Philipp Jacob Probst - The Immigrant And His Life in America

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Philipp Jacob Probst -
The Immigrant And His Life in America

by William A. Brobst

The house of Philipp Jacob Probst and Jean Michael, his son Built in 1745, Featherolfsville, Berks County, PA

Philip Jacob Probst was a master potter by trade (as were his father and brothers) in Kandel. He left Kandel and moved to Oberseebach, in Alsace, where he met Catherine (Christ?), his future wife. C'erine was a French Heugonot. They were married probably in Oberseebach, although they may have married in Minfeld before they moved to Alsace. (In 1720, Alsace was controlled by Germany, but soon thereafter reverted back to French control.) He might have also later used the name of Philippe Jacques Probst, reflecting the politics of living in French Alsace! The births of his first four children were recorded there. They were French citizens when they left for America. The first names of the three boys may have been originally intended to be Johan, but had become Jean for political reasons, prior to their departure for America.

It is noted in the church records in Oberseebach (Evangelish-Reformierte Kirche) that one Phillippe J. Probst was the godfather on April 15 1724 of Marie Marguerite Anthes, daughter of Henri Anthes and his wife, Eve; the godmother was Maria Margaretha Christin. That same Maria Margaretha Christin was the godmother of Jean Michael, son of Philipp Jacob and C'erine. It is also noted that the German translation of those baptismal records shows PJ's name to be Philippus Jacobus in one place and Philippi Jacobi in another!!

He came to America on the pink (ship) "John and William" , leaving from Rotterdam, Holland, and then Dover, England, in 1732, and landing in Philadelphia on 17 October of that year, with their children Jean Michael, Jean Valentine, Jean Martin, and perhaps Anne Marie. Also on that boat were (1) an older Hans Michael Probst (1655?), PJ's younger brother Johann Michael (1707), and his younger sister Elisabeth Margaretha Probst Vossellmann.

His family stayed in Philadelphia over the winter, and in the spring of 1733 left for Berks County. See "The Brobst Chronicles" for details of this move and settlement. Since he could not make a living as a potter, he became a farmer as well.

By virture of a warrant dated 1 August 1734 (Book C-155, page 253, in the Land Office of the Commonwealth) and surveyed 12 November 1735, PJ was granted 200 acres of land situated on Kistler Creek, a branch of Maiden Creek, in eastern Albany Township, Berks County. He later acquired 50 acres more. His stone-built house still exists. The northeast corner of his land extended into Lynn Twp, Northampton (now Lehigh) County, per Lewis Donat, a Berks/Lehigh County historian. His farm, adjoining the Donat plantation, was northeast of Kempton, Albany Twp, Berks County, about 7 miles from that of his brother, Johann Michael, whose farm was in Lynn Twp. To the south of this land was the farmland of Jean Valentine Probst, reaching almost to the Jerusalem Church.

The family farmhouse was on the farmsite of Philipp Jacob Probst. PJ's son Jean Michael took over management the farm in the late-1750s; PJ died around 1758/9, just a short time before his wife, C'erine. Jean Michael died in 1771, and his sons Martin and Johannes F. took over the farm.

The farmsite is located just about a mile northwest of the Jerusalem "Red" Church in Stony Run, in what was back then called Fetherolfsville. It lies just north of Kistler Creek, at the intersection of Kistler Valley Road and Old Philly Pike. The bridge is still called Fetherolfsville Bridge on county maps. The original log house is gone, but the stone house which replaced it (probably after he died) is still there. The stone house was built in the mid-1700s and modified and expanded in recent years. In the 1930s, it was occupied by Ralph and Mabel Lutz; they sold it to a Dritski family in the 1950s. It is currently occupied by Joseph and Barbara Freeman.

His saw mill and his son Martin's Grist Mill was just across the street, also on the north side of Kistler Creek, but is no longer there; it was located in what is now just a depression with some buried stones in a grove of trees. The house left Brobst hands probably in the early 1800s. Interestingly, the front walkway is made of the millstones from Martin Probst's Mill which was across the street.

During the French and Indian War, the Ft. Henry Militia stayed overnight in the "Brobst Tavern" in Philipp Jacob's house. The bar room was in the cellar, next to the fireplace which is still there. The tavern has a separate entrance around the back side of the house.

Their children were probably all born on the family farm.

His spelling of English was poor, and command of spoken English probably not much better.

PJ signed his will on Apr 27, 1747, stating that he was then in good health; his will was probated Mar 21, 1860. Jacob Albrecht was a witness to the signing of the will.. However, Lewis Donat of Allentown challenges that will. He translated the original will from German to English. On May 20, 1991, Lewis wrote to Paul Gann:

"1760 was the year of the probate of the last will and testament of Philip Jacob Probst. At this point I will write something that will astonish you. Historians have oft quoted this will, and it has caused some genealogical discomfort. I say to you that the PHILIP JACOB BROBST WILL IS A FRAUD. Now that you have regained consciousness from this genealogical shock, let me give you the end result of all these goings on. We are dealing here with the original 1734 land purchase by PJ containing 212 acres of alnd. In addition to that we must add 150 acres of the 1742 purchase, all of which amounts to 362 acres of the finest farm land to be found, and is so to this day. the PJ daughters were very neatly eased out of the picture, leaving the land mass to PJ's sons. (Jean) Michael, as administrator of the PJ estate, out of love and affection for his brothers, paid 5 shillings to (Jean) Valentine and 5 shillings to (Jean) Martin; Valentine, out of love and affection for his brothers, paid (Jean) Michael 5 shillings and (Jean) Martin 5 shillings; (Jean) Martin out of love and affection for his brothers paid (Jean) Michael 5 shillings and (Jean) Valentine 5 shillings. After these rounds were completed they put the money in their pockets, probably shook hands and enjoyed an applejack or two at the tavern which Valentine conducted on the premises; for they had now legally transferred 362 acres of land for the price of the probate fees and the oats consumed by their horses on their trips to the Court House at Reading, Pa."

His will was probated on March 21 1760; his death date is not recorded. He must have died shortly before his wife died; had she died before him, he surely would have changed his will. He might have died as much as 2 years earlier, but not 13 years earlier, which was the date of his will. He was in good health in 1747 when he made his will; it is assumed he lived significantly longer than that. It would have been extremely unusual to take 13 years to probate the will, especially as land-hungry as his sons were.

However, it is also noted that he was not listed on the tax rolls for Albany Twp, Berks Co, in 1752. So he may have already died by then.

Probably buried w/ C'erine in New Bethel "Corner" Church Cemetery, Albany Twp, Berks Cty, but no stones have been found. This church is less than a mile from the Brobst Grist Mill on Pine Creek.