From The Hollopeter Family Record:
The emigrant ancestor and founder of the American branch of the Hollopeter family was Matthias Hollopeter. From his gravestone we learned that he was born in 1728. The year of his arrival in America is uncertain. That he was here In 1754 is confirmed by records found in Pennsylvania archives of that year. It amazes one that so large a number of descendants should have stemmed from him in little more than two hundred years. The tradition that he had come from Holland had long been held, but research failed to substantiate that tradition. To try to determine the country of his origin, a letter sent to the Central Office of Statistics, in Holland, brought the reply that neither from the cards or a million persons who had died in Holland since 1940, nor in the Office of Genealogy, could the name Hollopeter be found. That office was convinced that Hollopeter was not a Dutch name. A part of the tradition was that Matthias had been sent to America by his parents in order to escape military conscription. Switzerland and Germany were countries which imposed conscription, so letters were sent to the Consulate-General of Switzerland and the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Germany. The reply from Switzerland stated that Hollopeter was not a familiar name in that country. The Bureau in Germany reported that they had no official records before 1874, and that records before that time were only church records kept in the local communities throughout Germany. The Bureau suggested that it might be fruitful to contact the Department of Genealogy of the Church of the Latter Day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah. It did not prove to be a fruitful source for us.
A search through books about Pennsylvania history found in the Genealogical Department of the Grosvenor Library of Buffalo, New York revealed that the immigration from Germany into Pennsylvania in the first half of the Eighteenth Century was in excess of that from all other countries. Many of these Germans, after taking the oath of allegiance to the British crown, had pushed their way North to the farmlands of Lancaster, Bucks and York Counties. These counties comprised an area so fertile that it later became known as the bread basket of the Revolutionary War. York County had been settled originally by the English, Scotch and Irish. They became outnumbered by the Germans. According to Gibson's History of Pennsylvania, Warrington Township, of York County, had been all settled by Germans. That Matthias Hollopeter was one of those settlers was substantiated by the tax lists of Warrington Township, found in the Pennsylvania archives. Correspondence was entered into with the York County Historical Society, and through its Librarian. John C. Kilbourne, whom we employed from time to time as a researcher, we learned of his land grants and purchases, his marriage, of the baptism of some of his children, tax assessments, record of his service as Constable and Collector, a copy of his will, an inventory of his estate, and the location of his grave.
The first official record concerning Matthias is recorded in the York County Court House Land Papers, 4352, which reveal that he was issued one hundred acres of land by the Proprietaries at Philadelphia on April 4, 1754. The warrant for the transaction was directed to the Surveyor-General, Nicholas Scull, as follows:
"Whereas, Matthias Hollerpeter, of the County of York, hath requested that we
would grant to him to take up One Hundred Acres of land, near William Dodd's on Dead Run,
in Warrington Township, in said County of York, for which he agrees to pay at the rate of
Fifteen Pounds, Ten Shillings, One Half Penny rent for every acre thereof. These are
therefore, to authorize and require you to survey, or cause to be surveyed unto the said
Hollerpeter, at the place aforesaid, according to the methods of townships appointed, the
said quantity of One Hundred Acres, if not already appropriated or surveyed, and make
return, thereof, into the Secretary's office in order for further confirmation for which
this shall be your sufficient Warrant, which survey, in case the said Matthias Hollerpeter
fulfill the above Agreement within six months from the date thereof, shall be valid, and
seal the Land Office by virtue of certain powers from the said Proprietaries of
Philadelphia this fourth day of April, Anno Domini, 1754.
(Signed) James Hamilton.
From this purchase we deduct that Matthias was a man of some means, and not an emigrant from the Palatinate area in Germany, as those emigrants arrived without much, if any, means, and were indentured for a period of time.
Matthias was married to Barbara Rusz, daughter o£ Frederich and Catharina Rusz on November 30, 1754 in the Saint Matthew's Lutheran Church of Hanover, Pennsylvania. The record of their marriage is the second official document found concerning Matthias. This record is in the handwriting of a clerk, who was responsible for the spelling of their names as "Barbara" Rusz and Mattheis Hollingpretter". In early documents and records names were often mis-spelled by clerks or recorders. This is not too disturbing for it is more important to have dates, history and locations correspond than the spelling of names.
