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Eleventh Generation
1648. John KREIDER
was born in 1704 in Ittlingen, Germany. He emigrated in 1724 from
Ittlingen, Germany. He died in 1779 in Lebanon County, PA.
He was a farmer / blacksmith. The Snitz Creek
From what has been said it will be seen that the Kreiders owned the land along
Snitz Creek from the present farm of Adam Houck on the east to the Campbelltown
trolley line on the west, following the windings of the stream likely fully two
miles. Because of the extensive holdings of the Kreiders along this stream, it
at one time was known as Kreider's creek; but the dried apples got the better
of the Kreiders. Different explanations are given as to how the creek got its
present name. One is that a man came to a farm along the stream to buy "snitzes"
(Funk & Wagnalls in their New Standard Dictionary fail to appropriate the
word). He was told that they had only seventeen bushels, and they were afraid
that they would not have more than they needed for themselves. Surely that was
enough to give name to anything. Another story runs thus: A man had a bag of
"snitzes" on his wagon and had to cross the stream. In some way the
contents of the bag was spilled into the water. The "snitzes" floated
and swelled till the name Kreider was driven from the waters and their own imparted
thereto. John and Jacob Croyder took warrants for land in Lebanon township on
the same day, June 3, 1741. We have considered Jacob. On that day John took out
a warrant for 300 acres. On August 26, 1742, John Croyter took out a warrant
for 200 acres; on June 12, 1751, John Croyter took out a warrant for 100 acres;
and on Oct. 18, 1758, John Kreiter, for 20 acres. These Johns were likely all
one and the same person, at least the first two. This John Kreider bought land
in two different localities. One tract was on Snitz Creek, immediately west of
the 585 acres taken by the family of Jacob Kreider; the other was at the present
towns of Cleona and Fairland, both towns being largely built on his tract. One
and the same patent deed, granted several years after the lands were taken up,
confirmed to John Kreider both tracts of land. John erected his buildings where
now stand the buildings of the Lorenzo Laudermilch farm. His house was likely
of logs, and likely the barn also. Whether he built the same year he received
his warrant (1741) of course we know not. Perhaps he and his brother Jacob were
over here and spied out the land even before this. The Indians had sold to the
Penns only nine years before 1741. The Kreiders were among the very early settlers.
When John built for his son Jacob or Jacob built for himself on his fathers lands
in 1766, the eastern part of J. S. Kreider's present house, the material was
still logs. Surely John built of logs. There is a tradition that John was here
before Jacob, perhaps he had promise of all the Kreider lands along Snitz Creek,
for the tradition is to the effect that John said that he would give his brother
some of the land if the brother would come over. If there is anything in this
tradition, John must have said this before both had warrants for land here. Perhaps
John was here living in his log cabin several years before 1741. We regard him
as the John, along with Michael and Jacob, taxable in Conestoga township in 1724.
He may have been, likely was, one of the first Mennonites of Conestoga who turned
eyes to the north across the mountain, to the land of promise. John, the settler,
must have been married twice, because on July 6, 1769, "John Cryder, the
Elder of Lebanon township, yeoman and Barbara his wife," transferred to
Jacob Cryder "for and in consideration of the natural Love and Affection
the bearing for and towards their son the said Jacob Cryder." Surely Barbara
was the mother of Jacob. But on February 22, 1776, John and "Anna his wife."
transfer to "their son Henry" a tract of 173 acres. It was the same
John but surely another wife.
The following excerpted from a speech given at the occasion of the 50th anniversary
of the founding of the United Brethren Church in York, PA -Chap. 18 of the Kreider
Family History: John, who resided across the Cornwall Hills, was a blacksmith
by trade, in connection with farming, and it was necessary for the brother [Jacob,
the settler] residing in Lebanon township to visit him twice a year to secure
his smith work, and as there were no public roads across this mountain, it was
necessary for him, on his journey, to mark and blaze the trees, so as to find
his way back, which required no small amount of labor. He eventually proposed
to his brother John to take up his residence in his neighborhood, and if he did
so, he would at a nominal price, give him a fine farm out of his large plantation.
This was accepted and John Kreider became a citizen of Lancaster county, north
of the mountain often called South Mountain, which is now in the present Lebanon
county. - Francis 1 2 3 1649. Barbara.Children
were:
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