John Gottfried Fritchey ^{2 3 4 5 6 7}

   Other names for John were Godfrey Fritchey ⁹ and John Godfrey Fritchey.

  General Notes:

John Gottfried Fritchey and Samuel Wiestling were friends who came from Germany together and later married two daughters of Casper Bucher.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He has conflicting birth information of 1756. ⁶ Henry Egle printed "Tombstone Inscriptions in Grave-yard of Mount Zion Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Church".

Bucher, Casper, b. 1733; d. June 11, 1789.
Bucher, Catherine, b. Feb 16 1742; d. Jan 31, 1821.
Fritchey, Godfrey, b. 1756; d.1821.
Fritchey, Dorothy wf. of G., b. Nov 1, 1770; d. Dec 23, 1853.

2. He immigrated from Germany on 4 Oct 1783 to , Chester, PA. ¹

3. He signed a will on 28 Apr 1814 in Lower Paxton Twp., Dauphin, PA. ¹⁰ Will of Godfrey Fritchey of Paxton township:
In the name of God Amen, I, Godfrey Fritchey of the township of Paxton in the county of Dauphin and commonwealth of Pennsylvania, being weak in body but of sound mind, memory and understanding (Praise be to God for the same), and considering the uncertainty of the transitory life do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in the following manner and first and principally, I commit my Soul into the hands of God who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried at the discretion of my Executor herein after named and as to such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to intrust me, I dispose of the same as follows:

First, I give unto my beloved wife Dorothy the tavern house with all the other buildings wherein I dwell and reside with my family and all the land thereto belonging containing about 25 acres and also 6 acres of the woodland to be laid off combining the twenty five acres of the part of the land I bought of Jacob Meader to have and to hold the same during her natural life and to use and occupy it in whatever manner she may see fit and to occupy the same provided that the building and fences are kept in good order and repair and the ground worked and cover with clover and a sufficient quantity of manure or master put on them on all. It is my will further that my said beloved wife Dorothy shall have in charge all my younger children to school clothes, raise and maintain them, The boys till each of whom shall be fit to be put to acreditable trade and the girls till they be fit to take care of themselves. And my beloved wife Dorothy is to have of my stock of cattle (such as she may choose) those milch cows and one heifer five sheep one horse keep her bed and bedstead and her clothes and whatever else she may wish to have. She shall have liberty to take at the appraisement to be made (except such things already mentioned and as here in after are to be mentioned) as soon as conveniently it may be after my decease.

Second, the tract of land I bought of Jacob Meader, it is my will that my said beloved wife Dorothy shall have a right to farm it or one executor may rent it out and she to receive the income and wherever it may be deemed advantageous to my Estate Executor may sell it and make a deed or deeds for the same in as ample a manner as I myself do it if living and whatever sum of money it will bring, (the five acres mentioned and to become part of the mansion tract first afore said) is to be equally divided between my said beloved wife Dorothy and all my children share and share alike. My said beloved wife and eldest children to receive their shares first according to their respective age and to the youngest accordingly to receive last.

Third, it is my will that all the goods of merchandise as may be in the store kept by my son George at Linglestown shall be brought here and opened out for sale in the store room of my present dwelling house and any said son George may if he chooses take all the goods as well as those on hand in my own house at the invoice prices and to pay for the same in one year after my decease.

Fourth, I direct that there shall be paid to my eldest son George, a crown of 50 pounds and to my son Gustaveous Augustus a crown of 100 pounds in cash over and above their equal share with the other of my children my said son George and my son Joseph shall each have a bedstead and bed of their choice. I direct that my daughter Elizabeth shall have the same kind of furniture delivered to her (both in quality and quantity) and also cattle as were delivered to my daughter Catharine Maria all of which to be charged against such in same manner as are charges in my account book against my said daughter Catharine Maria aforesaid.

