrew Gerber, was valued at £2979.18.3 in gold and silver coin, or £423.19.9 for each heir. Andrew Gerber was guardian of minor son, Christian Sherck. [31] The six heirs were:
Joseph Sherck of Hempfield Twp;
Jacob Sherck of Leacock Twp;
John Sherch of Washington County, Maryland;
David Sherck of Hempfield,
David Rohrer of Hempfield Twp and his wife Mary, late Mary Sherck; and
Andrew Gerber of Hellam Twp, York County and wife Susanna, late Susanna Sherck;
1798 Daughter Anna Rohrer was born on October 27. [32] [33]
1798 David Rohrer was named on the US direct tax list for Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. David had a stone barn, dimensions 65 by 30 feet, on 124 acres, valued at $2232, adjacent to Christian Musser. He had a house and an outhouse valued together at $400. [34] [35] [36] [37]
1800 David Rohrer lived in Columbia, Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with Males: one (age 0-10, son David), one (age 10-15, son John), one (age 26-44, David) and females: two (age 0-10, Anna and Mary and Martha, one is unaccounted for), one (age 10-15, daughter Elizabeth), one (age 45+, wife Mary). [38]
1800 David Rohrer was listed on the septennial census for Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [39]
1805 David Rhorer was taxed in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, with 150 acres. [40]
1806 David Rhorer was taxed in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, with 150 acres. [41]
1810 David Rohrer lived in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with Males: one (age 0-10, son Joseph), two (age 10-15, son David and ?), one (age 45+, David) and females: one (age 16-25, daughter Mary, where was Anna age 12?), one (age 45+, wife Mary). [42] [43] John Forry also lived in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
1813 David and Maria Rohrer, of Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, sold land to Isaac Rohrer on May 5. The land was in Hempfield Twp adjacent to lands of Jacob Shirick, Michael Moore, Caspar Snyder. David Rohrer had purchased the land from George and Catherine Mumma on January 4, 1786. [44]
1815 David Rora was taxed in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, with 180 acres. [45]
1818 David Rohrer was taxed in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County. [46]
1820 David Rohrer and John Rohrer (brother?) lived in East Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. [47]
1830 A male (age 70-80), possibly David Rohrer, lived with Joseph Rohrer (David's son) in West Hempfield, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania near another son John and son-in-law Peter Musser. [48] [49]
1830 David Rohrer died on November 9, in West Hempfield Township, Lancaster County. [50] [51]
1832 Several heirs reported disbursement of their inheritance from the estate of David Rohrer of West Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County by executors John Rohrer and Christian Steineman, on August 4. The named heirs were David Rohrer, Magdalena wife of Christian Sherk, Henry R Musser, Maria Musser, and minor children of deceased daughter Elizabeth previously married to Peter Musser. Witnessed by George Musser and E Reigart. [52] [53]
1832 Joseph Rohrer of Stark County, Ohio, son and heir of David Rohrer, late of East Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, released claims against John Rohrer and Christian Steinman, administrators of the will of David Rohrer, on November 10. [54] [55]
1833 Daughter Mary, wife of Isaac Rohrer of Stark County, Ohio, released the executors of David Rohrer's will for their share of the inheritance, on November 9. [56]
1845 Three children; Anna Sterneman, Magdalena Scherch, and Elizabeth Musser; of Mary Sherk Rohrer, and their children, were named in the estate settlement of her brother, Jacob Sherk, the younger, of Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania [57]:
We Christian Sterneman and his wife Anna one of the seven children of Mary Rohrer dec'd who was one of the seven children of Jacob Sherek sen'r late of said township first deceased received the sum of seventy dollars and forty three cents. We John Sherek, Joseph Sherek, Christian Sherrick, Jonas Mumma and Catharine his wife, Mary Sherek, Samuel Moth and Nancy his wife, Joseph Nisley and Magdalena his wife, and Elizabeth Sherick, the eight of the nine children of Magdalena Sherch dec'd who was the wife of Christian Sherch and one of the seven children of Mary Rohrer, dec'd together and in equal shares according to their interests received the sum of seventy dollars and forty three cents. And we Henry Musser, Mary Musser, Joseph Musser, Christian Greider and Elizabeth his wife, and Jacob Greider and Anna his wife, the five children on Elizabeth Musser dec'd, who was the wife of Peter Musser and one of the seven children of Mary Rohrer, dec'd together and in equal shares of one thousand dollars agreed by the heirs of Jacob Sherch, the younger deceased by agreement and compromise to be paid out of his estate by his said administrator to the heirs and representatives of the said Mary Rohrer, dec'd and of Susanna Garber, late Sherch dec'd in estinguishment of their claims if any they have in the real estate lands and tenements of which the said Jacob Sherch the younger died seized by any rights whatsoever. …
1845 Four children of Mary Rohrer, deceased: John Rohrer of Wayne County, Ohio; Isaac and his wife Mary Rohrer of Stark County Ohio; Joseph Rohrer of Stark County, Ohio; and their attorney David Rohrer of Hancock County, Ohio, were named as heirs of the estate of Jacob Sherreck, the younger, brother of Mary Rohrer. [58]
Research Notes:
Our notes follow David Rohrer, in Lampeter Twp through 1785, and then in Hempfield Twp after 1786. We seek clarification about whether these were the same persons.
