Andreas Schadt
William Penn was granted 45,000 square miles of land in the American colonies, north of Maryland, by King George II. William invited fellow Quakers to move to his new land to live free from religious persecution. Within six months he had parceled out 300,000 acres to over 250 settlers, including Huguenots, Mennonites, Amish, Catholics, Lutherans, and Jews . Penn then set out to create an ethical society where power was derived from the people, from "open discourse", in much the same way as a Quaker Meeting was run. The new government would have two houses, safeguard the rights of private property and free enterprise, and impose taxes fairly. It would call for death for only two crimes, treason and murder, rather than the two hundred crimes under English law, and all cases were to be tried before a jury. Prisons would be progressive, attempting to correct through "workshops" rather than confinement. The laws he laid out were Puritanical: swearing, lying, and drunkenness were forbidden as well stage plays, gambling, revels, masques, cock-fighting, and bear-baiting. All this was a radical departure from the laws of Europe. Penn labored to create his government, borrowing from John Locke, but added his own revolutionary idea—the use of amendments—to enable a framework that could evolve with the changing times.
Almost 70 years later, 25-year-old, Andreas Schadt, left his home in Darmstadt Germany, and sailed to America aboard the ship, “Anderson” under captain Hugh Campbell. He, and about 80 other young German men, arrived in Philadelphia on August 21, 1750, and on that day, at the courthouse, before the mayor, swore an oath of allegiance to the Pennsylvania colony. When Andreas arrived, Philadelphia’s population was thriving with 19,000.
He settled in Berks county, the area near Reading, which then had no houses. Andreas’s father had come to the area 12 years earlier. Two years after his arrival, Philadelphia would build Independence Hall, the liberty Bell would be installed, and Benjamin Franklin would fly his kite proving the relationship between lightning and electricity. Four years after his arrival, in February of 1754, he married Maria Kraft, a 17-year-old girl from nearby Bern township, the daughter of another German immigrant.
They made a home along the creek in Upper Tulpehocken, “Land of the Turtles”. Located 85 miles from Philadelphia, just south of Blue Mountain, Tulpehocken was vastly settled by the “Pennsylvania Dutch”. Today, there is only one city in Berks county, Reading, all other localities are considered townships or boroughs. Upper Tulpehocken township is still very much a farming community, and you still have to share the road with Amish buggies.
Andreas was a farmer, and acquired several tracts of land, 300 hundred acres.
They prospered in this beautiful place, with rolling green hills, fresh ponds and soft fertile soil. Between 1754 and 1767 they brought forth 9 children. 6 sons and 3 daughters. Luckily, by the standards of the 1700’s, lost only one infant son. Their children were baptized at the “Christ Little Tulpehocken Church”, where he and Maria were married.
At the start of the French and Indian war (1754-1763), Andreas newly married, was setting up housekeeping. Tulpehocken Township had become the frontier in the French and Indian War. German settlements had forced the Lenape Indians out of their homeland. The Lenape moved towards Pittsburgh but were resentful about it. The French offered rewards for the Lenape to return to attack settlers in Berks County in small raiding parties. The ambassador to the Six Nations of the Iroquois directed the construction of forts to protect the German farm families from Native American attacks.
In 1757, a massacre of the Spatz family at a spring near Strausstown, PA caused the water to run red with the blood of the family. That small trickle of water became known as “Bloody Spring” and the event has been called the “Bloody Spring Massacre".
One hundred and fifty Berks County residents were killed and about 150 were kidnapped by the Lenape tribe during the French and Indian War. The Lenape attacked their homes and kidnapped women and children to replenish the number in their tribe. Often the kidnapped people would be ransomed back, but not always. At the end of the French and Indian War, a number of captives decided to remain with the tribes that kidnapped them because they had integrated into the tribe. The years of 1755 though 1759 seemed to be the worst. It is a safe bet that Andreas had to keep his rifle handy at all times.
