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Spouse: Daniel BRUBAKER. Children were: Christian BRUBAKER.
Katie STAUFFER was born on Dec 23, 1895. She died on Jun 4, 1984.
Spouse: Jay Albert SHERK. Jay Albert SHERK and Katie STAUFFER were married. Children were: Morris Nissley SHERK.
Susannah STAUFFER2 was born on May 6, 1700 in Ibersheim, Germany. She died on Feb 3, 1758 in Hempfield Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa. From Richard Davis:
It has been speculated that Christian Stauffer (b. 1663) was married to a Brubacher because of the association of Stauffers and Brubakers in Pennsylvania. There is no proof as yet that he was indeed married to a Brubacher. The first name of Maria was made up. There is no proof. The birth date of Susanna Stauffer of 6 May 1700, I believe may be bogus. It is also unproven that Susanna was a daughter of Christian Stauffer (b. 1663). There are three possible (Mennonite) fathers for Susanna. The three most likely candidates are as follows: Christian Stauffer (b. 1663) who was living in Ibersheim in the 1690s and early 1700s. Daniel Stauffer (b. 1666) who was living at Gerolsheim in the late 1690s and early 1700s. Daniel Stauffer (b. 1657) who was living at Branchweilerhof in 1682 and 1685. He may be the Daniel Stauffer who was the tenant of the Muckenhaeuserhof near Alsheim and Ibersheim in 1710. Recent research shows that Christian Stauffer (b. c1694-1743) of Muckenhauserhof (and later Bolanderhof)was the step-brother of Johann Jacob Brubacher (b. 1692)of Muckenhauserhof (and later Albisheim) It's possible that his father married the widow Brubacher and thus the close association of the Stauffers and Brubachers in Pennsylvania.
From Frank Duff:
I can refer you to the Rohrbachhaus also known as the Rohrhof in Ibersheimerhof, Germany where the Stauffers have resided for 9 generations. The home there was built by Christian Stauffer. His wife was Maria said to be the daughter of the Brubakers but was adopted into a different family and may have married with that name. The family there I was able to visit with and they have tons of records on the family including Susannah Stauffer as the daughter of the Rev. Christian Stauffer. I can also refer you to the Mr. Richard Davis, the preeminent Stauffer Mennonite researcher in the world. He has authored nearly all widely accepted books and articles on the family. His research also indicates that Susannah was the daughter of Christian of Ibersheim. He also provides reasons and evidences that eliminate both Daniel Stauffers as the father of Susannah. Susannah's birth is not bogus and was at one time on her tombstone along with her death date. If the post was indeed from Richard Davis, he has did a 180 in his research since his last publication! But he has done that before.... In fact we have had our differences over the years with the Strickler family and some source data. For instance he insited that it was Hans Heinrich Strickler who immigrated to Germany and even printed a book with that data despite my telling him he was wrong. So I had to go and spend two weeks tracking down the data from the Swiss Archives that clearly showed that Heinrich never left HIrzel and lived and died in the same house where he was born and raised his children...
From MennoSearch.com:
Henry Strickler, b. c1703. d. 5 May 1761, Hempfield Township, Lancaster County,
Pennsylvania. He was married in Germany to Susanna Stauffer, probably the daughter
of Daniel Stauffer. She died 3 Feb 1758 at Hempfield Township, Lancaster County.
Henry and Susanna arrived in Philadelphia on 16 Oct 1727 on the ship "Friendship"
with a large group of Mennonites.
Spouse: Heinrich STRICKLER. Children were: Heinrich, Jr. STRICKLER.
Anna STECKLEY was born on Mar 28, 1891. She died on Feb 9, 1983. She was buried in Kutz Cemetery, Carlisle, Pa.
Spouse: Abram Niesley LEHMAN. Abram Niesley LEHMAN and Anna STECKLEY were married on Feb 2, 1959.
Ella M. STECKLEY was born on Jan 12, 1887 in Ontario, Canada. She died on Jul 1, 1976 in Carlisle, PA. She was buried in Kutz Cemetery, Carlisle, Pa.
Spouse: Jesse Niesley LEHMAN. Jesse Niesley LEHMAN and Ella M. STECKLEY were married on May 1, 1912. Jesse was a farmer, a school teacher, a dairy man and then finally a building contractor. Among other things, he built the Carlisle BIC church (1947), Hoffman Hall at Messiah College and the first Messiah College Library in 1952. Children were: Melvin Arthur LEHMAN, Miriam Ruth LEHMAN, Walter Steckley LEHMAN, Rhoda Grace LEHMAN, Earl Marlin LEHMAN, Roy Edwin LEHMAN, Alma Lucille LEHMAN, Helen Marie LEHMAN.
Mary E. STECKLEY was born on Apr 2, 1892 in Markham Township, Ontario. She died in 1958. She was buried in 1958 in Kutz Cemetery, Carlisle, Pa.
Spouse: Abram Niesley LEHMAN. Abram Niesley LEHMAN and Mary E. STECKLEY were married on Apr 3, 1918. Abram and Mary took over the home farm when his parents moved to Florida in 1924. Abram also did carpentry work with his brothers. Children were: Ferne Arlene LEHMAN, Ruth Naomi LEHMAN, Pearl Leona LEHMAN, Carl Willis LEHMAN, J. Wilmer LEHMAN, Lorne Bruce LEHMAN, Sara Ann LEHMAN, Abram Niesley LEHMAN Jr., Ethel LEHMAN.
Anna STEINER1,2 was born in Langau, Canton Bern, Switzerland.
