Dr. Benedict Bucher Sr. ^{1 3 4 5 6}

   Other names for Benedict were Benjamin Bucher ¹ and Benss Bucher.¹

   FamilySearch ID: L7FJ-ZKG.

  General Notes:

Benedict had a first wife; his church records indicate so, but her name is unknown. It is also unknown which children were by which wife.

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  Noted events in his life were:

1. Book: History of Dauphin County by William Henry Egle. ³
Hannes Bucher and Benedict Bucher, brothers, and physicians, natives of the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, emigrated to America about the year 1750, and located in Cocalico township, Lancaster Co., Pa. The first named died without issue, which Dr. Benedict Bucher left children..."

2. Occupation: Doctor and farmer. ¹

3. He has conflicting birth information of 1717 and , , Bern, CHE. ¹

4. He immigrated on the ship Oliver on 26 Aug 1735 to Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ¹

5. Witness: 12 Nov 1763, Cocalico Twp., Lancaster, PA. ⁸ He was an executor of the will of Ulrich Shirk, an abstract follows:

SHIRK, ULERICK Twp. omitted.
November 12, 1763 November 12, 1763
Wife: (name omitted).
Children: Anna (there were others - names not given).
Ex.: Abraham Brubaker, John Shirk and Benedict Bucher.

6. Tax List: 1770, Cocalico Twp., Lancaster, PA. ⁹ John Bucher is on the 1770 tax list in Cocalico. In the 1769 list he is listed with a note "at home". Benedick Bucher is also on the list, and appeared on the 1769 list as Benns or Bence Bucher, and in 1771 as Bentz Bucher.

7. Witness: 19 Feb 1770, Cocalico Twp., Lancaster, PA. ⁸ He was executor of the will of Michael Bare. An abstract of the will:

BARE, MICHAEL Cocalico Twp.
January 12, 1770 February 19, 1770
Wife: Magdalena Bare.
Children: Abraham, Mary, Jacob, Michael and Henry.
Ex.: Benedict Bucher and Abraham Brubaker.

8. Tax List: 1771, Cocalico Twp., Lancaster, PA. ¹⁰ Benedick Bucher is on the tax list with 350 acres, 4 horses, and 10 cattle, paid 1 pound 15 shillings tax. Jno. (John) Bucher has 150 acres, 3 horses, and 7 cattle, paid 1 pound, 5 shillings, 6 pence.

9. Witness: 1 Jul 1771, Cocalico Twp., Lancaster, PA. ⁸ He was an executor of the will of Christian Brinisholtz. An abstract of the will follows:

BRINISHOLTZ, CHRISTIAN Cocalico Twp.
May 30, 1771 July 1, 1771
Wife: Elizabeth Brinisholtz.
Ex.: John Bucher and Benedict Bucher.

10. Tax List: 1772, Cocalico Twp., Lancaster, PA. ¹¹ Bentz Bucher is taxed for 350 acres, 3 horses, and 8 cattle. 1 pound 13 shillings.

11. Military in 1779 in , , PA: DAR Ancestor #: A203590. ⁷ BUCHER, BENEDICT SR Ancestor #: A203590
Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank: PATRIOTIC SERVICE
Birth: (CIRCA) 1735
Death: (ANTE) 11-06-1787 COCALICO TWP LANCASTER CO PENNSYLVANIA
Service Source: PA ARCH, 3RD SER, VOL XVII, PP 574-575
Service Description: 1) PAID SUPPLY TAX 1779

Residence:
1) City: COCALICO TWP - County: LANCASTER CO - State: PENNSYLVANIA

Spouse
1) X X ?
2) MARIA FREY.

12. Tax List: 1779, Cocalico Twp., Lancaster, PA. ¹² Benedick Bucher is listed on the Cocalico Township tax list with 200 acres, 4 horses, and 14 cattle. John Bucher has no acreage and 2 cattle.

