Misplaced Pages

#608391

89-408: The area had been occupied by Native American peoples before European colonization. German immigrant John Womelsdorf founded the community in 1762. It was originally named Middletown, as it was halfway between the cities of Lebanon and Reading, but roughly 50 years later the name was changed to Womelsdorf in honor of its founder. Conrad Weiser , another German immigrant, settled here with his family as

178-522: A semantic shift , in which deutsch was no longer principally a linguistic and cultural term, but was increasingly used to describe all things related to Germany and its inhabitants. This development did not go unnoticed among the Pennsylvania Dutch who, in the 19th and early 20th century, referred to themselves as Deitsche , while calling newer German immigrants Deitschlenner lit. 'Germany-ans'. The Pennsylvania Dutch live primarily in

267-561: A German entrepreneur and artist, had settled in upstate New York and in May 1794, he was able to obtain sixty-four acres in Markham Township, near the current city of Toronto . Berczy arrived with approximately one hundred and ninety German families from Pennsylvania and settled here. Others later moved to other locations in the general area, including a hamlet they founded, German Mills, Ontario , named for its grist mill; that community

356-789: A Lt. Colonel. Working with Benjamin Franklin , he planned and established a series of forts between the Delaware and Susquehannah rivers. When General Forbes evicted the French from Fort Duquesne in 1758, the threat subsided. Following its victory in the Seven Years War , Britain later gained all French territory east of the Mississippi River at the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Weiser died on his farm on July 13, 1760, and

445-515: A colony of aliens , who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us instead of us Anglifying them, and will never adopt our language or customs, any more than they can acquire our complexion. The Germans who immigrated to the United States saw themselves as related though distinct from later (post-1830) waves of German-speaking immigrants. The Pennsylvania Dutch referred to themselves as Deitsche and would refer to Germans who arrived after

534-402: A few months before returning to their farm. Weiser visited her frequently enough to father four more children. In addition, he took leaves of absence from the monastery for diplomatic duties, such as those he performed for the colony of Pennsylvania in 1736 and 1737. Like many other colonists, Weiser combined farming with other trades: tanner, merchant, and land speculator. He drew the plan for

623-534: A follower of Conrad Beissel , a German Baptist preacher and musician who founded what became known as the Ephrata Cloister , a Protestant monastic settlement in the Ephrata Township , Lancaster County, Pennsylvania . Most people were encouraged to be celibate, although there were also married couples at the community. Weiser lived there for periods over six years. His wife lived there only

712-627: A form of indenture in camps devoted to producing ships' stores, such as tar and other materials. Later they would be allowed to trade their work for land. Most of the Germans were first located in what were called the East and West Camps along the Hudson River , near Livingston Manor. It was not until 1723 that some 100 heads of families received land grants in the central Mohawk Valley , under Governor Burnetsfield. Weiser senior moved his family to

801-565: A key player in treaty negotiations, land purchases, and the formulation of Pennsylvania's policies toward Native Americans. Because of his early experiences with the Iroquois , Weiser was inclined to be sympathetic to their interpretation of events, as opposed to the Lenape or the Shawnee. This may have exacerbated Pennsylvanian - Lenape / Shawnee relations. Their alliance with the French during

890-679: A love of real freedom to the preserving and hence making of our country. In the town halls in Dutch cities liberty bells were hung, and from the "Liberty Bell" placed in Philadelphia by Pennsylvania Dutchmen, on July 4th 1776, freedom was proclaimed "throughout all the land and to all the inhabitants thereof." These Palatine Dutchmen gave us some of our bravest men in the war of the American Revolution, notably Nicholas Herkimer . Many Hessian prisoners, German mercenaries fighting for

979-407: A northwest-to-southeast alignment through the northeastern portion of the borough. PA 419 follows Second Street, High Street and Third Street along a north-south alignment through the center of the borough. Conrad Weiser Conrad Weiser (November 2, 1696 – July 13, 1760), born Johann Conrad Weiser, Jr. , was a Pennsylvania Dutch pioneer who served as an interpreter and diplomat between

