Become Farmers
Our Sixth Great-Grandfather
In the 1700's, shiploads of Germans arrived in Philadelphia and by 1790, almost half of SE Pennsylvania was Deutsch. No matter what work these folks did in Germany almost all had become farmers, as our 6th Great-Grandfather Georg Christoph did. Georg C. went from being a vintner to a 55 year old farmer and after only four years of clearing and plowing, passed away and was buried in Stouchsburg, PA. Conrad Weiser, an interpreter who had lived with Mohawks and also spoke German and French lived nearby and harvested grapes. Perhaps Georg C. was also able to grow them. It is assumed Georg built his home on land he found by following the well worn Tulpehocken-Shamokin Trail along the Schuylkill River. Later his oldest son John George was issued a warrent for land ownership August 16, 1751.
I admire Georg C's spirit. Georg Christoph, born in Steinham or Marbach was 5 when his parents and siblings died in 1693, one younger sister survived. Marbach burned to the ground at that time of war. We don't know who cared gor him. He married Maria Catherina Scheelkopt and lived in Steinheim until age 55. Imagine at his late age leaving Germany for a foreign frontier to start over for the sake of your children so they would not have a life of deprivation, conscription and religious persecution. His family has had opportunity and freedom and we thank him. We are proud to be his ancestors.
The Landis Valley Farm in Lancaster, PA is a living museum showing how Germans continued to use skills from the homeland to succeed in the Middle Colony of Pennsylvania. Imagine having to make everything from red clay or hemp. You cleared it, pulled out the rocks, planted it and harvested, over and over and over...(until you ended up in Stouchsburg).
Valley Forge National Park
Valley Forge (named after the metal forges found there) is the site of the severe 1777-1778 winter camp of the Continental Army and George Washington. Here Friedrich von Steuben, another Prussian like George Christoph, was hired by the Continental Congress to drill and organize the untrained Continentals into a viable fighting force. This is considered the beginning of the professionalization of our army and ultimate success against the British. After leaving Valley Forge the Continentals beat General Cornwallis at Monmouth, NJ. This proved what von Steuben had accomplished in only six months.
I was unable to find a Horoldt, Harold or Herrold on the Revolution Muster at Valley Forge however Georg Christoph's grandson John (Georg Stophel Herrold's son) trained with the Continentals at Elder's Ford, PA.
"All the fresh eggs we can eat"
Landis Farm Guesthouse
Built in the 1760's, this stone house is the original farmhouse on the Landis farm. After staying one night in this simple two BR, one BA, very creaky floored old house next to a corn field, we had a better understanding of how a more prosperous farming family might have lived.
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