13. He signed a will on 15 Sep 1787 in Cocalico Twp., Lancaster, PA. ¹³ Benedict Bucher registered a will on 15 Sep 1787, which read:

In the Name of God Amen. I Benedict Bucher of Cocalico Township Lancaster County and State of Pennsylvania, Yeoman being very sick and weak in Body but of perfect mind and memory thank be given unto God, Therefore 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 say, principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hands of God that gave it and for my Body I recommend it to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian Like and decent Manner, at the Direction of my Executors, not Doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the Mighty power of God.

And as to touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I give and devise and dispose of the same in the following Manner and form viz.

First I give and Bequeath to Mary my dearly beloved wife, the sum of 200 pounds Lawful money of PA to be raised and levied out of my estate (Including the Bond of 60 Pounds of John Heck) One Bed and Bedstead, one Cow and Sufficient Household and Kitchen Furniture, and Linnen as much as she shall have necessary at present for her use as a Widow, Likewise the Interest of One hundred pounds that is to say as long as she remains my Widow, Also shall she receive out of my Dwelling place yearly and Every Year fifteen bushels of good clean wheat, three bushels of Rye and two bushels of Corn, which my son Jacob shall take to the Mill and Fetch it again at her direction.

Also keep her Cow by good Hay and in good pasture, and good Stabling and whenever her cow gives no milk she shall then get as much as shall be enough for her use in Tea and coffee, One fat hog that weighs two hundred pounds and fifty pounds of beef at the proper season and twenty pounds of Heckled Flax, and twenty pounds of tow, ten pounds of heckled Hemp, four pounds of wool, ten pounds of tallow and one fourth part of all the Egs, And also the small house which shall be repairt Sufficient for her to live in, as long as she remains my widow, also sufficient firewood fit to burn to be delivered to said house, two Barrells of Cyder, and as much apples, Turnobs, potatoes and part of the Garten as she has necessary for her own use, one half Bushel of fine Salt and one half bushel of coarse salt which shall be delivered to her out of my Dwelling place yearly and every year as long as She remains my Widow as aforesaid, But if she Maries again she shall have and git no more of the same then aforesaid two hundred pounds, her cow, Bed and Bedstead Household and Kitchen Furniture, and my son Jacob shall then be clear and free of giving any article or articles out of said place for the use of my widow aforesaid.

And further it is my Last will and Testament that all the remainder of the Bonds now Due to me by Sundry people or hereafter to become Due to me (excepting the Bond of my Son John) which shall remain after paying the aforesaid two hundred Pounds to my said Wife, shall be Equally divided between my two daughters Ann Graybill and Mary Mohler, and Further it is my Last Will and Testament and bequeath unto my eldest son John Bucher my young black mare and all the monies which he owes to me in my Book, being in full for his preference as Eldest Son.

And Further I bequeath unto my said Son John all that certain Judgement Bond of One Thousand and fifty pounds which I have of him in manner and form as follows, to wit, If my Executors hereafter mentioned Do Think and Realy Beleaves that he will Do better then what he does at present and keep good house, they shall and may give up the said Bond unto him the said John, but if he shall not Do better, and keep good house as aforesaid, it shall not be given up to him, But to his children in order to safe his plantation and goods, for to be not destroyed and sold during his life time, and also fifteen pounds in Money which my Executors shall also keep in hand until he comes or is in great need of it.

And further I devise and bequeath and it is my Last Will and testament unto my Son Benedict Bucher all that Plantation Situate in Lebanon Township, Dauphin County where he now lives on to have and to hold the said Plantation to him my said Son Benedict Bucher his Heirs and Assigns forever, Out of which Plantation he shall pay the sum of seventy pounds to my two daughters Ann and Mary, that is to say thirty five pounds thereof on the first day of May AD 1790 unto my daughter Mary and thirty five pounds the residue thereof on the first day of May AD 1791 unto my daughter Ann which shall be in full for said Plantation, and all other Articles which he got and hath received hereto fore of me.

