The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
John Martin Mickley was born on 3 March 1745 in Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, the son of John Jacob Mickley (1697-1769), also known as John Jacques Michelet, was a French Huguenot who emigrated to Philadelphia via the good ship Hope in 1733 to escape religious persecution, following the revocation of the Edict of Nates in 1685.1,2,3
Tragedy struck the family on 8 October 1763, when John Martin's siblings Henry, age 9; Barbara, age 7; and Peter, age 11, were collecting wild chestnuts when they were attacked by Native American warriors.4,5 Henry and Barbara were tomahawked and scalped; Henry died right away, and Barbara died the following day. Brother Peter escaped by hiding from the warriors and running to an adjacent farm. Survivor Peter later fought throughout the Revolutionary War and served as a fifer in the Battle of Germantown in October of 1777.3,4,6
Several of John Martin's siblings had a notable connection to the American Revolution.3,4,6 This included John Jacob and Peter, who transported eleven of the church bells of Philadelphia, State House Bell, now known as the Liberty Bell, to Allentown. Upon arrival in Allentown on 23 September 1777, the eleven bells were stored beneath the floor of Zion's Reformed Church.3
John Martin served as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of Militia in the County of Northampton, Pennsylvania, under Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Balliet, directly reporting to the 4th Company under Captain John Moritz, in 1777.7 This included service at the Battle of Germantown, Pennsylvania, 4 October 1777.3,4,6
Later, in 1781–1782, he served as a Private in the 1st Battalion of Militia in the County of Northampton, Pennsylvania, again under Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Balliet, and within 1st Company, 4th Class, and directly reporting to Captain Adam Zerfass.9
Following the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, John settled in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, in 1794, marrying Catherine Steckel (1749 – 1830).4 Their known children are:
Margaret was born in 1775
Daniel was born in 1776
Peter was born in 1771
Susan was born in 1773
Julia was born in 1776
Jacob was born in 1780
Maria was born in 1778
John was born in 1769
Catherine was born in 177810
The Patriot died at age 83 on 11 March 1828.4 He was initially interred in Flohr's Lutheran Church Cemetery in the adjacent McKnightstown.11 He was later disinterred and reinterred at St. John's cemetery in Mickleys, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania (Whitehall), near his parents and brothers.12
Sources:
Mickley, Minnie Fogel, 1893, The Genealogy of The Mickley Family in America, pages 36-38.
Ibid, page 39.
Ibid, pages 150 -153.
Ibid, pages 40 and 41.
Ibid, page 11
Ibid, page 77
Service Source: Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Volume VIII, Muster Rolls Relating to the Associators and Militia, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, Edited by Thomas Lynch Montgomery, Under the direction of the Honorable Frank M. Fuller, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg Publishing Company, State Printer, 1906, pages 102, 103, 108, 10
SAR Record Copy 173803.
Service Source: Pennsylvania Archives, Fifth Series, Volume VIII, Muster Rolls Relating to the Associators and Militia, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, Edited by Thomas Lynch Montgomery, Under the direction of the Honorable Frank M. Fuller, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Harrisburg Publishing Company, State Printer, 1906, pages 48, 49
Mickley, Minnie Fogel, 1893, The Genealogy of The Mickley Family in America, page 43
Find-a-Grave: 84943064
Find-a-Grave: 6896905
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Additional Information:
Find A Grave has the memorial page for this patriot showing burial in Flohrs Lutheran Church Cemetery
"Although originally interred at Flohrs, John Martin Mickley was later buried at St John's Union Cemetery (Cemetery ID: 1985904) in the village of Mickleys, PA (Whitehall) with his parents and brothers."
The information in the cemetery portion of the patriot record was changed to show where he is currently buried