In 1769, when their youngest child was barely 2, his beloved Maria passed away. With so many children at home, Andreas, (who by then went by the Americanized version, Andrew Shade) remarried Marie Kettner. She gave him 6 more children. (4 daughters, 2 sons)
When 1776 arrived, and with it our American revolution, Andrew had 14 children between the ages of 9 to 22 and was busy working his 300-acre farm. He was 51 years old when America declared independence. He is recognized by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) as having been a patriot (Ancestor #A102519). His service records only list “Signer of the Oath of Allegiance in Berks county on May 23, 1778”. It appears that Andreas did not see any battles, although many of his friends and neighbors had. There was no compulsory militia in Pennsylvania, and men between 16-50 were charged a tax if they did not muster. For many, probably for Andreas, it was worth paying the tax so as not to lose their crops.
Andreas must have been a man of some means. The 1779 tax rolls in Berks County listed him as owning 200 acres, 4 horses. 5 cattle, 6 sheep. His tax bill was $1,830. There are additional land records for Andreas which indicate the following purchases:
1 - 75 acres (50 in Bern Twp adjoining 25 in Tulpehocken Twp)
2 - 64 acres "Shady Grove" date 1759
3 - 20 1/4 acres @5# PER 100 acres 1767
4 - 70 1/4 acres “Shadow" 1767
5 - 40 acres @ 10# per 100 acres
Andreas wrote his will on September 3, 1786. He died 25 days later. He was 61. He wouldn’t live to see the Constitution, or to know that George Washington would be President. But his children would.
In his will, he directed his heirs to build a house for his wife, furnish it, provide her with an annual supply of grains and meats, a small income, a cow and a few acres for a garden. But if she were to remarry, she would receive only a bed. Then they were to sell the estate, to the highest bidder among his grown children, or to the public if they didn’t want it. Split everything equally 14 ways. He named guardians for his youngest children. He named his son Andrew, and son-in-law Philip Kempf, as his executors.
There are no burial records, but it is likely that Andrew Shade was buried at the Christ Little Tulpehocken Church. He Fathered 14 children and grandfathered at least 42. Ultimately, he is the forefather to thousands.
His four times great grandson was William Henry Ralph.
===========THE WILL OF ANDREW SHADE (full text)
In the name of God, Amen, the third day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty six, I Andrew Shade, of the township of Tulpohoccon in the County of Berks in the state of Pennsylvania, Yeoman, being weak of body but of sound mind and memory Thanks be to God for the same, and calling to mind the mortality of my body knowing that it is appointed for all men are to die, do this third day of September aforesaid make and ordain and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form that is to say. Imprimis, And first of all I commend my soul into the hand of God that gave it, and my body to the earth to be buried in a Christian like manner at the descretion of my executors. Item. I do order all my just debts and funeral charges to be honesty paid and adjusted. Item. I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife, May Eve, during her natural life the following enumerated articles viz: one large copper kettle, two pewter dishes, four pewter plates, six pewter spoons, one iron pot, her choice, one tub, two buckets, one table, her choice, one frying pan, her bed bedstead and bedding, now in my house, her chest with all that is therein, one coffee mill, and it is further my will that my beloved wife aforesaid shall have of my plantation whereon I now dwell during her natural life yearly and every year eight bushel of good wheat and seven bushel of good rye the said grain to be taken to mill and the meal and bran to be fetched home to her as she wants the same, one hog, fattened in the fall yearly weighing at least one hundred pound, Forty pound of beef, six pound of good wool, ten pound of -?-- flax, or hemp, ten pound of--?