Spouse: Christian BRACHTBUHL. Children were: Anna BRACHBUHL.
Anna STEINER was born in 1749 in Signau, Bern, Switzerland. She died on Mar 13, 1805 in Magny, Belfort, France. Parents: Hans Johannes STEINER and Verena HABEGGER.
Spouse: Christian BOESIGER. Christian BOESIGER and Anna STEINER were married. Children were: Johannes BOESIGER, Christian BOESIGER, Anna BOESIGER, Catherine BAISIGER, Ulrich BOESIGER, Barbara BOESIGER.
Barbara STEINER was born in 1753 in Signau, Bern, Switzerland. She died on Apr 12, 1795 in Liestal, Basel, Switzerland. Parents: Hans Johannes STEINER and Verena HABEGGER.
Catherine STEINER was born in 1744 in Signau, Bern, Switzerland. She died on Feb 8, 1816. Parents: Hans Johannes STEINER and Verena HABEGGER.
Catherine B. STEINER was born on Dec 15, 1834 in Wilmot Twp., Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. She died on Jan 21, 1869 in Wilmot Twp., Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Parents: Ulrich STEINER and Elizabeth BOSINGER AKA BASINGER.
Spouse: Daniel S. GEIGER. Daniel S. GEIGER and Catherine B. STEINER were married on Apr 10, 1855 in Wilmot Twp., Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Children were: Aaron S. GEIGER, Elizabeth_Lizzie S. GEIGER, Maria GEIGER, Lovina S. GEIGER, Barbara GEIGER, Menno GEIGER, Daniel GEIGER, Catherine GEIGER, Miranda GEIGER, Amos GEIGER, Saloma GEIGER.
Christian STEINER was born in 1756 in Signau, Bern, Switzerland. He died on Apr 3, 1814 in Boron, Belfort, France. Parents: Hans Johannes STEINER and Verena HABEGGER.
Daniel STEINER was born in 1747 in Signau, Bern, Switzerland. He died on Jan 26, 1811. Parents: Hans Johannes STEINER and Verena HABEGGER.
Elisabeth STEINER was born in 1758 in Signau, Bern, Switzerland. She died on Jan 29, 1824 in PA. Parents: Hans Johannes STEINER and Verena HABEGGER.
Hans STEINER was born in 1746 in Switzerland. He died on Jan 13, 1806 in Florimont, Belfort, France. Parents: Hans Johannes STEINER and Verena HABEGGER.
Hans Johannes STEINER.
Spouse: Verena HABEGGER. Hans Johannes STEINER and Verena HABEGGER were married. Children were: Catherine STEINER, Hans STEINER, Daniel STEINER, Maria STEINER, Anna STEINER, Barbara STEINER, Christian STEINER, Verena STEINER, Elisabeth STEINER.
Maria STEINER was born <1748 in Signau, Bern, Switzerland. Parents: Hans Johannes STEINER and Verena HABEGGER.
Ulrich STEINER was born on Jun 28, 1800 in Alsace. He died on Sep 4, 1857.
Spouse: Elizabeth BOSINGER AKA BASINGER. Ulrich STEINER and Elizabeth BOSINGER AKA BASINGER were married in 1827. Children were: Catherine B. STEINER.
Verena STEINER was born on Dec 24, 1757 in Oberoenz, Bern, Switzerland. She died on Dec 4, 1826 in Laufelfingen, Basel, Switzerland. Parents: Hans Johannes STEINER and Verena HABEGGER.
Spouse: David GEIGER. David GEIGER and Verena STEINER were married about 1783 in Bern, Switzerland. Children were: Peter GEIGER, David GEIGER, Johannes GEIGER, Christian GEIGER, Magdalene GEIGER, Ulrich GEIGER, Daniel GEIGER.
Mary STEINLEY was born in Jun 1920.
Spouse: Linford CASSEL. Children were: Don Lynn CASSEL, Larry Jay CASSEL, Gerald Lee CASSEL, Mary Louise CASSEL, Richard Dale CASSEL, Christina Joy CASSEL, Harold CASSEL, Michael CASSEL.
Mary STICKLEY was born in 1804. She died in 1867.
Spouse: Jacob HEISE. Jacob HEISE and Mary STICKLEY were married. Children were: John HEISE.
Brenda Sue STILTNER was born on Nov 25, 1948.
Spouse: Joseph Roger LEHMAN. Joseph Roger LEHMAN and Brenda Sue STILTNER were married on Jun 5, 1971. Children were: Stephanie Marie LEHMAN, Venessa Gaile LEHMAN.
Sandra L. STITT was born on Feb 27, 1953.
Spouse: Wendell Bruce LEHMAN. Wendell Bruce LEHMAN and Sandra L. STITT were married on May 30, 1978. They were divorced.
Patricia STOCKWELL.
Spouse: William Neil CASSEL. William Neil CASSEL and Patricia STOCKWELL were married on Sep 2, 1959.
Johannes Tobias STOEVER1 was born on Feb 11, 1751. He died on Aug 26, 1824. Parents: Rev. John Caspar ((i1728.9.11)) STOEVER and Maria Catarina MERCKLING.
Spouse: Hannah ZIMMERMAN. Children were: John STOEVER.
John STOEVER1 was born on Jan 19, 1788. He died on Sep 15, 1874. Parents: Johannes Tobias STOEVER and Hannah ZIMMERMAN.
Spouse: Maria LONG. Children were: John STOEVER.
