This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Geiger, Henkel, Schneider Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/JOY.2ACEB/888 Message Board Post: Does anyone know anthing about the Three ships that arrived at Philadelphia in 1717. I know for a fact that the Henkel family immigrated on one of these ships. They purchased land in New Hanover Twp., then Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania in 1718. The Valentine Geiger family also immigrated on this ship and bought land from the same person in 1718 in the same township. The Schneider family also bought land in 1718 from the same owner in the same town ship. These families aslo went to the same church which Rev. Anthony Henkel established which was the New Hanover Lutheran Church. ANY information would be greatly appreciated. My Sincere Thanks, Kyle Miller Sep 1717 3 ships: Capt. Richard [164], Tower [91], & Ayers [108] A noteworthy group of Germans arrived in the year of 1717. It was a group of Lutherans, headed by the Rev. Anthony Jacob Henckel and his son-in-law, Valentine Geiger. They arrived on one of the three vessels which reached Philadelphia in September 1717. On September 19, 1717, "Captain Richard, Captain Tower and Captain Eyers, waited upon the (Provincial) Board with the List of Palatines they had imported here from London; by which list it appeared Captain Richard had imported one hundred and sixty-four, Captain Tower, ninety-one and Captain Eyers, one hundred and eight." In 1718, Anthony Jacob Henckel acquired a tract of 250 acres in Hanover township, where numerous members of this group settled. It was through the arrival of the three ships in 1717, upon one of which this group came, that the attention of provincial authorities was first directed to the newcomers.