Peter Friess ^{135,660,661,663}

  General Notes:

DAR Patriot Register

DAR Appl 52275
Fries,Peter b 1745 Pennsylvania d 1835 Pennsylvania m Catharine Unknown Pvt Pennsylvania

SAR Appl 71755
Peter Fries was a Private, Northampton Co. Militia

From a Plaque on the Levan Farm (Provided by Marty Thomas)

Levan Farm
1737-1940
Orginal Owners
1737
Thomas & Richard Penn
to
Peter Fries
1818
Peter Fries to Daniel Levan
Subsequent Owners
Benjamin son of Daniel
James son of Benjamin
John son of James
Present owner of farm.

According to an undocumented family tree sent to me the following is the tree of Peter Fries wife Catharine. I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the tree.

3- Catharine Klingemann (1768-1810)
sp Peter Friess (1745-1835)

2- Peter Klingemann (II) ( - 1814)
sp Anna Maria "Mary" Knepper ( -1820)

1 - Hans Jeorg (George) Klingemann (1708-1761)
sp Katharine Barbara ( - )


In the Jerusalem Church records there is a Magdalena Fries born Jan 1797 to Peter Fries and w Barbara sponsors Jacob Spangler & w. Barbara
The wife listed for Peter "Barbara" disagrees with what I have, also the date of birth of Magdalena 1797 would make her almost too young to have her daughter Lydia


On the Will Of Peter Fries

I just received the Last Will and Testament of Peter Fries. He is a direct descendant from Grandma Estella Schleicher nee Wehr.
It is fascinating! It ties Magdalana Fries and her husband Daniel Levan through their mention in the will. If anyone wants a copy of it let me know!

In the cover letter that Willis Friese sent me, here it is

Dear Mr. Padell
My son Rick Friese requested that I send you a copy of Peter Friess' will, both in the orginal German and the English translation. They are enclosed.

I have included copies of all the papers I have on the Inventory and Account of Peter Friess' estate. You may find them interesting and informative.

There is some disagreement on the date of Peter's year of birth. Some believe it was 1745 and others 1764. I am personally assured he was born the 12th of June 1764. I base my assurance on: 1. His father, Jacob Friess, had not yet been born in 1733 when Peter's Grandfather arrived in America. 2. The baptisaml registry of Rev. Daniel Schumacher includes the entry: The 8th of July 1764 baptized Johann Peter, Born 12th of June, Father and Mother Jacob Driess and Magdalena, sponsers were Johann Peter Spengler and Anna Maria. The baptismal was performed in "Allemangel".

One last piece of information you may be interested in is the succession of ownership of the farm first established by Cornelius Friess. It remains in the hands of Cornelius' descendants. Included here is a paper given us by Mr and Mrs Steward Trexler showing the line of ownership of the farm.


The line of farm ownership is

Thomas Penn and Richard Penn
to
1748 Cornelius Fries
to his son
1762 Jacob Fries and his wife, Magdalena
to their son
1785 Peter Fries and his wife, Catherine
to their daughter and son-in-law
1813 Daniel Levan and his wife, Magdalena Fries Levan
to their son
1848 Benjamin Levan and his wife, Anna Lutz Levan
to their son
1879 James Levan and his wife, Rosa Kistler Levan
to their son
1926 John D. Levan and his wife, Sallie Trexler Levan
to their son
1969 Steward Trexler and his wife, June Stein Trexler

In the will is states

...that the executors of my will shall pay off all my debts after my death and to pay the remaining money to my children, my daughter Magdalena or my daughter's husband Daniel Levan or their heirs to pay them twenty-five pounds...

It also states very interestingly

...let me remind you that if one of my children is not satisfied with their inheritance that they should be given one English Shilling as I have ordered, the remaining money should be divided equally among all my children...

From what I can tell here are the Children

Magdalena Freis m Daniel Levan
Maria Fries m Philip Kistler
Dorothea Fries
Barbara Fries m Heinrich Schmidt
Christian Fries
Johannes Fries
Michael Fries
Gideon Fries
Christine Fries m Johannes Steigerwalt
Catherina Fries m Johann Reicheldorfer


This is great! My thanks to Rick and his father!

our line is

Clayton Schleicher m Estella Wehr
Charles Wehr m Ida Henry
Elias Henry m Ellen Bachman
David Henry m Sarah Schmidt
Reuben Schmidt m Lydia Levan
Daniel Levan m Magdalena Fries
Peter Fries m Catherina Klingman
Jacob Fries m Magdalena
Cornelius Fries m unknown


Peter FRIESS, Sr. and Jr.