John STOEVER1 was born on Jun 24, 1809. He died on Mar 18, 1884. Parents: John STOEVER and Maria LONG.
Spouse: Sarah RAUCH. Children were: Mary Ann STOEVER.
John Kaspar STOEVER1 was born in 1684. He died in 1738.
Children were: Rev. John Caspar ((i1728.9.11)) STOEVER.
Mary Ann STOEVER1 was born on Mar 5, 1840. She died on Jun 20, 1881. Parents: John STOEVER and Sarah RAUCH.
Spouse: Levi
FUNCK. Levi FUNCK and Mary Ann STOEVER were married spring of 1864.
Levi served in the Civil War. After returning from the war, he married Mary
Ann Stoever (Spring, 1864).
Levi and Mary were farmers. After Mary died, Levi married Elizabeth Gundrum
Fasnacht who was the widow of Leonard Fasnacht. Levi was blind when he married
Elizabeth. Levi lived in a small house in the hollow on the east side of Ono
Rd. very near the intersection of Hill Church Rd. and Ono Rd. In later years
he lived in the house at 125 Lancaster St., Annville, PA. When he died, he was
buried at Hill Church cemetary where Mary was buried.
The history of PA Volunteers 1861-65 Vol. 4 by Bates has the following information.
A Company commanded by Capt. George Meily was gathered at Jonestown. A detachment
was enlisted in Lebanon by Lt. W.D.Ranck. They were commanded by Lt. John Light
and joined the 152nd Regiment.
Levi was a corporal with Company H of the 152nd Regiment of the PA Volunteers
3rd Heavy Artillery Unit. He entered into service on Sept. 23, 1862 and was
discharged on a Surgeon's certificate on Mar. 16, 1863. The 152nd regiment rendezvoused
at Philadelphia. Company H was ordered to duty in the defense of Baltimore, where,
with the exception of being sent to the front upon the occasion of the battle
of Gettysburg in July, 1863, it remained during its entire term of service. Levi
served under Capt. Wm. D. Rank. He was not in the battle of Gettysburg.
Children were: John S. FUNCK.
Rev. John Caspar ((i1728.9.11)) STOEVER1 was born on Dec 21, 1707 in Ludorf, Solingen Amt, Germany. He died on May 13, 1779 in Lebanon County, PA. BIOGRAPHY: Born LŸdorf, Solingen Amt, Duchy of Berg, Unter Pfaltz (Lower Palatinate) Married Maria Catarina Merckel, 1715.5.14 1795.10.7 on April 8, 1733 Died Lebanon Co., PA See "An Account of the Ancestry and Descendants of Johann Caspar Stoever ofPennsylvania", by Vernon Stiver. Both buried Hill Lutheran Church Cem. Cleona, PA. First German Lutheran minister ordained in America
Occupation Minister. Buried: Hill Lutheran Church, Lebanon Co., PA. Ordained in Lutheran Church 04-08-1733, same day as his marriage. John Caspar Stoever (II) was the first ordained German Lutheran Minister in America. He was ordained on his wedding day, April 8, 1733. His father was also ordained the same day. He was naturalized by the act of March 29, 1735. This gave him all rights, privileges and advantages of natural-born subjects of the Province of Pennsylvania. Parliament passed a law making it possible for the courts to grant British citizenship to foreigners. John Caspar Stoever, (II), became a naturalized citizen on the 24th of September 1741. Earl Town became the center of Pastor Stoever's activities until 1742. At this time John Caspar Stoever, (II) changed his residence from Earl Town to Lebanon Township, Lancaster County, PA. John Caspar Stoever, (II) and several other men formed the Lebanon Land Company. They purchased large tracts of land and later gave some land to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, called Salem Church. John Caspar Stoever, (II) was a well-dressed colonial pastor and an educated man full of energy and ambition. While he was an educated man, his manner was sometimes violent and rough. He started numerous churches and accumulated a large amount of wealth. He served as scribe for the people on civil matters, such as deeds; many of the old deeds of Lancaster County are in his handwriting. In 1762, he was authorized by the government to issue marriage licenses and then to perform the marriages. Arrived in America aboard the ship James Goodwill on Sept. 11, 1728.
Johann Caspar Stoever II was born on 21 Dec 1707 in Ludorf, Amt. Solingen, Duchy of Berg, Germany. He was born on 21 Dec 1707 in Ludorf, Solingen Amt, Duchy of Berg, GERMANY. He died on 13 May 1779 in Lebanon Co., PA. He died on 13 May 1779 in Lebanon Co., PA. He has reference number 306. He was buried in Hill Lutheran Church at Cleona, PA. A Lutheran minister, may have died on May 31st. Parents: John Casper, Sr. Stoever and Gertraudt. Parents: Johann Kaspar STOVER\Stoever I. and Gertraudt ______.
He was married to Maria Caterina MERCKEL on 8 Apr 1733 in Trapp, PA. Married on the day John was ordained. He was a chaplain in the Revolutionary War, D.A.R. #304398. They had 11 children. Children were: John Casper Stoever III , Maria Catarina Stoever, Anna Margaretha Stoever, Anna Christina Stoever , Sophia Magdalena Stoever, Anna Maria Stoever, Johann Adam Stoever, Tobias Stoever, Johannes Stoever, Johann Frederich Stoever, Johann Frederich Stoever .
Dabringhausen is a parish in Rheinland, Germany. Luedorff is presumably the village.
