Hans Jageli BOSSHART

                   Sources:
Turbenthal Parish Film #995,899  (Fam. Hist. Lib., SLC, UT)
I.G.I. Doc: 7604916-1058246 p. 80-88,94
Name: Called Jacob Bossert in America also spelled Bosshart, Bossart, Bossard

1790 Census Brunswick, Manheim Twp. PA.
Passenger Ship Mercury 1735
Parish recds Turbenthal Zurich Switz. F# 995,899
IGI Doc. Source 7604916- 1058246 p 80-88,94
Berks Co. Deeds Names Jacob Bossert Deceased, Cleffy Bossert Philip Lenhart and Anna his wife, Henry Kalbach and Sussana his wife, George Loy and Rebecca his wife and Elizabeth Bossert.  The Said Anna Lenhart, Sussanna Kalback, Rebecca Loy and Rudolph Bossert being the only children and heirs of Jacob, Deceased and his late wife Cleffy.  (All sell to Rudolph land warranted Apr. 1738 Surveyed 25 May 1745 160 Acres in Greenwich Twp. Next to the land of Rudoph.)  Berks Deeds V104 p 369, 370, 372, 394

The Pennsylvania German Magazine, Vol. XXXIV, 1920, pp. 106-109

Emigrants to Pennsylvania in Zurich Minister Goetschy's Colony.  143 signed for passage and agreed to pay six doubloons for an adult and three for a child.

From Flunteren - Balthasar Bossart and from Mueliberg - Jacob Bossart.  The party left Holland 24 Feb 1735 and reached Philadelphia 29 May 1735 in the ship Mercury, William Wilson, Master.

The journey itself and some of the later experiences are given in a letter which J.H. Goetschy, then a boy of 17 years, wrote on July 21, 1735 to Mr. Wurdmuller, deacon at st. Peter's Church in Zurich.  (Original in the Zurich Library.)

Jacob Bossart signed for six persons.  Four of them reached Pennsylvania.  Jacob's wife, Anna had died in 1730, so two of their children must have died on that terrrible journey.  The letter describing it follows:

Letter of John Henry Goetschy to Zurich, July 31, 1735:

Very Reverend, Very Learned Mr. Deacon

     I, the most submissive servant of my very reverend, highly and very learned Mr. Deacon, cannot forbear to report to your Reverence, how we are getting along.  After we left Holland and surrendered ourselves to the wild, tempestuous ocean, its waves and its changeable winds, we reached, through God's great goodness toward us, with good wind, England within 24 hours.
       After a lapse of two day we came to the island of Wicht (Wight) and there to a little town, called Caus (Cowes,) where our captain supplied himself with provisions for the great ocean (trip) and we secured medicines for this wild sea.  Then we sailed, under God's goodness, with a good east wind from there.
       When we had left the harbour and saw this dreaded ocean, we had a favorable wind only for the following day and the following night.  Then we had to hear a terrible storm and the awful roaring and raging of the waves when we came into the Spanish and Portuguese ocean.
       For twelve weeks we were subjected to this misery and had to suffer all kinds of bad and dangerous storms and terors of death, which seemed to be even more bitter than death.  With these we were subject to all kinds of bad diseases.  The food was bad, for we had to eat what they call "galley bread."  We had to drink stinking, muddy water, full of worms.
       We had an evil tyrant and rascal for our captain and first mate, who regarded the sick as nothing else than sick dogs.  If one said, "I have to cook something for a sick man," he replied, "Get away from here or I'll throw you overboard, what do I care for your sick devil."
       In short, misfortune is everywhere upon the sea.  We alone fared better.  This has been the experience of all who have come to this land and even if a king traveled across the sea, it would not change.  After having been in this misery sufficiently long, God, the Lord, brought us out and showed us the land, which caused great joy among us.  But three days passed, the wind being contrary, before we could enter into the right river.
       Finally a good south wind came and brought us in one day through the glorious and beautiful Telewa (Delaware,) which is a little larger than the Rhine, but not by far as wild as the latter, because this country has no mountains, to the long expected and wished for city of Philadelphia.
       When we reached here our dear father, because of the great and tedious journey and the hardships so unbearable to old people, was very sick and weak.  On the last day, when we were before Philadelphia, the elders of the Reformed congregation came to him and showed their great joy over him.  They spoke with him as their pastor, who had been appointed to that position by the ruling persons in Holland, as was shown by his testimonials which he had with him.  They discussed one or other church affair with him and showed their great joy.
       He spoke heartliy with them, as if he were well.  The following day they came and took him to the land.  When he reached the land he was so exhausted by his sickness that he could not walk alone, but was carried in a chair to the house assigned to him.  When they were there, they wished to talk with him about one or other subject.  Of his own poeple none were with him but mother, the children were yet on the ship on the water.
       Then he said, "It is so dark before my eyes, let me lie down and sleep."  As they did not want him to sleep in that room, since people were coming in continually and he would have been unable to sleep, they carried him upstairs to the bedroom.  In the middle of the stairway he sat down, lifted his hands to his heart and his eyes to heaven, heaved a sigh and died.
       On the third day a very distinguished funeral took place in the principal English Presbyterian church in Philadelphia, with a large attendance of people.  All the members of the consistory of the Reformed church and very many of the congregation were present.
       Now we, his wife and eight poor, forsaken orphans, are in a strange land among strange people, who do not know us, poor and without comfort.  We, therefore, commend ourselves most submissively to all those in Zurich to whom our misfortune will become known and whose hearts will be touched, in order that they may graciously grant us their assistance.  It can easily be sent into this country, if they will only send it through Mr. Wilhemius at Rotterdam, for which I ask most humbly, for the sake of the mericiful Jesus.