Other Events:

• Residence: Brush Valley, Centre County, PA

Notes:

Revolutionary War. Served in Captain Ben Weiser's company.

From Genealogy of the Meyer Family by Henry Meyer. 1890.
Philip (son of Jacob, son of Gr. Meyer) was married to Margaret Morr, sister of his brother John Jacob's wife Julia, daughters of Andrew Morr, one of the early settlers in the region where Freeburg, Pa., is now located. The respective family histories of the Meyers and Morrs have been running in parallel streams for over a century with frequent intermingling of their branches all along their course. The first record of marriage between the two families is that of Philip Meyer and Margaret Morr, which occurred about the year 1780; and the members of the families still continue to intermarry in Ohio. Philip was the oldest of the sons; heavy built, muscular and active, but not as tall as his brothers. He was a noted wrestler in his day, and was not averse to contests of a more serious nature, as his numerous experiments in that line seem to demonstrate. But that was in an age when physical power was at a premium. The man who could leap the greatest distance, could kick the highest and hit the hardest blows was a hero and received the applause of society. There was a vast amount of hard work to do in those pioneer days, and for want of labor-saving machinery; it had to be accomplished by sheer physical force. Hence, any exercise which tended to muscular development, or exhibited physical vigor in its greatest perfection, was cherished and applauded. - Philip served in the Revolutionary War, being a member of Capt. Ben. Weiser's company. Adam Schaeffer was Lieutenant of the company, and subsequently became captain by promotion.
On his return from the army Philip settled down to domestic life near Freeburg for a number of years, thence moved to Brushvalley, Centre Co., Pa., and bought a tract of land about a mile east of the present post village of Wolfs Store. This was about the year 1802. His brother Henry had then been in the valley five years, while Michael, another brother, came three years later. Mr. Meyer, the subject of our sketch, was of a liberal disposition, - was kind to his family, generous to his neighbors, and a useful citizen in his township. For many years he was supervisor of Miles township, serving in that capacity in 1815, when the public road from Wolf's Store across the mountains to Pennsvalley was made. Philip was a consistent member of the Reformed Church, and mother states he experienced religion in his declining days and died a happy Christian. A short time before his death, he remarked to Mr. Fred. C. Meyer, of Freeburg, who visited him, "I am ready to die." He breathed his last April 27, 1831, aged 75 years, 5 months and 13 days. His wife was born Aug. 20, 1759; died March 12, 1829. Both are buried in the Lutheran and Reformed cemetery, Rebersburg, Pa. One tombstone marks the graves of both. Their descendants are legion and are all out West, mostly in Ohio and Iowa.

There were eleven children, seven sons and four daughters.

Buried:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39439879/philip-meyer

Buried Section 1, Row 17, #19. Next to wife Margaret. Died age 75 years, 5 months, 13 days.

Section 1, Row 14. Philip (Sergeant Philip Meyer 1756-1831 Revolution Soldier, Capt Ben Wetser's Co. PA Div Colonial Army Rev) is acknowledged on a cast bronze plate affixed to a marble stone "in memoriam of the Meyer family buried in this plot".

Philip married Margaret Morr about 1780. Margaret (daughter of Pvt Andrew Morr and Catharina Elizabetha Renninger) was born on 20 Aug 1759 in Pennsylvania; died on 12 Mar 1829 in Centre County, PA; was buried in Saint Peters Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery, Rebersburg, Centre County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Philip Moyer was born on 20 Dec 1780 in Penn Township, Northumberland County, PA; died on 19 Dec 1858 in Clermont County, OH; was buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Felicity, Clermont County, OH.
2. George Meyer died in 1842.
3. Jacob Myer was born about 1790 in Pennsylvania; died on 4 Aug 1857; was buried in Trinity Cemetery, Ashland, Ashland County, OH.
4. Henry Meyer
5. John Meyer was born on 15 Oct 1794 in Freeburg, Snyder County, PA; died on 23 Jan 1872 in Le Claire, Scott County, IA; was buried in Jacks Cemetery, Le Claire, Scott County, IA.
6. Benjamin Meyer
7. Samuel Moyer was born on 26 Dec 1805 in Rebersburg, Centre County, PA; died on 19 Sep 1884 in Garwin, Tama County, IA; was buried in Crystal Township Cemetery, Garwin, Tama County, IA.
8. Barbara Meyer was buried in Saint Peters Cemetery, Freeburg, Snyder County, PA.
9. Elizabeth Meyer was born on 17 May 1792 in Pennsylvania; died on 17 Dec 1865; was buried in Prospect Cemetery, Prospect, Marion County, OH.
10. Margaret Meyer was born on 21 Feb 1796; died on 24 May 1878; was buried in Prospect Cemetery, Prospect, Marion County, OH.
11. Catharine Meyer

Notes:

info from The Meyer Family Tree compiled by John D. Meyer, Tyrone, PA, October 1937
Born at Muhlbach. About the year 1768 moved with his family to Penns Township, now a part of Snyder County, near the present site of Freesburg. Notes say that he had eight children.

