Hans WITTWER

Birth:
Abt 1680
switzerland
Death:
Abt 1741
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Marriage:
Bef 1708
switzerland
Father:
Blocked
Mother:
Blocked
Notes:
                   INFO. FROM DOROTHY WITWER STABLER,4001 MC INTOSH RD.HARRISBURG PA' SURVEYS AND WARRENT FROM RICHARD AND WM. PENN.(LAND GRANT) 1712,   A MARTIN WITTWER D. 1769 COULD HAVE BEEN BRO. OR SON.   Possibly a sister Elizabeth according to Witwer Genealogy of America.

Pa. Mennonite Heritage,Vol. 26,No. 3, July 2003. The Witwer Family of Earl Township:Part 1, Hans Witwer.  by Denise Witwer Lahr and Thomas Witwer Richards.
   Hans Wittwer probably arrived in 1717 with the second wave of Swiss immigrants.  In his 1939 article article on Peter Bezaillion's road, Martin Hervin Brackbill stated that Hans Witwer was among the earliest settlers in Earl Township, having purrchased a portion of the Hans Herr and Martin Kendig warrant of 1717.  According to Brackbill  ,Hans Witwers land lay about two miles no. of Peters road and was probably surveyed as early as 1720.  He does ,however ,concede that records from this early period are incomplete and that Wittwer's land was later resurveyed to include a larger amount.
Much of the documentation involving land transactions from 1718 until  the early 1730s was tied up by litigation involving the estate of William Penn.  Therefore even the most diligent researcher will not likely find warrants and surveys in the name of Hans Wittwer from this early period.  Much of the Mennonite development of Lancaster co. in this period can be   directly credited to the disbursement of land through the Herr and Kendig Warrant.
Tax records are another source of information regarding land ownership.  However, the examination of tax records requires a cautionary note.  This caveat concerns the fact that this information was recorded in an age when spelling  was not conventional and names were written according to the ear of the recorder. who was often a speaker of English recording German names.   Consequently, the researcher must take care in assuming that any particular entry applies to a specific individual.
The name "Witwer"  was written in the following varied ways in situations where we are certain that the person referred to is our ancestor: Widower(the literal translation),Widwar, Widwer, Witmer, Witwar, Witware, Whitmore and Witworth.  Particular care must be taken with regard to the name "Witmer" since there was also a John Witmer, with a son named Michael who arrived in Lancaster Co. around 1717. To further illustrate this confusion, we refer to the Witmer genealogy by Roy Spaetzell which includes many of our Witwer ancestors listed as Witmers.
life of Hans Wittwer
His substantial holdings indicate that he was a farmer, a fact confirmed by the references in his will to a "Plantation" ,and a miller in possession of a mill at the time of his death.  His interest in the Brecknock Township property suggests that Hans may have been wearching for a second mill site.
We also conclude that Hans was an active member of his Mennonite community. Martin Brackbill;; wrote that Hans was a"minister in theMennonite Church, as was his son-in-law,Wendel Holl and his son, Michael Witwer." Although the reference to his being a minister may be inaccurate, Hans, at the very least, was a respected member of his religious community.
Further, Hans was a respected member of the community-at-large.  On August 3, 1736,at a meeting of the QuarterSessions Court of Lancaster County, Hans was appointed  to a five-man comm. charged with determining the best route for a road through Caernarvon township.  The course of this road had been a matter of some dispute.  Two previous attempts at laying it out had resulted in quite different solutions and a good deal of controversy. Hans and the other committee members were instructed to review both previously proposed courses "with a regard to the future as well as present advantage of the public" and report to the next court it appears that Hans was considered a wise individual.who could act fairly in this matter.  No further record of the committee's action could be found in the abstracted records of the Quarter Sessions Court.
Hans Wittwer and his descendants, maintained a clowe relationship with the family of Theodorus Eby.  They likely emigrated together in close proximity of each other. Evidence of their relationship is cocumented in chester County records for the estate of "Doran Eby" dated April 1,1728. Hans Wittwer was one of the three individuals posting bond in the administration of the estate.  Several years later Theodorus'son Jcob died. On January 4,1745/6, Hans'son Michael Witwer joined Michael Grebil in posting the bond. The family connection was cemented by many marriages over the ensuing years.
Will of Hans Wittwer


The conclusions  in this article are as follows;  Hans Wittwer and family arrived in Pennsylvania in the early 1700s, probably in search of religious freedom and land.  Hans lived less than 25 yrs after his arrival and left only one married son to carry on his name.  Nonetheless, the name Witwer is well-entrenched in Lancaster County and is widespread throughout the United States.
Hans Wittwer's gravesite is unmarked. Perhaps he is buried with many of his descendants in the Witwer/Holl Cemetery at the northeast corner of the intersection of Reidenbaugh and Martin Roads in Earl Township. However, since this land was not part of the original homestead and was acquired by son Michael only after Hans Wittwer's death, it is also possible that Hans is buried elsewhere.
                  
