These family relatives are recorded for the benefit of any future genealogists who might want to pursue the Fair ancestry search further, and, perchance, through a study of genealogical libraries and genealogy books, family histories, and learn of other researchers who have worked to trace their lineage. (1) (2)
Just think how exciting it would be to discover a book that told all about the family of your great-great-grandmother or grandfather, or anyone else in your family line. This book is a chance for you to make such a discovery possible for descendants. Fill it in, add pages of your own, and then pass it on to your children. They'll probably put it in a box and then, in 100 years or so, a great- great- grandchild will rediscover the book to his or her great delight. Then the question becomes; "Who's that", and the search begins again. What a legacy! (PG Fair)
In August of 2002, after ten years of searching, Don Press, working with a genealogist in Germany, uncovered church records in �schelbronn, Oberamt (Distict) Pforzheim, regarding Christoher Fehr and his family. The records show Christopher as one of eleven children of Johannes and Anna nee: Kieselbronner Fehr, including three brothers, all of whom died in Germany between 1718 and 1791.
This information should dispel any previous theories that Christopher's father or any of his brothers immigrated to America.
Interestingly, Hans Fehr, Christopher greatgrandfather, emmigrated from Switzerland to �schelbronn.
Rev .A. E. Fair and others family member began this difficult task of finding and outlining the Fair Family History in a genealogical order during a reunion in a shady orchard grove. Their efforts resulted in a publication titled "History of the Christopher Fair Family" in 1936. [3] Little did they know, that someday, family members would pick up the task again and continue the search. With the aid of the computer, the search for family members has become global in search of our history.
Communication between interested parties and the exchange of information occurs almost daily. In a sense, the computer has produced a reunion among family and friends at the touch of a keyboard. Not only can we exchange data, we can share photos, letters, news clippings, and other artifacts over a phone line in minutes. Currently there are several Internet Web sites and home pages by family members and friends that include genealogy bulletin boards to enter and extract information from ones family branch.
Our earliest history can be traced to Hans amd Catherine Fehr, residing in �schelbronn, Oberamt Pforzheim, in the State of what is now Baden-W�rttemberg, Germany. Three generations later, Johannes and Anna Fehr reared eleven children, four sons and seven daughters, one of whom named Johannes Christopher, born in 1730, is the subject of our story. We have been unable to gather any information about their life.
The area where Christopher and his family lived is located in the southwestern section of Germany, bordered by the Rhine River near Switzerland, France, and Austria. This area was called the Palatinate. The Palatinate, or German PFALZ, as described in German history were the lands of the Count Palatine, a title held by a leading secular prince of the Holy Roman Empire.
Geographically, the Palatinate was divided between two small territorial clusters: the Rhenish, or Lower Palatinate, and the Upper Palatinate. The Rhenish Palatinate included lands on both sides of the Middle Rhine River between its Main and Neckar tributaries. Heidelberg was the capital until the 18th century. (Appendix. A, Palatinate)
Reasons for the Fehr family exodus from the Palatinate area in Germany may never be known for sure. However, history describes this area of Europe in the early 1800th century as torn with religious and economic strife. It's hard to say exactly what conditions were like, but historians and genealogists have written that this area was engaged in a constant tug of war between Germany and France over religious reform, taxes, and poor economy. (4) (5)
Since most of the people in the region were poor peasants. They, typically, would have been working under conditions that even the poorest southern sharecropper would have rejected as demeaning. With this kind of future, it would be a just cause to leave.
As a young man, Christopher may have spent considerable time day dreaming of a new and better life than he saw in front of him in Germany. Here again, he may have received optimistic and inspirational letters from relatives and or friends that had moved to America. These letters may have encouraged him, in that they described opportunities for jobs in various trades, cheap farmland, and a new adventure that didn't exist for him in Germany.