See Lancaster, Pennsylvania Mennonite Vital Records. [59] [60]
David Rohrer was named as an heir in the 1786 will of Elizabeth Rohrer, of Lampeter Twp, perhaps the widow of Johannes Rohrer of Lampeter Twp, who died there in 1772. We show Johannes and Elizabeth Rohrer as the parents of this David Rohrer, and seek further evidence about this possible relationship.
[1] Clyde Rohrer Herr, "The Rohrer Family Cemetery," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 11 (October, 1988), 7-12, at 10, E7, Names David Rohrer as a son of John Rohrer and Elizabeth Snavely.
[2] Thomas A. Sherk and James W Sherrick, "Joseph Scherch, Immigrant of 1727, and His Descendants," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 13 (July, 1990), 17-29, at 25, family C21, Born 1757, suggests that David Rohrer, married to Mary Sherk, was the son of John and Elizabeth Rohrer.
[3] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord].
[4] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Rohrer H128, [Website].
[5] Cylde Rohrer Herr, "The Rohrer Farm in Upper Leacock Township," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 16 (April, 1993), 14-24, at 14, person E7.
[6] Thomas A. Sherk and James W Sherrick, "Joseph Scherch, Immigrant of 1727, and His Descendants," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 13 (July, 1990), 17-29, at 25, person C21.
[7] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[8] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[9] Pennsylvania, Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[10] Thomas Lynch Montgomery, Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Volume 7 (Militia Lancaster) (1906), 41, [GoogleBooks].
[11] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 6 (Revolution 1777-1789, Lieutenants) (1896), 417, [InternetArchive], [GoogleBooks].
[12] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 6 (Revolution 1777-1789, Lieutenants) (1896), 456, [InternetArchive], [GoogleBooks].
[13] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 6 (Revolution 1777-1789, Lieutenants) (1896), 388, [InternetArchive], [GoogleBooks].
[14] Francis F. Fox, "Pennsylvania’s Revolutionary Militia Law: The Statute that Transformed the State", Pennsylvania History, Vol. 80, no. 2, Spring 2013, [URL].
[15] Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, [URL].
[16] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[17] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[18] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 17 (Lancaster Taxables) (1897), 751, of 751 and 752, [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[19] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[20] Pennsylvania, Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[21] Thomas A. Sherk and James W Sherrick, "Joseph Scherch, Immigrant of 1727, and His Descendants," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 13 (July, 1990), 17-29, at 25, C21.
[22] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[23] Pennsylvania, Septennial Census, 1779-1863, 1786, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[24] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[25] Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994, Lancaster, Will F-18, written in German, [FamilySearchImage].
[26] F. Edward Wright, Abstracts of Lancaster County Pennsylvania Wills 1786-1820 (2008), 188.
[27] USGenWeb, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Will Abstracts, [USGenWeb].
[28] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[29] United States Federal Census, 1790, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[30] Pennsylvania, Septennial Census, 1779-1863, 1793, person 148, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[31] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed 3K-494 to 497, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[32] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord].
[33] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord].
[34] Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798, entry 201, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[35] Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[36] Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[37] Pennsylvania, U.S. Direct Tax Lists, 1798, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[38] United States Federal Census, 1800, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[39] Pennsylvania, Septennial Census, 1779-1863, 1800, person 302, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[40] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, 1805, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[41] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, 1806, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[42] United States Federal Census, 1810, [FamilySearchImage], [FamilySearchRecord].
[43] United States Federal Census, 1810, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[44] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed 7-91, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[45] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, 1815, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[46] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, 1818, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[47] United States Federal Census, 1820, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[48] United States Federal Census, 1830, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[49] United States Federal Census, 1830, [FamilySearchImage], [FamilySearchRecord].
[50] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Rohrer H128, [Website].
[51] Thomas A. Sherk and James W Sherrick, "Joseph Scherch, Immigrant of 1727, and His Descendants," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 13 (July, 1990), 17-29, at 25.
[52] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed X5-271, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[53] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book X5, 271-272, [271], [272], [FHLCatalog].
[54] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed W5-187, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[55] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book W5, 187-188, [187], [188], [FHLCatalog].
[56] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book B6, 130-130, [130], [FHLCatalog].
[57] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book A7, 304-306, [304], [305], [306], [FHLCatalog].
[58] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book A7, 306-308, [306], [307], [308], [FHLCatalog].
[59] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[60] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].