Bill, In checking out Julius Sachse's 1890 account of the registers of the Ephrata community I found that there were several Graffs seemingly connected with Brother Christian Graff (died 1748). Christian had a son Brother Jacob Graff (died 1776) who, by his first wife, had three children: Sister Priscam Graff (1721-1749), Joseph Graff (Ephrata member in 1770, according to Morgan Edwards), and Jacob Graff. I am looking into this latter Jacob Graff as someone to check out in terms of my own ancestry. Some accounts say he died in Virginia in 1794, but I have my doubts that this is the same person. My Jacob died circa 1800 in North Carolina (or possibly Muhlenberg, Kentucky, if he followed his children and their families). Dwayne ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Thomas" <wbtst2@atlanticbb.net> To: <brethren@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2008 5:21 PM Subject: Re: [BRE] Baer/Bear & Graff/Groff Brethren > Re: Graff/Baer Brethren > > I have done some research regarding these families. I know that a Jacob > Graff lived in Lebanon Township, and that his daughter married Jacob > Thommen, a son of Durst Thommen II. A Jacob Graff and wife were on the > Ephrata listing of 1770, and Durst Thommen II and his father and siblings > were associated with Ephrata. Jacob died about 1782. 1750 Lebanon > Township > tax records show Jacob Graff, and he is listed as neighbors to Henry > Kline, > and George Myer in 1762 land records. 1749 land records for Michael Kline > show neighbors Jacob Graff and Christopher Myer. George was a son of > Christopher. Ephrata is a short distance to the Lebanon Township area > where > these people lived. > > Land records also show Jacob Graff was neighbor to Christian Stump > (Brother > of Brethren John Stump) and John Zeller and David Zeller. Emmert > Bittinger > wrote an article on the Brethren Bowman family and notes their connection > to > Jacob Zeller. He notes that the Bowman family came from the Quitophelia > region of Lancaster County, which is Lebanon Township. A Jacob Bowman > warranted property that was patented by Martin Light, another neighbor of > Jacob Graff. Martin Light was the uncle of Elder Michael Meyer. Daniel > Seiler and Henry Eller (both associated with the Beaver Dam Congregation) > also lived in the same vicinity if Lebanon Township. > > I have looked at the Bare/Bar/Bear family, and found no connection to the > Brethren names you list. There was a John Bear on the Bethel Township, > Lancaster County non-associator list of 1777. > > Bill Thomas