John Frey (1703 - 1766)

Born 1703 in Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Ann (Keisler) Frey — married 1720 (to 31 Aug 1766) in Roxborough, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania,

Descendants

Died 23 Oct 1766 at about age 63 in Franconia Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Robert Moody [send private message]

Biography

John Frey^[1] was born in 1703 in Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, the eighth of twelve children and the seventh of eight sons of Heinrich and Anna Levering Frey.

In 1720, when he was about seventeen, he married Mary Keisler in Roxborough, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. She bore him nine known children, seven sons and two daughters:

1. Henry Fry, 1724-1821 married Mary Hendrick
2. Samuel Frey, 1727-1813 married Dianna Wells
3. Daniel Frey ?-1796
4. Hanna Frey married Isaac Wells
5. Cathrine Frey
6. William Frey Abt 1724-1816 married Elizabeth Kerr
7. Jacob Frey 1734- death date unknown, married Jemima Wells
8. Jonathan Frey 1739-?
9. Enoch Frey Abt 1742-1810 married (1) Nancy Ann Leinbach; (2) Saloma Holtzapple.

He wrote his will on 10 September 1766 and it was probated on 7 November of the same year, recorded Philadelphia, Will Book O, p.45.

Will

John Frey’s will written on 10 September 1766, probated on 7 November of the same year, recorded in Philadelphia, Will Book O, p.45, Philadelphia, PA. [1]

Be it known unto all whom it may Concern That I John Frey of Franconia Township in the County of Philadelphia Yeoman do find myselve at present weak in Body, but I praised be God of sound mind memory & understanding Therefore I do herby this tenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & sixty six make my Last Will & Testament in maner following, that is to say, Imprimis I Recommend my Soul unto God my Creator through the Mercy of his Son Jesus Christ and my Body to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors herof. Item I will that all my legal Debts & funeral charges shall be at first fully paid & discharged by my Exeuctiors herof. Item I give grant and device unto my Son Enoch all the Tenement Plantation & Remainder of my Land whereof I have sold the Chief Part to one Henry Freed Situate in Franconia aforesaid containing about Sixty Acres of Land be the same more or less according to metes & bounds reserved by me to hold the said my Messuage or Plantation of Sixty acres of Land be the same more or less Together with the Appurtenances unto my said Son Enoch his Heirs and two Horses, two Cows, the Waggon Plough Harrow & Horse Geers for which said hundred & fifty pounds lawful money of Pensylvania for the use of my other children as hereafter directed & in maner of terms following that is to say the Sum of Fiffteen Pounds thereof one year after my decease & afterwards annually the said Sum of fifteen pounds without Interest until us? Whole sum of One hundred & fifty Pounds is fully paid But at the time of his first payment is to give Bonds for the Remainder according to the aforesaid terms to his joynt Executor herof Item I give & Devise all of said 150 Pounds to be paid by my said son Enoch as well as all the Reminader of such Sums which are as yet due to me by Henry Freed for part of my land on Dons which formerly conveyed to him unto my six other sons & two Daughters namely Henry, Samuel, Jacob William Jonathan & Daniel. Hana & Cathrine to each of my said Sons on equall share but to my said two Daughters unto each of them ten Pounds less then one equal share therofe that is to say, if each of my said six Sons receiveth fifty pounds thereofe, each of my said two Daughters is to Receive but forty Pounds thereof but if any is remaining it is to be equally divided between my said six sons & two Daughters. But whereas the said sums are not fully payable within these ten years, therefore my sons Henry & Samuel are to Receive the first years payment thereof in part of their share the 2 year my Sons Jacob & William are to Receive it as part of their share the third year my said Sons Jonathan and Daniel is to have that years payment in part of their share the 4th year my said two Daughters are to have that years payment or their issue an afterwards for four years by the said turns as before directed but (with?) last payments shall be xxxxlly equally divided allowing to my said Six Sons one equall share to each of them or their Heirs and to each of my said two Daughters ten Pounds less then one equal eights part thereof or to their lawful issue. But whereas I am bound by certain Obligations for some of my said children therefore I will & direct that none of such my children are to have any of their portions until such Bonds are Redeemed or Changed to Prevent my other Children loss by such Obligations. Item I will that all the Remainder of my Estate shall be sold by Publick Sale & after payment of all my Debts & Charges be equally divided among all my within named nine Children or their lawful Heirs and I do hereby constitute & appoint my two sons Henry & Enoch sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my own Hand & Seal the day & year above written. John Frey (Seal) Signed Sealed & Declared by the Testator as his last Will & Testament in Presence of us

Henry Freet (?) Henry Rosinburger Abraham Heiderich.