So who was the Peter FRIESS who got the deed to CorneliusÕs land in 1785 and who shows up in Albany Township tax lists and censuses until his death in 1834? He was Johann Peter FRIESS Jr., born 4 Dec 1757, d. 12 Dec 1834, son of Johann Peter FRIESS Sr. and his wife Sybilla Margaretha.
Peter Sr. was baptised 17 January 1727 in the Rossbach Lutheran Church in the Palatinate, son of Johann Michael FRIESS (bapt. 12 Feb 1690 in Steinwenden Lutheran Church, near Schwanden in the Duchy of Zweibr?cken in the Palatinate, died 1762 in Albany Twp.) and his wife Maria Charlotta FECHTER. Peter Sr. died before June 1760 when his estate was administered in Albany Twp., leaving a widow (already remarried when the estate was handled) and 3 small children, two girls and a boy who appear in Orphans Court records.
Peter Jr. was no more than a toddler when his father died, and his mother remarried quickly to Johannes STEIGERWALD of Albany Twp., who died 1769. The following year, 1770, she became the third wife of Johann Michael PROBST of Albany, who died 1771 after giving her a son, George Michael PROBST. On 20 March 1780 she married a fourth time, to Frederick LENTZEL of Reading Town. Thanks to these multiple marriages, it is possible to trace not only Sybilla Margaretha but her children from both Peter FRIESS Sr. and Michael PROBST in church records in both Albany Twp. and Reading.


____________

Johann Peter FRIESS (son of Peter FRIESS Sr. and Sybilla Margaretha, grandson of Michael FRIESS and Maria Charlotte FECHTER), b. 4 Dec 1757 Albany Twp, d. 12 Dec 1834 Albany Twp; m. (1) about 1780 Maria ______, (2) on 24 Oct 1786 Catharine KLINGEMAN (third dau of Peter KLINGEMAN of Albany Twp.), b. 1768, d. 1810 Albany Twp.

Children with Maria:
1. Dorothea FRIESS, named as deceased in her fatherÕs 1832 will, may have m. a SECHLER.
2. Maria S. FRIESS, b. 7 Dec. 1782, d. 19 Mar 1856 Lynn Twp; m. Philip Jacob KISTLER, b. 5 Jul 1781 Lynn Twp, d. 22 Feb 1850 Lynn Twp, gravestone at Jerusalem Church.
3. Anna Barbara FRIESS, b. 17 Jun 1785, bapt. 17 July 1785 Jerusalem Church, sponsors Johanes PROPST and Barbara, d. 24 Dec 1854; m. Johann Henrich SCHMIDT, b. 27 Oct 1778, bapt. 28 Oct 1778 New Bethel Church, d. 20 Aug 1855; both bur. New Bethel Church, Albany Twp.
4. Magdalena FRIESS, b. 24 Oct 1784 ?, d. 1837 ? Albany Twp.; m. 5 Dec 1802 at Trinity Luth. Ch., Reading to Daniel LeVAN, b. Exeter Twp, Berks Co., Pennsylvania, d. 30 Sept 1834 Albany Twp.

