Photos taken by Donald Theye on a Aug 1998 trip to Germany. We are grateful for his contribution.
The Ulmet Reformed Church and cemetery in Ulmet Germany.
The front view of The Ulmet Reformed Church.
The castle of the Duke of Zwiebrucken who governs over
Ulmet, Kusel, Zwiebrucken, and Bromholder.
Hans Otto Riedi was born about 1682 in Filisur, Graubunden, Switzerland. There are no birthdates or baptisimal records for Hans Otto, as he was born before 1690 when parish recordkeeping began. His birthdate is based on the age recorded at the time of his death by Schultz. He died on 16 Aug 1756 in Marlboro Township, Montgomery County, PA. The date of death for Hans Otto Riedi was found in The German Journals of Schultz, by David Schultz a surveyor who kept quite detailed records of the german population in and around Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The passage read: "den 16en August ist der alte Hans Otto Riedy in Marlborogh auch gestorben 71 jahr 4 monat alt den isten begraben worden." (old Hans Otto Riedy died August 16, 1756 in Marlborogh at age 71 years, and 4 months old. - Translated from german)
Hans Otto left Filisur, Switzerland about 1714 and settled for a time in the hamlet of Irtzweiler, the parish of Ulmet, district of Lictenberg in the duchy of Zweibrucken, Elector of Palatine, Germany. There he married his wife and all of his children were born, being baptized at the Ulmet Reformed Church. The family stayed in Irtzweiler until the year 1739, when they departed for America.
They arrived in this country on the ship Samuel on Aug 27, 1739, landing in Philadelphia from Rotterdam. The Samuel was commanded by Hugh Percy, and this voyage contained 340 pasengers including 111 male Palatinates age 16 or older. (The Palatinate Pamphlets, Vol.3) & (Publications of the German Fokelore Society, Vol. I page 110.) On that same day Hans Otto, Johann Jacob, and Johann Peter took the Oath of Government in Philadelphia. It is believed that they each had to spend time as indentured servants to someone in this country to pay for their passage to America.
Hans Otto and his oldest son Johann Jacob settled in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; Hans living in Marlborogh Township and Jacob settling in the Goshenhoppen area.
He was married to Anna Margaretha on 22 Oct 1716 in Irtzweiler, Ulmet, Zweibrucken, Germany. Marriage was performed in Baumholder Reformed Church, on 22 Oct 1716. Even though Hans Otto lived in Irtzweiler, he was a member of the Brumholder Reformed Church located just a few miles north. Hans Otto Riedi and Anna Margaretha had the following children: Their names are in boldface type
Johann Jacob Riedy was born in 1717 in Irtzweiler, Ulmet, Zweibrucken, Germany. No birthdate given. He was baptized in the Reformed Church of Ulmet in Irtzweiler, Oberamt Lichtenberg, Duchy of Zweibrucken, Germany. This is found in the in the microfilmed records of the Reformed Church of Ulmet kept in Speyer, Germany. He was christened on 30 Jun 1717 in Irtzweiler, Ulmet, Zweibrucken, Germany. He was confirmed "On Pentecost in 1731 as the son of Hans Otto Riedi of Irtzweiler." He died before 1790 in Heidelberg, Northampton County, PA. He was buried in Heidelberg, Northampton County, PA. Arrived in this country with his family on the Ship "Samuel" on Aug 27, 1739 in Philadelphia from Rotterdam. He was naturalized on 7 April 1751 in Phildelphia County, PA. Probably served as an indentured servant to someone in Montgomery County for a few years to pay off his passage to America.
The surname of Jacob's first wife remains unknown at this time. She must have died around 1754/55. Jocob's second marriage to Susanna Gucker took place in the Great Swamp Church, date not given, but their first son was born in 1756.
Jacob came to the Goshenhoppen area sometime before 1747, for his first son was born there. In 1748, he was a member of the Goshenhoppen Reformed Church and on December 26 of that year gave 5 shillings to help pay for the church land. He moved Heidelberg in Northampton County (present-day Lehigh County) after 1756. He signed an administrative bond for the estate of Fredrich West of Northampton County in December of 1760. In 1766 he obtained a warrent for 47 acres in Heidelberg and in that same year obtained another 65 acres. Hollenbach gives the location of Jacob's land: "The land which Jacob Riedy took up in Heidelberg lay between the Germansville-Pleasant Corner Road and Saegersville. The eastern portion of his land extended as far as the road in saegersville that leads to what was the schoolhouse ---- the schoolhouse was on a portion of the land."