Philade.a November the seventh 1766. Then personally appeared Henry Freet and Henry Rosinberger two of the Witnesses to the foregoing Will, and on their solemn affirmation according to Law did declare that they said & heard John Frey the Testator therein named Sign Seal Publish & declare the same Will for and as his Last Will and Testament, and that at the doing thereof he was of Sound Mind Memory and understanding to the best of their Knowledge & Belief.

Coram

Benjamin Chew Reg. Gen’l

Be it Remebred that on the seventh day of November 1766, the last Will & Testatment of John Frey deceased in due form of Law was Proved and Probate and Letters Testamentary thereof were granted to Henry Frey & Enoch Frey Executors in the same Will named being solemnly affirmed—well and truly to administer the sd deceds Estate, and bring an Inventory thereof into the Register Generals Office at Philadelphia on or before the seventh day of December next, and render a True and just Account when thereunto legally required. Given under the Seal of the Sd Office

Benjamin Chew Reg. Gen’l.^[2]

On 23 October 1766, when he was sixty-three, John died in Franconia Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,^[3][4] of unknown causes.

He is buried in the Mennonite Church Cemetery, Neiffer, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.^[5]

From Findagrave.com

John Frey

Birth: 1703 Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; Death: 23 Oct 1766 (aged 62–63) Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; Burial: Mennonite Church Cemetery, Neiffer, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA. Memorial #: 44423866.

Bio: John Frey [AKA Johan] b. 1703 Philadelphia Co., PA; d. 23 OCT 1766 Franconia Twp., Montgomery Co., PA; m. (date/place unknown); Mary Keisler [AKA Maria] b. Abt. 1707 Roxborough, Philadelphia Co., PA; d. 31 AUG 1766 Montgomery Co., PA. Both buried: Mennonite Church Cemetery, Neiffer, Montgomery Co., PA. FREY SURNAME SPELLING VARIATIONS: Free, Frei, Frey, Fry, Frye, etc. NOTE: "There is record evidence that John Frey lived in Franconia Twp., Montgomery Co., PA in 1734, and died there Oct. 23, 1766; was buried in the Mennonite Cemetery." -"The Levering Family History and Genealogy" by Col. John Levering NOTE: Roxborough Township was incorporated into the City of Philadelphia in 1854 following the passage of the "Act of Consolidation". The township had also been variously known as Manatawna and Leverington in it's earlier history. CHILDREN (possibility of two sets of twins):1) William Frey b. Abt. 1724 Montgomery Co., PA 2) Henry Frey b. 1724 Montgomery Co., PA 3) Samuel Frey b. 13 MAR 1726-1727 Montgomery Co., PA 4) Daniel Frey b. 1728 Montgomery Co., PA 5) Jacob Frey b. 1729 Montgomery Co., PA 6) Hannah Frey b. 1732 Montgomery Co., PA 7) Catherine Frey b. 1732 Montgomery Co., PA 8) Jonathan Frey b. 1739 9) Enoch FREY b: Abt. 1742 Frederick Co., MD PARENTS: Anna Catharine Levering b. MAR 1676 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; Emigrated from Germany with her parents aft. 20 MAR 1685 to Pennsylvania; d. (date unknown) Montgomery Co., PA; m. 26 APR 1692 Germantown, Philadelphia Co., PA; Heinrich "Henry" Frey b. (date/place unknown); Emigrated from Altheim, Alsace, Germany 1680 to Pennsylvania; d. (date unknown) Montgomery Co., PA. Both buried: Bertolet's Mennonite Church Cemetery, Frederick, Montgomery Co., PA. NOTE: Anna Catharine (nee Levering) and her husband Heinrich "Henry" Frey were honored in 1910 by their descendants as pioneering Huguenots with a memorial in the cemetery where they are buried [links above] with some of their family history upon it. SIBLINGS: 1) Jacob Frey b. 1694 2) William Frey b. 1695 3) Henry Frey b. 1698 4) Abraham Frey b. 17005) Benjamin b. Abt. 17006) John Frey [SELF]7) George Frey b. 17058) Elizabeth Frey 9) Rebecca Frey b. 1718 10) Amelia Frey b. 01 JUL 1719 PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS: Magdalena Boeker m. John Wigard Levering. PATERNAL GREAT-GRANDPARENTS: 1) Elizabeth Van De Walle m. Rosier Levering. 2) Sidonia Wilhelmina Braviers m. Willem "William" Böker. BOEKER SURNAME SPELLING VARIATIONS (with/without an "s" at the end; Böker spelled in English: "Boeker"): Bäcker, Baecker, Baker, Bakker, Becke, Becker, Bocker, Boecker, Boeker, Boekr, Böker, Boker, etc.

