Johannes Leinbach Sr. ^{2 3 4 5 6}

   FamilySearch ID: LZFX-NZR.

  Christening Notes:

Baptism record from the church book, translated to English: "On March 15th, 1674, Heinrich Leimbach and Barbara his wife, a legitimate married couple, have presented a son for baptism. The sponsor was Johannes Lerch, the father of Barbara Leimbach. The son was named Johannes. The pastor was Rev. Frey."

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He immigrated on 11 Sep 1723 to Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ^{1 2}

2. Newspaper: Reading Eagle: Leinbach Family Has Taken Prominent Part In The Religious Life of Berks County, 25 Aug 1912, Reading, Berks, PA. ⁷ Has Produced Many Preachers of the Reformed Faith

Johannes Leinbach, Sr., Was First Member of Family to Locate in Pennsylvania--Buys Tract of Land Near Friedensburg in September, 1723--Early Member of Family was Intimate Friend of Count Zizendorf and Became Member of Moravian Congregation in Oley.

Returns to Former Faith After A Few Years--Plan Formation of Family Association in the Near Future.

The Leinbach family had its home in the district of Wetterau, Germany where the first known ancestor of the Berks county family, Henry Leinbach, who married Lerch, was born and lived.
Johannes Leinbach Sr., son of Henry and Barbara, was born in Langen -Selbol, Wetterau, on March 9, 1674. When an infant, he was baptized by the Reformed pastor. When living in his native land he served as an organist. On October 2, 1700, he married Anna Elizabeth Kleiss, who was born in Eidengup, Wetterau on February 2, 1680, and was a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Schillinger) Kleiss. She was in the Lutheran faith, to which her parents adhered.

Locates in Oley in 1723.

The first Leinbach to settle in Pennsylvania was Johannes Leinbach Sr. who located in Oley township, this county, on September 11, 1723, with his three sons: Frederick, John Henry, and John (Johannes) Jr. and two daughters, Joanna Maria and Maria Barbara.

He was a Deacon of the Oley congregation, into which office he was inducted April 9, 1742.

In those times it was customary to adhere to old family names and there was a John in almost every family. When one member of the family died, his name was given to the next child born.

The family bought a tract of land about two miles south of Oley (Friedensburg). From whom it was purchased and the size of the farm is not known. The settlers immediately erected a small house containing one room, a small attic and a basement. This house was built along a slope from which gushed forth a spring of clear water. An accompanying cut shows what to this day remains of house, 189 years old. Next a barn was erected and the clearing of the land started.

Large Land Owner.

Among the people who lived in township at that time were the Hochs, Yoders, Boones and DeTurks. A record of the township taxable inhabitants in 1734 shows that Johannes was the owner of 250 acres of land, probably the original tract, being one of the largest land owners.

Because there was a John and a John Henry in the family, the latter was more frequently called Henry and was so listed in the assessment list. The tax levied in 1759 amounted to 139 pounds. The list includes Frederick Henry and John Leinbach.

No other township of the county boasts of greater diversity of religious thought and freedom of opinion regarding doctrinal usages than Oley. Among the very earliest settlers were a number of ultra-religionists and during the first half of the eighteenth century various sects whose doctrines were in direct conflict with the beliefs of the older churches found adherents in the township. Some of these maintained meetings for a short period in Oley but did not succeed in effecting permanent organizations. At the time when the Leinbach family settled in Oley, the Brethren or Dunkards were quite numerous but no effort was made by them to establish a regular place of meeting.

Moravians Meet in a Barn.

About that time the Moravians obtained a foothold in the southwestern part of the township and held their first general meetings in the barn of John DeTurk. In this building a general meeting was held on February 11, 1742, which was attended by Bishop David Nitschman and Count Zinzendorf, who had just then arrived in America and who there ordained Christian Henry Ranch and Gottlieb Beuttner as Deacons of the Moravian Church.

The Leinbachs were members of the Reformed Church, but John Daniel, second son of Johannes Jr., left the church to join the Moravians.

He became a great friend of Count Zinzendorf and the DeTurks and was an enthusiastic church worker. In 1789 when he married his third wife, Mary Magdalena Hartman, who was a member of the Reformed Church, he returned to his old faith.

Weds Muddy Creek Bride.

Johannes Leinbach, Jr., son of Johannes Sr., who was born in Hochstadt, Feb. 13, 1712, accompanied his parents to Pennsylvania in 1723 and became a farmer. On Aug. 12, 1735, he married Catharine Riehm, of Muddy Creek. They had 11 children, one of whom died in infancy, the others being Frederick, John, Daniel, Lewis, Abraham, Benjamin, Joseph, Elizabeth, Maria Barbara, Johanna and Catharine.

