c 1700 Cornelis Boumeester, View of Rotterdam.
A tile painting, composed of 33 Delft tiles (trimmed).
Courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston [1]
1727 John Forrer traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Rotterdam, Netherlands via Cowes, England.
1727 Johannes Forrer arrived in Philadelphia on October 16, from Rotterdam through Cowes on the ship "Friendship" of Bristol, mastered by John Davis. The ship started her trip on June 20, 1727, carrying Forty-six Palatines with their families, about two hundred persons. Henry Strickler, [Henrich Strickeller] who was a neighbor at John Forrer's death, and Christian Meyer, perhaps the father of Mary Meyer, were also on board. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Johan Vincens Mayer was listed adjacent (relationship unknown).
1727 Joannes Forrer was listed among the Palatines who came on the ship Friendship who made an oath of fidelity on October 16 at the Philadelphia Courthouse. [9] He signed his name "Johannes Forrer" on the naturalization petition. [10] [11]
c 1727 John Forry settled on land between Samuel Blunston's and the Garbers, along the southern base of Chestnut Hill in West Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County. [13] [14]
1736 Joseph Evans was granted 400 acres in Hellam Twp, York County on October 30. The land was labeled as part of Springetsbury Manor. The land was surveyed on May 16, 1771 by the heirs of Michael Kuntz. Adjacent landowners on the 1771 survey map were Heirs of Ulrich Strickler, Peter Gashaw Sr, Jacob Stens, James Horl, James Smith, and Hervy Kahnn. [15] [16] [17] [18] This land was transferred to John Furry in 1746, who transferred it to sons Jacob and Abraham by his will. Abraham sold his share to Henry Furry, brother of Abraham and son of John. A bridge across the Susquehanna River connected Columbia, West Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County with Hellam Twp, York County.
1741 John Furree, perhaps this John Forrer, received a warrant for 270 acres of land in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on July 1. A survey map, dated May 21, 1735, showed adjacent land owned by Henry Strickler, John Wright, Samuel Blunston, Jacob Balsley [19], Christian Carver, and Wsalla Sheleberger. The Lancaster Road ran through the land, as did an unnamed creek. John received a patent for the land on July 6, 1741. [20] [21] [22] [23]
1746 Hans Furrey received a warrant for 200 acres of land in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County on April 30. John Furrey was granted a patent for the land on May 30, 1749. A survey dated 1749, named John Furry with 402 acres all in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, and adjacent land owned by Joseph Shirk, Jacob Miller, Hugh Allison, and Henry Willer. [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] A survey dated 1741 of the tract of Joseph Shirk shows Jacob Miller adjacent and both bordering the iron Mine tract. [29]
1746 Evans assigned the property in Hellam Twp, York County, to Christian Croll on October 13. [30]
1746-1753 Croll assigned the property in Hellam Twp, York County, to John Furry. [31]
1748/9 Henry Strickler warranted 112 acres in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County on December 29. Adjacent land was owned by Samuel Blunston and Thomas Mayes. [32] [33] [34]
1752 John Furry, of Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, purchased lot 21 in the town of York at a sale, on July 30, by the sheriff. [35]
1753 John Forrer died in Hempfield Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His will was dated April 26, 1753 with probate on June 30, 1752. The will mentioned a wife, Mary, and six sons. The executors of his will were "brothers" Christian Furry and Abraham Meyer and "friend" Henry Strickler. He named his children in his will as John (who inherited the old homestead), David (who moved to Big Chikis where he erected a grist- and saw-mill), Jacob, Abraham, Daniel and Henry. The 350 acres of land in Hellam Twp, York County, Pennsylvania originally warranted to Mark Evans in 1736, thence to Christian Croll in 1746, thence to John Furrey; was left half to son Jacob and half to son Abraham (See the 1761 warrants). [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41]
1755 Christian Furry, Abram Myer, and Henry Strickler; administrators of the estate of John Forrer [Furrey], late of Hempfield Twp; sold land from the estate to Michael Sonn. The deed was dated January 7. The land had been patented on December 21, 1749 (See the 1746 PA Warrant)[42]. John bequeathed 100 acres to Michael Sonn (relationship unknown) in his last will and testament. [43]
1760 John Furry, Henry Neave, and Jacob Moyer were administrators for the estate and orphans of Christian Stoneman, who may have left no competent heirs. The land was sold to John Stoner of Hempfield Twp. [44]