Making a decision to emigrate and the preparations for this journey would have taken some time. How long no one knows especially for young man of twenty. Was this decision his and his alone, or was this a family decision? Regardless, it would have taken a great deal of thought, time, planning, and help from the family in preparation. Were other members of the family or the whole family planning to make the same journey? No records have been uncovered to support a family move. Since there were hundreds of persons leaving this area almost daily, its quite possible Christopher may have joined a group of other immigrants. This journey was not to taken lightly; many perils lay ahead.
Many considerations had to be addressed such as; how were travel arrangements made, how much would it cost, how much food could be taken, what kind of clothing, what kind, how long would it take? There were accounts by others that it could take as long as six months.
What kind of travel papers would be needed for identification? Generally, a letter from the local b�rgermeister, equivalent to a passport testifying that the person was coming from the area free from the plaque. A second, from a pastor stating the person was a member of his flock and of good reputation. (6)
The inconsequential barge trip, which now would take a day by Rhine steamer, could last from four to six weeks! It seems that each barge had to pass through twenty-six customhouses, and at each station the barge was halted and its passengers and their contents searched by custom officials...at their own sweet time and convenience. You can bet there were fees (bribes?) accessed at each station.
And so it was, that Christopher made his way down the Rhine River to the port of Rotterdam, Holland in either the spring or early summer of 1753 to secure ship passage to America.
Once in Rotterdam Christopher may have been joined by 500 or more persons waiting to secure ship passage. A wait for a ship may have taken only days, but it may have taken weeks or even months to book passage. Faced with such delays, what did Christopher do? Was he prepared to work? He may have. Did he have a trade? We don't know. Or, was he just lucky and sat on the dock and watched as they loaded the ship Patience with supplies for the voyage.
For example, In December 1738, a ship with 400 souls sailed from Rotterdam. All bu 105 people died of "the fever" onboard ship. After docking 15 more perished due to "bad condition of the water taken on in Rottedam."
Records show that Christopher departed Rotterdam on the ship "Patience." (Appendix B, Ships)
At last, the day came when they set sail! They may have been disillusioned passengers, squeezed into ridiculously small quarters where each passenger was assigned a filthy bed measuring two feet wide and six feet long. Their first port-of-call was, the Isle of Wright, port of Cowes, England. Depending on the wind and seas, this voyage may have taken only eight days if not, two to four weeks to complete. Once in port, the dockworkers, lacking cranes would begin unloading any cargo, this may require a week or more to complete the task before taking on the Atlantic. (7)
"A passenger described the ordeal it was like living on an ark. Gone were the divisions of social caste, age, religion, and occupation that that so expertly sundered them in Europe; now they were one stinking mess, united in misery, sickness, and sometimes death." (8)
Yet these folks keep on sailing to the new world full of hope.
Let's assume the ship left Cowes in July of 1753. Generally this voyage could take anywhere from seven to twelve weeks to reach Philadelphia. The earliest they could arrive would be mid to late August or mid September of 1753. One must not forget the weather could play an important role too, since June to November is hurricane time in the Atlantic.
Food aboard ship was not luxury liner quality. It may not have been fit for a dog to eat! What food they were given was very bad at best. It's been noted that each week a crew member would distribute three pounds of butter (sour or moldy at best ) to each group of ten persons. While another crewmember gave each group a daily ration of four cans of beer and two cans of water. Then three times a week they received fish (fresh or salted ), my guess it was salted fish and salted meat. This ration was to last for both lunch and supper. Bread or crackers were handed out maybe every two weeks. Passengers aboard ship had no means to cook anything. However, some passengers brought a few rations with them but how long could they last. Therefore it's not surprising they succumbed to food poisoning in large numbers. While others succumbed to salt and impure water, few escaped the ravages of diarrhea. (9)
Starvation was a threat that could not be ignored either. It has been noted that passengers were reduced to eating mice and rats, where a dead mouse was worth half a gulden. There were cases, where passengers used up their rations faster than expected and consequently those few immigrants with money were forced to purchase supplementary rations from the crew at inflated prices. The rest starved. (10)
Greed, of course, was without question a major factor in deaths aboard ships, since ship officers routinely withheld rations in order to economize. The crew was no better. Often they would break into passenger chests, stealing anything of value and of course money. (11)
Sanitation aboard ship received scant attention from ships' owners, whereas passengers were the victims of "ship fever". Not much imagination is required to understand the cause of "foul air" aboard ship. Showers, baths, and laundries were nonexistent. Imagine, mingling with the body odor of 500 people who hadn't washed or changed clothes for two months or more were the ubiquitous, pervasive stench of vomit and urine filled the air. (12)
Thus, Christopher and his fellow passengers painfully headed for their land of promise, suffering as they never dreamed of, maybe cursing that day of decision to go.