Children with Catherina KLINGEMAN:
1. Christina FRIESS b. 11 July 1789, bapt. 11 Oct 1789 New Bethel Ch., d. 25 Mar 1864; m. 1810 Johannes STEIGERWALD, b. 7 May 1787 Albany Twp, d. 27 Feb 1879 Albany Twp; both bur. New Bethel Ch.
2. Christian FRIESS, b. 2 Jan 1791 Albany Twp, d. 29 May 1852, Lynn Twp; m. Elisabeth BILLMAN, b. 18 Sept 1797, d. 1 Sep 1864, Albany Twp; both bur. New Bethel Ch.
3. Johannes FRIESS, b. 31 Dec 1792, bapt. 29 Mar 1793 New Bethel Ch., sponsors John KLINGEMAN and Catherine HAGENBUCH, d. 18 June 1848 Pickaway Co. OH; m. 29 July 1820 in OH Hannah ÒHettyÓ MERKEL, b. 4 July 1803 Berks Co., d. 25 Nov 1850, Pickaway Co OH.
4. Anna Catherina FRIESS, b. 3 June 1794, bapt. 10 Aug 1794 New Bethel Ch., sponsors Valentine BROBST and Magdalena STEBELTON, d. after 1850 Columbia Co, Pennsylvania; m. Johannes REICHELDERFER, b. 15 July 1791, bapt. same day, New Bethel Ch., d. after 1850 Columbia Co, Pennsylvania.
5. Michael FRIESS, b. 5 Jan 1798 Albany Twp, bapt. sponsor at New Bethel Ch. was Michael HAGENBUCH, d. after 1835; m. Maria DeLONG.
6. Peter FRIESS, b. 23 Apr 1799, bapt. 16 June 1799 New Bethel Ch., sponsors Peter DONART and Magdalene KLINGAMAN, d. Allen Co. IN; m. Maria ______.
7. Elisabeth FRIESS, b. 1 Aug 1801, bapt. 6 Sept 1801 New Bethel Ch., sponsors Jacob CREUTZ and Catherine STEFELTON, d. Sept 1801.
8. Gideon FRIESS, b. 1808, bapt. Jerusalem Ch., d. bef 1860 (1850 census shows him age 42 in Albany Twp., living with Benjamin LeVAN and Anna); m. Maria.
____________

From Diana Quiones

Notes for PETER FRIESS:
1800 Census, Albany Twp:

MALESFEMALES
<10 10<1616<2626<4545+<1010<1616<2626<4545+NAME OCCUPATION

4112111Friess, PeterFarmer


REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION: S23640 Peter Fries, Penn.
Pennsylvania, Berks Co, Court of Common Pleas, dated 11/6/1832:
Personally appeared Peter Fries in an open Court held at Reading in and for the county of Berks who upon his solemn oath doth depose and say that he is 75 years of age, maketh the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefits of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed 6/7/1832; that he served in the militia of the State of Pennsylvania four tours, each two months [sometimes more and some time less] in the service of the United States, as follows, to wit:
1) in the year 1776 two months, in a company commanded by Mathias Brobst, Col Geiger, that he marched from Lynn Township, Northampton county, state aforesaid, to Amboy in the state of New Jersey;
2) 4 months in 1777, the first two he served in a company commanded by Capt. Slahler, Col. Stephen Balli and at the time the battle was a Brandywine and Germantown;
3) and two months as a substitute for a certain Reidenauer, in a company commanded by the said Slahler, Col. Kern;
4) in the year 1778, two months marching toward Wyoming to quell the Indians in a company commanded by the said Slahler, Col. Heinenu; that at the time he resided in Lynn Township in the county of Northampton, state of Pennsylvania aforesaid.
Signed Peter Fries
Sworn and subscribed in the Court of Common Pleas, 11/6/1832, signed Garrick Malling, judge.

Interrogatives of the court:
First: Where and in what year were you born? (PF) I was born in the year 1757 in the Township of Albany, Berks County.
Second: Have you any record of your age, and if so, whereabouts: (PF) It was in my father's family Bible.
Third: Where were you living when went into service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live? (PF) I lived in Lynn Township, Northampton County when I went into the service and lived there some time after the War. I now live in Albany Township, Berks County.
Fourth: How were you called into the service? I was drafted three times, I once was a substitute for Reidenauer.
signed: Peter Friess
Sworn and subscribed in Open Court Nov 6 1832, Gerrick Melling

On the same date, Valentine Brobst, a credible witness of the borough of Reading, Berks County, aged 69 years or thereabouts, upon his solemn oath doth deform and say that he is well acquainted with the within named Peter Frees, the applicant for a pension, that he has known the said Peter Frees upwards of 60 years, that he also is known that the said Peter Frees served 4 tours in the Militia during the Revolutionary War and that the said Peter Frees is a man of good character and as to veracity, I never heard it doubted.
signed Valentine Probst
sworn and subscribed in open court 11/6/1832, signed Garrick Melling

