Harshbarger line: Jacob Huber about 1696-1759

There seems to be a bit of confusion about Jacob Huber, probably because there were at least two men named Jacob Huber who were born in about the same time period, each in Germany, and who show up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania at about the same time.  I am following the research of Janet and Robert Wolfe for the most part, with a few speculations of my own added.  

Jacob was most likely the son of Hans and Barbli (Barbel, Barbara) Lier Huber, and was probably born about 1696 in the Palatinate region of what is now Germany.  Hans was a Mennonite, so he may have come from Switzerland originally, and settled in the Palatinate along with other Mennonite families who were forced to flee their homeland due to religious persecution.  Many of these families made their way to Pennsylvania in order to better practice their religion and also to secure land, which was seen as a necessity in order to support a family.  

It's not known for sure when the family arrived.  It may have been as early as 1710 or as late as 1728, or perhaps Hans had gone back to Germany sometime after 1710 and then returned in 1728.  Jacob was taxed in Conestoga Township beginning in 1718, for at least four years.  Jacob started acquiring land in 1728 and through the years, had at least 1700 acres warranted or surveyed, although not necessarily all at the same time.  He is noted as being in Earl, Warwick, and Martic townships at different times.  There is also the possibility that some of these tracts were for ironmaster Jacob Huber, who was apparently not the same man as our Jacob Huber, who farmed and owned a grist mill.

Jacob was married twice.  His first wife may have been named Anna, and she was the mother of six children. She is not yet identified, but she was the mother of our Anna Elizabeth.  She died about 1733 (her last child was born in 1733) and Jacob married again, to Anna Leininger.  They had at least five children together, so it was a large family that Jacob needed to support.  Like most Mennonite families, they would have worked together, long and hard, to do all that was needed to keep a farm and a family going.  

Although Jacob was raised a Mennonite, and probably remained one, he was apparently interested in what Count Zinzendorf, supporter of the Moravian movement, had to say because he hosted the Count at his home in 1742.  Two years later, Jacob signed a petition to find a teacher who could instruct in English, German, Greek, and Latin, so education was a priority in this household.  

The biggest mystery of his life to me is how he was affected by or involved in the various struggles with the French and native Americans during their several periods of conflict.  Lancaster County was the scene of several ambushes and massacres, and many of the residents fled to the larger towns and either lived with relatives or lived as refugees during the times of greatest danger.  Jacob may well have been a pacifist, but that may not have meant anything to those trying to drive the colonists out of what some tribes regarded as their land.  Also, he may not have taken up arms but may well have supplied local troops or built roads or held any number of other positions.  We just don't know.  If the family left during the difficult times, how long were they away, and was their farm destroyed?  Again, I've not found any records yet.

Jacob wrote his will on July 9 in Martic Township.  He mentioned two tracts of land, and left bequests to all eleven of his known children as well as to his widow.  The will was proved September 12, 1759.  

I'd sure like to clarify many of the details about Jacob's life, including when he came to America, who his first wife was, how many of these land tracts were his and if he moved often, why he did that.  I'd love to know what his life was like in relation to the conflicts with the native tribes and what role he played, or where he was, during that time.  And was he prosperous, or was he cash poor because he purchased so much land?  Jacob Huber left many questions as well as a large posterity.

The line of descent is

Jacob Huber-first wife

Anna Elizabeth Huber-Yost (Joseph) Gingerich

Maria Gingerich-Adam Burkholder

Joseph Burkholder-Elizabeth  Miller

Barbara Burkholder-Benjamin Buchtel 

Nancy (Fannie) Buchtel-Adam Kemery

Della Kemery-William Withers

Goldie Withers-Grover Harshbarger

Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Beeks

Their descendants