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Hans Detweiler

Birth
Switzerland
Death
Jun 1761 (aged 75–76)
Skippack, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA
Burial
Skippack, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Hans Detweiler (Detwiler, Dettweiler) probably came to PA between 1710 and 1720. Whether he was married at the time of immigration is not known; however, his wife's name was Susanna. On 8 April 1724 Matthias VanBebber and his wife Hermana granted to Hans Tottweiler of Bebber's Twp., Phila. Co., for 25 pounds, 102 acres, 52 perches (Deed book 11, page 238, Montgomery Co. Court House). In 1725 Hans Tetweiler with thirty-four others, signed a petition which was presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions of Philadelphia ordering the surveying and formation of the Township of Skippack and Perkiomen. At that time Skippack and the surrounding townships were part of Philadelphia Co., since Montgomery Co. was not established until 1784.

"The 1728 Petition for Protection against the Indians" was signed by most of the residents of what is now Upper Montg. Co., and according to Dr. William J. Hinke this petition furnished a good census of the Perkiomen Valley. Many of the men who signed this petition were Mennonites including Hans Detweiler who was the nineteenth of seventy-seven signatures on the petition to Governor John Roberts.

Hans Detweiler is listed among the first settlers of Berks and Philadelphia counties (now Montgomery Co.), naturalized between 1729 and 1730 [Section II of the Appendix, page 434, in Rupp's Index to the 30,000 Names of Immigrants in Pennsylvania, 1727-1776]. Hans was a weaver by trade and records show he owned land and paid quit-rent prior to 1734. The annual audit book, "The Skippack Alms Books," of the Mennonite Church was signed twice by Hans between 1750 and 1757.

Hans and Susanna Detweiler had their homestead at Skippack (which was then called Bebber's Township) from the 1720's until their deaths. It is thought that this property is in Perkiomen Twp., between the Skippack and Perkiomen Creeks at the head of a small stream between the present route 29 and route 113, not far from Rahn's Station. On the 1848 Montgomery Co. map it is 40 degrees 13' latitude and 0 Degrees 36' longitude and marked by J. Bean across from the H. Tyson farm. Between 1737 and 1752 Hans Detweiler bought and sold various properties around Bedminister Twp., Bucks Co. According to Edna Gehman, the old Detweiler homestead was in Bebber's Twp., Philadelphia Co., which is now Skippack Twp., Montgomery Co. It was used as a meeting house before the Franconia meeting house was built.

The exact dates of death of Hans and Susanna Detweiler is not known, nor is the burial site although most gererally agree that they are buried at the Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery. Hans Detweiler's will was made 17 December 1750, and it mentions his wife by name, Susanna Tatwiler. Since no new will was made between 1750 and 1761, the year of Han's death, it is probable that Susanna was still living at that time. This will was probated 26 Jun 1761 and is located at the Orphan's Court, County of Philadelphia.
Hans Detweiler (Detwiler, Dettweiler) probably came to PA between 1710 and 1720. Whether he was married at the time of immigration is not known; however, his wife's name was Susanna. On 8 April 1724 Matthias VanBebber and his wife Hermana granted to Hans Tottweiler of Bebber's Twp., Phila. Co., for 25 pounds, 102 acres, 52 perches (Deed book 11, page 238, Montgomery Co. Court House). In 1725 Hans Tetweiler with thirty-four others, signed a petition which was presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions of Philadelphia ordering the surveying and formation of the Township of Skippack and Perkiomen. At that time Skippack and the surrounding townships were part of Philadelphia Co., since Montgomery Co. was not established until 1784.

"The 1728 Petition for Protection against the Indians" was signed by most of the residents of what is now Upper Montg. Co., and according to Dr. William J. Hinke this petition furnished a good census of the Perkiomen Valley. Many of the men who signed this petition were Mennonites including Hans Detweiler who was the nineteenth of seventy-seven signatures on the petition to Governor John Roberts.

Hans Detweiler is listed among the first settlers of Berks and Philadelphia counties (now Montgomery Co.), naturalized between 1729 and 1730 [Section II of the Appendix, page 434, in Rupp's Index to the 30,000 Names of Immigrants in Pennsylvania, 1727-1776]. Hans was a weaver by trade and records show he owned land and paid quit-rent prior to 1734. The annual audit book, "The Skippack Alms Books," of the Mennonite Church was signed twice by Hans between 1750 and 1757.

Hans and Susanna Detweiler had their homestead at Skippack (which was then called Bebber's Township) from the 1720's until their deaths. It is thought that this property is in Perkiomen Twp., between the Skippack and Perkiomen Creeks at the head of a small stream between the present route 29 and route 113, not far from Rahn's Station. On the 1848 Montgomery Co. map it is 40 degrees 13' latitude and 0 Degrees 36' longitude and marked by J. Bean across from the H. Tyson farm. Between 1737 and 1752 Hans Detweiler bought and sold various properties around Bedminister Twp., Bucks Co. According to Edna Gehman, the old Detweiler homestead was in Bebber's Twp., Philadelphia Co., which is now Skippack Twp., Montgomery Co. It was used as a meeting house before the Franconia meeting house was built.

The exact dates of death of Hans and Susanna Detweiler is not known, nor is the burial site although most gererally agree that they are buried at the Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery. Hans Detweiler's will was made 17 December 1750, and it mentions his wife by name, Susanna Tatwiler. Since no new will was made between 1750 and 1761, the year of Han's death, it is probable that Susanna was still living at that time. This will was probated 26 Jun 1761 and is located at the Orphan's Court, County of Philadelphia.