Also on the same date personally came Henry Babb of the borough of Reading, Berks County, a credible witness aged about 58 years who upon his solemn oath doth depose and say that he is well acquainted with Peter Frees, the applicant for a pension for 30 years and upward, that he is a man of good moral characted and as to veracity, never he and it doubted and is generally esteemed by his neighbors. signed Henry Babb
Sworn in open court 11/6/1832, Garrick Melling,

Jacob Sallade, Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Berks, do certify that the foregoing contains the name of the applicant Peter Fries for a pension, Nov 14, 1832

Pension Approved Certificate issued 3/16/1833 and sent to Hon. H A Muhlenberg, Reading
Arrears to the first of March - $53.32
Semi-annual allowance ending 9/1833 $13.33.
Total $66.65
Recorded Book E, Vol 5, p 19

From Rick Friese: 5/2/2004:
Peter Friess died Dec. 12 1834 and the obituary
came from the Kutztown Nuetralist newspaper. (Am checking for a copy)

ESTATE:
On June 9, 1772, the Berks County Orphan's Court was petitioned by Peter, to wit: "Dated 9 June 1772: Petition of Peter Fries (age 14 years, 6 months), son of Peter Fries, deceased. That his father died intestate about 15 years since, leaving some estate. That Simon Fries, 10 or 12 years ago was appointed his guardian, now lives near Philadelphia. Prays that Michael Lay of Greenwich, weaver, be appointed. Approved." [Note: Simon Frees was his uncle.]

Tax list 1784 - Albany Twp:
Peter FRIES, 90 acres,
Peter FRIES, 10 acres

MARRIAGES by Rev. C.F. Wildbaker/Wildebaum (served Reading 1782-1796]:
1786 Oct. 24 Peter oldest s. of Peter Friess, dec., Albany Twp., Berks Co. to Catharine 3rd d. of Peter Klingemann, same place,
Wit. Mrs. Margaret Lintzell the mother of Peter Friess. (page 17)

Child:Christine Friess
Birth/Baptism Date:11 Jul 1789
Location:New Bethel Church, Albany Township
County:Berks
State:Pennsylvania
Father:Peter Friess
Mother:Mrs. Catharine Friess

Child:Georg Friess
Birth/Baptism Date:10 Jan 1796
Location:Trinity Lutheran Church, Reading
County:Berks
State:Pennsylvania
Father:Peter Friess
Mother:Mrs. Catharina Friess

Obituary for Peter Fries from the Unabhaengiger Republikaner Newspaper,
December, 1834:
"On the 12th of December, from a 'Schlagfluss' (stroke?), Mr. Peter
Fries, an inhabitant of Albany, Berks County, at the age of 77 years and 8
days. On the following Sunday his remains were buried in the family burial
ground. He was one of the few remaining heros of the Revolution. He
leaves 10 children, 82 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren. His
funeral was held by the Rev. Mr. G. F. T. Jaeger, the moving discourse from
Genesis, chapter 15, verse 15."

Peter's administration settlement by John
Shollenberger and Daniel Faust dated December 22, 1834:

Tis is the money that the chiltren hat received bafore his father was
dite:
Daniel Laven he hat received fore inheritance $145. 01
Philip Kistler he hat received fore inheritance $116.67
Samuel Sechler & Jasse Kistler he hat received fore inheritance $116.66
Henry Smith he hat received fore inheritance $146.67
John Steiearwalt he hat received fore inheritance $66.67
Christian Fries he hat received fore inheritance $375.41
John Fries he hat received for inheritance $206.00
John Reigelterfer he hat received fore inheritance $68.12
Michael Fries he hat received fore inheritance $95.19
Peter Fries he hat received fore inheritance $50.00
Getion Fries he hat received fore inheritance $160.35
Total $1,546.75. Balance $1,441.95" (total value of estate
$2,988.70)


Last Will and Testament of
Peter Friess
In the Name of God - Amen
I , the signer Peter Friess in Albany Township, Berks County and State of
Pennsylvania who is frail and weak, however, still am of sound mind, have mental
abilities, have a good memory and mental strength as well as judgment just as in
my days of health for which I thank God very much, especially when I consider
that we all have to die one day and that the time of our death will come and
that man should prepare himself in good time to be ready to leave this world. I
hereby designate this present document to be my last will and testament.