From "German Lutheran and Reformed Churches in the Pennsylvania Field, 1717-1793" by Charles Glatfelter:
John Casper Stoever the younger. Lutheran. According to his autobiography, was born December 21, 1707, at Luedorff, Berg, Lower Palatinate. Son of John Casper Stoever the elder. Studied Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French and theology under a succession of teachers, including his father and four pastors, one of whom was Valentine Kraft. Arrived in Philadelphia September 11, 1728, in company with his father. After one signature to the required oaths, there is the abbreviation "Miss.," while after the other there is "S.S. Theol. Stud." They arrived just thirty days after the death of Anthony Jacob Henkel.
In his autobiography, Stoever wrote that, during the voyage down the Rhine and across the ocean, he had preached on Sundays and that, upon his arrival in Pennsylvania, he had continued to do so. Taken literally, these words mean that there was no break in this activity on his part, and that Stoever became a preacher in the Pennsylvania field--if not a pastor--in September 1728. Given the recent death of Henkel, there was a pressing need (and it was also a growing need) for both preaching and administration of the sacraments. Probably Stoever did not begin his or personal register of baptisms and marriages, in the form in which we now have it, until after 1740, about the time he began opening registers for several of his congregations. The earliest baptism he entered--though not necessarily the first which he performed--was dated November 19, 1729. Between then and December 1731 he performed fifty-nine which appear in the register. The earliest marriage entered--though again not necessarily the first performed--was dated March 18, 1730. He recorded ten marriages performed in that year and an equal number in 1731. There are no lists of communicants and confirmands in his record. It is possible that he did not begin administering communion and confirming until after he was ordained, but the heading of his marriage register demonstrates the position he believed he held in the spring of 1730: "Record of persons united in Matrimony by me, John Casper Stoever, Evangelical Lutheran Minister in Pennsylvania, Anno 1730."
Sought to regularize his ministry by receiving ordination. The Swedish Lutheran clergy refused him, arguing that they had no authority from their church in Europe for such an act. Nor did they offer to seek the necessary permission to examine and ordain him, as they might well have done. Stoever next turned to Daniel Falckner, pastor in New Jersey, who in 1731 listened to him preach a sermon and then also refused his request. Shortly before this, and after an irregular ministry of three years, Philip Boehm had secured the assistance of Dutch Reformed pastors in New York in obtaining his ordination in 1729 according to established Reformed procedures. Probably Stoever knew that there was no possibility of similar help for him from the Lutheran pastor in New York, William Christopher Berkenmeyer, to whom an unordained man performing pastoral acts in places to which he was not regularly called was anathema.
About this time there is an unexplained gap in the entries in Stoever's register. No baptisms were recorded between March 1732 and January 1733, and no marriages between May 1732 and April 1733. By the time the entries resumed at the normal level later in the year, Stoever had achieved his objective. On April 8, 1733 Christian Schulz, who had arrived in Philadelphia about six months earlier, ordained both Stoevers, father and son, to the ministry. The ceremony took place in the barn at Providence in which the congregation was worshiping at the time. The father, whose whereabouts between 1728 and 1733 are still not entirely accounted for, then returned to his Virginia congregation. The younger Stoever may have promised Schulz to serve his three congregations until his return from a trip to Europe in search of financial and other help.
Married April 8, 1733, on the day of his ordination, Maria Catharine Merkel (1715-1795). They had eleven children.
Schulz's departure for Europe in 1733 and his failure to return left Stoever the only ordained German Lutheran pastor in Pennsylvania until the arrival in August 1742 of his former teacher, Valentine Kraft. "At the present time," wrote the representatives of Schulz's congregations in 1739, "there is not one German Lutheran preacher in the whole land except Casper Stoever, who is now sixty English miles distant from Philadelphia."
Schulz's three congregations, which united to send him to Europe in 1733, were Philadelphia, New Hanover, and Providence. Stoever served them for two years. For Philadelphia he began two registers in 1733. His last recorded communion in the provincial capital occurred in June 1735. Sometime after he cast his register into its present form, Stoever added to the record by entering the name of a place (not necessarily an organized congregation) with which he identified the recipients of his pastoral acts. Among the places named for the years before he withdrew from the three congregations were Germantown, Goshenhoppen, Maxatawny, Manatawny, Colebrookdale, Oley, and Moselem.
In or about 1735 Stoever moved the center of his activity into the Conestoga settlement. On March 7 of that year (1734 by the Old Style calendar), the proprietors granted him a warrant for 200 acres on a branch of Mill creek in Lancaster county. The survey made on May 10, 1736 enclosed a tract of 295 acres, for which Stoever secured a patent deed on November 11, 1741. (Lancaster Warrant S-85; Copied Survey C-182, p. 186; Patent A-9, p. 474, BLR). This land was located a short distance south and west of the present Lutheran church in New Holland. Stoever's pastoral activity in Conestoga began as early as 1730. He was instrumental in organizing four congregations in the settlement at some time between 1730 and 1743. These were, with the approximate period of his pastorate in each case, Muddy Creek (c. 1733-1759), Earl township (c. 1733-1744), Lancaster (c. 1733-1742), and Warwick (c. 1743-1754). The beginnings of Stoever's labors here coincided roughly with those of the Reformed Conrad Templeman, who explained to the Holland fathers in 1733 how the Reformed in the Conestoga settlement had begun meeting for worship in 1725, how Philip Boehm came to administer the sacraments, and how the steady growth of the settlement had led to the formation of six preaching places, or congregations. Stoever may have assisted in a similar development among the Lutherans in the Conestoga settlement.