--, fire wood smallcut and hauled for fire use, One cow her choice of all my cows to be left on my plantation both summer and winter as well as the owner's cows of the place are kept, and if said cow gets old or should die, my wife aforesaid to have an unquestionable right to take another cow out of the stock then on the premises her choice. And it is further my will that my beloved wife Mae Eve shall live on my plantation during her natural life, she to live in the house which the owner of my plantation shall built for her near the spring house Well furnished with a stove in the room, as also to build a spring house for my wife aforesaid. I also give and bequeath to my beloved wife three perches of land of the foremost part of the hemp piece for a garden, And about half of an acre above the hemp piece for potatoes which ground the owner of my plantation is to dung and plow yearly for my wife and to keep it in good fence, And it is further my will and I do hereby order, that my executers herein afore named shall take 100 pounds of the first money raised out of my estate and put the same out on interest and my executors to pay the interest thereof yearly to my beloved wife aforesaid for support provided always she remain my widow, but if my beloved wife aforesaid should alter her mind marry again then she shall immediately leave the premises aforesaid and shall have none of the aforesaid bequeathed except her bed and chest only. Item. It is further my will and I do hereby order that my plantation and tract of land with the appurtenances whereon I now dwell situated lying and being in the township of Tulpehoccon aforesaid containing about three hundred acres of land be the same more or less, my children who are now of age shall make amongst them and sell the same, and which of them give the highest price shall and hold the same to him their heirs and assigns forever. But if my children should not incline or any of them to purchase my plantation aforesaid then my executors hereafter named shall sell and expose of same at public--- and sell the same for the best price that can be had or got, for the same, impowering and vesting full power in my executors hereafter named to give such deed or deeds to the purchaser or purchasers as will vest in them a fee simple of my plantation aforesaid whether it be to my Children or otherwise allowing always unto my beloved wife aforesaid out of the same her bequeaths all help unto her, and it is further my will that my exucutors herein named shall expose at public venue all of my personal estate and the money arising out of my real and personal estate equally to divide amongst my children share and share alike to that is to say, unto my son Samuel one fourteenth equal share Unto my daughter Catherine one fourteenth equal share, Unto my daughter Elizabeth one fourteenth equal share, Unto my son Michael one fourteenth equal share, Unto my daughter, Susanna one fourteenth equal share, Unto to my son Andrew one fourteenth equal share, Unto my son Adam one fourteenth equal share, Unto my son Christian one fourteenth equal share, Unto my daughter, Magdelina one fourteenth equal share, Unto my daughter Catherine one fourteenth equal share, Unto my son John one fourteenth equal share, Unto my daughter Eve one fourteenth equal share, Unto my daughter Christina one fourteenth equal share and unto my son Jacob one fourteenth equal share. Item I give and bequeath unto my son Samuel the choice of all my horses over and above what I have already bequeathed him for his birthright. first allowing also unto to my daughter Elizabeth the same household furniture equal with my daughters Catherine and Susanna, now married, And it is further my will that after my wife decease all her effects which she may yet have shall be sold by my executors at public venue and the money therefrom arising shall equally divide amongst my fourteen children aforesaid share and share alike, and I do hereby appoint Daniel Kemp and George Susaman to be guardians of my six youngest children: to wit; George Susaman to be the guardian for my daughters Magdelina and Catherine and my son John, And Daniel Kemp to be the guardian for my daughters Eve, Christina and my son, Jacob. And lastly do hereby nominate and appoint my beloved son Samuel Shade and my beloved son-in-law Philip Kemp my whole and sole executors of this my Last Will and Testament and to see this my Last Will and Testament justly and honestly fullfulled according to the true intent and meaning thereof and I do hereby revoke disallow and make void all other Wills or Legacies whatsoever by me heretofore made whether in words or writing allowing this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament. Signed Sealed Pronounced and Delivered by the said Andrew Shade as his Last Will and Testament in the presence of us Mathia (his mark) Kemp Christopher(his mark)Kern Andrew Shade