First of all, I commend my eternal soul into the hands of God to his eternal
mercy and my body I give back to earth as my hereby named executors of my
testament should initiate in such a way that I will be buried in a Christian way
and that my worldly possessions consisting of a farm situated in Albany
Township, Berks County where I presently reside in a part of the county.
First of all, I order and command the executors of my will that they sell all my
goods, all my land as well as any other chattel and should pay off my debts
which I leave behind. I hereby order that the executors of my will shall sell to
the one who is willing to buy my land, that they fare just and that they have
the same power of attorney as I had after my death. I furthermore order that the
executors of my will shall make sure to pay all my debts with the money they
could obtain from all the above mentioned sales which I left behind.
I order the executors of my will to do follow my will and to obtain as much money as the
willing purchaser will pay after my death and to do so justly just as I would
have done and to ensure that the executors of my will shall pay off all my debts
after my death and to pay the remaining money to my children,
To my daughter Magdalena or my daughter's husband Daniel Levan or their heirs to pay them twenty-five pounds.
Twenty- five pounds should go to my daughter Maria or to the husband of my daughter Philip Kistler or their heirs and
twenty-five pounds to my daughter Dorothea or their heirs
and twenty-five pounds to my daughter Barbara or to my daughter's husband Heinrich Schmidt or their heirs, furthermore (born 6/17/1783 - 12/24/1854, New Bethel Cemetery]
I order that any remaining money after my daughters have received their share
shall go to the other remaining children, namely
to my son Christian or his heirs, (b 1/2/1791-5/29/1852 m Elizabeth buried New Bethel
to my son Johannes or his heirs,
to my son Michael or his heirs,
to my son Gideon or his heirs,
to my son Peter or his heirs, as well as
to my daughter Christine or my daughter's husband Johannes Steigerwalt or to his heirs,(7/11/1789- 3/25/1854 - New Bethel)
to my daughter Catherina (6/3/1794, dau of Peter and Cath.] or my daughter's husband Johann Reicheldorfer or their heirs to be split in equal parts, to be given twenty-five pounds after the earlier mentioned daughter's
have received their share.

Again, let me explain one more time that the executors of my will shall split
the remaining money into equal parts after my death and this is to be given to
all my children. As an afterthought though, let me remind you that if one of the
children is not satisfied with their inheritance that they should be given one
English Shilling as I have ordered, the remaining money should be divided
equally among all my children. At last I order that my son Christian and my
daughter's [Barbara] husband Heinrich Schmidt are to be nominated as the executors of my
will. I order them that after my death they should have the same power of
attorney as I have now.

This is to verify with my hand and seal that this is my last will and testament
on the 25th day of July, 1832 to be testified by witnesses who are present.

John Miller Peter FrieB Seal
Samuel Schmidt, witnesses

Will proved 1835 in Wills office in Reading.


More About PETER FRIESS:
Burial: Private burial ground somewhere in Albany area?
Rev War: Bet. 1776 - 1778, Served in 4 tours from Northampton Unit (Source: Ziegler Compendium of New Bethel Church records.)

More About PETER FRIESS and CATHARINE KLINGEMAN:
Marriage: October 24, 1786, Trinity Lutheran Church marriages, Reading (Source: Trinity Lutheran Marriages 1754-1812 by Schuylkill Roots, p 21, Peter Friess; oldest son of Peter, dec'd to Catharina Klingemann, 3rd d/o Peter, both of Albany Twp., Berks Co on Oct 24, 1786.)

Children of PETER FRIESS and MARIA are:
2.i.DOROTHEA5 FRIESS, d. Bef. December 1834, not shown in list of inheritances, instead 2 children of hers..
3.ii.MAGDALENA FRIESS, b. Bet. 1780 - 1781, PA; d. 1837, Albany Twp, Berks Co.
4.iii.MARIA S. FRIESS, b. December 07, 1782, Lynn Twp, Northampton, now Lehigh Co, PA; d. March 19, 1856, Albany Twp, Berks Co.
5.iv.ANNA BARBARA FRIESS, b. June 17, 1783, Lynn Twp, Lehigh Co PA; d. December 24, 1854, Albany Twp, Berks Co.


