bucks co. history early settlers in sprinfield. the ancestor of the hess family was nicholas hess, born in zweibrucken, germany, in 1723. came to america as a young man, he came in the ship rainu, married catharine funk, born here and settled in slifer' valley at sprinfield. he died in 1796. they had 3 sons, conrad, philip, and john georg and 2 daus. elisabeth and catharine. conrad settled at springtown, philip lived near, and john george on the saucon creek, northampton co. nicolas buck, ancestor of the buck family of springfield and nockamixon, a native of lorraine, near thionville, germany, landed at phil. sept. 3, 1752. he married mary abigail, d/o george and barbara kohl, nockamixon, april 21, 1761. after her death, he married elisabeth hartman,of haycock, may 12, 1766. by the 2 wives he had 10 children, 5 sons and 5 daus. his will his dated feb. 12, 1785. the homestead was namd"buckhill". children; leonard, sept. 1763, married elizabeth kramer, and died 1809, joseph, nov. 6, 1764, married and moved to lehigh co., nicholas, 1767, jacob,1771, married susann haring of haycock, john, 1775, married salome, d/o nicolas mc carty, catharine, 1772 married christian clemmer, of springfield, barbara married john kemp, berks co., elizabeth, 1781 married jacob kohl, magdalena, 1783 married thomas mc carty and mary ann, 1785 married nicholas kohl. Best Wishes, Geri