Barbara Yoder

  Noted events in her life were:

• Childhood. I grew up on my father's farm in Lower Milford Township, Bucks County known to us as “The Great Swamp.” The “Great Swamp” region of Bucks County is located in the Northwestern corner of the county and includes the Townships of Milford and Richland and extends north into LeHigh County and west into Montgomery County. The land was very rich and suitable for growing crops. The land became more valuable after the timber was cut down and the swampy land was drained. Many wild animals roamed this land and rattlesnakes were in abundance. These unwanted creatures bit many farmers, so to combat them the men wrapped their legs in grass to ward off the deadly bites of the rattlers. There were Indians in this area until 1770, mostly living in small groups along the Swamp Creek.

Barbara married Michael Shelly, son of Abraham Shelly and Elizabeth Unknown, about 1750. (Michael Shelly was born about 1728 in Milford Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania and died in Sep 1758 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.)

  Marriage Notes:

Children John SHELLY b: Abt. 1751 Anna SHELLY b: Abt. 1753 d. infancy Michael SHELLY b: Abt. 1756 Elizabeth SHELLY b: Abt. 1757 m. Jacob Landis

SHELLY, MICHAEL. Lower Milford, Co. of Bucks, Pa. Yeoman. June 14, 1756. October 24, 1758. L.182. Wife: Barbara. Child: John. Brother: John. Father-in-Law: John Joeder. Exec: John Joeder, John Shelly. Wit: Samuel Landes, Jacob Bidler (his mark), John Kocken.



Father: JOHN JR. YODER b: ABT 1708 d. 1782 Upper Saucon Township, Northampton County Mother: Anna Maria Bachman\Bauman b: ABT 1710

In 1759 Barbara married Valentine Noldt. b. 1727 Germany d. February 1, 1794 Lower Milford Township, Bucks County, PA

Barbara is buried in Saucon Mennonite Cemetery, Coopersburg, upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County, PA


The surname of Yoder is derived from the Alemannic given name o f Theodor which comes from a Greek word meaning "man of God." Th e first known bishop in Switzerland was Saint Theodorus and he d ied around 393 A.D. Later his name became Saint Joder. As far ba ck as the forth and fifth centuries, the Joders settled on the r ight shore of the Emme River in an area that became known as "Jo der Hubel," or "Joder Hill" and the elevation is 9,870 feet at t his site. This hill was made into a walled stronghold to protec t the Joder clans down through the years. In the village of Hutt wil, a Ulli Joder and his son, Heini Joder, are recorded as th e highest taxed families. In about 1385, a Heini Joder moved t o Steffisburg, Switzerland, which is in the southern part of th e Emmental. These Yoders lived here approximately eleven generat ions before they joined the Widertäufer (Anabaptists) and then w ere forced to leave their homeland in search of religious freedo m. The Steffisburg Joders were mostly farmers, but also involve d in a variety of trades.

As early as 1734 , one John and Anna Yoder came to "Penn's Woods" and took land d uring the reign of King George II of England. The land was par t of a land grant of William Penn. Later, the Mennonites petitio ned for and were granted township for the area that became Milfo rd Township in Bucks County and Upper Saucon in Lehigh County.

Ancestry.com Irwins of PA and IA

YB1-John (Hans) Jr. Yoder/Joeder (both found on documents) S-b ca 1708 died Mar or Apr 1782 near Coopersburg,Upper Saucon Twp.,PA mAnna Maria Bachman Originally settled in Milford Twp. John Yoder, Jr. bought several tracts of land in Northampton Co. (now Lehigh Co.)(3 tracts of land from his father Hans [John]) and later sold them to his three sons. According to the PA Land Warrants and Patents, John Yoder on October 24, 1738 bought 175 acres (Patent Index A and AA:v19? A1p231); on January 29, 1739 bought 199 acres (vA9p450); on July 11, 1741 bought 50 acres (v9p450; and on March 14, 1743 bought 105 acres (vA11p175). One of the tracts was next to the Saucon Mennonite Church. All his land was in Upper Saucon Twp. Near the present town of Coopersburg. John and his wife were members of the Saucon Mennonite Church. The Will of Casper Yoder was probated in Northampton Co., PA on October 5, of 1798. (YNL). Bur: Saucon Mennonite Cemetery (supposed). - Executor John Joeder of Will: L:182,14 6 1756, 24 10 1758 Michael Shelly, Lower Milford, Co. of Bucks,PA Yeoman. June 14, 1756. Oct. 24, 1758. Wife: Barbara. Child, John. Brother, John. Father-in-Law, John Joeder. Exec: John Joeder, John Shelly. (Philadelphia Co.,PA Wills 1682-1819)