Children of PETER FRIESS and CATHARINE KLINGEMAN are:
6.v.CHRISTINA5 FRIESS, b. July 11, 1789, Albany Twp, Berks Co., PA; d. March 25, 1864, Albany Twp, Berks Co, age 74-8-14.
7.vi.CHRISTIAN FRIESS, b. January 02, 1791, Albany Twp, Berks Co; d. May 29, 1852, Albany Twp, Berks Co.
vii.JOHN FREESE, b. January 01, 1793, Albany, Berks Co PA; d. June 28, 1848, Pickaway Co OH; m. HETTY MERKEL, July 29, 1820, Pickaway Co Ohio; b. July 04, 1803, Berks Co PA; d. November 25, 1850, Salt Creek, Pickaway Co OH.

Notes for JOHN FREESE:
Per Ray Friess,3/2004 - I went to the FHL today and looked at a microfilm of tombstone
inscriptions for Stumpf Church and cemetery,... which is where John was
allegedly buried with his family. It was a list compiled by the DAR.
The tombstone says John FRIECE d. June 18, 1848 age 47-4-21.

More About JOHN FREESE:
Name 2: Johannes Friess
Baptism: March 29, 1793, New Bethel Church, spons: John Klingeman and Catharine Hagenbush
Burial: Stumpf Cemetery, Pickaway Co OH

More About HETTY MERKEL:
Burial: Stumpf Cemetery, Pickaway Co OH

More About JOHN FREESE and HETTY MERKEL:
Marriage: July 29, 1820, Pickaway Co Ohio

8.viii.CATHARINA FRIESS, b. June 03, 1794, Albany Twp, Berks Co.
ix.MICHAEL FRIESS, b. January 05, 1798, Albany Twp, Berks Co; m. POLLY HORRING, May 20, 1821, Berks Co PA, marriage in Reading Adler paper (Source: See ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/berks/vitals/marberk3.txt, ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/berks/vitals/marberk3.txt.).

More About MICHAEL FRIESS:
Baptism (LDS): New Bethel Church, Albany Twp., PA, spon: Michael Hagenbush and Eva Hagenbush (Source: Ziegler Compendium of New Bethel Church records, p F9.)

More About MICHAEL FRIESS and POLLY HORRING:
Marriage: May 20, 1821, Berks Co PA, marriage in Reading Adler paper (Source: See ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/berks/vitals/marberk3.txt, ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/berks/vitals/marberk3.txt.)

9.x.PETER FRIESS, b. April 23, 1799, PA.
xi.ELISABETH FRIESS, b. August 01, 1801; d. Bef. 1832, Albany Twp, Berks Co, PA.

More About ELISABETH FRIESS:
Baptism: September 06, 1801, Spons: Jacob Kreutz and Cath Stefelton (Source: Compendium at New Bethel by W Ziegler, page F9.)

10.xii.GIDEON FRIESS, b. Bef. 1808, Albany Twp, Berks Co

  Noted events in his life were:

• Alternate Spell: Johann Peter Friess. ¹³⁵

• Military: Patriot From Pennsylvania.

• Born Alternate: Per SAR/DAR Application of 1939 and 1908, Abt 1745.

• Alt. Death, Dec 12, 1834, Albany Twp, Berks Co, Pennsylvania. ⁸³⁵

Peter married Catharine Klingemann, daughter of Peter Klingemann and Anna Maria Knepper, on Oct 24, 1786 in Trinity Church, Reading, Berks, Pennsylvania.¹³⁵ (Catharine Klingemann was born about 1768 ^135,835,836 and died about 1810 in Albany Twp, Berks Co, Pennsylvania ^660,835.)

  Marriage Notes:

From an email by Diana Quinones <audianaq@msn.com>
8/30/04


Trinity Lutheran Marriages 1754-1812 by Schuylkill Roots, p 21, Peter Friess; oldest son of Peter, dec'd to Catharina Klingemann, 3rd d/o Peter, both of Albany Twp., Berks Co on Oct 24, 1786.

Peter next married Maria Unknown about 1780. (Maria Unknown was born on an unknown date and died on an unknown date.)