German Migration to America: Johan Martin MOSER 1693-c.1743 Part Four

There are No coincidences!!! At least in this case, it is all connected. Back in Chapter One, remember that it was Daniel Falckner who wrote Accurate Tidings from Pennsylvania published in 1703. It was part travel information and part advertisement for Germans to immigrate to Pennsylvania. It may also be one of the “missives” referred to in the Diary of a Voyage: Rotterdam to Pennsylvania 1728 when the author writes: “O these liars!”

In 1704 Daniel FALCKNER became a legal agent of the Frankfort Company, along with Benjamin FURLEY who was William PENN’s land agent. This same Daniel FALCKNER is the founder of the first German Lutheran Church in America.

TIMELINE

• Between 1671 and 1677 William PENN visited Germany on behalf of the Quaker faith
• 1677 Benjamin FURLY, a Quaker Merchant, settles in Rotterdam. A friend of the famous Quaker George FOX and later agent to William PENN
• In 1681 King Charles II of England granted William PENN a large tract of land in America to offset debts owed Penn’s father, Admiral William PENN (that becomes Pennsylvania)
• Adam MOSER marries at Wörnitz, Bavaria
• 1693 Johan ‘Martin’ MOSER, son of Adam & is baptized at Wörnitz, Bavaria
• 1700 Daniel FALCKNER founds the first Lutheran Church in America 35 miles west of Philadelphia
• 1700 Adam MOSER, son of Adam and half brother to Martin is baptized at Wörnitz, Bavaria
• 1703 Daniel FALCKNER publishes his “Accurate Tidings from Pennsylvania” in German and is an agent for William PENN to recruit Germans to immigrate to Pennsylvania
• 1717 Martin MOSER marries Margaretha SCHWEMBAUER in Breitenau, Bavaria
• 1728 the Martin MOSER family and half brother Adam sail from Rotterdam to Philadelphia on the ‘James Goodwill’ with Reverend Caspar STÖEVER and his son.
• 1728 the Reverend Caspar STÖEVER and his followers from Germany settle at Daniel FALKNERs SWAMP, New Hanover, Pennsylvania
• 1734 Johan ‘Michael’ MOSER son of Martin and Margaretha is baptized by Reverend Caspar STÖEVER at
• 1743 Martin MOSER dies at New Hanover
• 1743 Martin MOSER’s daughter, Maria Barbara, receives her confirmation at the FALCKNER’s Swamp Church by Reverend Henry Melchior Muhlenberg

THE SWAMP LUTHERAN CHURCH

The New Hanover Lutheran Church, the original Falkner Swamp Church is located in New Hanover near Gilbertsville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania [originally Berks County] about 35 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The historical marker at the corner of Swamp Pike and Lutheran Road [pictured above] marks the location of the original church. You can see the newer 1787 church in the background on right. It was referred to as “der Schwamm” [the swamp] The marker reads:

“The first German Lutheran Church in America was organized here by Daniel Falkner about 1700. From 1742-1761 Henry Melchior Muhlenberg served as pastor The present building 1/4 mile NE was erected in 1767”

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

We can see from the plaque below that Daniel FALCKNER and both John Casper STOEVER Senior and Junior served here.

The following are selected excerpts from “A History of the Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania (1638-1820) From the Original Sources” by Theodore Emanuel Schmauk. These quotes document the relationship between William PENN, Daniel FALCKNER and Johan Caspar STÖEVER Senior and Junior. The MOSERs accompanied the two STÖEVERs on the ‘James Goodwill.’ They also tell the story of the new land and church that the MOSERs joined. Daniel FALKNER preached at Falkner’s Swamp from about 1704 until 1714. Johan Caspar STÖEVERs, father and son, came here with the MOSER family in 1728. Both were preaching sermons aboard the ‘James Goodwill’, although Junior was not ordained. He is refused ordination by Daniel FALKNER. He is ordained 2 years after his arrival. This solidifies that the MOSERs traveled with the STÖVERs from Germany to Philadelphia and then to Falckner’s Swamp. Moreover in researching all the families aboard the ‘James Goodwill’ the MOSERS are the only ones known to settle at New Hanover, which had already been settled in 1700. All the others settled in communities in about a 30 mile radius. A bit more on the early church.