Along with eight other residents of Lancaster county, Stoever was naturalized by the act of March 29, 1735 and thus acquired "all rights, privileges and advantages of natural-born subjects" of the province of Pennsylvania. In 1740 Parliament passed a law making it possible for provincial courts to grant British citizenship to foreigners. John Casper Stoever of Lancaster county took advantage of this statute and was naturalized on September 24, 1741. (NFP, p. 17)
While Unknown in Conestoga, Stoever also preached in the Tulpehocken settlement, where his activity at Reed's church had begun about 1735. His work there was characterized by frequent contention and several resorts to the civil authorities by both friends and foes. His supporters withdrew from Reed's in 1742 and began building Christ, Tulpehocken. Before the church was completed, however, they quarreled with their pastor and dismissed him. Nevertheless, Stoever's presence and influence in and near this settlement continued to the end of his life. At one time or another he was pastor at Little Tulpehocken (1742-1760s, 1774-1779), Northkill, Blue Mountain, and Atolheo (1746-1757).
As early as 1735, Stoever began crossing the Susquehanna river to perform pastoral acts in the Kreutz Creek and Codorus settlements. He began a register for the Codorus Lutherans in 1741 and entered about 200 baptisms before withdrawing two years later. Beginning in 1735, prompted in all probability by his father's absence from his Virginia parish, he extended his visits west of the river to include the Conewago and Monocacy settlements as well as Hebron and other places in Virginia. During the next seven years he followed this route abut twice annually, and extended his ministrations to non-Germans. For example, in 1735 and 1737 he baptized five children of Thomas Cresap, an agent of the Maryland proprietors who figured prominently in the Maryland-Pennsylvania border conflicts then raging in York county.
A second important move for Stoever took place in or about 1743. On June 6 of that year he sold the property on Mill Creek. (Lancaster County Deed N, p. 448). On March 6, 1744 (1743 by the Old Style calendar) the proprietors granted him a warrant for 300 acres in Lebanon township, now in Lebanon county. On October 2, 1745 they issued a second warrant for 100 acres for "an addition to his other Land Situate in Lebanon Township." The interest and quitrent for the land covered by the first warrant were scheduled to begin in 1737, which means that either Stoever or someone else had begun to improve it about that time. The survey made on April 2, 1745 for both warrants included 376 acres 104 perches along the Quitopahilla creek, for which Stoever secured a patent deed on December 22, 1752. (Lancaster Warrants S-353 and S-450; Copied Survey A-1, p. 282; Patent A-17, p. 224, BLR) This land was located in the Quitopahilla settlement, between Annville and Lebanon, and about twenty-five miles northwest of his first farm. Stoever's Reformed colleague and friend in Conestoga, Conrad Templeman, took up land and moved into the area at about the same time.
While Stoever continued to serve some of his congregations in Conestoga and Tulpehocken, the move into the Quitopahilla settlement meant an eventual, significant rearragement in his parish. Probably about 1740, Stoever had organized the Lutherans in a union church at Quitopahilla and about 1752 he organized Bindnagel's both of which congregations he was serving when he died in 1779. If there was a Lutheran church at Swatara, he was undoubtedly its pastor. In any event, he did serve two congregations which were successors to Swatara: Fredericksburg (c. 1766-c.1774) and Jonestown (c.1765-1779). There may have been a third such congregation: Ziegel, which he served from about 1765 to about 1774. Beginning about 1750, there was a church named Grubben, near Lebanon, of which he was the Lutheran pastor. When the town of Lebanon was laid out and settled, he became pastor of the Lutheran congregation there. Although he continued to serve it from its organization until his death, there was almost continuous division among the members, and Stoever often had to share the pulpit with other pastors.
There is evidence that in the 1730s and 1740s Stoever had a conception of and concern for a developing Lutheran church in Pennsylvania. The wide extent of his activity is such evidence. In addition, he did try to interest at least one religious leader in Europe, John Philip Fresenius, in sending ministers and other forms of help for the Pennsylvania field. After the death of Casper Leitbecker in 1738, he may have had a part in trying to persuade Bernard van Dieren to come to Tulpehocken. For a few years after Valentine Kraft came into Pennsylvania in 1742, he and Stoever tried to cooperate with each other and several other ministers in a joint effort to improve conditions, but they accomplished little. Kraft and Stoever probably ordained David Candler for the work west of the Susquehanna river, but unfortunately the latter died the next year. Clearly, Stoever was not as successful as Philip Boehm who, once he secured regular ordination, worked indefatigably against heavy odds to interest a European church in committing substantial aid to the Pennsylvania Reformed, and who kept at it until such aid was forthcoming.
