Hello Nanette - Thank you for your effort in my behalf. This is interesting from a couple points of view. My Scheich's worshipped in a Union Church (Lutheran & German Reformed) in Heidelberg Twp., Northampton (now Lehigh) Co., PA in the late 1700's (baptism & communion records of the Lutheran congregation beginning in 1766.) My J. Frederich Schleich was the Third Battalion Adjutant in the PA Militia there during the Revolutionary War. Only rarely have I found a family using both Germanic spellings of Schleich/Schley. A German surname expert years ago told me Schleich and Schlei are the only two valid Germanic spellings of the name, that when pronounced, sounds like Sly. Only once before have I found a family using Schley when in fact that was not their original surname. That was a very apparent English family (Slye) and why they would go to a Germanic spelling is beyond me. They may have been tracking their family tree and received some bad information and went with it, or they wanted to drop identification with their main family. The record you found for a Schleich family who used the corrupt Schley is interesting. The earliest American Schley/Schlei family are the founders of Frederick, MD. A popular and famous family, with an Admiral to their credit. Their genealogy has been published by a descendant who is a professor at Gettysburg College. There are many early Schleich families in America circa 1700's, but according to Dr. Drago, a German surname expert at Ohio State years ago, says the two names are not connected. Schleich comes from Schleichter, he said with a meaning similar to the English Slough, and Schlei is said to be a type of European game fish. I am very grateful for what you have found and forwarded. Many, many thanks. I will keep looking for that elusive St. John's. John At 06:47 PM 4/7/2009, you wrote: >Dear Rev Gray, > There at least 2 St Johns in York co. According to York Co Church Records >of 18th Century by Bates and Wright is Blymires (St Johns) Union Church in >York Township near Dallastown formed in 1767 for Lutheran and Reformed >congregations. The other is Saddlers (St Johns) Lutheran formed in 1789 in >Stewartstown, Hopewell Township. >That said, I found some Schleichs but they were not connected with either >St Johns or bearing your given names. However it is an unusual enough name >that they might show up somehow in your research so I pass them on. > >Johannes Schleich married Eva Dorothea Berchhofer at St Matthews Lutheran >Church in Sept 1753. Bates and Wright vol 1) >They had a daughter Catherine Elizabeth baptised March 11 1757 by Rev Jacob >Lischy a Reformed minister who rode the frontier circuit and served several >churchs. The sponsors were Daniel and Catherine Bernet. On 4 March 1759 he >baptised their daughter Maria Magdalena Schley. Sponsors >were Andreas and Maria >Steiger and Morritz and Anna Elisabeth Wurstler. (Bates and Wright vol 3) > >Hope this helps, Nanette