“When finally he [Daniel Falkner] returned to Pennsylvania, he was accompanied by several theological students, among whom was his brother, Justus Falckner, who subsequently had the honor of being the first clergyman to be regularly ordained in the Western world…On the return trip to Pennsylvania in 1700 Daniel Falckner is supposed to have brought over with him the Germans who located in the Swamp and constituted the first
permanent Lutheran congregation in the Province. These Germans must have left England on May 25, 1700, and
arrived in Philadelphia during the first days of August. Daniel and Justus Falckner were the legal representatives of Benjamin Furly, the agent of William Penn in Amsterdam, for the sale of Penn’s land. Daniel Falckner was the legal representative of the Frankfort I, and Company, to whom Penn had sold the Manatawny district of 22,000 acres, in which New Hanover lay… This congregation of New Hanover, or Falckner’s Swamp—the name the whole region has continued to bear after its founder—is the oldest Lutheran one in Pennsylvania of which we have any definite record, and is still in active existence.” p121-134

“The Gemeindschaftliches Schreiben of 1754 mentions Falckner, with Henkel and Stoever, as pastors who had been active in Pennsylvania in the period under their discussion. This tradition must have referred to Daniel Falckner and to his work at Falckner’s Swamp. That Falckner was conscientious in his appreciation of the office of the holy ministry is seen from the fact that years afterward, in spite of the pressing need of ministers for the Lutherans, he refused ordination to at least two young men who presented themselves to him as candidates.” …One of these was John Casper Stoever [Junior], to whom he refused… after hearing the young man’s sermon, for reasons unknown to us.” p132

“The Lutheran Church at Falckner Swamp is a large, hill-sheltered and well-watered lowland, fertile as any English meadow, and constituting an extensive section of Montgomery County, that bears the name of Daniel Falckner as a perpetual memorial to the Lutheran minister who two centuries ago opened this tract for settlement and civilization, and who at that time founded on this spot the oldest still existing German Lutheran church in the land. Set five miles inland from the Schuylkill, thirty-six and twenty-one miles respectively between Philadelphia and Reading, and bounded on the north by a range of hills which in the early days the Indians made their main
thoroughfare, Falckner Swamp rests in the heart of a rich country like, secluded paradise. On the north of the
great hollow meadow rise the South Mountains. To the east we see the ridge on the bank of the Sciota Creek. On the south run the Stone Hills and on the west Fox Hills….Mr. J. F. Sachse, says One of the first things he [Daniel Falckner] did in the new settlement was to organize a congregation, build a church, and hold services according to the Lutheran ritual. This humble structure, a mere rude log-cabin, without any attempt at ornamentation or architectural beauty…When the Rev. John Caspar Stoever arrived in Pennsylvania in 1728, he undoubtedly preached to the Lutheran congregation in the Swamp…The first catechetical class recorded in the church book is that of 1743. The names of those confirmed at this time include Maria Barbara Moser —daughter of widow Moser [This would be Martin Moser’s daughter and the widow Margaretha] …In this year the congregation had 250 communicants. Some of these came from a great distance…The earliest baptisms recorded by the new pastor Muhlenberg are of the year 1744.” p135-165

“In 1731 Rev. Stoever began regular services and the congregation in the Oley Hills was organized. In 1732 the Old Goshenhoppen and the New Goshenhoppen churches in the Perkiomen district and the Conewago church in McAllistertown in Hanover, York County, across the Susquehanna were established. In 1731 five baptisms of Stoever are credited to Oley ; in 1732, 1 to Oley and 3 to Colebrookdale ; in 1733, 5 to Oley Hills and 3 to Colebrookdale. The difference in dates would indicate that he had made four or five trips each year for the purpose of holding services. p242

Caspar STÖEVER arrived in 1728. “We know that in the year 1729 he officiated at some marriages and baptisms at Philadelphia and at Lancaster. He was not ordained. There was no one at hand who was capable of examining or
ordaining, or even of administering the Holy Sacraments in Pennsylvania. Baptisms were administered in case of
necessity by laymen. Under such circumstances Stoever, meeting the desire of the people, began the pastoral office in what are now Montgomery, Lancaster and Berks counties. p248

The “Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever [Jr] : baptismal and marriage, 1730-1779” Schantz, Franklin Jakob Fogel 1896 contain only one baptism record for the three children of Martin and Margaretha MOSER born in America. That record is for Johan Michael MOSER son of Johan Martin MOSER born 30 May 1734 and baptized 6 June 1734 at New Goshenhoppen [about 5 miles NE of Falckner Swamp]. The sponsor is John MOSER & wife Eva [This is Johan Georg Phillip MOSER, Martin’s brother, as he is the only one we know with a wife Eva].

The other two children are Johan Phillip MOSER bc 1730 and Johan Burkhardt MOSER bc 1736. It is likely that there baptisms were solemnized by another minister or lay person. Rev. STÖEVER’s records inducate he traveled to the dozen or so churches in the area regularly. As we see above Johan Michael was baptized not at New Hanover but nearby New Goshenhoppen.

