Johann Adam Bolch Sr (1728 - 1794)

Born 24 Sep 1728 in Vosgues Mountain, Alsace, Heiliges Römisches Reich [uncertain]

Husband of Anna Christina (Unknown) Bolch — married 1750 in Alsace Lorraine, Heiliges Römisches Reich

Descendants

Died 13 Jan 1794 at age 65 in Lincoln County, North Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Palatine Migration WikiTree [send private message], Clayton Martinez [send private message], Pat Quick [send private message], and Matthew Reese [send private message]

Adam Bolch Sr was a Palatine Migrant. Join: Palatine Migration Project Discuss: palatine_migration

Biography

This profile is part of the Bolch Name Study.

The last name has been spelled in various ways through the generations including Balch, Balich, Boalich, Bohlich, Bohlig, Bolch, Boleck, Boley, Bolich, Bolick, Boliek, Bolig, Boligh, Bolih, Bolish, Bollich, Bollick, Bollig, Bolligh, Bolock, Bolsch, Boulch.

Johan Adam Bolch and his wife Anna Christina (last name unknown, possibly Hauck or Schwarztwald) landed in Philadephia on 24 September 1753 on the ship Neptune (John Mason, Master) from Rotterdam, last from Cowes. They had two children with them, Jacob who was born in Germany prior to the voyage and Sebastian who was born during the journey. They settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Sometime prior to 1770 the family migrated to Lincoln County, North Carolina.

Johannes Adam Bolich was baptized at the Trinity Lutheran Church at Reading, Pennsylvania on Feb 6, 1755. His son, Johan Caspar Bolich was baptized when 7 weeks old on Feb 16, 1757. Adam Bolich appears on the list of taxable in Exeter Townsip, Berks County, Pennsylvania in 1757, and Adam Bolick on a list of taxable in Oley Township in 1758.^[1]

Johan Adam was a shoemaker by trade. According to family stories, he had considerable property in Germany. Germany had strict limits on the amount of property immigrants were allowed to take with them when they left the country. Johan Adam converted his property into gold which he then melted into thin plates. He made new shoes for the family, with an extra pair for each. He placed the sheets of gold between the soles of the shoes and the family carried the gold to America.

Johan Adam Bolch was the pioneer of the Bolch/Bolick family in Lincoln/Catawba County, North Carolina. ^[2]

By 1770, Adam Bolch had secured a land grant in then Rowan County (now Catawba Co.) Over the years, he acquired a considerable amount of property. Most of it west of the Catawba River along Lyles Creek and Mechlin Creek. Adam Bolch was a shoemaker by trade. He was also evidently well-educated for the times, judging from the number of books he had to bequeath to his children.

The will of Adam Bolch was written 13 January 1794. Lincoln Co. N.C. in which he states that he was a shoemaker and very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind. He provides for his wife, Christina, and gives her his dwelling house, which, at the end of her life, is to be deemed real property of his son, Godfrey. He instructs his children in the care of their mother. His wife and seven children survived him, and all are mentioned in the document.^[3]

He died in 1794 and was buried in what became the Bolch Family Cemetery, Hickory, Catawba County, North Carolina, USA.^[4]

Will of Adam Bolch_Lincoln County

In the name of God, Amen. I, Adam Bolch of Lincoln County in the State of North Carolina, Shoemaker, being very sick and weak in body but a perfect mind and memory, THANKS BE TO GOD, calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to day principally and first of all, I give and recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried at the direction of my Executors, hereinafter named, nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive same again by the mighty Power of God. And touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleasedGod to bless me in this life, I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.

First I give and bequeath unto Christina my dearly beloved wife, my dwelling house I now live in to be freely enjoyed by her during the time of her life, and at the expiration of her natural life the same shall be deemed The Real Property of my son Gottfried, and also my garden to be freely possessed and enjoyed by her, to her only proper use during the time of her natural life and after her death to be the absolute property of my son Gottfried. I also give her the following effects to be and remain her absolute property forever, to wit: my feather bed, and bed-stead and furniture; one iron cot, one Sermon book, one Hymn book, one frying pan, one milk cow and all the cash I have with me, besides one third of all my movables. I give to her my linen chest, and all the linens and other goods therein, to tedious mentioned, to be her absolute property forever; and whereas all my children are in possession of land which I have provided for them, and my Son Jasper hath received from me all the purchase money for same my absolute will is that each of my children shall be liable to pay yearly on the first day of October, every year unto said wife two bushels ofauthentic good and lawful well cleaned wheat; one quarter of a hundred pounds good meat, half pork and half beef; three pounds of well cleaned picketed flax, and in total they shall find and provide for her every year one pair of good shoes.