From GENEALOGY OF THE Meyer Family BY HENRY MEYER, 1890.
JACOB MEYER(1) (son of the Meyer from Germany) was the second son, and was born at Mühlbach. The date of his birth was not ascertained, nor the date of his decease definitely. There is no tombstone with an inscription, and if there are any positive records anywhere on the subject, T failed to discover them. Letters of administration were granted Samuel and John Haas to settle up his estate, dated Feb. 24, 1808. and it is probable he died only a short time previous to that date. Tradition and some papers in my possession point to about the same period. He was about seventy-five years old, states Maj. John Meyer, a grandson.

1. Note. Or John Jacob. Hon. Jacob G. Meyer states that each of the son's first name was John. But they are not found written thus in old manuscripts. However, it was not an unusual custom at that period to name a whole family of sons John, employing a middle name Henry, George, Jacob or whatever it might be to distinguish them.

Jacob lived at Mühlbach until about the year 1768, when he moved with his family to Penn's township, now part of Snyder County, Pa., and purchased a large tract of land lying west, about three-fourths of a mile from the present Bite of Freeburg, formerly named Straubsburg, after its founder. Peter Straub, and was one of the early settlers in that section. Andrew Moor, a Mr. Glass and Mr. Straub had preceded him. The family suffered the usual hardships incident to frontier life. Their flour was brought from Mühlbach on horseback. Yet there must have been grist-mills more convenient at that date. On one of those trips for supplies Jacob's brother. Christopher, came along to the new country. and while crossing Peter's mountain, north of Harrisburg, the pack saddle-straps gave way, and the packs rolled down the mountain. Then Christopher got out of humor, and berated Jacob for moving into the distant wilderness whence no roads would ever be made ; to which the latter replied that sometime in the future excellent roads would be constructed. And of course Jacob's prophecy came true, for around the end of that same mountain which they crossed along a narrow path there are now a fine carriage road, a canal and a double track for cars, while just across the river there is another railroad track. Probably it was, to resume our narrative, on this trip that a bag was torn open by a brush along the path and the flour spilled on the ground.
Sometime during the Revolutionary War Jacob moved back again with his family to Mühlbach, probably to be more secure from the annoying depreciations of hostile Indians. He was drafted and served in the army, but in what capacity or for what length of time was not ascertained. His oldest son, Philip, as will be stated more fully elsewhere, was also in the army. His son Henry(1) (grandfather) was at the age of sixteen connected with an organization of "home-guards" or scouts to protect the settlement against the Indians, and served at intervals. It appears the family returned from Mühlbach to their home in Penn's township (Freeburg) before the close of the war. Indians sometimes lurked about their home, but never molested them, being afraid, perhaps, of the pack of fierce dogs kept on the place. On one occasion several Indians were observed across the clearing, some distance from the house; the boys and dogs gave chase, but did not overtake them. Several Indian families lived within a short distance of the Meyer home, and his (Mr. Meyer's) children used to play with the Indian children. During the Indian troubles the male members of these Indian families would generally be away from home, and it was suspected they were out on scalping expeditions, though they were on friendly terms with their near white neighbors.

1. Note. Grandfather (Henry), like many others of that period, had made a vow to kill every Indian he would meet. So after all hostilities had subsided, he happened to meet one of his old foes in a tavern somewhere, but the forelorn and piteous aspect of the poor Indian excited grandfather's sympathy rather than his animosity, and, instead of scalping him, he gave him a huge piece of tobacco!