Blocked
Birth:
Father:
Blocked
Mother:
Blocked
Notes:
                   HAD SON HANS GERBER May not have been the mother of Michael and Mary.
                  
Children
Marriage
1
Mary (Maria) WITWER
Birth:
Abt 1708
Bern, Canton, switzerland
Death:
 
Marr:
 
Notes:
                   M. WENDEL HOLL..INHERITED 200 ACRES,CARED FOR HER MOTHER.  ACREAGE LIES NEXT OT THAT OF MICHAEL//IN EARLIEST SURVEY OF GRANT AND WARRANT 1765-9 SEE LETTERS AND WILL OF 1741,HANS WITTWER.
Witwer genealogy of America by Ananais Clime Witwer and Rev. Geo. Witwer  1909 So. Bend Indiana
                  
2
Jacob WITWER
Birth:
Death:
1739
Earl, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
 
Marr:
 
Notes:
                   Witwer genealogy of America by Ananais Clime Witwer and Rev. Geo. Witwer  1909 So. Bend Indiana
                  
3
Blocked
Birth:
Death:
Blocked  
Marr:
 
Notes:
                   Witwer genealogy of America by Ananais Clime Witwer and Rev. Geo. Witwer  1909 So. Bend Indiana M. JACOB HOLL, DANIEL HOLL,B. APRIL 6 1787,A SON ...OTHER CHILDREN NOT KNOWN
Witwer genealogy of America by Ananais Clime Witwer and Rev. Geo. Witwer  1909 So. Bend Indiana
Catherine Wittwer, 73, of the first generation, married to Jacob Holl, 74, dates and records could not be obtained.  There were some more children, (other than Daniel), but the names were not obtained.
                  