The oldest shall do it first, then the next shall find and provide for the said shoes and the following year and so on in order to the youngest, then if death not happens, to begin in the same order with the eldest as aforesaid, and to prevent confusion or errors that might happen in the whole I say all and every articles above mentioned to be paid unto my dearly beloved wife on the first day of October every year after my decease, expressly by each and every one of my children. I see just cause to name them all in particular. 1. Jacob my son, 2, Sebastian my son, 3, Adam my son, 4, Jasper my son, 5, Godfrey my sone, 6, Christina my daughter. 7. Elizabeth my daughter.

And whereas they altogether hold land as aforesaid my absolute will is that each of them shall be liable to pay said described articles per annum on the limited time, and in case that any of my children should happen to die before my wife, that in this case their heirs or heirs of them or any of them whoever shall hold land or lands of the deceased shall be liable to the aforesaid duties, for the maintenance of my wife during the time of her natural life but any longer; and my son Godfrey shall provide food and all necessities for her milk cow aforementioned likewise for an ewe which I do give hereby; and in case I should happen to die in a short or a long time my will is that my sons shall divide my apparel and clothes among them in equal portions, and after the death of my wife my daughters shall divide her apparels and clothes amongst them in said order as in said of mysons. And whereas I have declared that my son Godfrey shall keep the said milk cow and ewe to the only use of my wife at his own proper cost and that in recompense of which I bequeath hereby and in virtue of this, my folio Bible, printed in Nurenberg, unto him, the said Godfrey hereby forewarning all the rest of my children, their heirs, executors or administrators, from all claims of the same by any lawful pretense whatsoever.

I give and bequeath unto my son "'Jacob'" the sum of twenty shillings to be paid out of my money by my executors, besides purchase money I have given him before to pay for his land and this shall be his portion which he hath already received before.

I give and bequeath unto my son Sebastian, all that portion or parcel of land lying and situate on the Western or Northern side of Lyle's creek, adjoin the land of George Adam Schmitt and on other track of my own land, being part of a large tract that I bought of Henry Schmitt by virtue of Royal Grant (Patent) bearing date of Twenty First of July 1774 as the said patent will more fully and clearly appear, to have and to hold the said tract on said creek, which shall set a limit between him and his brother Jasper (Casper) unto my son Sebastian Bolch his heirs, executors, and assigns forever; and further,

I give and bequeath unto my sone "'Jasper'" all the remainder of the said described tract I bought of the aforesaid Henry Schmitt that is situated in the Eastern or South side of said Lyle's creek which shall set limits between him and his brother, "'Sebastian'", adjoining Philip Adam and Philip Giger, to have and to hold the said tract being part of the aforesaid larger tract unto the said Jasper Bolch and his heirs, executors and assigns forever.

Also I give unto my son "'Adam'" all that tract of piece or parcel of land situate on the Eastern side of a division line laid off by Joseph Rankin in a line of a larger tract at the North of a branch on Macklings Creek running North 15 West to a post oak then 10 corner from beginning in the lines of the said larger tract of the plantation I live on, to have and to hold the said described tract, piece or parcel of land being part of a larger tract granted to me by virtue of a states grant bearing the date of 20th day of October 1782. Where the limits will be more fully and largely appear unto the said Adam Bolch his heirs, executors and assigns forever; and further I give also unto my son Godfrey, the remainder of the said tract bound by the line aforesaid described which shall set limits between him and his brother Adam, and is situate on the Western side of said Rankin line, to have and to hold the said land as part of the larger tract unto the said Godfrey Bolch, his heirs,executors and assigns (except that before excepted for the dowry) forever.

Further I give unto my daughter Christina the lawful wife of Fredrick Trefflested one hundred sixty acres of land adjoining the land of Sebastian being part of the larger tract granted me by virtue of states grant bearing the date September 20th, 1770, situate on both sides of Eke Creek to be divided by a line beginning across the said creek in the middle of the whole tract, setting limits between her and her sister, dividing the whole tract into divisions and parallel parts.

I give unto my daughter Elizabeth the other half or remaining 160 acres of the aforesaid tract, being the upper or Western part thereof adjoining the land of Jacob Mitchell, to have and to hold the same premises unto the said Christina and Elizabeth, their lawful heirs, executors and assigns forever, and finally, and all the remainder of my effects not willed herein, my will is it shall be divided among all my children in equal proportion without regard to sex or age, but selling thereof to strangers either by private or public sale I do hereby prohibit.

P.S. I give my iron pot, called a dutch oven, two pewter basins, one half dozen of ditto (probably pewter) spoons, unto my wife to use during life, but after her death to be considered part of my movables to be divided among my children in manner and form above directed.

Lastly, I do hereby constitute, appoint and ordain Godfrey Bolch my well loved sone to be my whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament and do hereby do utterly disallow, revoke and disannounce all and every other former testaments, wills, legacies, bequeaths and executors by me in ways before willed and bequeathed, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament, in witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of January in the year of our Lord, on thousand seven hundred and ninety four.