1760 John Smith of Rapho Twp, Lancaster County settled water rights for 150 acres of land he had purchased of Joseph Shirk and John Furry, deceased, by his executors Christian Furry, Abraham Meyer, and Henry Stickler. John Shallenberger had full rights of overflow from his mill dam. [45]
1760 At the time of [son] Henry's decease, his mother, Mary, who was then an aged person, was living with him. She was then the widow of Christian Myers, by whom she had two children, Christian and Abraham. [46]
1761 The executors of the estate of son Henry Strickler sold land to son Jacob Strickler of Hempfield Twp on May 11. Executors were Henry Strickler of Hellam Twp, York County and Henry Neave of Manor Twp, Lancaster County. One tract in the estate was patented by Henry Strickler, deceased, on June 15, 1749, and was adacent to land of John Forrer. A second tract in the estate was patented by Henry Strickler on June 15, 1749, adjacent to land of Samuel Blunston. [47]
1761 Christian Stoner warranted 177.8 acres of land in Hellam Twp, York County on May 15. The patent was dated May 29 or June 4. This was the land mentioned in John Forrer's will of 1753. [48] [49] [50]
1761 Henry Furrey warranted 177.8 acres of land in Hellam Twp, York County on May 14. The patent was dated May 29 or June 3. [51] [52] [53]
1765 The executors to John Forrer's estate sold, on October 28, 135 acres of his 270 acres (patented 1741) to his son John and on the same day sold 135 acres to his son Daniel. The land was adjacent to Daniel Furrey, Christian Kerver, Jacob Balsly, and the Samuel Blunston estate (see the warrrant of 1741). David Furry got 402 acres in Hempfield next to Joseph Sherrick, Jacob Willar, Henry Willar, Hugh Allison, and Michael Sonn (see the warrant of 1746). [54] [55] [56]
1794 John Forry, David Forry, and Daniel Forry were named as sons and heirs in the will of John Forry, as recounted in a deed concerning the heirs of son Daniel. [57]
Research Notes:
See Mennonite Records. [58] [59]
Maria Meier was born about 1713. She married Johannes Forrer of Hempfield Township. [60]
The Forrer's were early settlers in Hempfield Twp. A historical sketch reports [61] [62]:
The land back from the river was mostly settled by the Germans: the Forry's, Strickler's, Shirk's, Garber's, &c. Their first purchases were from an old woman of the name of Mary Ditcher, who used to go through the country making what was then called improvements. These improvements consisted in piling a few sticks together, setting them on fire, and hanging a pot over; this was considered a first right; if they could then pay for the land they had the privilege of keeping it. This Mary Ditcher appears to have been a singular person. She used to wander through the woods in a sheep-skin dress, leading an old horse, her only property, with her knitting in her hand. The township in which Columbia is situated, was called Hempfield, from the great quantities of hemp which were raised in it.
An iron mine was later active at Chestnut Hill, as suggested in the 1746 note about John's land warrant. A geology website for Chestnut Hill, West Hempfield Township, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania shows some of the typical ores found there. [63]
[1] Cornelis Boumeester, View of Rotterdam, A tile painting, composed of 33 Delft tiles. (about 1700–20, Courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), [MFA], [MFA terms of use].
[2] 1675 Francis Place, Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight (Used with permission from the Victoria and Albert Museum), [Victoria and Albert Museum].
[3] Ralph B. Strassburger, William J. Hinke, ed., Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. 1 (1934, Pennsylvania German Society), 16, [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[4] John B. Linn and William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Volume 17. (Oath of Allegiance 1727-1775) (1890), 11, upper left, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[5] I. Daniel Rupp, A Collection of Upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776, 2nd ed. (1875), 55, upper left, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust].
[6] Daniel Rupp, Names of immigrants in Pennsylvania from Germany, Switzerland, Holland, France and other countries from 1727 to 1776, [AncestryImage].
[7] The Olive Tree Genealogy Palatine Passenger listings, Palatine Ship Friendship 1727 passenger list, [OliveTreePalatineShips].
[8] Thomas Jefferys, George Heap, An east prospect of the city of Philadelphia; taken by George Heap from the Jersey shore (London: 1768), [LibraryOfCongress], [LibraryOfCongress Catalog].
[9] Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, Vol. 3 (1852), 290, [HathiTrust].
[10] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Forrer H1, [Website].
[11] Names of Foreigners Who Took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province and State of Pennsylvania, 1727-1775, [AncestryRecord].
