Maria Michael ^{2 3}

   Other names for Maria were Mary Beicher,⁶ Maria Biecher,⁵ Maria Meikel,⁷ Mary Meikel ⁸ and Mary Michal.^{1 5}

   FamilySearch ID: KFN1-YL3.

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Newspaper: Der Freymuthige Libanoner, 20 Apr 1808, Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ⁷ Marriage notices: Mr. Jacob Biecher with the lovely Maria Meikel, both of this city. Married by the Rev. Mr. Lochman, on Sunday evening last.

2. Census in 1810 in Lebanon, Dauphin, PA. ⁹ The 1810 census recorded Jacob Beker with this household:
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over : 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 1
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 4.

3. Census in 1830 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ¹⁰ Jacob Beicher is listed in Lebanon Borough on page 35 in the 1830 Census. Living in the household are:
Males (born)
Under 5 (1826-1830) = 2 great grandsons ?
15-19 (1811-1815) = 1 grandson (William or Jacob?)
70-79 (1751-1760) = 1 Jacob
Females (born)
40-49 (1781-1790) = 1 ?? (Mary Michael?)
80-89 (1741-1750) = 1 wife Catherine

This appears to be the household of Jacob Bucher born 1758. His age would be 72 in 1830, and his wife Catherine 83, explaining the two elderly household heads perfectly.

Since his son, John Jacob (born 1782 who would be 48 in 1830) had died of an accident with a sickle, the 15-19 year old male could be either grandson Jacob (born 1812) or William (born 1811). Likely the older William age 19 was already off living on his own, as was Lydia age 21, and this is Jacob.

The female 40-49 could be Mary Bicher (nee Michael), wife of John Jacob (born 1782), since her husband died in 1812.

4. Census in 1850 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ⁴ William Bicher, age 39, tinner, is living with Susanna, 38; John, 19, shoemaker; William, 17, tinner; Elizabeth, 10; Emelia, 7; Sarah, 5; Emanuel, 2; and Mary Bicher, 70, who we presume is William's mother, nee Michal. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. Their neighbors are Felix Good, 70, and David Carmany, 56.

5. Census in 1860 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ¹¹ William Biecher, age 50, appears in the 1860 Census in Lebanon living with his wife, Susan, age 48; Amelia, 17; Sarah, 14; Emanuel, 12; George, 4; and Mary, 79. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania. William is employed as a tinsmith. Mary, who is William's mother, does not appear in a later census so we can assume she died between 1860 and 1870.

6. Tombstone: 18 Apr 1861, Lebanon, Lebanon, PA. ¹² Her grave is aligned in Mount Lebanon Cemetery with her son William's descendents, whose family name became Beicher or Biecher, depending on the branch.

Rev. Henry S. Miller was in charge of her burial. His burial register states: "Biecher Widow Maria Biecher Died Apr 18 1861 Age 80-0-7."

Maria married Jacob Bicher Jr., son of Jacob Bicher Sr. and Anna Maria Catherine Hamman, on 17 Apr 1808 in Lebanon: Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lebanon, PA.¹ (Jacob Bicher Jr. was born on 18 Oct 1782 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA ^{3 13 14 15 16}, christened on 17 Nov 1782 in Lebanon: Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lebanon, PA,^{13 15} died on 7 Jun 1812 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA ^{3 14 16} and was buried in Lebanon: Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lebanon, PA ^{14 16}.)

  Marriage Notes:

Witnesses were Jacob Bicher Sr. and wife. ¹³