At last, Christopher had arrived at the port of Philadelphia, Pa., aboard the ship Patience. She was skippered by Capt. Hugh Steele, having sailed from the port of Rotterdam and last from Cowes, England, arriving on Monday September 17,1753.
Here Christopher took the Swearing of Allegiance Ceremony (Qualification No.108 ) in front of the Philadelphia Court House, present at these ceremonies was Benjamin Franklyn, Esquire. (Appendix C, Oath)
A copy the ship Patience passenger lists, names Christopher on List B. (Appx D, "Patience" Passenger List)
As was the custom, before landing they were examined by a doctor for contagious diseases. If they found to be frail or sick or dying, they might have been excused but other wretched and miserable souls were pushed off the ship and onto the Philadelphia dock.
Then they were presented with a bill for their voyage, including their trip down the Rhine, and any other additional advances for provisions. The usual price was 14-17 louis d'ors for the passage. However, if they could not pay, they were sold into what mounted to slavery to pay their debt.
At that point, those men age 16 and over, who were well enough, were herded together and promptly marched a few blocks to the Philadelphia Court House.
There, a periwigged representative of the King's government stood dressed in his starched, red jacket and firmly holding a silk handkerchief to his nose to avoid the health-threatening vapors of the filthy, stinking mob before him. In English, of course, he administered the King's oath of loyalty followed by some faint "ja".
Then a soldier directed the group to a nearby table were an interpreter explained that everyone must sign his name upon the B and C lists, two of three papers that were part of the 18th century immigration forms. Once all the forms were signed, Christopher and left the dock area he probably passed close to the offices of Printer/Publisher Franklin, Esquire.
Two years later (1755) Franklin wrote:
"Why would the Palatine boors be suffering to swarm into our settlements, and, by herding together, establish their language and manners, to the exclusion of ours? Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a colony of aliens, who would shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us, instead of our Anglicifying them, and will never adopt our language or customs any more than they can acquire our complexion?" (13)
Well it may never be known what Christopher did after he arrived: however, it's quite possible he would have had to worked off his passage cost in servitude. Or did a relative or family friend sponsor him? My bet is he paid off his voyage debt, and proceeded on in getting established in Pennsylvania.
(It's amazing that for the past fifty-one years I've lived near or in sight of the Delaware River in Newark, and now near Lewes, De. Lewes is located at the entrance of the Delaware Bay, some ninety miles south of Philly. Newark is only about 35 miles south of Philadelphia. I just never thought about how and when they came from Europe to settle America. PG Fair)
After taking his oath and collecting his belongings and saying his farewells to his travel companions, Christopher probably made his way into a Philadelphia suburb called Germantown. There he may have stayed over the winter, possibly working at some trade to earn extra money for a land purchase, tools, and other items.
Records show Christopher was living with a family named, "Hann Nicole Doepl", and went to Confession in 1754 and 1755. (Appendix E, Church)
Well, Christopher didn't spend all his time working, he still had enough energy and time for girls or one girl, Maria Barbara Euchlin, in particular. They were married in Nov 1, 1757 in her parent's home. (Appx F; Church)
Barbara's father, Jon. Adam Euchlin, also immigrated to America from Germany. He arrived on the ship Pennsylvania Merchant on Sept. 11,1731. It's quite possible that he married here in America and that Barbara is a native born citizen. (14)
As a young married couple, they may have began housekeeping in what is now called Montgomery Co, just west and north of Philly. Quite possibly they lived for a short time in the Norristown area.