[12] Nicholas Scull, George Heap, A Map of Philadelphia and Parts Adjacent with a Perspective of the State House (Philadelphia: 1752), [LibraryOfCongress], [LibraryOfCongress Catalog].
[13] Franklin Ellis and Samuel Evans, History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches (1883), 877, left column, bottom, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust].
[14] H. M. J. Klein, ed. and E. Melvin Williams, Lancaster County Pennsylvania, a History, Vol. 1 (1924), 172.
[15] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, A30-121, [PASurveyBookLinks].
[16] Neal Otto Hively, The Manor of Springettsbury, York County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 6 (1993), 176, citing the Blunston license to Mark Evans described in survey S-329.
[17] Mrs. Harry Royes, "Blunston's Licenses," Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 12 (1933), 62-70, at 68-69, names Mark Evans and Joseph Evans.
[18] William Henry Egle, Pennsylvania Archives, Third Series, Volume 4 (Draughts of the Propretary manors) (1895), 170, Springetsbury Manor map lists John Evans and Robert Evan as original landowners, [InternetArchive].
[19] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, C009-92, [PA Survey Map], [PASurveyBooksIndex].
[20] Pennsylvania Land Warrant, Lancaster County, F-43, [PHMC Warrant].
[21] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, A-89-227, [PA Survey Map], [PASurveyBooksIndex].
[22] Bureau of Land Records, Pennsylvania Land Patent Books, A9-388, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[23] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed L-240 to 242, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[24] Pennsylvania Land Warrant, Lancaster County, F-132, [PHMC Warrant].
[25] Pennsylvania, Land Warrants and Applications, 1733-1952, [AncestryRecord].
[26] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, A-52-16, [PA Survey Map], [PASurveyBooksIndex].
[27] Bureau of Land Records, Pennsylvania Land Patent Books, A15-376, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[28] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book D, 258-260, [258], [259], [260], [FHLCatalog].
[29] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, C182-168, [PA Survey Map], [PASurveyBooksIndex].
[30] Neal Otto Hively, The Manor of Springettsbury, York County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 6 (1993), 176.
[31] Neal Otto Hively, The Manor of Springettsbury, York County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 6 (1993), 176.
[32] Pennsylvania Land Warrant, Lancaster County, S571, [PALandWarrantLinks].
[33] Pennsylvania Land Patent, A14-512, [PAPatentBookLinks].
[34] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, C185-252, [PASurveyBookLinks].
[35] York County, Pennsylvania, Deed A-90, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[36] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Probate Records, Will B-10, [FamilySearchImage].
[37] USGenWeb, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Will Abstracts (Gateway website), B-10, [USGenWeb].
[38] Pennsylvania, Will and Probate Records, [AncestryRecord].
[39] Pennsylvania, Will and Probate Records, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[40] Franklin Ellis and Samuel Evans, History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches (1883), 877, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust].
[41] Neal Otto Hively, The Manor of Springettsbury, York County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 6 (1993), 177.
[42] Pennsylvania Land Patent, A15-376, [PAPatentBookLinks].
[43] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book D, 258-260, [258], [259], [260], [FHLCatalog].
[44] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book F, 112-117, [112], [113], [114], [115], [116], [117], [FHLCatalog].
[45] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed M-39, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[46] Franklin Ellis and Samuel Evans, History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches (1883), 877, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust].
[47] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book G, 142-145, [142], [143], [144], [145], [FHLCatalog].
[48] Pennsylvania Land Warrant, York County, S155, [PALandWarrantLinks].
[49] Pennsylvania Land Patent, AA1-306, [PAPatentBookLinks].
[50] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, C200-38, [PASurveyBookLinks].
[51] Pennsylvania Land Warrant, York County, F27, [PALandWarrantLinks].
[52] Pennsylvania Land Patent, AA1-290, [PAPatentBookLinks].
[53] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, A45-280, [PASurveyBookLinks].
[54] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed L-240 to 242, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[55] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed L-242 to 243, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[56] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed L-244 to 245, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[57] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed TT-86 to 91, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[58] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[59] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord].
[60] Richard Warren Davis, Mennosearch.com Family Notes, Meyer D1121?, [Website].
[61] Jacob I. Mombert, An Authentic History of Lancaster County (1869), 366, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust], [InternetArchive].
[62] John F. Meginness et al, Biographical Annals of Lancaster County Pennsylvania (Beers: 1903), 529, [sic, 607], mentions John Forrer and son Daniel, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].