YB-Hans (John Sr.) Yoder of Great Swamp-b ca1680 Europe - d1753 Lower Milford Twp., Bucks Co., Pa - mAnna_______ d1753 or soon after,Milford Twp.,Bucks Co.,PA (or was it Barbara Berger???) Hans/John Yoder Sr. was born in either Switzerland or Germany around 1680. He died in Lower Milford Township, Bucks County, PA, but his death date is unknown. (Ancestry Com #10478) He married Anna ____ (maiden name, birth and death dates unknown). He purchased a tract of 99 acres in Lower Milford Township, Bucks Co., PA (then known only as "The Great Swamp") from Joseph Growden of Trevose, PA on January 17, 1720 for fifteen pounds current silver money. Hans of Great Swamp LAND RECORD says "11/22/1724, Minute Book "I" John Nich. Sentz & Hans Yoder request the grant of 100 acres of land at Sawcany." p726, Early PA Land Records edited by William Henry Egle. (Yoder Newsletter,n40, Oct.2002; Donald Honeywell) Pennsylvania Land Warrants and Patents has a record of purchase of 100 acres and another entry for 51 acres with no dates. (PA Land Warrants and Patents:v1). Then on Janunary 4, 1737, is a record of purchase for 250 acres.



The "Great Swamp" region of Bucks Co., PA is located in the Northwestern corner of the county and includes the Townships of Milford and Richland and extends north into LeHigh County and west into Montgomery County. The early settlers found the land to be very rich and very suitable for growing crops. The land became more valuable after the timber was cut down and the swampy land was drained. Many wild animals roamed this land and rattlesnakes were in abundance. Many farmers were bitten by these unwanted creatures and, to combat them, the men wrapped their legs in grass to ward off the dealy bites of the rattlers. There were Indians in this area until 1770, mostly living in small groups along the Swamp Creek.

Milford Township (Upper Bucks), was settled by Mennonites about 1715, so named from Menno Simon, a prominent reformer of Friesland, Germany, born 1492, and died in Holland, 1559. They were mostly from the Palatinate, whither religious persecution had driven them from Switzerland and Alsace. They were poor, but industrious and frugal, and soon provided homes for themselves and their families. There are few indigent among them, and no one in good standing will accept public alms. The first minister in the county of this denomination, was Valentine Clemmer, as early as 1717, and attended the first Mennonite conference in America, held at Skippack or Franconia in 1724. He represented the church at the "Great Swamp" (History of Bucks Co., p434). The earliest services were held in private houses, the first church building not being erected until 1735, built on the land of William Allen. September of 1730 "Hans of Great Swamp" signed a petition calling for a road to be built from the new Meeting House to Montgomery Road. (YNL). In 1771, a second building was erected for the Swamp church, a mile east of the originalone. In 1847, the Mennonites became divided and were known as the Old and New Schools. The Mennonites landed at the port of Philadelphia, PA. They worked their way up the Perkiomen Valley of Montgomery Co. and settled in the "Great Swamp." Hans Yoder, Sr. was one of the early settlers.

A petition was presented to the Assembly in 1734 from the "Inhabitants of Bucks Co.," stating the petitioners were from Germany, and having purchased lands, they desired naturalization that they may hold the same and transmit them to their children. John Yoder, Sr. and his son, John Yoder Jr., names were on the petition (Bucks Co. Pioneers of the 18th Century, Westchester Library; Bucks Co. History, p425,426). John Yoder, Sr.'s name was on the first plat of survey returned to the Court September/October 1734 for Milford Twp. On the back of the draft, it is endorsed "Bulla," the name the petitioners desired their township to be called (History of Bucks Co., p429). In 1747, Hans was a coexecutor of Samuel Shoup's will, but signed a letter of renunciation stating that he was ancient and not fit to travel in ye winter season. In 1748, he was one of the three people who took inventroy for the estate of John Landis (his friend & neighbor), a Mennonite farmer of Lower Milford Twp.

Hans Yoder was one the the signers for the last Will and Testament of Jacob Clemmer of Lower Milford Twp. It was probated on 11/11/1751. He signed his name: John Joder Sinior (Sr).

Out of the diary of David Schultze, a surveyor from Montgomery Co., PA-Nov. 20, 1750: Went to Great Swamp and surveyed for Herwick Ackerman, Zwiewitz, & Hamsel Yoder in Saucon Twp. (YNL, Issue 16, Oct. 1990)

On 12/8/1750, Hans and Anna sold their farm to their son, Casper, for twenty pounds current money. The Bucks and Philadelphia, PA court houses have been searched to locate the will of Hans, but one cannot be found.

