My interest in the family genealogy evolved after I learned the records were being compiled by my cousin, Eva Ridenour of Wabash, Indiana. Whether from love of family, pride or plain egotism is a question of individual opinion, but I have gleaned from this study a knowledge of genealogy and history of our country that otherwise would have passed me by.
When I found the name of Mathias Hollopeter of Warrington Township County of York, Pa. in the first tax lists made after the Revolutionary War, I knew we had him located and it awakened my interest in York County history. The county was laid out with York as its seat in 1749, five years before Mathias took out his land grant. The courthouse at York was built in 1756, two years after Mathias was living there. During the crucial years of the Revolutionary War, 1777-1778, this courthouse served as the Capitol of the American Colonies and the press of Benjamin Franklin was moved from Philadelphia and upon it was printed 510,000,000 In Continental bills, or the first American money.
York itself had about 300 dwellings and it had been named by William Penn either for the Duke of York or the English city. The "Good Quaker Penn', lived in nearby Bucks County, and Pennsylvania had but three other counties, Lancaster, Chester and Philadelphia.
Gen. John Forbes in his campaign of 1758 against Ft. Duquesne used York and its environs as a source of supply. Mathias was then serving his country for he was Collector in 1770 and was Constable of Warrington Township in 1776. (Record of York County Historical Society,)
Any of the family who has visited the home of William Penn in Bucks County, which is open to tourists, has seen his still and brew house and will understand that the stills in Hollopeter and Roose families were not unusual and many families owe their survival to these "Gentleman Stills". It served them medically and as a weapon against the Indians, but did have an effect on their taxes as always Mathias paid the highest in his township.
The Lower Bermudian Union Church, which they attended is now in Adams County with Gettysburg as its seat. This county was created in 1800 and contains portions of what were then Warrington, Monaghan and Huntington Townships.
We found no Allegiance signed by Mathias, but Frederick Roose (his father-in-law) took his oath the day he arrived in Philadelphia from Germany in 1750. This oath was required by all but British subjects after 1720. It required that one be Protestant, had partaken of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, subscribed to the oath passed by Parliament during the 13th year of the reign of King George the 2nd. One then became a subject of Great Britain and entitled to settle in any of His Majesty's Colonies in America.
It has been difficult to relinquish our Holland Dutch heritage, inbred in us all, but we have followed facts and without doubt Mathias did sail from Holland, as did all Germans for they had no other port. Our name as we use it could not be found in Europe but the logical explanation is the fact that Germans at that time were called by their family names first and Christian names last. We found Hailer, Holler and Halle as German names and Peter and Mathias usual Christian names, but Germany has no record of vital statistics of that era other than church records. R. W. Davidson, a descendant of Mathias, while searching church records for the Latter Day Saints, could find nothing concrete, so we will print only facts as we found them.
The sons of Mathias married girls of their neighborhood as we note their father's name on the original land grant map of what was then Warrington Township. Elihu Underwood Esq. who was one of the administrators of both the will of Mathias and Frederick Roose was the beloved schoolmaster, and also is on the original land grant map. Mathias made his will in 1792 when Washington was serving the third year of his eight years as President. Both died the same year, 1799.
There is an absence of the Hollopeter name in the Revolutionary War records. Mathias himself was too old to serve and his sons too young. anyway, they were now subjects of Great Britain, and the Germans that had taken the oath were reluctant to serve the military forces.
Richard Blatchford, English Quaker father of the Blatchford twins, was called to serve the Revolutionary forces but when he'd attend muster he would be fined by the Quakers and if he didn't attend muster he would be fined by the government. The fines were heavy so he lost his land and died in bankruptcy. He had another daughter, Nancy, and a son, Abraham.
Abraham was disowned by the Quaker Church In 1803 for marrying out of unity with the church and for attending muster. He moved from York County to Alleghany County, Pa.
At the time of Mathias' death Richard was in debt to him for 14 pounds sterling; also his son-in-law John Green owed him 10 pounds.
We are listed in historical societies as "Early German Pioneers". Mathias signed his will in German, and his tombstone has the German "Hier lige beg raben" or "here lies the body of". The signature on his will, the only one extant, is in German.
When we think of the work-hardened hand that used the quill pen it makes us wonder if we are worthy. It matters little how he spelled his name for the body of the will carries the name Hollopeter as it was adopted by most of the family. What does matter is that he was the sturdy oak that stands as a monument to us lesser acorns.
His outstanding taxables before the United States had an established bank is our lesson in thrift. He was a religious man who went to church and had his children baptized. He was moral and bade his daughters be discreet and commanded his sons to marry with the approval of their mother. He was respected for he was chosen Collector and Constable. His business acumen is manifest in his will, his fairness proven when he refused to serve a summons on his neighbor In an English Court during a crucial year of the Revolutionary War and took a guilty plea and a court fine rather than do so. How little we comprehend the hardships that our forefathers endured in their vast job, for first they had to build the tools, before the job could be done.
All of my era recall with nostalgia our reunions when our parents came laden with baskets of their favorite foods. In the afternoon there were service and prayers and time for family gossip. An outstanding feature is our sense of humor and love of fun. True, we have our vicissitudes, but the home is happy and seldom does strife prevail. I can't recall a meal with any branch of the family that we didn't first say, "We thank Thee, Lord". We have all been taught alike to live with ourselves and that all things natural in nature, and in life, are "God's way of showing us". We all repeat from our Fathers, pearls that polish our minds.
All original papers photostats, etc. pertaining to our History, will be held by me while I live. They are then to be passed on to my eldest nephew, Jack D. Hollopeter of Angola, Indiana.
Mrs. Chester A. Burris Wanda Hollopeter Burris 2/1/58 Taylor Road Hamburg, N. Y.
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