Hello to all the members of this list who’s postings I have followed for several years. I have only recently become a member of the Fellowship of Brethren Genealogists. While I am not a member of the Brethren church, I have many ancestors who were. My grandfather, George Albert Bigler, is a direct line descendant of the immigrant Marx Bigler (many variations in the spelling of his name) who arrived in Pennsylvania on September 28, 1933 on the Brigantine Richard and Elizabeth from the Palatinate. Mark was born April 17, 1705 at Ingolsheim, Alsace, France and baptized April 19, 1705 in the Evangelical Reformed Church at Hunspach, Alsace, France. He was the son of Hans Thomas Bögler and Anna Maria Vogler. His younger brother Hans Michael, born December 3, 1707, arrived May 30, 1741 on the Francis and Ann. Only one other Bigler, Mathias, is known to have arrived before Mark, on September 18, 1733, on the Pennsylvania Merchant of London. Mark was issued a land warrant from the Province of Pennsylvania on October 18, 1738 for 200 acres in Lancaster county, thought to have been in the Manor of Springetbury on the Little Conewago River, adjacent to the land of Leonard Leyst or Lease. Also in 1738 the Little Conewago Church of the Brethren was organized by Daniel Leatherman. According to Brumbaugh’s “A History of the German Baptist Brethren in Europe and America”, “Among the constituent members were families of the name Eldrick, Dierdorff, BIGLER, Gripe, Stutsman and others.” A list of the members in 1770 did not include any Biglers. Mark moved to Frederick county, Maryland about 1743. My first question is: Who were the Bigler family who were members of that congregation?? Would it have been Mark or Mathias? Michael didn’t arrive until 1741. Mark’s son, Mark II, married Catherine Leyst or Lease. This points to Mark as being the Bigler in 1738. The Bigler family was closely associated with Daniel Leatherman, who witnessed Michael’s will. I have other information on these families, but maybe this is enough for the great historians on this list to chew on at one time. Much of the information I have comes from “The Bigler Family”, by Norman Burns, and “The First Four Generations of Biglers in America”, by Franklin K. Brough and Sherman G. Brough in collaboration with Norman Burns. Looking forward to hearing your opinions on who was the Little Conewago Biglers N. H. Goodman

Enter another Bigler cousin through Elizabeth Bigler and Henry Eller, the first. First off, I am thrilled for the baptismal record of Marx and his brother Michael. This is totally new information to me. Am I to presume that these were the only two in the Hunspach registry, or were there others? Is anything further known of Hans Thomas and Anna Maria? The 1738 warrant is indeed in present day York County PA. Marx Birgler and wife sponsored the baptism of Maria Catarina daughter of John Michael Carl on November 13, 1739 at Conewago Evangelical Lutheran Church preformed by Rev. Johann Casper Stoever Jr. In the same congregation with the same minister, Anna Maria daughter of Marx Biegler, born March 30, 1741 was baptized August 21, 1741. My conjecture is that she was the mother of Esther Randabush named in Mark's 1787 will. [Birgler and Biegler are spelled as in the original] To my knowledge, this is the only confirmed birthdate of the Bigler children. They apparently are not named in order of birth in Mark's will as the first named, Mark Jr. died in 1826 in Botetourt Co VA at the age of 79, making his birth circa 1746/7. Mark Biegler obtained Mark's Delight on March 1, 1743 in Frederick County MD. Through the years he added adjoining tracts, Bigler's Addition to Hull's Choice in 1750 [this deed names Mark and wife Mary Catharine Bigler], Resurvey on Hull's Choice in 1761 and Hickory Bottom in 1781. I had the privilege of corresponding with and later meeting Norman Burns and finally obtaining a copy of his book. I was not aware that their was a second book that he collaborated with. Does it add significantly to the first book? Gale Honeyman ----- Original Message ----- From: "N. H. Goodman" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 8:33 PM Subject: [BRE] Bigler at Little Conewago My grandfather, George Albert Bigler, is a direct line descendant of the immigrant Marx Bigler (many variations in the spelling of his name) who arrived in Pennsylvania on September 28, 1933 on the Brigantine Richard and Elizabeth from the Palatinate. Mark was born April 17, 1705 at Ingolsheim, Alsace, France and baptized April 19, 1705 in the Evangelical Reformed Church at Hunspach, Alsace, France. He was the son of Hans Thomas Bögler and Anna Maria Vogler. His younger brother Hans Michael, born December 3, 1707, arrived May 30, 1741 on the Francis and Ann. Only one other Bigler, Mathias, is known to have arrived before Mark, on September 18, 1733, on the Pennsylvania Merchant of London. Mark was issued a land warrant from the Province of Pennsylvania on October 18, 1738 for 200 acres in Lancaster county, thought to have been in the Manor of Springetbury on the Little Conewago River, adjacent to the land of Leonard Leyst or Lease. Also in 1738 the Little Conewago Church of the Brethren was organized by Daniel Leatherman. According to Brumbaugh's "A History of the German Baptist Brethren in Europe and America", "Among the constituent members were families of the name Eldrick, Dierdorff, BIGLER, Gripe, Stutsman and others." A list of the members in 1770 did not include any Biglers. Mark moved to Frederick county, Maryland about 1743. I have other information on these families, but maybe this is enough for the great historians on this list to chew on at one time. Much of the information I have comes from "The Bigler Family", by Norman Burns, and "The First Four Generations of Biglers in America", by Franklin K. Brough and Sherman G. Brough in collaboration with Norman Burns. N. H. Goodman