Johnannes Fritsch

17 September 1668 Johann Peter Britsch was born in Schornshein (Reinhessen), west of Oppenheim. He was the son of Johann Britsch, a cooper who died prior to 1705. 25 November 1704 Johann Peter married Anna Barbara Beilstein in Neunkirchen (11 miles southeast of Darmstadt) on 21 September 1705 they had a son named Johann Adam Britsch born in Herchenrode (9 miles southeast of Darmstadt). The father, Johann Peter Britsch, died in Neutsch (7 miles south southeast of Darmstadt) 21 March 1725 at the age of 56.

Johanna Adam Britsch, a burger and customs house officer, married Anna Margaretha Schmitt in Neutsch 22 January 1728 and they had the following children:

Johann Adam Britsch (father of Johannes) died in Neutsch 31 December 1770 and his wife (mother of Johannes) died 4 October 1782.

In October, 1763, (at the age of 19) Johannes went to Eberstadt, where he worked for six months as a millers apprentice. 10 April 1764 he left his position and was given a certificate attesting to his service and describing him as "loyal, quiet, peaceful and honest, of medium height, with short brown hair and blue eyes". In this certificate his name is spelled Johannes Pritsch.

In some way he then made his way to Rotterdam, where he was able to book passage on the American Ship Hero for Philadelphia.

Tuesday 4 September 1764 Ship Hero, Captain Ralph Forster, from Rotterdam with 700 Palatine passengers put into Cowes. 27 October 1764 the ship arrived Philadelphia in a most extraordinary passage of only 30 days from the Isle of Wight.

On Saturday 27 October 1764 he signed an oath of abjuration at the State House in Philadelphia signing as Johannes Frietsch.

30 June 1769 Johannes married Anna Maria Pfaltzgraf (he also spelled it "Pfalzgraf") and they had the following children:

Johannes was active in the New Bethel Zion - Grimville Church in Krumsville, Pa. from sometime prior to 1778 to about 1784 and a deacon during a portion of this time.

Berks County tax records for 1793 list Johannes with 88 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, grist mill and saw mill in Longswamp. May 8, 1817 John Fritch (Johannes) paid $79.73 to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a Patent Deed for 90 acres and 150 Perches of land with a dwelling house, a grist mill and about 30 acres cleared. It is assumed there relate to one piece of property but it is not known when he first settled on the property or who built the improvements.

Johannes died 13 September 1823 and his wife, Anna Maria, died 2 November 1821.

Copyright © 1976-2005 by Ralph G. Fritch and family. All rights reserved.
Revised: 25 Jun 2008 17:47:06 -0700.