SECTION 10

#1732802356609

1068-524: A peace between southern tribes and the Iroquois. Some of the latter tribes had been hunting in the Shenandoah Valley. Weiser and his German companion, Stoffel Stump, had to survive high snow, freezing temperatures, and starvation rations to make the six-week journey in winter to what was considered the Iroquois capital at Onondaga , in upstate New York near present-day Syracuse. Weiser persuaded

1157-590: A platoon of Pennsylvania Dutch soldiers on patrol in Germany was once spared from being machine-gunned by Nazi soldiers who listened to them approaching. The Germans heard them speaking Pennsylvania Dutch amongst each other and assumed that they were natives of the Palatinate. An early group, mainly from the Roxborough -Germantown area of Pennsylvania, emigrated to then colonial Nova Scotia in 1766 and founded

1246-752: A variety of Rhine Franconian , with the Palatine German dialects being most closely related. Geographically, Pennsylvania Dutch are largely found in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country and Ohio Amish Country . The main division among Pennsylvania Dutch is that between sectarians (those belonging to the Old Order Mennonite , Amish or related groups) and nonsectarians, sometimes colloquially referred to as ″Church Dutch″ or ″ Fancy Dutch ″. Notable Americans of Pennsylvania Dutch descent include Henry J. Heinz , founder of

1335-592: A young adult. Due to his importance as an interpreter and diplomat to the Iroquois and other Native American nations in the colonial period, the Conrad Weiser Homestead has been preserved as a Pennsylvania state historic site. It has materials to interpret his life and important aspects of 18th-century colonial Pennsylvania . The Womelsdorf Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Womelsdorf

1424-743: Is corroborated with evidence, such as one of the oldest German newspapers in Pennsylvania being the High-Dutch Pennsylvania Journal in 1743. An alternative interpretation commonly found among laypeople and scholars alike is that the Dutch in Pennsylvania Dutch is an anglicization or "corruption" ( folk-etymological re-interpretation) of the Pennsylvania German autonym deitsch , which in

1513-495: Is located at 40°21′55″N 76°11′16″W  /  40.36528°N 76.18778°W  / 40.36528; -76.18778 (40.365201, -76.187815). According to the United States Census Bureau , the borough has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km), all land. As of the census of 2000, there were 2,599 people, 1,061 households, and 691 families residing in the borough. The population density

1602-650: Is more integrated into broader American society and is more likely to adopt modern conveniences and technologies. While they may still preserve some Pennsylvania Dutch traditions and language, English is predominantly used in daily life and religious practices. The Church Dutch exhibit a higher degree of assimilation into American culture, while still retaining elements of their Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. The primary differences between these groups lie in their religious practices, lifestyle, language use, and cultural integration. The Plain Dutch are more conservative and focused on maintaining their distinct cultural identity, whereas

1691-799: Is mostly spoken by Old Order Mennonites . From 1800 to the 1830s, some Mennonites in Upstate New York and Pennsylvania moved north to Canada, primarily to the area that would become Cambridge , Kitchener / Waterloo and St. Jacobs / Elmira in Waterloo County, Ontario, plus the Listowel area adjacent to the northwest. Settlement started in 1800 by Joseph Schoerg and Samuel Betzner Jr. (brothers-in-law), Mennonites, from Franklin County, Pennsylvania . Other settlers followed mostly from Pennsylvania typically by Conestoga wagons . Many of

1780-632: Is now called Thornhill, Ontario , in the township that is now part of York Region . In Canada , an 1851 census shows many Black people and Mennonites lived near each other in a number of places and exchanged labor; the Dutch would also hire Black laborers. There were also accounts of Black families providing childcare assistance for their Dutch neighbors. These Pennsylvania Dutch were usually Plain Dutch Mennonites or Fancy Dutch Lutherans. The Black-Mennonite relationship in Canada soon evolved to

1869-449: Is widely spoken among them, both in daily life and religious settings. The Plain Dutch adhere strictly to their religious and community norms, emphasizing a strong cultural and religious identity with minimal integration into mainstream American culture. The Church Dutch, in contrast, belong to more mainstream Protestant denominations such as Lutheran, Reformed, United Church of Christ, and some Methodist and Baptist congregations. This group