Out of the diary of David Schultze, a surveyor from Montgomery Co., PA-July 1782: Old Hansel Yoder on Upper Saucon, died earlier this year, in March or April. (YNL, Issue 16, Oct. 1990)

Hans and Anna were Mennonites and donated tghe land for the Saucon Mennonite Meeting House. (YNL, Issue 37,p8 Yothers Family)

Note: Mennonites-The Mennonites established their first congregation in Bucks Co. in 1735 in the northwestern part of the county, known as the Swamp Church of Milford. Later a meeting house was built in Bedminster. In 1746, a church was given to the followers at the Deep Run settlement. In 1752, a log building was erected for worship in the northwestern part of New Britain. The Perkasie or Milltown meeting house was built in 1753, Gehman's in Rockhill in 1773 and in Springfield ca 1753/1765. There are no known records of birth, marriage, or death.

YB1-John (Hans) Jr. Yoder/Joeder (both found on documents) S-b ca 1708 died Mar or Apr 1782 near Coopersburg,Upper Saucon Twp.,PA mAnna Maria Bachman Originally settled in Milford Twp. John Yoder, Jr. bought several tracts of land in Northampton Co. (now Lehigh Co.)(3 tracts of land from his father Hans [John]) and later sold them to his three sons. According to the PA Land Warrants and Patents, John Yoder on October 24, 1738 bought 175 acres (Patent Index A and AA:v19? A1p231); on January 29, 1739 bought 199 acres (vA9p450); on July 11, 1741 bought 50 acres (v9p450; and on March 14, 1743 bought 105 acres (vA11p175). One of the tracts was next to the Saucon Mennonite Church. All his land was in Upper Saucon Twp. Near the present town of Coopersburg. John and his wife were members of the Saucon Mennonite Church. The Will of Casper Yoder was probated in Northampton Co., PA on October 5, of 1798. (YNL). Bur: Saucon Mennonite Cemetery (supposed). - Executor John Joeder of Will: L:182,14 6 1756, 24 10 1758 Michael Shelly, Lower Milford, Co. of Bucks,PA Yeoman. June 14, 1756. Oct. 24, 1758. Wife: Barbara. Child, John. Brother, John. Father-in-Law, John Joeder. Exec: John Joeder, John Shelly. (Philadelphia Co.,PA Wills 1682-1819)

http://members.a1above.net/krob/yoder.htm

All American Yoders whose ancestry is known or suspected trace their lineage to the Joder clan in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. They are a very old family, apparently of Germanic-Swiss stock, yet the name comes from St. Theodore (Theodorus, Theodulus) a missionary monk who in the fourth century crossed the Alps from Italy to bring the Gospel to the Valais country in southern Switzerland. This patron saint was held in ever greater reverence as time went on, and we hope in forthcoming Newsletters to give more on the story of his life and influence and of St. Joder items and places still existing today.

Joderhuebel (Yoder Hill) is a natural fortress on the Emme River in the southern part of the canton of Bern. Since it was so named as far back as anyone can remember and Joders were said to have lived there in the middle ages, researcher Karl Joder of Ludwigshafen-am-Rhein (West Germany) believes the family must have lived there before recorded history. The oldest record he has found is of a Peter Joder born in Joderhuebel in 1260. In 1389 a grandson Ulli Joder and his son Heini were among the heaviest taxpayers at Huttwil, a town about thirty miles north. Karl Joder is confident that the Joders found later in nearby towns can be traced back to Ulli ... including those of the town of Steffisburg.

Steffisburg, located near Thun south of Bern, is truly the home place of many American Yoders and in discussing our European origins we shall refer to Steffisburg again and again. Here Joders lived for generations- as farmers, brewers, millers and other varying occupations. They were active in the affairs of both church and state and a number of heraldic banners (coats-of-arms) are set in stained glass at the old Steffisburg church, which was the center of a large parish. The town was not only a center for the State Church (Swiss Reformed), but for the Anabaptist sympathizers as well, who believed in the separation of church and state.

As in many instances where people must choose between differing ideas, the Joder family had members on both sides of the religious fence. Many were quite prominent participants in Reformed Church activities, and others were attracted to the Anabaptists.

From Steffisburg, Joders of both groups migrated north at the end of the 17th century and early decades of the l8th. They settled in Neustadt, Annweilerhof, Oggersheim, Mussbach, and Eppstein in the Palatinate of west central Germany. The Anabaptists (known as Swiss Brethren and later Mennonites ... and the followers of Jacob Amman from nearby Erlenbach who came to be called ''Amish") fled at the turn of the century for refuge in not only the Palatinate, but Alsace-Lorraine as well. Many of the Anabaptist group in particular eventually moved on to America.

Yoder Newsletter Online Volume 1, Number 1 - May, 1983