The Pennsylvania Germans. A Sketch of their History and Life, of the Mennonites, and of side lights from the Rosenberger Family By Jesse Leonard Rosenberger. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois Copyright 1923 by The University of Chicago Published November 1923 Chapter II Hardships Left and Encountered According to tradition, Heinrich Rosenberger came from Zweibrucken, in the Palatinate. It may be conjectured that he came prior to 1727, because, while he might have come through some other port, he probably came through that of Philadelphia, and, beginning in that year, records were kept of the arrivals at the port of Philadelphia, and his name does not appear in any of the lists. Why he came, as also why many other Germans came, can best be explained by referring to certain historical events. A consideration of theses will also aid to a better understanding of the general type of the Pennsylvania Germans. (Then follows a history of Thirty Years war, the passage to America, pioneer life, etc.) Chapter IV General Life and Changes ...A good example of one of those old stone framehouses was the one which took the place of Heinrich Rosenberger's log house. By whom that stone house was built, and when, was not left in doubt, because, following a custom among many of the Pennsylvania Germans, a date-stone or tablet-one that in this case read: "Johannes M. Schwerdle, 1809:-was placed near the apex of one of the gables of the house. This Schwerdle, while yet in his minority, came as a redemptioner, in September, 1772. Upon his arrival, his passage was paid by Heinrich Rosenberger (son of the pioneer), after which Schwerdle repaid the said Rosenberger with three years of service. Subsequently Schwerdle married one of the daughters of that Heinrich Rosenberger, junior, and later acquired, through the will of his father-in-law and by purchase, the Rosenberger farm, on which he built that stone house.... (more pioneer life) Chapter VIII Gleanings From Old Records ...Heinrich Rosenberger apparently did not make any will, but, on January 19, 1745, for a stated consideration of L200, conveyed his farm of 159 acres to his son Heinrich. The making of that conveyance is the last thing actually known about Heinrich Rosenberger, the pioneer, and it may fairly be presumed it was near the close of his life, although there have been some assumptions that he lived many years beyond 1745. Those assumptions and some others concerning him may possibly be explained by a confusion of identity due to his son having the same name-Heinrich Rosenberger-and in time attracting some attention as a Mennonite minister at Franconia. That Heinrich Rosenberger, senior, had any other child than his son Heinrich is not shown by any public record. Still it has been assumed that he had four sons: Heinrich Rosenberger; Daniel Rosenberger, who in 1740 purchased land for a farm in Hatfield Township; John Rosenberger, who about 1749 or 1750 bought land in that township; and Benjamin Rosenberger, who in 1739 settled in the township. Where these last three settled was about 6 miles southeast of Heinrich Rosenberger's farm, in another township. When or where any one of them was born is not now known. Nor is the name of any on e of them to be found in the records kept of arrivals at the port of Philadelphia after 1727. That they may have been nephews of Heinrich Rosenberger, if they were not his sons, appears possible, as mere conjecture. That Daniel and John were brothers is the best attested point of relationship. All were Mennonites.* Daniel Rosenberger must have been a thrifty farmer, for to the 159 acres of land which he purchased in 1740 he was able to add 200 acres in 1769. He made his will on August 15, 1771, and died prior to September 23, 1771, since on the latter date the will was probated in the register's office in Philadelphia, as what is now Montgomery County was a part of Philadelphia County until in 1784. The will was written in German, although the wills of the Pennsylvania Germans were generally prepared by men who could understand directions given in Pennsylvania German and write from them wills in English. Because this will was in German, there was filed with it a translation in English, which, it was affirmed, was a true on "from the original Dutch." The provisions which Daniel Rosenberger made in his will for his wife now appear quaint, but they were not of an exceptional character. He said, as it was translated: I give to my loving wife Fronica [perhaps originally "Veronica," but spelled "Fronica: because pronounced much like that], for her own, our bedding and bedstand, with what is belonging to it, her chest with all the linen cloth, our pewter ware, two pots, and one cow. Likewise I give to my loving wife for her yearly maintenance, the new stove room, kitchen and cellar, what she has use for, firewood to the house, 8 bushels of rye, 5 bushels of wheat , 3 bushels of buckwheat, a fat hog of one hundred wight, apples as much as she useth, all which to be yearly during the time she remains my widow. I also give to my loving wife two hundred pounds money for her maintenance, to use as much as she hath need of , while she remains my widow, and the remainder to come to my heirs. Then, in order to make an equitable distribution among his four children-David, Isaac, Ann, and Mary-of the remainder of his estate, and to have his sons get the land, he made the provisions for his wife a charge against 200 acres of land on a part of which were the farm buildings, and devised that land to this son David, upon whom he specifically enjoined the duty of carrying out those provisions and of feeding and pasturing like his own his mother's cow, in addition to which he provided that David should pay L800 in installments for the land, less an allowance of L100 for time that David had been with his father. The remaining 159 acres of land were devised to Isaac, who was to pay L700 in instalments for it. The total amount derived for the land and from all debts and charges against the estate, to be divided equally among the four children; but to make it easier for David and Isaac, the share of each was to be computed and deducted from what he was required to pay for his land.