JOHANN MICHAEL AND ANNA MARGARETHA GRÄTER LIEB - Chapter Three

 Introduction 

My fifth great-grandparents Johann Michael and Anna Margaretha Gräter Lieb represent the earliest documented ancestors of my great-grandmother, Catherine Ellen Lieb McWilliams. The Liebs emigrated from present-day Germany to America. Written records of the Gräter family and Anna Margaretha's second husband, Johann Mathias Staudt's family, date back into the 1600s in church books in the Sulzdorf, Württemberg and Wolfersweiler, Saarland states in the Holy Roman Empire. The Lieb's arrived in Philadelphia on Saturday, August 11, 1750. The rest is history! 

1750 Map of Pennsylvania

THE LIEB PLANTATION AND GRISTMILL

Michael and Anna Margaretha completed the journey to their new home by traveling from Philadelphia to Bern Township in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Their options for making the seventy-mile trip were limited to paddling up the Schuylkill River and Tulpehocken Creek or following the narrow, rough path of Tulpehocken Road overland. Their place of residence was not recorded until they settled on 36 acres of land that Michael purchased from Wendel and Mary Elizabeth Bright [sometimes spelled Brecht] on 23 January 1753. Their property straddled Tulpehocken Creek and included a dwelling house and gristmill. Berks County was carved from part of Lancaster County in 1752, so the purchase of their plantation was recorded in the county seat in Reading. 

Wendel Bright Patent in North Heidelberg Township on the Left Bank
and Penn Township on the Right Bank of Tulpehocken Creek
 

The Lieb home was on the north side of the creek in Bern Township and the land across the creek was in Heidelberg Township. Both townships were later divided into smaller jurisdictions, placing their residence within the current boundaries of Penn Township and the remainder of their real estate in North Heidelberg Township. Reading was about ten miles south of their “plantation.”

Michael’s land was a part of a larger tract which was warranted to John Kersner [Johannes Kirschner] on 2 October 1735. It is interesting that Johannes Kirschner was my 7Xs great-grandfather on another maternal line. William Penn’s grandson, Thomas’ signature appears on the warrant. 

John Kersner 1735 Lancaser County Land Warrant 

(Transcription)                                         

Pennsylvania, ss.                                        By the Proprietaries. 

At the Request of John Kersner of the County of Lancaster that We would grant him to take up Two hundred Acres of Land on Tulpehoccon Creek adjoining [sic] to Stephen Brake [Brecht or Bright] in the said County of Lancaster for which He agrees to pay to our Use the Sum of Fifteen Pounds Ten Shillings current Money of this Province for each Hundred Acres and the yearly Quit-rent of one Half-penny Sterling for every Acre thereof; THESE are to authorize and require three to survey or cause to be survey’d unto the said John Kersner at the Place aforesaid, according to the Method of Townships appointed, the said Quantity of 200 Acres that hath not been already survey’d or appropriated, and make Return thereof into the Secretary’s Office, in order for a further Confirmation; for which this shall be thy sufficient Warrant, which Survey, in case the said John Kersner fulfil the above Agreement within six Months from the Date hereof, shall be valid, otherwise to be void. GIVEN under my Hand, and the lesser Seal of our Province, at Philadelphia this 2^d day of October Anno Dom. 1735                                                                                                                                                       

To Benjamin Eastburn, Surveyor General                                                    THOS PENN                                                                 

The warrant authorized a survey to be made for Johannes which would guarantee that no other claims had been previously made to the same property and created a legal description of the boundaries and acreage of the plat.

Johannes’ survey was made and recorded, but he did not complete the additional steps necessary to receive a legal patent (original land deed) from the Penns. Filing the patent paperwork involved travel and expense that was difficult for many pioneers. The patent was not necessary and residents often lived on their land for years or sold it without ever completing the patent process.

John Kersner 1735 Survey

Johannes and his family lived on the property for seven years, but he passed away in 1742. He willed the farm to his son Conrad [my 6Xs great-grandfather], but Conrad relocated to Windsor Township and sold the land to John Reezer in 1747. John Reezer requested a second warrant for the same property on 30 May 1747. The warrant was returned on 19 March 1750 for Wendel Bright. Reezer sold the plat to Wendel Bright three years after he purchased it from Kersner. Bright completed the patent purchase from the Penn family on 3 March 1750.

Wendel Bright and his wife Anna Catharina sold 36 acres of their 196-acre tract to Hans Michael Lieb on 23 January 1753. The deed stated that a “mansion house, grist mill, dam and race” were located on the property that was conveyed to Michael for the price of £358. 

Herr Gristmill in Lancaster County Built in 1738

Only the foundation of Michael’s grist mill remains today, but his mill may have resembled the Herr mill which still stands in Lancaster County. The above photo illustrates water in the mill race which powered the external water wheel which, in turn, provided energy to move the huge interior millstone used to grind grain into meal or flour. 

The Lieb mill property adjoined this farm and shared the majestic views.
This photo was taken 200 years after Michael's death in circa 1953.

Berks County was established in 1752 and taxes were levied that year to fund the formation of the new county government. One undated tax list which contained Michael’s name was found. The single sheet does not bear a date, but it certainly was made between 1752, and 1754 when Michael passed away. Note that he is listed near “Windle” Bright from whom he bought his land.   

Hans Michael “Leep” in Undated Bern Township Tax List

Land Documents from the Pennsylvania Archives, map and photo from Library of Congress, and tax record from Family Search. 

NEXT - CHAPTER FOUR         WHERE THERE’S A WILL…