SECTION 20

#1732802356609

1958-634: The 27th Infantry Division broke through the Hindenburg Line in 1917. Before World War II, the Nazi Party sought to gain the loyalty of the German-American community, and established pro-Nazi German-American Bunden , emphasizing German-American immigrant ties to the "Fatherland". The Nazi propaganda effort failed in the Pennsylvania Dutch community, as the Pennsylvania Dutch felt no sense of loyalty to Germany. During World War II,

2047-512: The Alsace–Lorraine region of France . The Pennsylvania Dutch are either monolingual English speakers or bilingual speakers of both English and the Pennsylvania Dutch language, which is also commonly referred to as Pennsylvania German. Linguistically it consists of a mix of German dialects which have been significantly influenced by English, primarily in terms of vocabulary. Based on dialect features, Pennsylvania Dutch can be classified as

2136-624: The Battle of Springfield . The Marechausee also provided security for Washington's headquarters during the Battle of Yorktown , acted as his security detail, and was one of the last units deactivated after the Revolutionary War. The Marechaussee Corps was often not well received by the Continental Army, due in part to their defined duties but also due to the fact that some members of the corps spoke little or no English. Six of

2225-746: The Delaware Valley and in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, a large area that includes South Central Pennsylvania , in the area stretching in an arc from Bethlehem and Allentown in the Lehigh Valley westward through Reading , Lebanon , and Lancaster to York and Chambersburg . Smaller enclaves include Pennsylvania Dutch-speaking areas in New York , Delaware , Maryland , Ohio , West Virginia , North Carolina , Indiana , Illinois , Wisconsin , Virginia , and

2314-773: The French and Indian War (Seven Years' War), he contributed to alliances that supported the British effort. Conrad Weiser was born in 1696 in the small village of Affstätt in Herrenberg , in the Duchy of Württemberg (now in Baden-Württemberg , Germany ), where his father ( Johann Conrad Weiser Sr. ) was stationed as a member of the Württemberg Blue Dragoons. Soon after Conrad's birth, his father

2403-487: The French and Indian War in North America, Weiser was a member of a Pennsylvania delegation to Albany. The English government had called the meeting, hoping to win assurances of Iroquois support in the looming war with the French. The Iroquois and seven colonies sent representatives. Because of divisions within both the British and Native American ranks, the council did not result in the treaty of support which

2492-697: The Heinz food conglomerate, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower , and the family of businessman Elon Musk . Differing explanations exist on why the Pennsylvania Dutch are referred to as Dutch , which typically refers to the inhabitants of the Netherlands or the Dutch language . Several authors and etymological publications consider the word Dutch in Pennsylvania Dutch , which in medieval times could also be used to refer to speakers of various German dialects, to be an archaism specific to 19th-century American English, particularly in its colloquial form. This

2581-720: The Mohawk . Weiser impressed the Pennsylvania governor and council, which thereafter depended on his services as an interpreter. Weiser also interpreted in a follow-up council in Philadelphia in August, 1732. During the treaty in Philadelphia of 1736, Shikellamy, Weiser, and the Pennsylvanians negotiated a deed whereby the Iroquois sold the land drained by the Delaware River and south of the Blue Mountain . Since

2670-542: The Pennsylvania Colony and Native American nations. Primarily a farmer, he also worked as a tanner, and later served as a soldier and judge. He lived part of the time for six years at Ephrata Cloister , a Protestant monastic community in Lancaster County. As an emissary in councils between Native Americans and the colonies, especially Pennsylvania, during the late 18th century's tensions of

2759-682: The Schoharie Valley , south of the Mohawk River , earlier than that. When Conrad was 16, his father agreed to a chief's proposal for the youth to live with the Mohawk in the upper Schoharie Valley. During his stay in the winter and spring of 1712–1713, Weiser learned much about the Mohawk language and the customs of the people, who were the easternmost tribe of the Iroquois League. He endured hardships of cold, hunger, and homesickness. Weiser returned to his own people toward

Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania - Misplaced Pages Continue

2848-606: The Township of Monckton , site of present-day Moncton, New Brunswick . The extensive Steeves clan descends from this group. After the American Revolution, John Graves Simcoe , lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, invited Americans, including Mennonites and German Baptist Brethren, to settle in British North American territory and offered tracts of land to immigrant groups. This resulted in communities of Pennsylvania Dutch speakers emigrating to Canada, many to

