Display Patriot - P-285836 - Jacob SWANDER/SCHWANDER
Jacob SWANDER/SCHWANDER
SAR Patriot #:
P-285836
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.
State of Service: PA
Qualifying Service: Private / Patriotic Service
The DAR Ancestor # is A111610. The birth date is CIRCA 1754 and the death date is CIRCA 1828. This ancestor is used and honored by over 40 associated applications and supplementals in DAR records.
Research since 1993 shows Jacob Swander (Schwander is the Swiss spelling) birth date of 16 October, 1753 and the death date of 16 May, 1828.
The attached Jacob Swander report was from a newspaper published in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in German and translated as follows: “Last Friday the 16th Mr. Jacob Schwader died of gall fever. He was an old inhabitant of South Whithall Tsp. He was 75 years and 7 months old. Last Sunday his remains were interred in the motherly grounds of this city at which occasion the honorable Mr. Gobrecht delivered a suitable speech.”
Lehigh County SS:
On the twenty sixth day of May Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred twenty eight before me the Subscriber Register for the probate of wills and granting of letters of administration in and for the County of Lehigh came Barbara Rhoads and Peter Rhoads the subscribing witnesses to the within will and being duly affirmed according to law, did declare and say that they were present and saw and heard Jacob Schwander the Testator, sign, seal publish pronounce and declare the within Instrument of writing, as and his Testament and last Will and that at the time of so doing he was of perfect and sound mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge observation and belief.
James Hall [,] Register
Source Citation: Probate Records, 1812-1920; Index, 1812-1965; Author: Lehigh County (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills; Probate Place: Lehigh, Pennsylvania.
Original data: Pennsylvania County, District and Probate Courts.
Author: Jeffrey Alan Fowler
Jacob Swander was born in 1753 and died in 1828 in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Jacob enlisted in the revolutionary forces in June, 1776. He was a Private in the 6th Company of the Second Battalion, Whitehall Township, of the Northampton County Pennsylvania Militia, commanded by Captain Henry Reitz. His older brother, John Adam, was a corporal in the same unit. The county seat is Allentown, the location of the bells from Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell, during the Revolutionary War.
Author: Charles Edwin Finley
Jacob Schwander served as a private in Captain Henry Ritz's company in the 2nd battalion of the Northampton County Militia in Pennsylvania and was discharged in May 14, 1778. (Pa. Archives Series 5, Volume 8, pp 113 & 114).
When the Patriots lost the battle of Brandywine in 1777, Philadelphia was certain to fall to the British. The Patriots determined that the Liberty Bell, Christ Church Bells and other bells would be melted down to make British bullets. The bells were taken down, put on a wagon and moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania for safekeeping. The militia guards who protected the wagon and bells during the journey included Private Jacob Schwander. The bells were hidden under the basement floor of the Zion Reformed Church in Allentown until the war was over. The Zion Reformed Church was also Jacob’s church.
Jacob was the son of Frederick Schwander, who came to America, from Bern Switzerland and took oath of allegiance at Philadelphia on October 30, 1749. Fredrick married Catharine and they had two sons--John Adam Schwander (1776-1859) and Jacob (Philadelphia on October 30, 1749. Fredrick married Catharine and they had two sons—
1. John Adam Schwander (1776-1859) 2. Jacob (October 16, 1753 – May 16, 1828).
Later , John married Barbara Gerster (1753-1818) and they are the parents of—
1. John Schwander (1776-1859) 2. Henry Schwander (1778-1848) 3. Frederick Schwander (1780-1859) 4. Catharine Schwander (1783-1850) 5. Daniel Schwander (1789-1845) 6. Jacob Schwander (1794-1855)
Additional biography submitted 30 May 2017 by Jeffrey Alan Fowler, SAR # 176715, Kansas Society, Fort Hays Chapter: My Patriot ancestor was Jacob Swander, born in 1753 and died in 1828 in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Jacob Swander, served in the Revolutionary war. Jacob enlisted in the revolutionary forces in June, 1776. He was a Private in the 6th Company of the Second Battalion, Whitehall Township, of the Northampton County Pennsylvania Militia, commanded by Captain Henry Reitz. His older brother, John Adam, was a corporal in the same unit. The county seat is Allentown, the location of the bells from Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell, during the Revolutionary War.
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