A true and perfect Inventory and conseivable apraisement of all and singular the goods an chattels rights and credits which were of Andrew Shade late of the township of Tulephoccon in the county of Berks yeorman deceased======
1. S
The deceased's wearing apparel86 Three sheets on table cloth176 One house clock two chests1126 Seven old books two glass bottels on brass one inkstand10 One earthen dish on butcher knife on razor26 Two weavers looms with all the gears7 Two bedsteads and bedding1 One bag with some feathers shoemakers tools116 Two old brass bells2 Two bedsteads and bedding2 Three small casks one half bushel some tallow11 One dresser one horn one salt box thre old frying pans156 Seven fron? sadels two fron? flesh forks one funnel ten pewter spoons 12 Twelve old wetstones with horns three knifes and forks2 Two hammers and anvils two fron? wedges one marol?one gig9 One marol?one fron? wedge some old fron? nine con? chains16 A quantity of pewterware two fron? pots18 Two augers two hand saws one drawing knife three chizzels76 One fire hold one con? chain3 One fron? kettle five buckets two old tubs three con? chains4 Fifteen table cloths seventeen hand towels210 Nine sheets three small pieces of linen12 Forty yards of ive? linnen one flatting? fron on glass bottle215 One old spinning wheel two willow baskets26 Six old chairs a quantity of yarn and strings one old chest14 Ten yards of linen cloth tow wollets? two shears1 Eight yards of ditto? thirty bags one waggon? cloth two chests215 A quantity of salt with the tubs two hachets on chizzel1 Four old Riddels? one old spinning wheel three saddels276 Some barley one small loom three beehives4 A quantity of flax seed five tubs15 Some woolen yarn four glass bottels some wool10 One stillyard? ibe oaur if wool cards some old fron?116 Forty eight yards of linnen cloth3 One fron? kettle one appel mill eleven casks25 A quantity of eart henware three tubs one funnel one cask18 A quantity of boards some hemp two sheep skins9 One large waggon14 One small ditto?310 Some flax three brakes six sithes1 Three dung forks two dung hooks three weeding hoes8 Two lock chains seven collars six blind halters four quilers?118 Three grubing hoes one ax one grindstone146 Two cradels and sithes some boards three sleds two plows one barrow112 One pair of hay ladders4 One grind mill one cutting box one slay18 Eight hives with bees on ladder21 Fifty bushel of wheat15 Thirty bushel of rye and twenty bushel of oats8 Twenty hogs and shoats66 Fourteen sheep310 Three cows1015 Two heifers5 One bull215 Two steers210 Four calfs28 One bay horse6 One rone ditto12 One sorrel mare10 One bay ditto15 Ten geese10 One cradel one dough trough one half bushel5 Three oil jugs one sheet one bag66 A book debt against Silvester New196 Ond bond against William Gauher12 One ditto against Daniel Kemp with the interest34144 One ditto against Tobias Shugare1215 One ditto against Christopher Kern with the interest106 One ditto against John Kopp with the interest3832 One ditto against Peter Gebhard withthe interest2012 One ditto against Philip Kemp35 One note against John Hubler witht the interest159 Two ditto against Philip Kemp216 One ditto against William Gauher619 One ditto afainst Philip Kemp210 One bond against John Reigle with the interest2312 One note against John Member510 A book debt against Samuel Shade25 One note against George Shide310 A book debt against John Albert65 One ditto against Jacob Schman7 One ditto against George Radebach196 One note against Philip Kemp110 One loan office certificate1293 A book debt against John Reigle12 One ditto against John Hubler3 One ditto against Mathias Reigle110 One ditto against Philip Kemp126 Book debt against several persons2975 By Cash51133 Total627165 The aforegoing goods and chattels were appraised in the whole to six hundred and twenty seven pounds sixteen shillings and five pence to the best of our knowledge witness our hands the 4th day of October Anno Domino 1786 his Mathias+Kemp mark Apprison (?) his Christopher CK Kirn mark On August 3, 1789 a final accounting of the estate of Andreas Shade included the following original inventory (above)627165 advance on sale of said goods108130 wheat sold and not charged in the inventory3511 book debts received and not charged in the inventory3139 and interestreceived of divers persons2643 a plantation sold at thedirection of the Will140000