Person Page - 5

     Johannes Schwalm was born on 20 May 1749, Merzhausen, Germany.¹ Johannes Schwalm came to America in 1776 as part of the von Knyphausen Regiment of Hessian soldiers contracted to fight on behalf of the British against the rebelling American colonists. After landing in August, 1776, the Regiment was sent to Long Island, operating in the New York area before moving to Trenton, NJ, to participate in the fighting there in December, 1776, where he was taken prisioner and later transfered to Lancaster, PA, where a number of prisioners were housed. Eventually he was part of a prisioner exchange on June 21, 1778, but was recaptured in 1779 as his regiment was attempting to leave America and jailed in Philadelphia perhaps until about 1783. In 1788, Johannes bought a small farm in what is now Lebanon County, east of Myerstown. In 1795, he sold that property and moved "across the Blue Mountain" following the Tulpehocken Path to the area east of what is now Klingerstown in Schuylkill County, along the Mahantongo Creek.² He married Ottilia Bobb after 1789.³ Johannes Schwalm died on 25 December 1833, at age 84.^4,5,6 He left a will written on 15 November 1833 that was probated 21 Jan 1834 in Schuylkill County.⁷ Some sources record that Johannes Schwalm died on 24 December 1834. Although this date is given on his tombstone, it cannot be correct. His will was probated January 21, 1834, more than 11 months before the date of death given on the tombstone. In 1984, Kenneth Jones discovered a German language newspaper, printed in Orwigsburg, that contained an obituary for Johannes that fixes the date of death as December 25, 1833. After discussing all of the evidence, Jones concludes that that Johannes died in December 1833, most likely on the 25th or possibly the 24th.⁸ He was buried at Saint Mathew's (Coleman's) Church, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, PA; His tombstone in Coleman Cemetery, Hubley Twp, Schuylkill County, PA shows the date of birth as May 31, 1752. It also shows the date of death as Dec. 14, 1834, but, according to other sources, he probably died before October 19, 1834; most likely late in 1833.^4,7 His will was probated on 21 January 1834 Schuylkill County, PA, recorded in Will Book #1, p. 163.⁷

     Ottilia Bobb was born on 16 February 1765.¹ She married Johannes Schwalm after 1789.² Ottilia Bobb died on 21 February 1836, at age 71.¹ She was buried at Saint Mathew's (Coleman's) Church, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, PA.¹