(Signed) Adam Bolch

Signed, sealed and published, pronounced and declared by the said Adam Bolch as his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names.

Witnessed Conrad (X) Maugro and Jacob (X) Diehl and Andrew Cloninger (or Bollinger)

Children

Johan Adam Bolch and Christina had the following children^[5]:

1. Jacob Bolch, married Maria Salome Grimes on Mar 21, 1775 in Rowan County
2. Sebastian Bolch, married Margaret Heffner on Feb 18, 1776 in Lincoln County
3. Adam Bolch
4. Johan Casper/Jasper Bolich, married Christina
5. Godfrey Bolch, married Catherine
6. Christina Bolch
7. Elizabeth Bolch

Research Notes

Andreas Balch arrived in Philadelphia on the same ship as Johan Adam Bolch. The next year a Johan Georg Bohlich arrived in Philadelphia on December 13, 1754 also on the Neptune (Walliam Malane, Master) from Hamburg, Hanover and Saxony. It has been theorized that these three men, Johan Adam Bolch, Andreas Balch and Johan Georg Bohlich were either cousins or brothers. As far as I know, this has yet to be proven. Johan Georg Bohlich and his son Johan Peter were shoemakers by trade. At this time I do not know what profession Andreas pursued.^[6]

• "Collections of the Genealogical society of Penna., Baptisms by Rev. Daniel Schumacher (1754-1774)" vol. 279, page 10, found among the records of the Historical Society of Penna. in Philadelphia.

• "Collections of the Genealogical society of Penna., Baptisms by Rev. Daniel Schumacher (1754-1774)" vol. 279, page 34, found among the records of the Historical Society of Penna. in Philadelphia.

• Research of Judge Koch.

• "Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in American Revolution" by North Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution pages 441 and 573, Lincoln County, North Carolina Militia, a copy of which book is in the possession of the Historical Society of Penna. at Philadelphia.

• The foregoing information was given in a letter to the Honorable W.F. Kopp, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., by the Assistant to Administrator, Veterans Administration, Washington, D.C. All replies to be referred to BA-J/EEL Casper Bolich, W18566.

Note: September 24, 1753 Emigrated with his wife Anna Christina on ship "Neptune" to Philadelphia. The Shoemaker According to Alexander Co. Heritage (NC) article 82, "J.Adam, was a shoemaker in Germany. The story goes that he melted down his gold into thin plates, hid them in the soles of the shoes of the family that came to America with him (since Germany would only allow immigrants to take a small amount of their property with them when they left the country, Catawba Co., (Heritage Article 68). Christina (their daughter) married first Fredrick Trefflested, 2nd Granis Trefflested. Abraham, a son of Adam, gave the land where the first Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church was situated and where the cemetery is now. (alongside the Catawba River).

Sources

1. ↑ #Bolch
2. ↑ #Pioneers
3. ↑ [#ABolchWIll]
4. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 08 February 2021), memorial page for Johann Adam “Bolig” Bolch Sr. (1725–1794), Find A Grave: Memorial #159213592, citing Bolch Family Cemetery, Hickory, Catawba County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by civilwarbuff (contributor 47049540).Bolch Family Cemetery.
5. ↑ #Bolch
6. ↑ #Pioneers

See also:

• Emigration: 24 Sept. 1753 Emigrated with his wife Anna Christian on ship "Neptune" to Philadelphia

• Source: Will of Johan Adam Bolch, recorded at Lincolnton, Lincoln County, North Carolina in 1794

• Military Service: 1775 all the Bolch sons served in the Revolutionary War

• Source: "Collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Baptisms by Rev. Daniel Schumacher (1754-1774)", Vol. 279, page 10, found among the records of the Historical Society of Penna. in Philadelphia.</span>

• Source: "Collections of the Genealogical society of Penna., Baptisms by Rev. Daniel Schumacher (1754-1774)" vol. 279, page 34, found among the records of the Historical Society of Penna. in Philadelphia.</span>

• Source: Research of Judge W.F. Koch, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. dated of  ?</span>

• Source: "Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in American Revolution" by North Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution pages 441 and 573, Lincoln County, North Carolina Militia, a copy of which book is in the possession of the Historical Society of Penna. at Philadelphia.</span>

• Letter to the Honorable W.F. Kopp, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., by the Assistant to Administrator, Veterans Administration, Washington, D.C. All replies to be referred to BA-J/EEL Casper Bolich, W18566.

• Source: Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808, Vol. I, Record for Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808, Vol. I, pg 538 thru 542

• Source: The Bolich Families in America with Genealogies, Link, Bolich, Mary Margaret (Mary Margaret Shimer), 1895- (Main Author), Allentown, Pennsylvania : Schlechter's, 1939

• Source: Repository: #R-1199181569 Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=60643301&pid=550

Acknowledgments