Fifth, it is my will that all the goods and chatles I may die prosper of (except as is herein before excepted) shall be sold at Trible even due and the money arising there from as also from any (Bonds, Notes on Book, Depts to be added together an entire sums and my just debts). If any there be and funeral expenses being first paid and the specific sums to wit fifty pounds divided to my son George and one hundred pounds, divided to my son Gustavas Augustus being first deducted and equally divided then and share alike between my beloved wife Dorothy and wll my children to wit Catherine, intermarried with John Cormany, George, Maria intermarried with George Muehleison, Joseph, Eliabeth, Fred, William, John Godfrey, Dorothy, John, Benjamin, Rosanna Matilda, Gustavus Agustus and my youngest daughter Amelia.

And lastly, I nominate constitute and appoint my beloved wife Dorothy eldest son George and my friend Jacob Bucher of the Borough of Harrisburg to be the Executors of my last will and testament declaring this is and no other being last and testament as afore said. To witness where of I have here unto set and subscribed my hand and affixed my seal the twenty eight day of April in the year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and fourteen.

Executors; , witnesses John Foster and John Brooks; probated April 9, 1821.

4. Book: reprinted in "Notes and Queries: Historical and Genealogical Chiefly Relating to Interior Pennsylvania", 1895, , Dauphin, PA. ⁷
A Family Record.
[The following translation of the original Family Record of John Godfrey Fritchey comes to us from his grandson, John Q. A. Fritchey, Esq., of St. Louis, a Dauphin county boy, who learned the art of printing on the "Telegraph" at Harrisburg, and followed Horace Greenly's advice and went West. A few years ago he purchased the old home in Dauphin county, and frequently visits the place of his early years.]

I, John Godfrey Fritchey, was born in the town of Consider, Leitmotifs Creyse, about six miles from Desden, and two from Zittan, in the year 1755, September 20th. Came finally, after many sea and land journeys, to America, in the year 1784 and landed in Philadelphia, September 10th. I was married to Dorothea Bucher, by the Rev. [William] Stoy, July 24th, 1787, in Lebanon. Our children were as follows:
Catharine; born 17th March, 1788; baptized in Shoop's church by the Rev. Hoerner.
George; born 29th Feb'y, 1790, between five and six o'clock in the evening, in the sign of the Crab; baptized by the Rev. [Anthony] Hautz, 1st of April; died 1814, Aug. 12th.
Marie; born 2d of Feb'y, 1792, between nine and ten o'clock in the evening, in the sign of the Twins; baptized ------
Joseph, born 23d Aug., 1794; baptized by Rev. Hautz.
Maria Elizabeth; born Jan. 19th, 1797, in the morning, between one and two o'clock, in the sign of the Balance; baptized Jun 5th, by the Rev. Kurtz.
Frederic-Wilhelm; born Feb'y 21st, 1799, between two and three o'clock in the morning, in the sign of the Virgin; baptized by Rev. [Henry] Moeller.
John-Gottfried; born 6th Feb'y, 1802, in the sign of the Ram; baptized on the 11th of March by Rev. Moeller.
Dorothea; born Feb'y 11th, 1804, in the sign of the Waterman; baptized by Rev. Ernst; [married George Eby; resides in Troy, Ohio.]
Benjamin; born Aug. 10th, 1806, six o'clock in the evening, in the sign of the Twins; baptized by Rev. [Philip] Gloninger.
Rosina-Matilda; born 31st Oct'r, 1808, in the evening at 7 1/2 o'clock, in the sign of the Ram; baptized by Rev. Gloninger.
Gustavus Augustus; born July 27th, 1811, in the sign of the Balanace, 9 o'clock A.M.; baptized by Rev. Gloninger.
Emilia; born November 17th, 1813, between 11 and 12 o'clock at night, in the sign of the Virgin; baptized by Rev. Jacob Wiestling, in 1814.

John married Maria Dorothea Bucher, daughter of Casper Bucher and Catherine Wannemacher, on 24 Jul 1787 in Lebanon, Lebanon, PA.¹ (Maria Dorothea Bucher was born on 1 Dec 1770 in Colebrook Twp., Berks, PA ^{11 12 13}, christened on 17 Jan 1771 in New Hanover Twp.: Falkner Swamp Reformed Church, Montgomery, PA,¹¹ died on 23 Dec 1853 in South Middletown Twp., Dauphin, PA ^{6 14} and was buried in Linglestown.: Wenrich Church Cemetery, Dauphin, PA ^{1 14}.)