4
Birth:
1710
Barn, switzerland
Death:
1778
Earl, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Marr:
Abt 1762
Lancaster, Pennsylvania 
Notes:
                   A BENJAMIN WITTWER SETTLED IN LANCASTER PA.1722...2 BATCHELOR BROS.BURIED BY MICHAEL,1739;JACOB WITWER,1769;M(MARTIN?)WITWER UP TO 1773 NAME WAS SPELLED"WITTWER" AFTER BOSTON TEA PARTY 1773 WITTWERS CAST ALL THE "T"THEY COULD SPARE FROM THEIR NAME HENCE WITWER
Witwer genealogy of America by Ananais Clime Witwer and Rev. Geo. Witwer  1909 So. Bend Indiana
Michael Witwer, our ancestor, as found on his tomb stone, died in 1778.  The name and date of death only appearing on the tomb stone; and on another stone dated 1739, Jacob Witwer, and one 1769, and mad out to be M- Witwer.  These last two were supposed to have been sons of the bachelor brothers of the ancestor, and is also handed down by tradition that they were bachelor brothers who came together from Switzerland in 1727.  The one was named Jacob Witwer, and the other sone was so worn but it was a name beginning with "M." and possibly was Martin Witwer, as there were some thinking this possible.
      We find the name of our ancestor, "Michael Wittwer," in a deed patent from William Penn to Jacob Sensenig, dated A.D. 1734, adjoining lands of Michael Wittwer, and describing boundaries, courses, and lines, quite lengthy and minutely.  THis deed is kept in a good state of preservation adn is in possession of John B. Senseig, of Earl township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania.  It is plain that the Witwer and Sensenig connection were among the first settlers of Earl township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and settled there in the year 1727.
      The Witwer and Sensenig families settled along the Harrisburg and Downington turnpike road.  THis was the second road laid out in the county.  THis settlement is about 44 miles east of Harrisburg, the State Capitol, and about 50 miles wet of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  THe Wittwers, Sensenigs and others took up land along those beautiful living springs of cool refreshing and wholesome water which was abounding along this road, which was enticing of this settlement along there, and many of these beautiful springs are to this day offering an abundance of cool, refreshing water.  Some fine speckled trout are to be seen which abounded in an early day.  One of these spreings supplied sufficient water power to run a grist mill.  Jonas Wittwer built a grist mill here, about on-half mile from "The Wittwer Grave Yard," along the Harrisburg and Downington turnpike road.  This mill is still there, and is known as the "Martins Mill."  THis settlement was known for a long time as the "Wittwer Settlement," HAsel, Jonas, David and Daniel Wittwer, four brothers living here on adjoining farms.  All made fair improvements in buildings and clearing the lands, planting orchards and the like for the time in which they lived.
Description of the Wittwer Grave yard:  In Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pa., as taken by George Witwer, of the fourth generation, on August 10, 1885.  The location is on the old WIttwer homestead, and is one-fourth of a mile south of the Harrisburgh and Downington Turnpike road.  Is fenced in with a good, substantial post and sail fence of the old Pennsylvania style, five rails high and panels twelve feet long, the posts morticed and the ends of the rails beveled and the ends sliped past each other into the mortice in the posts, thus to hold the rails firm in the post.  The ground inclosed is about 50 feet wide by about 80 feet long.  A weeping willow tree at one corner and a few locust trees surrounding.  There used to be quite a grove of nice locust trees surrounding this grave yard, but when the land became so valuable, the locust trees and also these trees were cut down to make fence posts, and the ground farmed.  The tomb stone in this grave yard are mostly plain white marble and a few of Pennsylvania sand and lime stone, with inscriptions so old that it is almost impossible to make out names, dates, and the like, on them.  Of some the oldest legible date next is dated 1769, M. Wittwer.  These were supposed to have been sons of our ancestor, Michael Wittwer, by the Rev. George Witwer, at the time the description was taken; but we have found quite conclusive proof that they were the bachelor brothers of our ancestor, Michael Wittwer, and their names were Jacob and Martin, respectively.  There was also a sister to these, which was married to Jacob Holl, and they are buried in this grave yard.  The next of the old tomb stones that is legible is that of our ancestor, Michael Wittwer, died 1778; this is all that is on this tomb stone, and is of Pennsylvania sand stone.  The oldest person buried in this grave yard is inscribed on a plain white marble tomb stone thus; Mary Weaver, born December  1784, died July 21, 1881, aged 96 years, 7 months, and 16 days.  She was the widow of Joseph Weaver, whose mother was Barbara Witwer, the daughter of our ancestor.
The Holl families have plain white marble tomb stones, quite a number of them all uniform in style and size.  Old Mother Holl was a sister to our ancestor.  Daniel Holl's tomb stone is the first that is legible inscribed; on the stone thus, Daniel Holl, born April 6, 1787, died April 21, 1868, aged 81 years and 15 days.  Lines on this tomb stone: Unveil thy bosom-faithful Tomb, Take our dear Father to thy Trust, And give these sacred relics room, Till God shall call him from the dust.
Found no extra fine or costly tomb stones, but quite a number of good plain white marble of uniform style and size.  Noah Wittwer and his sister Magdalena, tomb stones are good marble stones; also Isaac Wittwer and Frances, his wife, both on one block, with inscription, Isaac Wittwer died September 27, 1831, aged 40 years, 3 months, 4 days; Frances Wittwer died April 30, 1876, aged 86 years, 4 months, and 14 days.  Some of the Stauffers, Weavers, Holls, Ebys, and the like, all related to the Wittwers of the first and second generations, and quite a number of the old style lime and sand sone tomb stones are so weather beaten adn worn that names and dates are not legible.  From the date of the oldest stone, 1739, Jacob WIttwer, it presumed that this grave yard was laid out soon after the organization of Lancaster County, Pa, in 1729.  The large and beautiful grove of timberland that surrounded this grave yard in an early day is now all cut down and the land surrounding all nicely fenced and improved and quite a number of good dwelling houses, barnes, orchards, and other improvements have taken the place.
                  
5
Blocked
Birth:
Death:
Blocked  
Marr:
 
Notes:
                   Witwer genealogy of America by Ananais Clime Witwer and Rev. Geo. Witwer  1909 So. Bend Indiana
We also found there was sister, Elizabeth Wittwer, 76, of the first generation, but could find nothing about whom she married or what became of her.
                  
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Hans Wittwer - Blocked

Hans Wittwer was born at switzerland Abt 1680.

He married Blocked Bef 1708 at switzerland .

They were the parents of 5 children:
Mary (Maria) Witwer born Abt 1708.
Jacob Witwer
Blocked
Michael Witwer born 1710.
Blocked

Hans Wittwer died Abt 1741 at Lancaster, Pennsylvania .