2937-672: The American colonies. The availability of fertile land was a significant draw for the immigrants, who were mainly farmers and craftsmen, for whom the chance to own and cultivate their own farms was highly appealing. Positive reports from early settlers as well as active recruitment by William Penn encouraged friends and family to join them, fostering tightly knit communities. About three fourths of all Germans in Pennsylvania were subject to several years of indentured servitude contracts. These indentured servants, known as redemptioners , were made to work on plantations or perform other work to pay off

3026-429: The British, were held in camps at the interior city of Lancaster, home to a large German community known as the Pennsylvania Dutch. Hessian prisoners were subsequently treated well, with some volunteering for extra work assignments, helping to replace local men serving in the Continental Army. Due to shared German heritage and abundance of land, many Hessian soldiers stayed and settled in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country after

3115-503: The British. Shikellamy lived on the Susquehanna River at Shamokin village , near present-day Sunbury, Pennsylvania . An oral tradition holds that Weiser met Shikellamy while hunting. In any case, the two became friends. When Shikellamy traveled to Philadelphia for a council with representatives of the province of Pennsylvania , he brought Weiser with him. The Oneida chief trusted him and considered him an adopted son of

3204-648: The Canadian province of Ontario . The Pennsylvania Dutch, primarily German-speaking immigrants from Germany (particularly the Palatinate region ), Switzerland, and Alsace, moved to the USA seeking better opportunities and a safer, more tolerant environment. Many, including Amish and Mennonites, faced religious persecution in Europe. Pennsylvania, established by William Penn as a haven for religious minorities, promised

3293-647: The Church Dutch are more assimilated and open to modern influences. In time the Fancy Dutch came to control much of the best agricultural lands, ran many newspapers and maintained their German-inspired architecture when founding new towns in Pennsylvania. There is little evidence specifically of Black Pennsylvania Dutch speakers during the early 19th century; following the Civil War, some Black Southerners who had moved to Pennsylvania developed close ties with

3382-708: The Civil War, the federal government took steps to replace Pennsylvania German schools with English-only schools. The Pennsylvania Dutch fought to retain German as an official language in Pennsylvania to little success. Literary German disappeared from Pennsylvania Dutch life little by little, starting with schools, and then to churches and newspapers. Pennsylvania Dutch became mainly a spoken language, and as education came to only be provided in English, many Pennsylvania Dutch became bilingual. The next blow to Pennsylvania Dutch came during World War I and World War II. Prior to

3471-644: The Corps of Discovery on the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1804–1806. In 1996, a daffodil was named for Weiser. Pennsylvania Dutch The Pennsylvania Dutch ( Pennsylvania German : Pennsylvanisch Deitsche ), also referred to as Pennsylvania Germans , are an ethnic group in Pennsylvania (U.S.), Ontario (Canada) and other regions of the United States and Canada , most predominantly in

3560-576: The Delaware after the river they named after a lord) for the same land. Along with the Walking Purchase of the following year, this treaty (entered into by Penn's sons) exacerbated Pennsylvania- Lenape relations. The Lenape became disenchanted with the English colonials as a result; during the French and Indian Wars , they sided with the French and took part in armed actions against the colonists, causing many deaths. Penn's purchase persuaded

3649-574: The French and Indian War. Route 422 in Berks County passes near the site. It contains original and historic buildings and the family graveyard on a 26 acres (0.11 km ) site. In 1928 the state contracted with the Olmsted Brothers to landscape some of the grounds. Due to state budget cutbacks since 2008, public access to the buildings has been limited to Charter Day; the first Sunday of each month; Wednesdays and both weekend days in

Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania - Misplaced Pages Continue

3738-622: The Iroquois and other Native American tribes. Weiser helped smooth over the tense meeting. With the Treaty of Easton , the tribes in the Ohio Valley agreed to abandon support for the French. This collapse of Native American support was a factor in the French decision to demolish Fort Duquesne and withdraw from the Forks of the Ohio. Throughout his decades-long career, Weiser built on his knowledge of Native American languages and culture to become

3827-526: The Iroquois had not until then laid claim to this land, Pennsylvania's agreement to purchase from them represented a significant change in the colony's policy toward the Native Americans . William Penn , who had died in 1718, had never taken sides in disputes between tribes. By this formal purchase, the Pennsylvanians were favoring the Iroquois over the claims of the Lenape (whom the English called

