A Summary of the Bair, Baer, Br, Bear, Beer Etc. Family

Prepared by Myrna L. Bair from Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1737 to 1808, by Ralph Beaver Strassburger, L.L.D, President of the Pennsylvania German Society. In Three Volumes, 1727 -1773, (Norristown, PA: Pennsylvania German Society, 1934).

This Work is dedicated to the Pennsylvania German pioneers and their descendants who have spread throughout the United States and whose industry, patriotism and achievements have placed an important part in the up-building of our nation.
(signed) R.B. Strassburger

Comments

Myrna L. Bair 11/04/07

1. The Lists

These records begin with ships arriving from 1727 onwards. The number of Germans arriving from 1680 to 1730 is difficult to determine.

In 1720 the American Weekly Mercury, printed in Philadelphia contained the first notice

of a ship bringing Palatines to Pennsylvania. On September 1, 1720, the paper reported that "On the 30th of August (1720) the ship Laurel, John Coppel (captain) arrived from Liverpool and Cork with 240 odd Palatine Passengers come here to settle." It is likely that this ship brought the Rev. John Philip Boehm to Pennsylvania. Rev. Boehm was the founder of the Reformed Church in Pennsylvania.

The lists are reported in these books. In some cases there were three lists:

A. The Captain's List.

The City Council ordered that the lists were to contain the names of the people, their occupations and the place from which the passengers came. Unfortunately the captains didn't record the last two items.

Each captain wrote his list on a large, loose sheet of paper which he handed to the magistrate at Philadelphia, sitting as a Court.

Many of those lists were lost. Of the 324 lists arriving between 1727 and 1775, we have only 138.

B. Lists of the Signers of the Oath of Allegiance to the King of England.

As with the Captains' lists, these were kept on loose sheets of paper and many of these did not survive. Also if the male adult was sick the day of the signing, they were not required to appear for the signing. However, beginning in August 1739, the Clerk of Council signed the names of the absent passengers.

C. Third List

This list from August 17, 1729 (from an Act passed by the PA Legislature) was entered into bound books. It was generated from the oath the passengers signed "declaring King George II to the lawful and rightful King of the Realm of Great Briton" and denying any claim to the throne from the late King James II. This was referred to the "oath of abjuration" and was aimed against the Catholic house of the Stuarts.

The oath was the result of a long-standing feud between the protestant King George II and the Jacobites (the supporters of the Catholic King James II). Several rebellions by the James's son, James Francis Stuart and his grandson Charles Stuart continued this feud.

This list is the most complete

Both oaths were signed in the Court House at Philadelphia.

The different lists may have different spellings

Most of the time, women and children were not listed.

2. The Journey

The journey to Pennsylvania was difficult and long. It came in three parts. The first part was the journey down the Rhine to Rotterdam (or some other port). The trip lasted 4-6 weeks and when the ships eventually came to Holland, they were often detained 5-6 weeks and the passengers had to spend nearly all the money they had.

The second stage of the journey was from Rotterdam to one of the English ports, most stopped at Cowes on the Isle of Wright.

Then the final leg of the trip, the ocean voyage was met with much suffering and hardship. The passengers were packed densely, "like herrings" and often lacked proper food and water. All sorts of diseases (dysentery, scurvy, typhoid and small pox). Children were the fist to be attacked and died in large numbers.

When they finally arrived in Philadelphia, a health officer visited the ship and if he discovered any infectious diseases, the ship was ordered to remain one mile from the city.

A hospital was eventually erected in 1750 on what is now Providence Island.

Those that had money were released. The rest were sold to merchants for a definite period of time to pay for their debts.

Additional details of the journey are recorded in the introduction to Strassburger's books by William J. Hinke.

The Lists

The Route

The Rhine River

Cowes is at the Northern tip of the Isle of Wright

Submitted by: Myrna.