Recorded in the Indianfield Church, is the baptism announcement on Nov 6,1759 of their daughter Elizabeth, born Nov 1, 1759. Next was the birth of a son, Joh George, born on Aug 2,1760 and baptized on Sept 7,1760. A third child, Anna Maria, born Feb 20, 1762 was baptized May 9,1762 at the Old Goshenhoppen Church in Upper Salford Township, Montgomery Co. (Appendix E, Church)
It's believed that, between 1763-64, Christopher and Barbara moved to Northampton Co, which is located north and east of Philly in the vicinity of Allentown Pennsylvania. It is also believed he and Barbara bought a 100+ acre plantation in this region. (Northampton Co. was formed from Bucks Co. in 1752) No records have been located to support the location and date when Christopher bought the land. (15)
Based on church baptismal records, the family moved to Northampton Co before their fourth child, Johann Heinrich, was baptized on Sept 16,1764, born Aug 9,1764, a fifth child, Jon Jacob was born in 1767, then a sixth, Barbara in 1768, a seventh, Christopher, Jr. on Dec 20,1769 in Heidelberg Township, Northampton Co. (Appendix E, Church)
It has also been recorded that on Oct 18,1765, Christopher was naturalized in Heidelberg Township, Northampton Co. Pa. (16)
Additional records in Heidelberg Township reveal, Christopher sold 100 acres to Jacob Mentz (or Mantz) on Nov 27,1770, for 48 pounds sterling. Further records show Christopher was in taxed in 1772 in Northampton Co in 1772. (0/120) (17) ( Lehigh Co. was formed from a portion of Northampton Co in 1812.)
So sometime after 1772, Christopher and Barbara sold their farm in Heidelberg Twp. and moved the family to Maryland. What prompted them we don't know, but since this was the time frame for the American Revolution, maybe he thought it would be safer to be in Maryland.
Which route did Christopher use to move from Heildelberg Twp., Northampton Co, Pa., located northwest of Allentown, to Linesboro, Maryland?
Judging from a Pennsylvania map he would have used a wagon, loaded his belonging, and headed south in the direction of Reading, then south again to Lancaster. His biggest problem then was crossing the Susquehanna River north of York. Its possible a barge�ferry were in operation to cross the river in those times at several locations along the river. Once across the river, they would have continued south to York, then onto Eichelberger, now called Linesboro, Md. (Appendix F; History)
There, Christopher and Barbara purchased 108 � acres in the North Hundred, Baltimore Co called "Wallet". The farm is located approximately 11/2 miles south of Linesboro where he built a hand hewed two-story log home (28'x25') and a barn (50'x20').
Looking at a Maryland map, the town of Manchester, used as hub, is located approximately 40 miles northwest of Baltimore, and about 12 miles or more from Linesboro. Just south of Manchester is another town, Hampstead, to the west Taneytown, and to the north Hanover, Pa. I believe these towns all figured into the Fair family history; all these towns could be reached by horse, from Linesboro, in couple hours time or less.
Here two more children were born to Christopher and Barbara in Maryland: John, born Dec 9,1774 and David born Apr. 20,1777.
In the time frame of 1772-76, the growing antagonism between British Parliament and Colonial upstarts was heating up. This may have been of little interest to the Fehr's who were busy building a new home and farming the land. Since German language newspapers were rare, news they did receive, generally was by letters from acquaintances in or near Philadelphia.