CHILDREN OF MARTIN & MARGARETHA MOSER

Born in Breitenau

• Maria Magdalena MOSER bpt 15 Mar 1718. Died 28 Aug 1718
• Unnamed Child stillborn/died 5 Jun 1719
• Maria Margaretha MOSER bpt 7 Jun 1720; married 1st 1741 in Salford, Montgomery, Pennsylvania to Jacob STEINBRUCH. Married 2nd 1756 Sebastian WERNER. Had 2 children
• Georg Fredrich ‘Frederick’ MOSER bpt 3 Mar 1722. Married at New Hanover 22 Apr 1750 Barbara LOESER (LUSER) Moved to Orange Co, North Carolina. Had 12 children.
• Maria Barbara MOSER bpt. 12 Dec 1723. Confirmation 1743 New Hanover, PA; Married 18 Nov 1760 in Goshenhoppen Church, Montgomery County, PA to Daniel GERHART
• Anna Margaretha MOSER and an unnamed twin who dies, born 1 Mar 1726, bpt 27 Mar 1726. Dies before fathers Will proved.
• Johan Leonhardt MOSER bpt 29 May 1727; married 5 Feb 1754 in Jordon Lutheran Church, Whitehall, Northampton, PA to Maria Margaretha LICHTENWALLER. Died 1807. Had 6 children

Born in Pennsylvania

• Johann Philip MOSER, born about 1730 in Pennsylvania. Married Maria Barbara KRANGELICH. Settled in Mosserville, Lynn Twp, Northampton (now Leigh Co). He died 1817. Had 9 children.
• Johann Michael MOSER, born 30 May 1734, Baptized 6 June 1734 at New Goshenhoppen, Montgomery Co. Confirmed at New Hanover 8 Apr 1750, age 16. Rev STÖVER called him Michael of ‘Atolhoe’, a church near Rehrersburg, Tulpehocken Twp, Berks Co; he moved to Nothkill, Berks Co Had at least 4 children
• Johann Burkhard MOSER, born about 1736 in Pennsylvania. Confirmation 8 Apr 1750, age 14 years, New Hanover. Married Maria Agatha LICHTENWALLNER. Settled in Mosserville. Died 1807 in Lynn, Northampton Co. Had 4 children.

The date of the confirmation of Maria Barbara MOSER is important as this helps to establish the date of Martin’s death as it states the parent as ‘Widow MOSER’. Gary MOSIER suggests that the confirmation happened 21 April 1743 and thus Martin’s death occurred before that date, perhaps in March. Martin likely died unexpectedly as there was no will. He would have been 50 at the time of his death. The Administration of his estate is dated in the body 6 April 1744. There is no property listed just a category improvements, which is odd. There are a horse and mare, 2 cows and calves, 3 sheep, hogs, Saddle & briddle, along with his clothes, Iron stove, Kitchen Goods, Hough & harrow, Axes, hoes etc. Disbursements went to his wife Margaretha Ł 11:10:10, children: Maria Margaretha [STANBROOK] , Maria Barbara, Philip Michael and Burhardt MOSER each received Ł3: 5: 11.5 and oldest son Frederick Ł6:11:10.5.

“Know all men by these presents that Margretha MOSSER, Benedict STROM, and Herman FISHER of Goshehopen in ye County of Philadelphia are held and firmly bound unto Peter EVANS, Register General for the Probate of Wills granting letters of administration & in the sum of three hundreth Pounds lawfull money of Pennsilva & dated the sixth day of October 1744. The condition of this obligation is such that if ye above bounden Margretta MOSSER, widow of Martin MOSSER her late husband, deceased, do make or cause to be made an inventory of all singular goods & which were of ye said deceased at ye time of his death & and further do make or cause to be made a true & just acct & calculation: or reckoning of the said Administration at or before the seventh day of October 1744.” (Margaretha MOSSER and Benedict STROM made their marks).

Widow Margaretha MOSER gave 3 shillings toward the bell at The Falckner Swamp Church in 1748. We know that Margaretha MOSER was alive 8 Apr 1750 when her two sons were confirmed at New Hanover. At that time she would have been 60 years old.

THE SURPRISE

While searching the records of ” Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever [Jr] : baptismal and marriage, 1730-1779 I was shocked to find not just the record of Johan Martin MOSER’s son Johan Michael but something I never in my wildest imagine would have guessed. My paternal grandparents Milo MOSER and Carrie HENAGER’s direct paternal ancestors, their 4th great grandparents are Johan Martin MOSER and Johan Michael HENNINGER, respectively. Each had children baptized by the Rev. Caspar STOEVER Jr.: the MOSERs in New Goshenhoppen, Montgomery County and twenty miles north the HENNINGERs in Maxatawny, Berks County. So during the years 1731-1750 my grandparents families lived a mere twenty miles apart, and my grandparents had no idea. And until yesterday either did I!

In the future I plan blog posts on Johan Martin MOSER’s ancestors in Germany and Austria and on his son Frederick MOSER who went from Pennsylvania to Orange county [later Alamanace] North Carolina.

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