Abraham Shelly

  Noted events in his life were:

• Moved, 26 Jun 1672. I moved to Friedelsheim, Germany. I was a tenant along with Christian Hirschi, Hans Jakob Muller and Heinrich Kochnaur who were fellow Mennonite believers.

• Persecuted, Abt 1726. My Mennonite friends and I were being persecuted for our beliefs, so we fled to Holland.

• lived, Abt 1730. ⁷⁹⁵ I lived next to Peter Rittenhouse on about 25 acres. He was very much interested in the colony known as Pennsylvania in the American colonies. My sister Adelheit and her husband, Christian Hirschi had already immigrated to the colony in 1717. My sons Abraham, Christian, Jacob and Daniel had either already immigrated or were planning on immigrating, so I joined them.

Many foreigners had, prior to the issuing of Anne's proclamation, determined to seek refuge in America. “The Canton of Bern, in Switzerland, had employed Christopher de Graffenried and Lewis Mitchel or Michelle, as pioneers, with instructions to search for vacant lands in Pennsylvania, Virginia or Carolina. One of these, Michelle, a Swiss miner, had been in America, prior to 1704 or 1705, traversing the country to seek out “a convenient tract to settle a colony of their people on.” He was among the Indians in and about Conestoga during 1706 and 1707, “in search of some mineral or ore,” and “ he and his associates built a fort not far from Connejaghera, many miles above Conestogo.”

No actual settlements had been made prior to 1709 in Lancaster County; but a few whites had abodes among the Indians on the Susquehanna. These were Indian traders and all Frenchmen. About the year 1707, a number of my fellow persecuted Swiss Mennonites went to England, and made an agreement with the Honorable Proprietor, William Penn, at London, for lands to be taken up. Several families, from the Palatinate, immigrated to America and settled in Lancaster County in the year 1709. My fellow Mennonites commenced a settlement in 1710. The pioneers were Hans Meylin, his son Martin, and John Hans Herr, John Rudolph Buddely, Martin Kendig, Jacob Miller, Martin Oborholtz, Wendel Bowman and others, who came to Conestogo in 1709. They selected a tract of ten thousand acres of land on the north side of Pequea creek, and shortly afterwards, procured a warrant for the same. It is dated October 10, 1710-the warrant was recorded, and the land surveyed, the 23rd of the same month. The 27th of April 1711, the Surveyor General, at the request of the first purchasers, subdivided the said ten thousand acres, “into so many parts as they had previously agreed upon.” In virtue of the agreement with William Penn, and by permission of the Deputy governor, Honerable Charles Gookin, they commenced making improvements before a warrant had been issued, and that while some were felling trees, removing underbrush, building cabins, others went to Philadelphia to obtain a warrant for their choice tract of woods.

I will include their agreement here for posterity:
“By the commissioners of property-Whereas we have agreed with John Rudolph Bundely, Martin Kendig, Jacob Miller, Hans Herr, Martin Oberholtz, Hans Funk, Michael Oberholtz and one Wendel Bowman, Swissers, lately arrived in the Province for ten thousand acres of land, situate on the northwesterly side of a hill, about twenty miles easterly from Connystogoe, near the head of Pecquin creek, for which said land, they are to pay the sum of five hundred pounds, sterling money of Great Britain, in manner following: that is to say, the sum of one hundred pounds , part thereof in hands, at ye issuing of these presents, the sum of one hundred pounds more thereof (together with forty-eight pounds like money, being the interest of four hundred pounds for two years) at the end of two years and six months, from the time of the survey of the said lands, (one-half year's interest of the whole being abated), one hundred and eighteen pounds further, part thereof with interest, included within one year, then next after one hundred and twelve pounds (the interest being included) further part thereof, within one year, then next after, the sum of one hundred and six pounds full residue thereof, that of all interest for the same, within one year, that next following, so that the said five hundred pounds and interest, as aforesaid, is to be paid in six years next after the time of survey. And also that the said purchasers, their heirs and assigns, shall pay unto the proprietary and Governor, William Penn, his heirs and assigns, the sum of one shilling sterling aforesaid, quit-rent yearly forever, for every hundred acres of the said ten thousand acres of land, and that said purchasers shall have said lands free of quit-rent for the two first years next after the survey thereof, and the said purchasers requesting of us a warrant for the location and survey of the said land aforesaid. These are, therefore, to authorize and require thee to survey or cause to be surveyed, unto the said purchasers, the full quantity of ten thousand acres of land (with reasonable allowance for roads and highways) in one entire tract, at or near the place aforesaid and subdivide the same (if they request it) into so many small tracts or parts as they shall agree or appoint to each of them his respective share to be holden by the purchasers, their heirs and assigns, under the rents, payments and agreements aforesaid, subject to distress for the said rent in case of non-payment; and of thy transactions and doings in the premises, by virtue of these presents thou art to make such returns into the Secretary's office, with all reasonable expedition. Given under our hands and seals of the province, the tenth day of the eighth month at Philadelphia, A.D. 1710.
Edward Shippen
Griffeth Owen
Thos. Story
“To Jacob Baylor, Surveyor General.
“Warrant Book, 1700-1714, p 229.