The man who brought substantial help to the Lutherans was Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, who arrived in late 1742 with a regular call to the three congregations in the Philadelphia area which Stoever had left seven years before. The two men, who were about the same age, developed an immediate dislike for each other. As early as January 1743, Muhlenberg wrote in his journals that "a certain man, named Stoever, who calls himself a pastor, slandered Mr. Zigenhagen and me to one of our deacons." (MJ 1:84) Four years later, for reasons unknown, Muhlenberg wrote Stoever a most presumptuous letter, stating that "it has been my desire that Your Reverence might be a useful tool in our church in Pennsylvania," but for that to happen, "by means of a real, inner conversion of heart," he would have to "repair the manifold evils which you have introduced among the unconverted, distracted youth, partly on account of incompetence for your high and important office." He hoped that Stoever would "proceed honestly to acknowledge the countless mass of sins which you have heaped up, partly in your own person and partly in connection with the office which you have assumed, and you will repent of them as sins." Following repentence, he promised "we shall offer Your Reverence our assistance in every possible way and acknowledge and receive you as our brother and colleague." Muhlenberg also proposed that Stoever undertake an extensive course of reading in theology and church history, offering to lend him the necessary books, some of whose titles he included in his letter. (Quoted in Lutheran Church Quarterly 21(1948)::180-182)
Apparently the Hallensians were not satisfied with the progress of Stoever's rehabilitation by the time of the first ministerium in 1748, at which one of the topics discussed was "why other so-called preachers, as Stoever, Streiter, Andreae, and Wagner were not invited." (DH, p. 11) Two years later, partly because of the advice given him by his father-in-law, Conrad Weiser, who was well-acquainted with Stoever, Muhlenberg was ready to invite him to the forthcoming meeting. But, if we can believe his journals at this point, his colleagues insisted that the invitation must be for an informal conference after the meeting, an arrangement which Stoever understandably rejected. In recounting these events in his journals, Muhlenberg came about as close as he ever did to showing an appreciation for the pioneer work of his colleague. "Mr. Stoever, in the first years of his ministry, before there was any other preacher here, devoted a great deal of diligence and labor to his ministry," he wrote, "consequently his honorable life in the early years and his dishonorable life in recent years up here and farther down in the country are almost balanced in the eyes of the simple country people." (MJ 1:243)
The doubts were not all on one side. In 1753 Fresenius informed Gotthilf August Francke that Stoever had written to him several times, asking whether he and Tobias Wagner "should connect themselves with the men sent out from Halle," since "the people called the Halle men Pietists and Moravians" and they themselves had questions about their orthodoxy." (Quoted in Lutheran Church Review 12 (1893):187-188). When, after a hiatus of six years, the ministerium was revived in 1760, and Wagner had returned to Europe, Stoever put in an appearance at the meeting as an uninvited guest--a clear indication of his dissatisfaction with an independent ministry. Finally, in 1763 his name was placed on the roll.
Between 1763 and 1773, when he last attended, Stoever was present for six of the seven ministerium meetings for which minutes or other records have been preserved. Relations between him and the Hallensians appeared at last to have become genuinely warm. When Muhlenberg visited him near Lebanon in 1769, he said he was "entertained in Christian and hospitable fashion," even though he arrive late at night and had to rouse the Stoevers out of bed. After examining his host's library, Muhlenberg marveled at finding "a collection of theological books, both new and old, such as I had not expected to find in a remote country district." (MJ 2:421) Yet, when Muhlenberg prepared a lengthy letter to Halle in 1778, describing the conditions of the Halle missionaries and the other pastors then associated with them in the ministerium, he ignored Stoever entirely. Strange as it seems, there is simply no mention of his name. Muhlenberg summed up what may well have been his conviction all along when he wrote in 1780, after Stoever's death, that "as long as the old preacher, Mr. Stoever, was Unknown, he was prejudiced against the Halle Ministerium." (MJ 3:377)
After joining the ministerium, Stoever continued to make changes in his parish. From about 1763 to 1765 he served Heidelbergtown or Schaefferstown. In 1768, at the request of the ministerium, he took over four congregations previously served by Theophilus Engelland (Bishop's, Hill or Maxe, Hummelstown, and Middletown) and served until other arrangements could be made for them in 1770. Even in the last years of his life, he was called back to congregations which he had prevously served: to Little Tulpehocken (1774-1779), Hill or Maxe (1776-1779) and Warwick (1777-1779).
In addition to his extensive and continuing pastoral activity, Stoever was also a farmer, miller, town proprietor, and man of substance. One of the things Muhlenberg noted in his journal that he had learned about Stoever in the year 1749-1750 was that he was "in a position to serve [congregations] without necessary support because he has considerable means of his own." (MJ 1:243) When the original promoters of the new town of Lebanon went bankrupt and the sheriff sold the rights in 1763, Stoever became one of the new proprietors. In 1771 young Frederick Muhlenberg, who was then serving country congregations in the vicinity, called on Stoever in Lebanon, only to find him in a small house, collecting ground rent. They talked at some length. "While we were still engaged in conversation," Frederick wrote, "the master of the house returned and brought some money. The conversation between them now turned to acceptance and rejection, the giving of notes, etc., which I did not understand." (Quoted in Lutheran Church Review 25(1906)::348)
For forty-five years, Stoever was the senior German Lutheran pastor in the Pennsylvania field. In his rugged way, he continued to minister year after year. Up to the end, there was usually a party favoring him and another in opposition, a situation to which he must long since have grown accustomed, and perhaps one which he relished. On May 13, 1779 he was fatally stricken while conducting a confirmation service. Two days later he was buried at the Quitopahilla church. The news spread rapidly. On May 16 someone informed Muhlenberg in Philadelphia of what had happened. "Old Pastor Stoeber fell down and gave up the ghost last Ascension Day in the church at Libanon," he wrote in his journal, "just as he was about to examine and confirm a group of young people." (MJ 3:242)
Stoever made his will on the day before he died, abundantly endowning his wife and surviving sons and sons-in-law with farms, ground rents, and money. The inventory taken on June 8 showed that his library consisted of at least 170 books, a total which may not have included the German books which were to be divided among his children and the "school Books of different Tongues" which were bequeathed to "the Seminaries at Philadelphia." Ironically, it was eventually decided that the closest thing to "the Seminaries at Philadelphia" was the St. Michael's and Zion's congregation, the citadel which the Hallensians had occupied since 1742.
