Wilhelm Kern (abt. 1725 - abt. 1800)

Born about 1725 in Whitehall, Northampton, Pennsylvania [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 18 Aug 1800 at about age 75 in Heidelberg, Northampton, Pennsylvania

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This person was created through the import of Terri's Family Tree.ged on 22 February 2011. The following data was included in the gedcom. You may wish to edit it for readability.

Biography

William Kern performed Patriotic Service in Pennsylvania in the American Revolution.

William Kern is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A065144.

Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed Jun 23, 2017), "Record of William Kern, Sr", Ancestor # A065144. Member of "Committee of Observation" representing Heidelberg Township at the meeting of that committee at Easton on 21 Dec 1774, and again on 30 May 1776. He was enrolled in the militia in the 5th Class, 5th Company in the General Muster of 1778, 1780, and 1782.

This biography was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import.^[1]

Name

Name: Wilhelm William Kern^[2]

Birth

Birth:

Date: 1725^[3]

Place: Germany Based on Father Nicholas arrival in 1732

Death

Death:

Date: 18 August 1800^[4]

Place: Heidelberg, Lehigh, Pennsylvania, USA

Burial

Burial:

Place: Neffs, Pennsylvania^[5][6]

Story

WILHELM KERN was born in 1725 and died on August 18, 1800. He owned the grist mill and saw mill along Trout Creek in Slatington which he and his father erected in 1742. Here he sawed the lumber used by Benjamin Franklin in building Fort Allen at Weissport during the French and Indian War. Benjamin Franklin, in his report to Governor Morris, in January 1756, refers to the mill as "Trucker's Mill". Many papers, letters, or reports from the militia officers who were stationed in the region from 1756 to 1764 refer to "Kern's" or "Trucker's" mill. "Trucker" was a name given to Wilhelm Kern to distinguish him from others of the same name, and he was reported to be "of a jovial turn of mind, much given to joking". "Trockner", in German, signifies a joker, a wit, and that was doubtless the term originally applied to the miller, which in time was corrupted to "Trucker". In the Revolutionary War he was a member of the "Committee of Observation" representing Heidelberg Township at the meetings of that committee at Easton on December 21, 1774 and again on May 30, 1776. He was enrolled in the militia in the 5th Class, 5th Company in the General Muster of 1778, 1780, and 1782, although he seems to have been over military age. He is buried at the Unionville Church, but his marble gravestone is now only faintly legible. His will was probated at Easton on June 26, 1801, and his widow, Salome, and his son, Christopher, were named executors. The other children are not named in the will. Lehigh County history says he was married twice, but there is no evidence to prove this. His wife and mother of his children was Maria Salome Baer, a daughter of Christopher Baer who lived near what is now Neffs. They are said to have had 10 children - 7 of them are listed in the German Reformed baptismal record at Unionville Church. 1. Wilhelm Kern, Jr. was born January 16, 1751 and died January 21, 1841. His wife's name was Maria. He was a farmer in what is now Washington Township. He was enrolled in the 2nd Class, 5th Company, Northampton County militia from Heidelberg Township in 1778, 1780, and 1782. He was listed on active duty in Captain Meyer's Company in 1781 and again on April 18, 1782. A complete list of children is not known. 2. Salome Kern, b. September 13, 1779, bapt. at Unionville. 3. Julianna Kern, b. March 15, 1781, bapt. at Unionville. 4. Elisabeth Catharina Kern, b. October 3, 1775, bapt. at Unionville, married someone named Snyder and lived at Millport. 5. Jacob Kern, believed to have born about 1772, there is no further information. 6. Christopher Kern, b. October 27, 1768, died March 28, 1842, buried at Unionville. He married Susana Barbara Bauman, b. October 4, 1778, died March 8, 1869, buried at Friedens. The gravestone says there were nine children. 7. George William Kern, b. May 15, 1772, bapt. at Unionville. There is no further information. 8. J. Nicholas Kern, b. September 29, 1773, bapt. Unionville (gravestone says October 2), died April 28, 1849. Married in 1800 to Hanna Best, b. January 1, 1781, died September 25, 1860, both are buried at Friedens. 9. John Kern, b. November 2, 1777 (gravestone says November 29), died June 11, 1851, married Anna Magdalena Peter, b. January 22, 1787, d. April 29, 1855, both are buried at Friedens. He succeeded his father, Wilhelm, in the ownership and operation of the grist and saw mill at Slatington. They were married 18 years and according to the gravestone had 6 sons and 7 daughters. 10. Daniel Kern, born December 16, 1783, baptized at Unionville. There is no further information. ^[7]

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/26780284/William-Kern

more children listed here^

Sources

1. ↑ *Kern-1009 was created by Troy Jenkins through the import of wiki.ged on Aug 6, 2015.
2. ↑ *Source: #S-752980062 Page: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1929-1990; Series Number: Series 1 APID: 1,1967::962441
3. ↑ * Source: S-752980062 Repository: #R-1194874193 Title: Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-2012 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. APID: 1,1967::0
4. ↑ * Source: S-752975769 Repository: #R-1194874193 Title: U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. APID: 1,2204::0
5. ↑ *Source: #S-752980062 Page: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1929-1990; Series Number: Series 1 APID: 1,1967::962441
6. ↑ * Source: S-752980047 Repository: #R-1194874193 Title: U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. APID: 1,60525::0
7. ↑ http://sonic.net/~ifdavis/geneology/kern.html

• Kern Family of Northern Lehigh County