3916-555: The Iroquois not to send any war parties south in the spring, but failed to convince them to send emissaries to parlay with the southern tribes. Impressed with his fortitude, the Iroquois named Weiser Tarachiawagon (Holder of the Heavens). The colonists feared that spill-over violence from conflicts between the Iroquois and southern tribes, such as the Catawba , would have drawn first Virginia, and then Pennsylvania, into conflict with

4005-536: The Iroquois. Therefore, this peace-brokering had a profound effect on Native American /colonial relations. In 1742, Weiser interpreted at a treaty meeting between the Iroquois and English colonials at Philadelphia, when they were paid for the land purchased in 1736. During this council, the Onondaga chief Canasatego castigated the Lenape /Delawares for engaging in independent land sales. He ordered them to remove their settlements to either Wyoming (Wyomissing) or Shamokin village . The Lenape began to migrate to

4094-423: The Mennonites in the same area. Pennsylvania Dutch English retains some German grammar and literally translated vocabulary, some phrases include "outen or out'n the lights" (German: die Lichter loeschen ) meaning "turn off the lights", "it's gonna make wet" (German: es wird nass ) meaning "it's going to rain", and "it's all" (German: es ist alle ) meaning "it's all gone". They also sometimes leave out

4183-413: The Ohio Valley to escape the Iroquois and English colonial pressures; that migration had begun as early as the 1720s. There, they were positioned to trade with the French. At the same time, they launched raids as far east as the Susquehanna River during the French and Indian Wars . In June 1743, following conflict between Iroquois warriors and the Virginia militia at the Battle of Galudoghson , Weiser

4272-416: The Ohio Valley, but the Iroquois did not believe they had done so. In 1748, Pennsylvania sent Conrad Weiser to Logstown , a council and trade village on the Ohio River . Here he held council with chiefs representing 10 tribes, including the Lenape , Shawnee , and the six nations of the Iroquois . He arrived at a treaty of friendship between Pennsylvania and these tribes. Threatened by this development and

4361-399: The Pennsylvania Colony. Below is a quotation of Benjamin Franklin 's complaints about the Palatine refugees in his work Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind (1751) : Why should the Palatine boors be suffered to swarm into our settlements, and by herding together establish their language and manners to the exclusion of ours? Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become

4450-466: The Pennsylvania Dutch community, adopting the language and assimilating into the culture. An 1892 article in The New York Sun noted a community of "Pennsylvania German Negroes" in Lebanon County for whom German was their first language. Today Pennsylvania Dutch culture is still prevalent in some parts of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Dutch speak English, with some being bilingual in English and Pennsylvania Dutch. They share cultural similarities with

4539-403: The Pennsylvania German language refers to the Pennsylvania Dutch or Germans in general. However, some authors have described this hypothesis as a misconception. The migration of the Pennsylvania Dutch to the United States predates the emergence of a distinct German national identity, which did not form until the late 18th century. The formation of the German Empire in 1871 resulted in

SECTION 50

#1732802356609

4628-406: The Six Nations of the Iroquois to continue to side with the British over the French in that war. Also, by that time the Iroquois nations had more trading relationships with the English in New York and Pennsylvania than they did the French, who were based further north. During the winter of 1737, beginning February 27, Weiser was commissioned by Virginia Governor William Gooch to attempt to broker

4717-399: The US Mid-Atlantic region. They largely originate from the Palatinate region of Germany , and settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. While most were from the Palatinate region of Germany, a lesser number were from other German-speaking areas of Germany and Europe, including Baden-Württemberg , Hesse , Saxony , and Rhineland in Germany, Switzerland , and

4806-419: The age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 28.5% of all households consisted of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.98. In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.3% under

4895-462: The age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $ 45,082, and the median income for a family was $ 53,456. Males had a median income of $ 38,309 versus $ 24,514 for females. The per capita income for

4984-423: The area called the German Company Tract, a subset of land within the Haldimand Tract , in the Township of Waterloo, which later became Waterloo County, Ontario . Some still live in the area around Markham, Ontario , and particularly in the northern areas of the current Waterloo Region . Some members of the two communities formed the Markham-Waterloo Mennonite Conference . Today, the Pennsylvania Dutch language

