Johannes Epler

Johannes Epler^1,2

• Baptism*: 22 August 1694; Bammental, Palatinate³
• Marriage*: 26 September 1720; Bammental, Palatinate; Principal=Anna Barbara Wüster¹
• Death*: before 25 January 1775; Date will proved.
• Burial*: Bern Churchyard, Leesport, Berks Co., Pennsylvania⁴

Family:

Anna Barbara Wüster b. 25 Jan 1702, d. bt 26 Oct 1762 - 25 Jan 1775

• Marriage*: 26 September 1720; Bammental, Palatinate; Principal=Anna Barbara Wüster¹

Children:

Susanna Epler²
Valentine Epler² b. 26 May 1723, d. 13 Nov 1803
Jacob Epler² b. 1 Aug 1725, d. 27 Aug 1792
Adam Epler² b. 23 Apr 1730
Maria Barbara Epler+ ¹³ b. 16 Aug 1732, d. 5 Oct 1809
Anna Barbara Epler² b. 7 Jul 1736
Margaret Epler² b. 13 Mar 1740, d. 7 Jan 1805
Peter Epler² b. 13 Mar 1740, d. 30 Aug 1805

Notes

• Immigration*: 1737; Immigration of Hans Epler & Hans George Huttner: Ship Samuel, Hugh Perry, Master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes, qualified 30 August 1737.⁵
• Note*: From Beiler book:
  
  "The same year [1720], Anna Barbara married Johannes Epler, a farmer from Gaiberg whose family had lived there for several generations. They migrated with [her sister] Maria Barbara and her family [Maria's husband Johan Georg Hutner] to Pennsylvania in 1737.
  Footnote: "71. Epler family records are recorded in the Bammental Reformed Church Records. Burgert, Eighteenth-Century Emigrants, 1:103-4."⁶
• Note: Land Acquisition:
  
  Johannes Epler acquired a large amount of land, about 1311 acres, from two transactions.
  
  First, by deed from the husband of his sister-in-law:
  
  On 18 April 1740 Caspar Wistar of Philadelphia brass button maker and Catharine his wife granted to Hans Ebler of Lancaster County yeoman and Anna Barbara his wife (the said Anna Barbara being a sister of the said Caspar Wistar), in consideration of the natural love and affection which they have and do bear towards their said brother in law and sister and the sum of 80£, two tracts of land in Tulpehocken Twp. one of them containing 500 acres and allowances and the other contiguous containing 130 acres. Acknowledged 29 Sept 1757 by Catherine Wister of Philadelphia, widow.
  Recorded 6 Jan 1757 Berks County Deed Bk 1, p. 256.
  
  Second, by purchase from the proprietors (the Penns):
  
  On 26 Aug 1758 the proprietors granted to John Ebler by patent recorded in Patent Bk A, Vol. 19, p. 134 lands totaling 681.29 acres. Ebler had been warranted this land by five warrants over a decade and a half:
  a) Lancaster Co. #74, 19 Jun 1740, 60 acres
  b) Lancaster Co. #115, 28 Mar 1747, 27 acres
  c) Lancaster Co. #153, 23 May 1750, 300 acres
  d) Berks Co. #21, 29 May 1754, 245.3 acres
  e) Berks Co. #22, 30 May 1754, 48.109 acres
  
  The location of these lands can be seen on the Berks County Bern Warrantee Township Map. Ebler's are numbers 79,81,82 & 95. Wistar's are 92 & 93.^7,8
• Note: Land Disposition:
  
  On 7 Oct 1762 John Ebler of Bern Twp. Berks Co. yeoman and Anna Barbara his wife created three deeds and on 18 Mar 1758 a fourth each granting land to one of their children. Each deed stated that the land was part of that acquired from Wistar and part from the land acquired by the patent. The acreages sum to 1364 acres, about the same as the acquisitions above. Each deed identified the relationship of the parents and children. All the lands were in Bern Twp. Berks Co. :
  
  a) To Weirly Moser and Margaret his wife (one of the daughters of John Ebler and Anna Barbara his wife), for 50£,
  a 293 acre plantation and a 6 1/4 acres 15 perches piece of meadow land. Recorded 30 Oct 1762 Berks Co. Deed Bk 3, p. 99.
  
  b) To Valentine Ebler (elder son of said John and Barbara) yeoman, for 60£,a 360 acre plantation and 9 acres of meadow land. Recorded 3 Nov 1762 Berks Co. Deed Bk. 3, p. 102.
  
  c) To Peter Ebler (one of the sons of said John and Anna Barbara) yeoman, for 145£, a 370 acre plantation, which encompassed the 9 acres of meadow land granted to son Valentine. Recorded Berks Co. Deed Bk. 3, p. 105.
  
  d) To Jacob Ebler (one of the sons of John Ebler and Anna Barbara his wife), for 80£, a 326 acre plantation. Recorded 28 Dec 1763 Berks C. Deed Bk. 3, p.298. (In 1778 Jacob and his wife Magdalena granted this land to their son John. Bk. B3, p. 397)⁷
• Note: 2016 newspaper story about the barn:
  
  "Floor Plans: An old barn gets an upgrade to a new life
  ...
  Deemed eligible for the National Register of Historic Places by the state Bureau for Historic Preservation, the farm's history dates to 1755 when land investor Casper Wistar deeded 1,311 acres to his sister, Anna Barbara, and her new husband, Hans Epler, as a wedding gift.
  
  By the time, their descendant Johannes Epler and his wife, Anna Maria, built the stone house in 1850, the farm was reduced to 350 acres. It remained in the Epler family until 1885. In 1939, it was purchased by businessman Pierce Hettinger, who owned it through most of the 20th century. Commercial development threatened the farm's buildings after much of the acreage was sold in 1997."⁹
• Note: Will abstract:
  
  EPLER, JOHN, Bern.
  October 26, 1762 - January 25, 1775. Vol 2-194.
  To my 4 sons, Valentine, Jacob, Adam and Peter EPLER, 5 shillings each, they having already rec'd. portions of my estate.
  To my 4 daus, viz, Margaret, Susanna, Maria Barbara and Anna Barbara, 5 shillings each, they having rec'd. their portions.
  Remainder to wife Anna Barbara, with full power to dispose of same by will or otherwise.
  Exrs: wife and son Adam.
  Letters to Adam, the widow being decd.
  Wit: Evan REES, Peter ALSTATT, James WHITEHEAD, Jr.^10,11
• Note: See cited sources for additional family information.^3,12