Harshbarger line: Jacob Fehler 1723-1760

 I like to wait to write a blog post until I have answers to at least some of my questions.  This ancestor, however, is basically one big question mark, or at least, his wife is.  

Jacob Fehler was born in 1723, probably in Germany, to Peter Jacob and Maria Olivia Weiler Fehler.  Some sources say that he was born in Rehrersburg, Pennsylvania, and his parents were residents of this area, but probably not in 1723,  So most likely Jacob was an immigrant, arriving on a ship with his parents when he was a young boy. His parents were in Oley Township, Berks County, Pa by about 1732. He would have grown up to be a hard worker, as he probably would have started doing chores at the age of three or four, and a good Lutheran.  He also would have learned to hunt and to use a rifle or musket not only to provide food for the table, but also to protect his family.  This knowledge may have come in useful later in his life.

Jacob married Anna Margaretha Lowengut (Liebenguth and other spellings) in 1743, probably in Tulpehocken Township.  She was born in Obermodern, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France, and it is possible that Jacob's roots were near there although we don't know for sure.  Jacob and Anna may have had a son, John, before their marriage, or it's possible that this was Peter Jacob's son.  At any rate, our couple had seven children during their marriage and there probably would have been more, but something happened.

This is where it gets confusing.  Anna Margaretha and two of her daughters seem to have disappeared, kidnapped by native Americans in early 1758 according to one report.  This is the same time period in which Anna Margaretha's parents, Hans Jacob and Margaretha Sands Lowengut, were killed by tribal members, so it's possible that Anna Margaretha and children were victims of that raid who were never officially reported as missing.  Tulpehocken township was the focus of more than one assault by the natives, who were at this time allied with the French, during the French and Indian War.  There is a letter in existence giving the disappearance as early 1758, and saying that neither she nor her daughters were ever heard from again.

But, there is also a record in 1747 of the marriage of Jacob Fehler and Hanna Weiss, and our Jacob's second marriage seems to be widely accepted.  There are several possibilities.  This marriage record could belong to a different couple.  The date of the marriage could be incorrect.  The date that Anna Margaretha and two daughters disappeared, as related in a letter written many years later, may be incorrect. 

Jacob would undoubtedly have been in the militia and been called to patrol duty during the worst of the attacks.  I've not yet found his name on any list, but unless he was physically challenged or refused to take up arms, he would have been in the militia.  He had a gun when he died, and Lutherans didn't generally refuse military service, so he was probably in some of the patrols and skirmishes that were all too common at the time.

Jacob farmed and other than the baptisms of some of the children, and his sponsorship of other babies at their baptism, there is little that I've found to tell us more about his life.  Church would have been important to the family and regular attendance at services, when safe, would have been important to them.  

We are fortunate to have a translation of his will, which was written in German.  It was written the 24th of March, 1760 and Jacob apparently died very soon after this.  At the bottom of the translation, it says "Litterally translated by J. Weiser",  In the will, he leaves a third to his loving wife Hannah Fehler, and later refers to her as "the woman".  He left 20 pounds to the children of his first wife, and his (current?) wife and child were to have no part of that.  He appointed George Emert and Jacob Lowengut as executors, to "do with my things and children as with their own".  The inventory was taken on April 9, 1760 and totaled 56 pounds, but by the time debts and expenses were paid there was little left.  Jacob was only about 37 years old when he died, which, considering the expense of feeding and clothing seven or eight young ones, didn't leave him a long time to build up an estate.  The most highly valued item he had was a weaving loom and tackling.  He had apple and peach trees valued, but there is no mention of land that he owned, so he must have been a tenant farmer. 

We don't know why Jacob died.  Since he was able to leave a will, he probably didn't die in battle, but he must have known he was ill or was seriously injured in some fashion.  

His is the story of so many families who emigrated from Germany/France, who made a home and raised a family on the frontier of America, who worshiped God with their neighbors who spoke the same language, and who were rewarded with the chance to better their lives and come closer to freedom.  

The line of descent is:

Jacob Fehler-Anna Margaretha Lowenguth

John Jacob Fehler-Anna Eva Behney

Christena Elizabeth Fehler-Johannes Harshbarger

George Harshbarger-Mary Kepler

Lewis Harshbarger-Catherine Mancer Mentzer

Emmanuel Harshbarger-Clara Ellen Harter

Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers

Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks

Their descendants