Per: <[email protected]>
to find him in a small house, collecting ground rent. They talked at some length. "While we were still engaged in conversation," Frederick wrote, "the master of the house returned and brought some money. The conversation between them now turned to acceptance and rejection, the giving of notes, etc., which I did not understand." (Quoted in Lutheran Church Review 25(1906)::348)
For forty-five years, Stoever was the senior German Lutheran pastor in the Pennsylvania field. In his rugged way, he continued to minister year after year. Up to the end, there was usually a party favoring him and another in opposition, a situation to which he must long since have grown accustomed, and perhaps one which he relished. On May 13, 1779 he was fatally stricken while conducting a confirmation service. Two days later he was buried at the Quitopahilla church. The news spread rapidly. On May 16 someone informed Muhlenberg in Philadelphia of what had happened. "Old Pastor Stoeber fell down and gave up the ghost last Ascension Day in the church at Libanon," he wrote in his journal, "just as he was about to examine and confirm a group of young people." (MJ 3:242)
Stoever made his will on the day before he died, abundantly endowning his wife and surviving sons and sons-in-law with farms, ground rents, and money. The inventory taken on June 8 showed that his library consisted of at least 170 books, a total which may not have included the German books which were to be divided among his children and the "school Books of different Tongues" which were bequeathed to "the Seminaries at Philadelphia." Ironically, it was eventually decided that the closest thing to "the Seminaries at Philadelphia" was the St. Michael's and Zion's congregation, the citadel which the Hallensians had occupied since 1742.
Butch Stiver:
John Caspar Stoever (II) was the first ordained German Lutheran Minister in America. He was ordained on his wedding day, April 8, 1733. His father was also ordained the same day. He was naturalized by the act of March 29, 1735. This gave him all rights, privileges and advantages of natural-born subjects of the Province of Pennsylvania. Parliament passed a law making it possible for the courts to grant British citizenship to foreigners. John Caspar Stoever, (II), became a naturalized citizen on the 24th of September 1741. Earl Town became the center of Pastor Stoever's activities until 1742. At this time John Caspar Stoever, (II) changed his residence from Earl Town to Lebanon Township, Lancaster County, PA. John Caspar Stoever, (II) and several other men formed the Lebanon Land Company. They purchased large tracts of land and later gave some land to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, called Salem Church. John Caspar Stoever, (II) was a well-dressed colonial pastor and an educated man full of energy and ambition. While he was an educated man, his manner was sometimes violent and rough. He started numerous churches and accumulated a large amount of wealth. He served as scribe for the people on civil matters, such as deeds; many of the old deeds of Lancaster County are in his handwriting. In 1762, he was authorized by the government to issue marriage licenses and then to perform the marriages
from Stiver genealogy:
John Caspar Stoever (II) was the first ordained German Lutheran Minister in America. He was ordained on his wedding day, April 8, 1733. His father was also ordained the same day. He was naturalized by the act of March 29, 1735. This gave him all rights, privileges and advantages of natural-born subjects of the Province of Pennsylvania. Parliament passed a law making it possible for the courts to grant British citizenship to foreigners. John Caspar Stoever, (II), became a naturalized citizen on the 24th of September 1741. Earl Town became the center of Pastor Stoever's activities until 1742. At this time John Caspar Stoever, (II) changed his residence from Earl Town to Lebanon Township, Lancaster County, PA. John Caspar Stoever, (II) and several other men formed the Lebanon Land Company. They purchased large tracts of land and later gave some land to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, called Salem Church. John Caspar Stoever, (II) was a well-dressed colonial pastor and an educated man full of energy and ambition. While he was an educated man, his manner was sometimes violent and rough. He started numerous churches and accumulated a large amount of wealth. He served as scribe for the people on civil matters, such as deeds; many of the old deeds of Lancaster County are in his handwriting. In 1762, he was authorized by the government to issue marriage licenses and then to perform the marriages.
He was a honorary pall-bearer for George Washington. Parents: John Kaspar STOEVER.
Spouse: Maria Catarina MERCKLING. Children were: Johannes Tobias STOEVER.
Naveline STOLK.
Spouse: Jason HEISE. Jason HEISE and Naveline STOLK were married. Children were: Clayton Alexander HEISE.
Carol Ellen STONE was born on May 23, 1945.
Spouse: Fred Laverne LEHMAN. Fred Laverne LEHMAN and Carol Ellen STONE were married on Sep 21, 1968. Children were: Elizabeth Ann LEHMAN, Jonathan Peter LEHMAN.
Anna STOVER1 was born on Jan 25, 1750. She died on Sep 12, 1805.
BIOGRAPHY: PMH Vol XIX #1 gives the name Anna Long. DJB and JGFK give the name Stover. Married Michael Kreider, 1745.11.27 1817.8.18 Buried Kreider burial plot north of Cleona, PA
Spouse: Michael KREIDER. Children were: Christian KREIDER.
Magdalene STOVER1 was born on Nov 19, 1785. She died on Apr 23, 1836.
Spouse: Christian KREIDER. Children were: Daniel I. KREIDER, Mary KREIDER.
Katherine STOVER\SHOEBER was born in 1750.
Spouse: Abraham NEFF. Abraham NEFF and Katherine STOVER\SHOEBER were married. Children were: Elizabeth NEFF.
Lucinda STREICHER.
Spouse: John David COBER. John David COBER and Lucinda STREICHER were married on Jun 7, 1997 in Rosebank BIC Church. Children were: Patricia Beth COBER.