John Daniel, the second son of Johannes Jr., was born in 1746 and died in Oley on April 8, 1817, aged 71 years, 2 months and 19 days. On Nov. 9, 1768, he married Catharine Graul ,who died on April 6, 1783. Six children: Salome, Maria Sybilla, Susanna, John, Johannes, John Henry and John Daniel Jr. were born to their union. His second wife, born a Lerch, died in 1788. They had two children: Abraham and Catharine.

In 1789 he married his third wife, who was Mary Magdalena Hartman. The children of this marriage were: Jacob, Christian, Benjamin, Joseph, William, Samuel, Maria, Magdalena, Thomas H., Charles, Salome, Frederick, Solomon and Rachel.

Rev. Thomas H. Leinbach, son of John Daniel, was born on Jan. 18, 1802, and died March 31, 1864, aged 62 years. He became a clergyman of the Reformed Church. He was born on the old Leinbach homestead near Spies Church, in Oley township; was reared upon the farm and was educated by Rev. Dr. Herman, of near Boyertown. Practically he was a self-made man, as were many of the successful workers of that day. He was a man of strong constitution and fine physique, had a powerful voice, and was an excellent singer. He was a strong catechist. About 1825, he settled at the parsonage of the old Tulpehocken Church near Stouchsburg, living there until his death which occurred at Millersburg (Bethel), where he had preached continuously for 38 years.

Held in High Esteem.

He was one of the best known ministers of Berks county and was highly esteemed. On Aug. 24, 1824, he married Elizabeth Seibert, daughter of Michael and Catherine (Reiss) Seibert, of near Womelsdorf. She died on April 14, 1891, aged 84 years. They had 13 children, five sons and eight daughters. Rev. Aaron S., who lived and died in Reading, passing away at the age of 71 years; Maria R., who married Dr. Isaac Walbourn, of Myerstown; Elvina, who married Rev. Joel L. Reber, of Berks county, later of Hanover, York county, their only son Rev. Thomas N. being a minister of the Reformed Church; Sarah M., who married Gen. William Uhrich, of Herndon, Va., who was a General in the Civil War; Rev. Thomas Calvin; Emma L. who died at Meyerstown, Sept. 26, 1902.; Jane P. married John Uhrich, of Meyerstown, and died June 12, 1874; Charles H., died Oct. 6, 1891, at the age of 61 years; Rev. Samuel A., of Reading; Clara N. who married Reilly Dundore, of Myerstown, and died at the age of 51 years.

The old Leinbach homestead in Oley township is now owned by Jeremiah Hartman, whose son Seth resides at the place. The present barn was built in 1851, the stone in the wall bearing the date and the names Thomas and Elizabeth Leinbach, Thomas being the son of John Daniel.

John Leinbach, eldest son of John Daniel, was born in Oley, April 3, 1778, died in 1860, in his 83rd year. He was a farmer and married Elizabeth Kleiss. The couple had five children of whom two died young. The others were: Mary, married to George Beecher; David , married to Elizabeth; and John.

Was a School Teacher.

The last named son of John Leinbach, also John, was born in Exeter township, Jan. 16, 1814, died on Sept. 26, 1900, aged 86 years. He owned a 15-acre truck farrn, which he successfully conducted while teaching school. He was one of the earliest teachers in the county, conducting the German Pay School for some years. He also taught in the old Moravian School, located on a 7-acre plot of ground in Oley township. After the establishment of the public school system, he taught for several terms at Spies' Church. He was a Whig and took an active interest in party politics. Later the Leinbachs became and are today strong advocates of Republican principles. In 1839, he married Louisa Keller, daughter of Conrad and Catharine (Schmehl) Keller. They had these children: Tyler, living at Mt. Penn; Catharine, married to Franklin Hartman; Dallas, married to Elizabeth Babb; Llewellyn, married to Elizabeth Marquette; Mary Ann, married to Oliver Hinnershitz; Amanda died in 1861, aged 8 years; John died in 1858, aged 1 year; Louisa, married John Eisenbise, of Reading; Albert died in 1861, aged 2 years; Ellen, married Henry Young, of Reading.

(note: this newspaper article continues into later generations. See source citation below for link to read entire article.)
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Johannes married Anna Elizabeth Kleiss on 2 Oct 1700 in Eidengesass, , HE, DEU.^{1 2} (Anna Elizabeth Kleiss was born on 2 Feb 1680 in Eidengesass, , HE, DEU,^{1 2 4 6 8} died on 25 Apr 1765 in Nazareth, Northampton, PA ⁸ and was buried in Nazareth: Moravian Cemetery, Northampton, PA ⁸.)