Family Members: Parents: Heinrich Frey (1653-1734), Anna Catherine Levering Frey (1676-1754); Spouse: Mary Keisler Frey (1707-1766); Siblings: Elizabeth Barbara Frey Miller (Unknown-1758), Jacob Frey (1694-Unknown), Wilhelm Frey (1695-1770), Henry Frey (1698-Unknown), Abraham Frey (1700-1768), George Frey (1705-1750), Amelia Elizabeth Frey Leinbach (1717-1781), Elizabeth Frey Miller (1718-1758), Rebecca Frey (1718-1758); Children; Samuel Frey (1727-1813), John Frey (1732-1819.^[6]

Note

A Johannes Frey of Coventry had a daughter Maria Margaretha b 4261734 bapy 21 May 1734 Sponsors Heinrich Schnebele & wife Appolonia.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ Col. John Levering of LaFayette, Indiana, Levering Family History and Genealogy Levering Historical Association c.1897.
2. ↑ Wiill of John Frey, 10 Sept 1766, Philadelphi, Will Book O, p45., transcription by Jonathan Long, sent to Patricia Prickett Hickin, 11 Dec 2019, by email.
3. ↑ Kati McSweeney (46899027), “John Frey,” Findagrave.com. Record added 15 Nov 2009. URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141288587/johan-frey.
4. ↑ Jon Freye, Frye Family Association Journal. 4356 Chippewa Trail, Jamestown, OH 45335), Vol. 1, Issue 6, Fall 2000 "Heinrich Frey" by Charles Burgess, p.23-31.
5. ↑ Kati McSweeney (46899027), “John Frey,” Findagrave.com. Record added 15 Nov 2009. URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141288587/johan-frey.
6. ↑ Kati McSweeney (46899027), “John Frey,” Findagrave.com. Record added 15 Nov 2009. URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141288587/johan-frey. Accessed 24 Oct 2023.
7. ↑ JC Stoever records. https:/ia600500.us.archive.org/14/items/recordsofrevjohn01stoerecordsofrevjohn01stoe.pdf

See also:

• Will of John Frey, 10 Sept 1766, Philadelphi, Will Book O, p45., transcription by Jonathan Long, sent to Patricia Prickett Hickin, 11 Dec 2019, by email

• Jon Freye, Frye Family Association Journal. 4356 Chippewa Trail, Jamestown, OH 45335), Vol. 1, Issue 6, Fall 2000 "Heinrich Frey" by Charles Burgess, p.23-31; Vol 2, Issue 7, Spring 2001 "Arguments in Support of a Younger Jacob Frey" by Joy Torgeson, p.31.

• Col. John Levering of LaFayette, Indiana, Levering Family History and Genealogy Levering Historical Association c.1897) Repository: NEHGS Lending Library. (No longer lends books; available only at the Library.)

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141288587/johan-frey

• Scott, Wendy, "John Fry, born 1703," The Scott Family Home. Site established on February 14, 2000.

• WFT- Volume 2 Title: Family Tree Maker CD-ROM, WFT- Volume 2.

• James Harry Wright, Levering/Frey

Acknowledgments

• WikiTree profile Frey-277 was created through the import of Moody-Howell_2011-06-05.ged on Jun 11, 2011 by Robert Moody.

• WikiTree profile Frey-344 was created through the import of Lois for WikiTree.ged on Oct 10, 2011 by Kay Haden.