Jacob kept a sort of a tavern at Straubsburg (Freeburg), and Col. Samuel Miles used to stop with him on his journeys from his home in Philadelphia to his lands in Penns, Brush and Nittany valleys (now Centre Co.) and back, and it was through the intimate acquaintance thus formed with Col. Miles that grandfather Henry came to purchase a tract of land from him in Brushvalley. It is said Jacob protested against his son's purchasing any land in Brushvalley, for the reason that there would never any roads be opened into it! Jacob and his sons used to hunt in the valley long before any settlers moved into it, and he did not suppose it would ever be any good for anything else! Yet he lived to see his mistake; for in his old age he paid a visit to his sons in the valley about the year 1803-1806, and beheld the wilderness converted into fertile fields, and the desert made to blossom as the rose.
In 1800 Christopher Meyer, son of Campbellstown Christopher, came to Freeburg (then Straubsburg), and in 1801 " Big John," another son of the latter, also settled in that vicinity. (These dates are given by Fred. C. Meyer, Freeburg.) Therefore, in 1801, there were in that place Jacob and several of his sons, and their cousins Christopher and "Big John." Grandfather Henry had then moved to Brushvalley already, and I am not quite certain whether his brother John Jacob had not moved away, also then, to Pine Creek, Lycoming County, Pa. At present there are many descendants about Freeburg of Christopher and John, but not one male descendant of great-grandfather Jacob.
Jacob was married to Miss Susan Zartman, born in Germany, so say uncle John and Reuben Meyer, grandsons. But in an old power of attorney in my possession, given by Jacob Meyer, Sr., to his son Michael, dated 1801, mention is made of Jacob's wife as being Susanna Ream, daughter of Peter Ream, Dauphin County, Pa. The instrument was given to secure the wife's legacy, and seems to be positive evidence as to her maiden name. The paper alludes to her as being then deceased. In a sketch of Michael Meyer in a history of Summit County, Ohio, her maiden name is also given as Susan Ream. One of the Greningers of Sugar Valley, Clinton County, Pa., an early settler there, was married to her sister. Great-grandmother Meyer (Jacob's wife) was not a large woman, but what she lacked in stature was fully compensated for in grit and temper. She used to whip her boys after they were full grown! Some of them were almost giants, and no doubt they could stand up and meekly take a whipping with- out suffering much pain. The boys, of whom there were six, viz.: Philip, John Jacob, John George, Henry, Michael and Christopher, were not allowed to grow up in idleness, but were early put to work. One of their occupations was weaving, ? probably during bad weather, when out-door work could not be done, and as they were rather fond of constructing things with carpenters' tools, they sometimes neglected their work at the loom ; then if their mother would discover the objects on which they were exercising their ingenuity and wasting their time, she would smash them, and pitch the fragments into the fire. The boys were careful not needlessly to expose their handicraft. Father used to say the boys were of a rather hilarious disposition, and attended all the parties and balls within reasonable distance ; they made their own violins, which some could play with considerable skill, and as their mother was opposed to gatherings of the kind, she would demolish their musical instruments without ceremony whenever misfortune would reveal to her their hiding place. It is said that on a certain occasion she dressed in disguise, went to one of the parties where the boys were in attendance, and gave them a whipping then and there. On one occasion when her son Philip had tackled a big Irishman, and got the worst of it, she remarked to him, as she beheld the rainbow tints on his face, "Well, did you get a licking again?" Philip admitted it was so, but said he was going to learn the pugilistic art, if it cost his head. And he did become proficient ! Yet she was a good mother, and labored hard and faithfully to raise her numerous family amid the hardships of frontier life, and her big sons dearly loved her, and would have sacrificed their lives in her defense.
Jacob was not a large man, was of a kindly disposition and not inclined to be quarrelsome, but it is said he seemed rather pleased when he heard that his sons came off victorious in their many pugilistic contests. Both he and his wife are buried in the old cemetery at Freeburg; neither has a tomb- stone with an inscription. Their son John George is buried in the same cemetery; as also another son, Christopher, probably. I visited the cemetery in 1883, and father had visited it a number of years before, but neither was able to locate any of the graves.

Buried:
Note on Find a Grave: Son of elder Mr. Meyer from Germany.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63450141/john-jacob-meyer

Jacob married Susanna Ream. Susanna was born in 1730 in Snyder County, PA; died in 1811 in Freeburg, Snyder County, PA; was buried in Zion-Morr Lutheran Church Cemetery, Freeburg, Snyder County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Need to find out who is Peter Ream 1764 - 1833 (tng# 126)
https://hiltner.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I126&tree=Kreider

Buried:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63453330/susanna-meyer

Gravesite Details: Wife of Jacob Meyer

Other Events:

• Residence: Heinrich Meyer farm
• Immigration: 1710; Different accounts give the year as 1710 or 1723 for the immigration of the Heinrich Meyer family.

Notes:

Links about Palatinates and their immigration:

Early eighteenth century Palatine emigration; a British government redemptioner project to manufacture naval stores, by Walter Allen Knittle
https://archive.org/details/earlyeighteenthc00knit

Immigrant Ships, Transcribers Guild, Simmendinger Register M-Z
https://immigrantships.net/v4/1700v4/simmendinger17100100M_Z.html

The story of the Palatines. An episode in colonial history
by Cobb, Sanford H.
https://archive.org/details/storyofpalatines01cobb

The Skippack Palatines
David Jay Webber
https://www.angelfire.com/ny4/djw/WebberSkippackPalatines.pdf

History of the Palatine Immigration to Pennsylvania
as written by Daniel Rupp, 1876
http://www.searchforancestors.com/passengerlists/history.html

Becoming German: the 1709 Palatine migration to New York
by Otterness, Philip
https://archive.org/details/becominggerman170000otte

Buried:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/213898622/henry-meyer