5073-430: The borough was $ 22,133. About 2.2% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over. Womelsdorf is home to the Stouch Tavern. Dating to 1785, the Stouch Tavern is locally famous for having been visited by President George Washington while he was serving his first term as leader of the new United States. Washington spent one night at

5162-434: The colonies of Pennsylvania , Maryland and Virginia . During the final day of the treaty council, on July 4, Canasatego, an Onondaga chief, spoke about the Iroquois concepts of political unity: Our wise forefathers established Union and Amity between the Five Nations. This has made us formidable; this has given us great Weight and Authority with our neighboring Nations. We are a powerful Confederacy; and by your observing

5251-549: The colonists kept pushing into western territories and encroaching on the various nations' hunting grounds and territories. Armed conflicts increased. Since the 20th century, the Conrad Weiser Homestead in Womelsdorf , has been partly administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and a supporters group known as Friends of the Weiser Homestead. It has been preserved to serve as an interpretive center for 18th-century farming, political and colonial history, and hosts regular re-enactments, especially of events during

5340-429: The colony most of the land remaining in present-day Pennsylvania, including the southwestern part that Virginia was also still claiming. In 1756, the government appointed Weiser and Ben Franklin to lead construction of a series of forts on the frontier between the Delaware River and the Susquehanna River. In the fall of 1758, Weiser attended a council at Easton, Pennsylvania . Colonial leaders from Pennsylvania met with

5429-426: The conflict with Britain. Frederick Muhlenberg (1750–1801), a Lutheran pastor, became a major patriot and politician, rising to be elected as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Pennsylvania Dutch contribution to the war effort was notable: In the marked influence for right and freedom of these early Hollanders and Palatines , in their brave defense of home, did such valiant service in promoting

SECTION 60

#1732802356609

5518-442: The continued activity of British traders in the Ohio Valley, the French redoubled their diplomatic efforts. In addition, they began to build a string of forts to protect their interests, culminating in Fort Duquesne in 1754 at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, forming the Ohio River. This is where present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania later developed. In 1750, Weiser traveled again to Onondaga , where he found

5607-424: The costs of the sponsor or shipping company which had advanced the cost of their transatlantic voyage. In 1764, the German Society of Pennsylvania was founded to protect the German redemptioners. The bulk of German migration to the American colonies began in 1683 but concentrated on the first half of the 18th century. Overall, the historian Marianne Wokeck estimates that just under 81,000 German-speakers entered

5696-399: The crown desired. Instead, each colony made the best deal it could with individual Iroquois leaders. Not only did no single person speak for the Iroquois League, but bands in each nation acted in decentralized ways in this and other wars. No single chief represented any tribe when it was at war. Conrad Weiser negotiated one of the more successful agreements. Some lower-level chiefs deeded to

5785-664: The end of July 1713. On November 22, 1720, at the age of 24, Weiser married Anna Eve Feck, a daughter of Johan Peter Feg and Anna Maria Risch. (Anna Eve Feck was born January 25, 1705, in Schoharie County, New York, and died June 11, 1781, in Womelsdorf, Berks County, Pennsylvania.) In 1729 the couple followed the Susquehanna River south out of New York and settled their young family on a farm in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania near present-day Reading . The couple had fourteen children, of whom only seven reached adulthood. Weiser's colonial service began in 1731. The Iroquois sent Shikellamy , an Oneida chief, as an emissary to other tribes and

5874-415: The habit of labeling anyone who did not speak Pennsylvania Dutch "English.") Many of the Pennsylvania Dutch soldiers who fought in the Civil War were recruited and trained at Camp Curtin , Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Dutch regiments composed a large portion of the Federal Forces who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania , the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Immediately after

5963-412: The harsh conditions; there were so many that the English had to make a camp for them outside the London walls for the winter. The following year in 1710, the Crown (under Queen Anne) arranged for transport in ten ships of the nearly 3,000 Germans to the New York colony. The Crown supported migration of the immigrants to help settle the New York colony. The plan was that they would work off their passage in