On the 23rd of October, the land was surveyed and divided among the Meylins, Herrs, Kendigs and others of the company.

By warrant, dated July 5, 1712, there were surveyed, November 1, 1712, Pequea, now Strasburg Township, for Amos Strettle, 3380 acres, who afterwards sold it in smaller tracts; the principal persons to whom he sold prior to 1734, were Henry Shank, Ulrich Brackbill, Augustine Widower, Alexander Fridley, Martin Miller, George Snavely, Christian Musser, Andrew Shultz, John Fouts, Jacob Stein, John Hickman, John Bowman, Valentine Miller, Jacob Hain, John Herr, Henry Carpenter, Daniel Ferree, Isaac Lefevere, Christian Stoner, John Beiers, Hans Lein, Abraham Smith, John Jacob Hoover, Septimus Robinson, Samuel Hess, Samuel Boyer, John Musgrove.

My Mennonite brethren having determined to send for their friends in Europe, a council of the whole society was called, at which their venerable minister and pastor, Hans Herr, presided, and after fraternal and free interchange of sentiment, much consolation and serious reflection, lots, in conformity to the custom of the Mennonites, were cast, to decide who should return to Europe for the families left behind and others. The lot fell upon Hans Herr, who had left five sons, Christian, Emanuel, John and Abraham This decision was agreeable to his own mind; but to his friends and charge it was unacceptable; to be separated von ihrem prediger, from their preacher, could be borne with reluctance and heaviness of heart only. They were all too ardently attached to him to cheerfully acquiesce in this determination. Reluctantly they consented to his departure-after much anxiety manifested on account of this unexpected call of their pastor from them. Their sorrows were alleviated by a proposal made on the part of Martin Kendig, that should they approve, he would be willing to take Hans Herr's place. They all agreed to this arrangement. Without unnecessary delay, Martin went to Philadelphia and there embarked for Europe. After a prosperous voyage of five or six weeks, he reached the home of his friends where he was received with apostolic greetings and salutations of joy. Having spent some time in preliminary arrangements, he along with a company of Swiss and Germans bade a lasting adieu to their old homes and dissolved the tender ties of friendship with those whom they left behind. His company now included Peter Yordea, Jacob Miller, Hans Tschantz, Henry Funk, John Houser, John Bachman, Jacob Weber, Schlegel, Venerick, Guldin and others. Their fathers and friends all cordially embraced them when they arrived in their new country.

On September 10, 1712, the commissioners met to decide whether to grant 10,000 acres of land to the Palatines, by their warrant dated the 6th and 8th of September 1710. In pursuance thereof, there was laid out to Martin Kendig, an additional 2,000 acres towards Susquehanna of which the general surveyor has made a return. This tract of land was eventually purchased by the following brethren: Henry A Carpenter, Ferre Brinton, John C. Lefevere, Joseph L. Lefevere, Jacob Hershey, Christian Leman, Henry and Jacob Brackbill, Theo. Sherts, Isaac B. Burrowes, Jacob Eshelman, Christian Hershey, Messrs. Witmer, R. Conyngham, Esq., R. Taggart, Philip Foster, Henry Shertz, John Shertz, F. S. Burrowes, D. Lefevre.

The Swiss settlement received an augmentation in 1715, 1716 and 1717; besides those already named, were Hans Mayer, Hans Kaigy, Christian Hearsey, Hans Graaf, Hans Pupather, Michael Shank, Henry Pare, Peter Leman, Melchoir Breneman, Benedictus Witmer, Henry Funk, Jacob Landis, Ulrich Houry, Hans Faber, Isaac Coffman, Melchoir Erisman, Michael Miller, Jacob Kreutzer, Jacob Boehm, Theodorus Eby, Michael Donegar, and others.

During the year 1727, more than a thousand Palatines arrived in Pennsylvania; among these were the names of Diffenderfer, Ekman, Meyer, Bowman, Eberlee, Zug, Shultze, Funk, Frantz, and others.

• Taxed, 1734. ⁷⁹⁶ I was taxed on land in Germantown, Philidelphia Co, Pennsylvania in 1734

Abraham married * Christina Bachmann, daughter of * Michael Bachmann and Unknown, on 27 Nov 1684 in Rathendorf, Leipzig, Sachen, Germany. (* Christina Bachmann was born about 1663 in Rathendorf, Leipzig, Sachen, Germany and died about 1730.)