Heinrich STRICKLER2 was born on Mar 11, 1696 in Friederichstadt, S-H, Germany. He died on May 5, 1761 in W. Hempfield, Lancaster Co., PA. BIOGRAPHY: From MennoSearch.com:
Henry Strickler, b. c1703. d. 5 May 1761, Hempfield Township, Lancaster County,
Pennsylvania. He was married in Germany to Susanna Stauffer, probably the daughter
of Daniel Stauffer. She died 3 Feb 1758 at Hempfield Township, Lancaster County.
Henry and Susanna arrived in Philadelphia on 16 Oct 1727 on the ship "Friendship"
with a large group of Mennonites. He was naturalized in 1728 at Conestoga (Lancaster
County) in 1728 signing his name next to Abraham Strickler. Henry patented two tracts
of land in Hempfield Township in 1741, one of which was 161 acres which apparently
first belonged to Abraham Strickler who went to Virginia in 1733. Henry bought land
in 1756 from Benedict Bucher in Hellam Township, York County which his son John
later inherited.42 In his will at Lancaster, Henry Strickler of Hempfield states that he was
"very sick and weak" and that eldest son John Strickler is to receive 321 acres in York
County, son Jacob is to receive 161 acres in Hempfield Township, Lancaster County and
he mentions his two youngest daughters (not by name). Henry also names his son
Henry Strickler as administrator with Henry Neave.43 His son Henry had already
owned land in York County. They were Mennonites.44
Spouse: Susannah STAUFFER. Children were: Heinrich, Jr. STRICKLER.
Heinrich, Jr. STRICKLER2 was born on Dec 29, 1726. He died in 1792 in Hellam Township, York, Co. PA. From MennoSearch.com:
Henry Strickler, b. c1728. d. Nov 1792, Hellam Township, York County.46 He
wrote his will 28 Oct 1792 and it was proved 29 Nov 1792. He was married to Anna
Beidler, daughter of Ulrich Beidler.47 He bought land in Hellam Township in 1757 as
Henry Strickler Jr.48 In his will he names some of his children as Henry, Jacob, Joseph
and Anna. Parents: Heinrich STRICKLER and Susannah STAUFFER.
Spouse: Anna BIEDLER. Children were: Henry STRICKLER.
Henry STRICKLER2 was born in 1750. He died in 1816 in Franklin County, PA. From MennoSearch.com
Henry Strickler, b. 1750. d. 1816, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. He married
Anna Rhode (d. 1833), daughter of Anthony Rhode. He was taxed as a single man at
Hellam in 1769. He was taxed at Hellam in 1780. He was living in Hellam Township,
York County in 1807 when he and his wife Anna sold a number of tracts in Hellam
Township to his brother Jacob.49 He bought l and i n Antrim Township, Franklin County
in 1807. He was fined during the Revolutionary war for refusal to bear arms with Jacob
and Joseph Strickler. He was a trustee of the Mennonite church in Hellam Township
in 1798. Parents: Heinrich, Jr. STRICKLER and Anna BIEDLER.
Spouse: Anna RHODE. Children were: Magdalena STRICKLER.
Magdalena STRICKLER2 was born on Jan 24, 1780. She died on Jun 12, 1831. Parents: Henry STRICKLER and Anna RHODE.
Spouse: Jacob Schock (River Jacob) ENGLE. Children were: Henry S. ENGLE.
David STROME was born on Apr 28, 1817. He died in 1875. He was buried in Wanner Cemetery, Hespler, ON. Parents: Jacob STROME and Anna Maria SCHEIRICH.
Spouse: Catherine SARARAS. David STROME and Catherine SARARAS were married. Children were: Hannah STROME.
Hannah STROME was born in 1846. She died in 1881. Parents: David STROME and Catherine SARARAS.
Spouse: Solomon COBER. Solomon COBER and Hannah STROME were married on Jan 13, 1871. Children were: Susannah COBER, David COBER, Menno COBER, Simon COBER, Mary COBER.
Jacob STROME.
Spouse: Anna Maria SCHEIRICH. Jacob STROME and Anna Maria SCHEIRICH were married. Children were: David STROME.
Brent STUDLER was born on Nov 13, 1967. Parents: Abram Niesley LEHMAN Jr. and Judith STUDLER.
Brian STUDLER was born on Oct 25, 1964. Parents: Abram Niesley LEHMAN Jr. and Judith STUDLER.
Bruce STUDLER was born on Apr 23, 1966. Parents: Abram Niesley LEHMAN Jr. and Judith STUDLER.
Carolyn STUDLER was born on Nov 19, 1969. Parents: Abram Niesley LEHMAN Jr. and Judith STUDLER.
Judith STUDLER was born on Mar 18, 1941.
Spouse: Abram Niesley LEHMAN Jr.. Abram Niesley LEHMAN Jr. and Judith STUDLER were married on Sep 27, 1979. Judith had children from a previous marriage. Children were: Brian STUDLER, Bruce STUDLER, Brent STUDLER, Carolyn STUDLER.
Brian Andrew STULL was born on Feb 2, 1971. Parents: Charles J. MOOSE and Mary E. STULL.
Clinton H. STULL was born on Mar 29, 1923. He died on Aug 25, 1995 in Carlisle, PA.
Spouse: Pearl Leona LEHMAN. Clinton H. STULL and Pearl Leona LEHMAN were married on Jun 5, 1942. Children were: Dona Lee STULL, John Clinton STULL, Mary E. STULL, James Michael STULL.