Date of Jacob's death is unknown, although he was probably dead before the 1790 Census. There is a possibility that he could have been living his son Johann Abraham who was taxed in Heidelberg for 250 acres in 1785, and missed the 1790 Census.
He was married to Maria Elisabeth about 1745/46 in PA. Probably took place near Heidelberg, but no marriage record have been found yet. Maria Elisabeth died about 1755 in Goshenhoppen Township, Montgomery County, PA. !NOTE: No birth and death dates are known. Date a death had to be about 1755. Johann Jacob Riedy and Maria Elisabeth had the following children:
Conrad Riedy
George Peter Riedy/Reedy
Johannes Riedy
Jacob Riedy
He was married to Susanna Gucker about 1755 in Goshenhoppen, Montgomery County, PA. The marriage was performed at The Great Swamp Church in Goshenhoppen, PA, by George Michael Weiss. (Don Yoder, Pennsylvania German Church Records, Vol. 3 p. 31; Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, MD) Susanna Gucker was christened on 24 Nov 1732 in Montgomery County, PA. !BIRTH: Records from the New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church. (Hollenbach) Johann Jacob Riedy and Susanna Gucker had the following children:
Johann Abraham Riedy
Susanna Riedy
Anna Margaretha Riedy
Samuel Riedy
Catherina Elizabeth Riedy
Anna Riedy
Leonhard Riedy
Johann Peter Riedy was born on 11 May 1720 in Irtzweiler, Ulmet, Zweibrucken, Germany. He was christened on 21 Jul 1720 in Irtzweiler, Ulmet, Zweibrucken, Germany. He died in Aug 1801 in Heidelberg, Berks County, PA. He was buried on 27 Aug 1801 in Schwartzwald Reformed Church in Heidelberg. Johann Peter was baptized in the Reformed Church of Ulmet, Irtzweiler, Oberamt Lichenberg, Duchy of Zweibrucken, Germany. He was confirmed on Easter 1734 as the son of Hans Otto Riedi of Irtzweiler. (Microfilm, Ulmet Reformed Church Registry Records, Speyer, Germany.)
He Arrived in this counrty with his family on the Ship Samuel on Aug. 27, 1739 in Philadelphia from Rotterdam. Age given is 16 years but actual age was about 19 years. He signed the Oath of Government on that same day. He was naturalized on April 1,1762 in Berks County, PA. (Persons Naturalized in the Province of Pennsylvania, PA ARCHIVES, Series 2, Vol 2 p 54.) Heidelberg Tax Records show that Peter own 150 acres in 1757 and in 1785 he had 189 acres. There are many land transactions for him in Heidelberg.
Peter's will was made 2 Sept 1801 and he died in Novenber of that year. (Boos Records in Schwartzwald Reformed Church Records, p 306.).
Johann Peter married Anna Margaretha, she was born on 3 Aug 1730. She died on 9 Jan 1794 in Heidelberg, Berks County, PA. She was buried in Schwartzwald Reformed Church in Heidelberg. !DEATH: Hain's tombstone record recorded in "History of St. Johns (Hain's) Reformed Church", Ch. 25 p310. by Henry Becklet Werner. Johann Peter Riedy and Anna Margaretha had the following children:
Christain Riedy
Michael Riedy
John Riedy
Peter Riedy
Sarah Riedy
Anna Elizabeth Riedy
Catherine Riedy
Anna Maria Riedy
Margaret Riedy.
Anna Margaretha Riedy was born in 1723 in Irtzweiler, Ulmet, Zweibrucken, Germany. She was christened on 10 Nov 1723 in Irtzweiler, Ulmet, Zweibrucken, Germany. No birthdate given. Baptized Ulmet Reformed Church, Oberamt Lictenberg, Duchy of Zweibrucken, Germany. At this time there have been no records found for this daughter in Pennsylvania. No women were listed in ship's records. There is no evidence one way or the other that she ever left Germany with her family, although we believe she did.
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