Matthias and Barbara were the parents of five sons and five daughters. The birth dates
of the first four children were secured from the baptismal records found in the Lower
Bermudian Union Church - on the Lutheran side of the records, and they are as follows:
"On February 19, 1759, Barbara Hollopeter was born to Matthias and Barbara (Ruoss)
Hollopeter. She was baptized November 18, 1759, with Johan Adam Herman and wife Elizabeth
as sponsors.
On January 17, 1763, Catharina Hallerpeter was born to Mattheis and Barbara and baptized
Apr. 30, 1763, with Andreas Russ and wife Christina as sponsors.
On Sept. 17, Christina, daughter of Mattheis and Barbara Hollepeter was born. She was
baptized Apr. 4, 1768 with Frederick Russ and wife Christina as sponsors.
On November 9, 1769 Friderich Hallepeter was born (in the evening) to Mattheis Hallepeter
and Barbara with Friderick and Christina Russ, grandparents, as sponsors.
We do not know why the records of the baptisms of the children born later were not found.
Mentioned in the will are these children Mary, Susannah, Christina, Barbara, John, Frederick, Matthias Jr., Andrew and Abraham.
Since we were unable to secure any information about the daughters, other than Mary married Peter Stickle, and Susannah married John Green, we do not know anything about their descendants. We presume that Catherina died, because she is not mentioned in the will. We were able to find descendants of all the sons. It would have been gratifying if all our letters of inquiry had brought replies, so that our records might have been more complete.
In 1770 Matthias was Collector of Warrington Township, York Co. Pa. In this document his name is spelled "Holliper', (Record of York County Historical Society.
In 1776 he was appointed Constable of Warrington Township, and in this connection we found the following document:
"York County ss: January Session: 1778, The Grand Inquest for the county of York
upon their oaths and solemn affirmations, respectively do present that Matthias
Hollopeter, late of Warrington Township, in the county aforesaid, yeoman, on the
twenty-fifth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy
six and long before was an inhabitant and residing within the Township aforesaid in the
County aforesaid and an able person to serve the Office of Constable for the same township
and, he, the said Matthias Hollopeter on the said twenty fifth day of March in the year
aforesaid at the courthouse in the Town of York there situate lawfully and in due manner
was chosen, nominated and appointed by Martin Eckleberger, Esquire and his associates,
Justices of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the County aforesaid, and
usually present at the appointment of Constable for the Township aforesaid, in the said
County, for one year, from thence next following to do and execute all, and singular those
things which belong. to the office of Constable and that the said Matthias Hollopeter
afterward, to wit, in the second day of April in the year aforesaid, at the Township
aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, had due notice thereof and on the -- day of -- in the
Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven, was required by Robert
Stevenson Esquire then, and yet, one of the Justices of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
assigned to keep the peace in the County of and also to hear and determine divers
Felonies, Trespasses and other misdeeds in the said County on the same -- day of -- in the
year aforesaid to serve a summons upon a certain Frederick Asper and sundry other persons.
Nevertheless the said Matthias Hollopeter his duty in that behalf not regarding but
contriving and intending wholly to neglect to serve the said Office of Constable after he,
the said Matthias Hollopeter was so appointed and chosen into the said office as aforesaid
to wit on the said twenty-fifth day of March in the year aforesaid and continually
afterwards until the Day of the taking of this Inquisition at the Township aforesaid in
the County, aforesaid, unlawfully and contemptuously did refuse, and still doth refuse to
serve the Process, aforesaid, or in any wise to execute the Office of Constable for the
Township, aforesaid, to the great damage and hindrance of Justice in contempt of the laws
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the evil example of all others, in the like case
offending and against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."
Signed) Jonathan Serjant, Attorney General.
The document is endorsed as "a True Bill". The defendant being charged in open court, pleads not guilty and for trial, puts himself upon his country. The case was tried at the January term of the Court of Quarter Sessions and Hollopeter was found guilty, and fined 25 £. (Quarter Sessions Docket 11 page 5). A new Constable appears for Warrington Township at the next session of the Quarter Sessions. We were not able to learn the charge against Frederick Asper, which required a summons to be served. The year was a year of the Revolutionary War, and the citizens of Pennsylvania were more reluctant than the citizens of any other colony to engage actively in the War. Frederick Asper had an original land grant, and was a neighbor of Matthias.
He and his son, John, were the local blacksmiths.