6052-427: The instructions of his father: "Don't ever call yourself "Dutch" or "Pennsylvania German." You're just American." Many Pennsylvania Dutch have chosen to assimilate into Anglo-American culture, except for a significant number of Amish and Mennonite plain people who chose to remain insular, which has added to the modern misconception that "Pennsylvania Dutch" is synonymous with "Amish." Palatine Dutch of New York in

6141-715: The level of church membership. Pennsylvania Dutch society can be divided into two main groups: the sectarian "Plain Dutch" and the nonsectarian "Church Dutch" also known as "Fancy Dutch". These classifications highlight differences in religious practices, lifestyle, and degrees of assimilation into broader American society. The Plain Dutch consist of Anabaptist sects, including the Amish, Mennonites, and Brethren. They are known for their conservative, simple lifestyle, characterized by plain dress and limited use of modern technology. These communities typically reside in rural areas, maintaining traditional farming practices and close-knit communal living. Pennsylvania Dutch (a dialect of German)

6230-510: The majority of whom were Fancy Dutch. Some regiments like the 153rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry were entirely composed of Pennsylvania Dutch soldiers. The 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment also had a high percentage of German immigrants and Pennsylvania-born men of German heritage on its rosters; the regiment's K Company was formed with the intent of it being an "all-German company." Pennsylvania Dutch companies sometimes mixed with English-speaking companies. (The Pennsylvania Dutch had

6319-419: The period of almost non-existent emigration between 1760 and 1830 from the German lands as Deitschlenner , literally "Germany-ers", compare German : Deutschländer . The Pennsylvania Dutch composed nearly half of the population of the Province of Pennsylvania . The Fancy Dutch population generally supported the Patriot cause in the American Revolution ; the nonviolent Plain Dutch minority did not fight in

6408-791: The pioneers arriving from Pennsylvania after November 1803 bought land in a sixty thousand-acre section established by a group of Mennonites from Lancaster County Pennsylvania, called the German Company Lands. Fewer of the Pennsylvania Dutch settled in what would later become the Greater Toronto Area in areas that would later be the towns of Altona, Ontario , Pickering, Ontario , and especially Markham Village, Ontario , and Stouffville, Ontario . Peter Reesor and brother-in-law Abraham Stouffer were higher profile settlers in Markham and Stouffville. William Berczy ,

6497-587: The political dynamics in the Six Nations had shifted. Canasatego, always pro-British, had died. Some Iroquois tribes were leaning toward the French, although the Mohawk remained pro-British. They had extensive trade relations with the British in Albany and eastern province of New York. Early in the summer of 1754, on the eve of the eruption in the colonies of tensions from the Seven Years' War , called

6586-443: The port of Philadelphia between 1683 and 1775, with two thirds of the immigrants arriving before 1755 of whom the majority (ca. 35,000) arrived in the five-year period between 1749 and 1754. In 1790, ethnic Germans comprised 38% of the population of Pennsylvania, or approximately 165,000 people. Of these, over half resided in the counties of Berks, Lancaster, Northampton and York. Anglo-Americans held much anti-Palatine sentiment in

6675-509: The provosts had even been Hessian prisoners of war prior to their recruitment. Because the provost corps completed many of the same functions as the modern U.S. Military Police Corps , it is considered a predecessor of the current United States Military Police Regiment. Nearly all of the regiments from Pennsylvania that fought in the American Civil War had German-speaking or Pennsylvania Dutch-speaking members on their rosters,

6764-461: The religious freedom they sought. Economic hardship, marked by war, famine, and limited land access in 17th and 18th century Germany, pushed many to seek a better life in the New World, which offered abundant land and resources. Europe's, and especially Germany's, political instability, with frequent wars like the devastating Thirty Years' War , contrasted with the relatively stable environment of

6853-484: The same methods, our wise forefathers have taken, you will acquire such Strength and power. Therefore whatever befalls you, never fall out with one another. Benjamin Franklin printed this speech, which some historians believe influenced development of American concepts of political unity. After the Treaty of Lancaster, Virginia and Pennsylvania colonial officials acted as if the Iroquois had sold them settlement rights to

