Hester Elizabeth Boots:
b: 1859
d:
m:

.

Marie Dorothea Bucher:
b: 1-Nov-1770 PA
d: 23 Dec 1853 Harrisburg, Dauphin Co, PA

John Godfrey Fritchey was born on 20 Sep 1755 in Schoenlinder, Leitmeritache Creyse, Germany.(582) He signed a will on 28 Apr 1814 in Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pa.

Will of Godfrey Fritchey of Paxton township:

First, I give unto my beloved wife Dorothy the tavern house with all the other buildings wherein I dwell and reside with my family and all the land thereto belonging containing about 25 acres and also 6 acres of the woodland to be laid off combining the twenty five acres of the part of the land I bought of Jacob Meader to have and to hold the same during her natural life and to use and occupy it in whatever manner she may see fit and to occupy the same provided that the building and fences are kept in good order and repair and the ground worked and cover with clover and a sufficient quantity of manure or master put on them on all. It is my will further that my said beloved wife Dorothy shall have in charge all my younger children to school clothes, raise and maintain them, The boys till each of whom shall be fit to be put to acreditable trade and the girls till they be fit to take care of themselves. And my beloved wife Dorothy is to have of my stock of cattle (such as she may choose) those milch cows and one heifer five sheep one horse keep her bed and bedstead and her clothes and whatever else she may wish to have. She shall have liberty to take at the appraisement to be made (except such things already mentioned and as here in after are to be mentioned) as soon as conveniently it may be after my decease.

Second, the tract of land I bought of Jacob Meader, it is my will that my said beloved wife Dorothy shall have a right to farm it or one executor may rent it out and she to receive the income and wherever it may be deemed advantageous to my Estate Executor may sell it and make a deed or deeds for the same in as ample a manner as I myself do it if living and whatever sum of money it will bring, (the five acres mentioned and to become part of the mansion tract first afore said) is to be equally divided between my said beloved wife Dorothy and all my children share and share alike. My said beloved wife and eldest children to receive their shares first according to their respective age and to the youngest accordingly to receive last.

Third, it is my will that all the goods of merchandise as may be in the store kept by my son George at Linglestown shall be brought here and opened out for sale in the store room of my present dwelling house and any said son George may if he chooses take all the goods as well as those on hand in my own house at the invoice prices and to pay for the same in one year after my decease.

Fourth, I direct that there shall be paid to my eldest son George, a crown of 50 pounds and to my son Gustaveous Augustus a crown of 100 pounds in cash over and above their equal share with the other of my children my said son George and my son Joseph shall each have a bedstead and bed of their choice. I direct that my daughter Elizabeth shall have the same kind of furniture delivered to her (both in quality and quantity) and also cattle as were delivered to my daughter Catharine Maria all of which to be charged against such in same manner as are charges in my account book against my said daughter Catharine Maria aforesaid.

Fifth, it is my will that all the goods and chatles I may die prosper of (except as is herein before excepted) shall be sold at Trible even due and the money arising there from as also from any (Bonds, Notes on Book, Depts to be added together an entire sums and my just debts). If any there be and funeral expenses being first paid and the specific sums to wit fifty pounds divided to my son George and one hundred pounds, divided to my son Gustavas Augustus being first deducted and equally divided then and share alike between my beloved wife Dorothy and wll my children to wit Catherine, intermarried with John Cormany, George, Maria intermarried with George Muehleison, Joseph, Eliabeth, Fred, William, John Godfrey, Dorothy, John, Benjamin, Rosanna Matilda, Gustavus Agustus and my youngest daughter Amelia.

And lastly, I nominate constitute and appoint my beloved wife Dorothy eldest son George and my friend Jacob Bucher of the Borough of Harrisburg to be the Executors of my last will and testament declaring this is and no other being last and testament as afore said. To witness where of I have here unto set and subscribed my hand and affixed my seal the twenty eight day of April in the year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and fourteen. Executors; , witnesses John Foster and John Brooks; probated April 9, 1821.

Appears in Will Book B-I, page 36 (1798) He died in 1821 in Harrisburg, Dauphin Co, Pa.(578) (569)(538) He had an estate probated on 9 Apr 1821. He was buried in Old Wenrick Church, East of Linglestown, Pa.(1542) Following are the first two paragraphs of the reference for this family.

[The following translation of the original Family Record of John Godfrey Fritchey comes to us from his grandson, John Q. A. Fritchey, Esq., of St. Louis, a Dauphin County boy, who learned the art of printing on the "Telegraph" at harrisburg, and followed Horace Greeley's advice and went West. A few years ago he purchased the old home in Dauphin County, and frequently visits the place of his early years].

I, John Godfrey Fritchey, was born in the town of Schoenlinder, Leitmeritache Creyse, about six miles from Dresden, and two from Zittan, in the year 1755, September 20th. Came finally, afte many sea and land journeys to America, in the year 1784 and landed in Philadelphia, September 10th. I was married to Dorothea Bucher, by the Rev. [William] Stoy, July 24th, 1787 in Lebanon. Our children were as follows:....and the children are in the database.

In Notes and Queries, 3rd series, Volume 1, page 542 we read that Dorothea and Godfrey "had a large family of children, several of whom became quite prominent in the church. The remains of these worthies lie in the grave-yard of Wenrick church. this family settled very eary in this country."

In the latter part of the eighteenth century there came from Germany to America one John Godfrey Fritchey, a young man of gentle birth and good education. In the beginning it had been his intention to return to the Fatherland, but the beauties of the Pennsylvania hills and the broad opportunities of the life in a new country proved so attractive that he decided to remain, and located near Harrisburg. Like so many of his countrymen,he was a musician of considerable merit. In his new home, he met and married Dorothy Bucher, a faithful and sincere member of the Reformed Church, and an aunt of Rev. John Casper Bucher, D.D., a noted divine of that denomination. Mr. Fritchey had been reared in the faith of the Roman Catholic Church, but was too broad to object to his children following the teachings of the church of their mother. Thirteen children came to brighten their home.

The place that many people think corresponds to the village of Schoenlinder is known today as Krasna Lipa, and is some 60 km S-SE of Dresden, Germany, across the border into Czeckoslovokia. At first glance, this doesn't match up with the distance of 6 miles stated by Fritchey in his statement above. However, Rainer Maaz (Rainer.Maaz@Fulda.net) says that in the 1700's, the definition of a mile was the distance one could walk in about two hours. So Fritchey's six miles would be the distance you can walk in about 12 hours. Most people walk about 3 mph, so this would be about 36 miles. 36 x 1.6 = ~58 km. So this seems to all work out.