John Guth, who was born at Nockamixon, Bucks Co., PA, Feb.2, 1787, was the son of Henry Good and his wife Catherine Shick. His birth is recorded in the Nockamixon, Bucks Co., PA Church records. He married Rachael / Regina. They were the parents of at least three children the last two of which were born in Upper Mt. Bethel twp. PA. John Guth and his wife Regina must have come to Northampton Co. after their first child was born in 1808.
Vol.II Jordan, Lehigh Valley, pp234- 235. In reference to Ruben J. Good, grandson, this has been stated, " ...Of German descent. His grandfather, John Good, born of German parents first settled in Bucks Co., afterward moving to Northampton about 1803. His wife was an English woman, and they had two sons, John and George, born in Mount Bethel township. The son John became a farmer and was the owner of about one hundred acres of land. He was a man held in high esteem, and was a member of the Methodist church, in which he was a class leader and steward."
I have not yet found the tombstones of John and Regina Good. They are not buried at Stone Church. They may be in the old cemetery at Three Church Hill, or in the family plot at the Miller cemetery. This is where a Methodist church once was and several accounts note that the Goods were Methodist.
John Good, Sr. is located on the 1870 Census for Lower Mt. Bethel twp., Northampton Co., PA, #312/332, living with a Sarah Miller. He is listed as 83 years old, a retired farmer and the owner of the home, making him born circa 1787, which confirms the birth record recorded above. There is no record of John Good, Sr. in the 1880 Census records which indicates that he may have died prior to 1880. There is a Good ( first name unknown) buried at Richmond Meth Church cemetery. Death date on this stone is marked Oct. 19, 1883. This probably is not our John as an aged slip of paper given to me by Aunt Arvilla and which she says was written by her grandfather, Henry Good states, "John Good Sen age 87 y., 1 m., 29 d." This piece of evidence fixes John Good's death year to 1874.
He married Regina or Rachel (Good) . She was born 28 Aug 1777 and died 25 Sep 1852. She is reported to be buried in Three Church Hill Cemetery, L.M.B. twp., Northampton Co., PA.
Regina Good, wife of John, Sr. Evidence that the wife of John Good was Regina is seen in the baptisim records of her children. The children of John Good and Regina are recorded : Nockamixon church , p.41 born 1808, Apl. 16 - John parents John Guth & Regina sponsors Henry Guth & Catherine Upper Mt. Bethel Church, p. 105 born Sept. 13, 1810 bap. Apr. 15, 1811 John George parents John Gut & Regina sponsors George Gut & wf p. 120 born Dec. 7, 1813 bap. Jan. 23,1814 Samual parents John Guth & Regina sponsors George Mann & Margaret
The Jordan reference 19 , mentions only two children of this marriage, John, Jr. and George. Since I have not located any further references to Samual, it is possible that he died young. I have not yet found the tombstones of John and Regina Good. They are not buried at Stone Church. They may be in the old cemetery at Three Church Hill, but the stones are gone.
However, the wife of John Good, Sr. may have been named Rachel.
Evidence that the wife of John Good, Sr. was Rachel or that he may have had two wives is given by the following references to "Rachel" wife of John Good, Sr.
1. Deed # B 10 137, Easton Court House, Jan. 11, 1842 , names John Good,Sr. and Rachel his wife. 2. 1850 Census for Lower Mt. Bethel twp., Northampton Co., PA, lists #318/341 John Good, Sr., age 62 and Rachel, age 63, his wife. 3. Tombstone at Three Church Hill is inscribed Rachel, wf. of John Good born Aug. 28, 1777 died Sept. 25, 1852
Regina/Rachel could have been the same person. The above tombstone reference indicates that Rachel was 75 when she died in 1852, making her 73 instead of 63, at the time of the 1850 Census. The age recorded on the 1850 census must be incorrect for John as he would have been 73 in 1850. This age difference could indicate that John married a second time to the older Rachel after first wife Regina died.
Reference Note 16 Church Record of the Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Congregation at Mount Bethel Township, Northampton Co., PA , 1914. Transcribed from the old German Record by the Rev. Dr. Wm. Wackernagel. Containing birth records from 1774 - 1890. Reference Note 17 Elwood Good, his descendents lists of the Good family and some family history, 1972. A copy is in my file. Reference Note 18 History Data of the Brod - Brode- Broad and Brodt Families In The U.S.A. 1740 - 1952. Author unknown, Reference Note 19 Vol.II Jordan, Lehigh Valley, pp234- 235, The Good Family is referred to in a reference about the Ayers family of Lower Mt. Bethel, PA.Please see the next page for more about John and Regina/Rachel's son John Good, Jr.
Links to other sites on the Web
John Good, Jr, his son
Heinrich Guth, his father
Descendants of Heinrich Guth
Cynthia's Family Lines