6942-667: The summer; special interpretive events; and appointments. Weiser and Anna's descendants continued the family's civic involvement. Their daughter Maria married Henry Muhlenberg . Their son Peter Muhlenberg became a Major General in the Continental Army during the American Revolution , and Frederick Muhlenberg served as the first Speaker of the United States House of Representatives . A great-grandson, Peter M. Weiser (born 1781), joined

7031-594: The tavern in 1793 as he traveled from Reading to Lancaster . As of 2007, there were 10.66 miles (17.16 km) of public roads in Womelsdorf, of which 3.06 miles (4.92 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 7.60 miles (12.23 km) were maintained by the borough. U.S. Route 422 and Pennsylvania Route 419 are the numbered highways serving Womelsdorf. US 422 follows Conrad Weiser Parkway along

7120-559: The town of Reading in 1748, was a key figure in the creation of Berks County in 1752, and was appointed to serve as its chief judge until 1760. Weiser was also a teacher and a lay minister of the Lutheran Church , and one of the founders of Trinity Church in Reading. In 1756, during the French and Indian War , the Lenape began to raid central Pennsylvania. When the colony organized a militia, its leaders appointed Weiser as

7209-436: The war resulted in deaths of Pennsylvania colonists during the French and Indian Wars . But for many years, Weiser helped to keep the powerful Iroquois allied with the British, as opposed to the French. This important service contributed to the continued survival of the British colonies and is believed to have helped the victory of the British over the French in the French and Indian Wars. Between 1734 and 1741, Weiser became

7298-637: The war's end. Pennsylvania Dutch were recruited for the American Provost corps under Captain Bartholomew von Heer, a Prussian who had served in a similar unit in Europe before immigrating to Reading, Pennsylvania , prior to the war. During the Revolutionary War the Marechaussee Corps were utilized in a variety of ways, including intelligence gathering, route security, enemy prisoner of war operations, and even combat during

7387-615: The war. Heinrich Miller of the Holy Roman Principality of Waldeck (1702–1782), was a journalist and printer based in Philadelphia, and published an early German translation of the Declaration of Independence (1776) in his newspaper Philadelphische Staatsbote . Miller, having Swiss ancestry, often wrote about Swiss history and myth, such as the William Tell legend, to provide a context for patriot support in

7476-404: The wars, Pennsylvania Dutch was an urban language spoken openly in the streets of towns such as Allentown, Reading, Lancaster and York; afterwards, it became relegated only to rural areas. There was rampant social & employment discrimination for anyone suspected of being German. Meritt G. Yorgey, a Pennsylvania Dutch descendant who grew up during the height of anti-German sentiment, remembers

7565-429: Was 2,995.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,156.7/km). There were 1,112 housing units at an average density of 1,281.8 per square mile (494.9/km). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.46% White , 0.65% African American , 1.42% Asian , 0.96% from other races , and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population. There were 1,061 households, of which 31.4% had children under

7654-585: Was Jesus I live for thee, I die for thee, thine am I in life and death." Conrad Weiser and his family were among thousands of refugees who left German lands that year, many of them from the Palatine area. They traveled down the Rhine River and then to England, which had offered some support for the Protestant refugees. Thousands of Palatine German refugees made their way to London seeking escape from

7743-472: Was buried on a small hill slightly west of his house. Weiser's will bequeathed about 4,000 acres (16 km ) and part of his farm to Berks County. Shortly after Weiser's death, relations between the colonists and the Native Americans began a rapid decline. Although the British leaders tried to restrict colonial settlement to east of the Appalachians, to preserve Native American territory west of there,

7832-511: Was discharged from the Blue Dragoons and moved back to the family ancestral home of Großaspach . In 1709 the boy's mother, Anna Magdalena, died of fever. Their lands had been ravaged by repeated French invasions, there was pestilence, and the people were weakened by an unusually cold and long winter. Conrad Weiser Sr. wrote for his children, "Buried beside Her Ancestors, she was a god-fearing woman and much loved by Her neighbors. Her motto

7921-405: Was sent by Governor Gooch to Onondaga to meet with the Iroquois leaders. The governor sent £100 worth of goods with Weiser as a peace offering. The battle was one of the motivating factors that led colonial authorities to negotiate the 1744 Treaty of Lancaster . In 1744, Weiser acted as the interpreter for the Treaty of Lancaster , which was agreed to by representatives of the Iroquois and

#608391