We can only assume that Christopher was aware of the Revolution that was about to begin. We also don't know whether he was in favor of or against it, and loyal to the King. At the start of the war, Christopher was 44 years old in 1776, having moved to Maryland between 1772 and 1776, he was quite possibly just getting started again at building a new house and farming the land. It's been said that Chistopher was a pacifist and didn't sign anything during the war years. (18)
One could asssume that Christopher was a Loyalist or at least an indifferent patriot. Minutes of the Baltimore Co. Court (1772-1781) shows that "Stophel" (a nickname for Christopher) Fehr was included in the list of citizens who did not sign the Oath of Allegiance to the colonies. (19)
The State Assembly noted that many people could be forgiven for not meeting the deadline.(20)They accepted various excuses, if the person later professed his patriotism.� Stophel� Fair of Baltimore Co. (listed by name) was among those excused because of lack of knowledge or designs of conniving men.(21)
At this time, Christopher, Jr., was only 7 years old, where as Joh George, 16, Joh Henrich was 11, and Joh Jacob was 9. It's doubtful that the boys and their sisters could handle all the farming and chores while Christopher went to war, even part time. He could have participated in several ways, such as, giving food, hauling supplies, and providing shelter for both men and horses. No records have been uncovered to support his participation. Since Christopher was a pacifist would he have allowed his son to join the fight? I don't think so.
About 1777, Christopher and Barbara began to appear in several different church records in the area of Linesboro, in particular, the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Manchester, Maryland (1783) and they continued until about 1805. The records also indicate a number of Christopher's family and other relations (we think) attended churches in this area. Were they all related? Quite possibly.
It has also been said that Christopher, Sr, may have had relatives in Hanover, Pennsylvania. Again there has been no proof uncovered to support this claim. However, there are church records that show that Christopher, Sr., and his wife Barbara attended church there. (Appendix E, Church)
In 1805, Christopher would have been 73 years old and Barbara would be about the same age, maybe a couple years younger. At about this time their names stopped appearing in the church records in Manchester, Maryland. Is it possible that they both died, on or about 1800. Church records at Zion's Church in Manchester show no entries beyond June 15,1800. (Appendix E, Church )
Are Christopher and Barbara buried in this area of Maryland, we don't know? Even now we are still searching for them. (Appendix G. Cemteries)
Or is it possibility, that Christopher and Barbara packed up, sold out and made another move west with their son or son's Joh. Jacob or Christopher, Jr., or other relatives, to Somerset Co, Pennsylvania?
Of course, if we knew that and where Christopher and Barbara are buried, we would have another piece of the puzzle.
It is also possible that some of the children, after Christopher and Barbara died, sold Christopher's farm, and what land they owned in Maryland, and moved their families west together toward Somerset Co, Pa. and began farming again.
Land and court records show that Christopher's son, Joh. Jacob Fehr and his wife Catherine (Knappenberger) and their three children did in fact moved to Allegany Twp., Somerset Co area in about 1802. He died at the age of 71 in 1838.
We also know, based on similar land records that Christopher, Jr. and his wife, Elizabeth (Huffman), and six children settled in Elk Lick Twp., Somerset Co., Pa.. (Appendix H, Land Records) There they raised six more children.
It's believed Christopher, Jr. and Elizabeth and their younger children moved to an area known as Barrs Mill in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio about 1835 or 36. His son, Paul Charles, Sr.( my gggrandfather) and his wife Katherine (Keefer) also moved either to Holmes or Tuscarawas Co.
It's quite possible that Paul Charles, Sr., and his father moved together into this area of Ohio. At this time, Christopher, Jr. would have been nearly 66 years old and starting out again! Tough old bird!! Christopher, Jr. died about 1850 and is buried at Barrs Mill, Tuscarawas Co, Oh. (Appendix E, A. E. Fair) Paul Charles, Sr. died in 1880 and is buried near Millersberg, Holmes Co. Ohio.
The exact tracks of land are quite possibly recorded in any of the three mentioned Ohio counties. I have no records to draw from to confirm, except for one, my great-grandfather Daniel's farm, located southwest of the town called Clark in Coshocton Co., Ohio.