Matthias must have been thrifty for records state that he purchased 125¾ acres of land from Henry Clark on April 26, 1770, for which he paid five hundred and fifty pounds, and on the same day and of Mr. Clark, bought 94¼ acres for which he paid one hundred pounds. On March 10, 1784 he bought three tracts of land, one of 152 acres, another of 132 acres, and 50 perches, and a third of 48 acres and 100 perches, for which he paid thirteen hundred pounds. This land is on the map of the York County original land grants, and is South and East of the first land for which he received a grant, and places his holdings nearer the Susquehanna River. His holdings at this time totaled 552 acres.
After the Revolutionary War the British colonies became states and each state made its tax lists. The first list made in Pennsylvania was in 1779, and the name of Matthias is in that list which is found in Pennsylvania Archives, printed under the direction of David Martin, Secretary o£ the Commonwealth of Warrington Township, York County.
The list is as follows, and the name Hollopeter has various spellings. "Yr. 1779-Matthias Holopeter - 200 acres-26 cattle. Tax 384.0.0. 1780-Matthias Hollowpeter- 200 acres-5 horses, 30 cattle. Tax 326.2.6. 1781-Matthias Holopeter s- 220 acres, 4 horses, 20 cattle. Tax 20.1.2. 1782-Matthias Hollepeter - 232 acres, 10 cattle, 4 horses. Tax 17. 1783-Matthias Hollopeter - 230 acres, household 8-no servants or colored people."
After his name in the list of 1781 is found a small letter s. Letters were used as abbreviations for name of certain things or occupations. The s in this instance, designated that Matthias possessed a still. This was not unusual in those days, and was used to appease Indians, and for medicine, but it caused the large tax assessed. Matthias was the largest taxpayer in Warrington Township. The first official census of the United States was made in 1790, but was inaccurate. The name of Matthias was not given.
A letter, dated December 1, 1953, from Mr. Kilbourne, Librarian of the York County
Historical Society, is as follows:
"Last spring I was a member of a party that had the exciting experience of finding a
forgotten graveyard in York county, or, to be more precise, in Warrington Township. Among
the stones remaining in the plot was that of Matthias Hollopeter. The burying ground is in
very bad condition, and Matthias' stone is very weatherworn. The inscription, as far as we
could decipher it was, 'Matthias H. yeloPeter, died May 1799, aged 71 years'. I believe
the original inscription was in German. On the stone, at the top is this - Hier ligt Beg
Raben (here lies the body of).
"This cemetery is known as the Bentz Burying Ground', and is on the Norman Cook farm in Warrington Township. The plot is unfenced and cows and groundhogs have overturned many stones. Before long the plot will be lost, hence our interest in copying the stones. You will note that if its present condition allowed us to interpret it properly as to its markings, this Matthias was born in 1728."
In 1954 Col. Hugh Carnahan, retired, visited the grave. He is a member of the family. He was kind enough to send directions of route to the grave from York.
Directions: Drive north out of York on the State Highway 74, through Dover, Rossville and Wellsville. From the Post Office Building of Wellsville continue north on 74 for 1.9 miles to the crest of a hill with one stone and one frame house on the left and one frame house and a frame abandoned filling station on the right. Turn right on a narrow paved road for .5 mile to a white house with white barn and outbuildings. Just this side of the buildings the first gravel road turns left down over a hill. Follow this .4 mile to the foot of the hill. Just short of a run a gravel road comes in from the right, with two houses on it. Turn right on it. The first mail box reads "F. Diller". At the end of the road .4 mile is the Norman Cook farm, stone residence, big red barn and outbuildings with white silo. About ¼ mile up the hill and in front of the barn, in the center of the plot, about 15 ft. in, is a rough local sandstone much weathered, leaning slightly to the front. It is a slab 4"-6" thick, 20" wide and now standing about 24" above the ground. The top is indented an inch from each side and then rounded. It is much weathered to the front and in the center part, destroying the inscription in some part.
In 1955 Calvin Hollopeter of Big Run, Pennsylvania visited the grave of Matthias. He re-set the stone and traced the letters with aluminum paint. In the photograph which he took the 1799 date does not seem very clear, but we know that that was the year Matthias died. His death was caused by cholera. From old letters we learned that he was a man of large physique, and that all his sons, but one, had this characteristic.
Back to Matthias HOLLOPETER and Barbera RUSZ
Back to Table Of Contents