And further I devise and bequeath and it is my Last Will and Testament unto my Son Jacob Bucher all my Dwelling place or place of plantation and Lands in Cocalico township, Lancaster County to have and to hold the said Plantation and lands unto him my said Son Jacob Bucher his Heirs and Assigns forever, And also all my Household and kitchen Furniture and all my horses and Gears, waggons, Harrows and also all other Articles & things which belongs to my farm and now on my dwelling place, and also all my horned Cattle, hoggs, sheep and Hains ___ (Excepting three stears now in the meadow and my old black mare which shall be sold after my Decease and also the young black mare within bequeathed to my Son John, and the household & kitchen furniture within bequeathed unto my wife) Out of which plantation and all other articles he shall give and perform unto my Wife as a widow yearly and every year as within Mentioned, and also pay the sum of one Thousand pounds Specie in the following manner, that is to say fifty pounds thereof in one years time after my Decease and fifty pounds in two years time after my Decease, which two payments my said Son Jacob shall git for the time that he did work for me after he was twenty one years of age, and then forty pounds in three years time after my Decease, and so on yearly and every year until the said sum is fully paid and discharged which shall be in full for said plantation, Together with all and Singular the Buildings & Improvements thereon made & erected, and also for all the Hay and Grain now on my said plantation and premises and all other articles above and within bequeathed unto him my said son Jacob.

And the other two first payments of forty pounds shall be paid unto my daughter Mary and then the next payment unto my daughter Ann and then so on one after the other until Each of them has received the sum of eight hundred pounds Including what is within bequeathed unto them and what they have received of me heretofore in Money, my daughter Ann has received heretofore three hundred and sixty four pounds fifteen shillings and my Daughter Mary has received heretofore in money two hundred and further I give and bequeath unto the child of my Daughter Elizabeth Deceased which she got with her husband John Yunt the sum of two hundred pounds out of the last Bonds or payments of my Son Jacobs place which shall be in full for her mothers (the said Elizabeth) share but if the said child should die before it arrives to twenty one years of age or without issue then it shall fall back to my other Children. And after my Daughters Ann and Mary has received their eight hundred pounds each as aforesaid then the remainder of the Bonds or payments shall be equally divided among all my five children viz John, Benedict, Jacob, Ann and Mary, share and share alike.

And further it is my Last Will and Testament that after or as soon as my said sons Benedict and Jacob has paid off and discharged or secured to be paid off and Discharged then my Executor or Executors shall give and sign deeds unto my said Son or Sons respectively which deeds shall be valid as good and lawful as if I had made or Signed them in my own proper person.

And I do hereby Constitute make and ordain my beloved Son Benedict Bucher and my son in law Jacob Mohler my only and sole Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and do hereby Revoke and Disallow all former wills and Testaments by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fifteenth day of September in 1787.

Signed sealed published pronounced declared by the said Benedict Bucher.

Benedict Bucher as his Last Will and Testament in the presents of us the Subscribers Viz.
Peter Eberly Abraham Bear
Lancaster County, to wit, on the Sixth Day of November Anno Domini 1787

Before me the Subscriber personally Appeared Peter Eberly & Abraham Bear the Two Subscribing witnesses to the within Will and on their Solemn Affirmations according to Law did Severally Declare Affirm and Say That they were present and Saw and heard Benedict Bucher the Testator within named Sign Seal publish, pronounce and Declare the said within writeing as and for his Last Will and Testament, and that at the doing thereof he was of Sound and well disposing mind memory and Understanding to the best of their Knowledge Observation and Beleif

James Jacks Reg.

Be it remembered that on the Sixth day of November Anno Domini 1787 The last will and Testament of Benedict Bucher Late of Cocalico Township yeoman Deceased was proved in Due form of Law and Letters Testamentary thereon were granted unto Benedict Bucher and Jacob Mohler the executors in the said will mentioned they having been Duly qualified well and truly to Administer the Estate of the said deceased and especially to Exhibit a true and perfect Inventory thereof unto the Registers Office at Lancaster within one month from this date, and render a just and true account of their Administration on said Estate within one year or when more.

Will proved on 6 November 1787
Will of Benedict Bucher, Sr.

Benedict married Maria on 28 Sep 1778 in Ephrata Twp.: Cocalico Reformed Church, Lancaster, PA.^{1 2}

  Marriage Notes:

The marriage notes of Reverend Waldschmidt: "Bucher Benedictus [or Benedict or Benss-Bucher], Second Marriage, and Maria, Widow of Johannes Frey Sept 8 1778." ¹⁴