-u o. a , - ^W' ■^ )^ o f 1 t • o I Genealogical i I History t $ of the I I BLOSSER I I family! ^ fis Known in America. ^ 9 ^^ ■ ■■ I I ^^ I ^ -J — :a ^ DAYTON. VA.: J> ^ A. S. KiEFFER & Son, Printers. V < 1903. ?: $ ^ (> < \^^ 'S As far back as I, can trace by careful inquiry, is that Peter Blosser^ (who I will name Peter first, ) came from Switzer- land, — place and Province not known to me. It is handed down to me. by tra- dition, that he became singer and jester to some great person or noble-man of that country, but in time of war he es- caped and went to France, where he stayed for awhile, but war coming on in France he left that country and came to America. August 2Zth. 1739. In ship "Snow Betsy," Richard Buden. Com- mander, sailed from Rotterdam, Holland — last from Deal, — 190 passengers, and settled in the state of Pennsylvania, at a creek called Gadoris, near Little York in York county, where it is supposed he married and had sons and daughters born unto him. He was also an ordained min- ister in the Mennonite Church. In the course of time his wife died, and his sons becoming somewhat unmanageable, he said he would get them a cross step- mother, — so marrying for his second wife a Miss Knicely. who was sure enough a 5|(The name Blosser was originally spelled Blaser from the german Blaser. cross wife, on whose account he had to give up his ministry, (he at one time owned two farms, but lost the greater Dart of them, ) and her step-children scarcely being able to live with her left the parental roof as they became of age. and went to Virginia, and settled in Page county near Stony-man near the Blue-Ridge. The following are the names of his children by his first wife who came to Virginia: Barbara, was married to Daniel Hershberger. Francis, was married to Solomon Huddle. Elizabeth, was married to Jacob Bear. Anna, was married to Abraham Hade. Susanna, not married. ^^ >' Magdalene, not married. Peter, was married to Magdaline Bear. \' Jacob, was married to -: - - Beery, \^.'' Abraham, not known to whom married. '^ Tobias, not known to whom married. Peter Blosser. second, son of Peter first, was born in Pennsylvania. March 19th, 1752. and having determined to leave home as stated before: he packed all his property in a bag, having an open- , ing in the middle on the order of saddle pockets, and bidding adieu to his native state, he started for Virginia where he arrived, and about the year 1776. was married to Magdalene daughter of 31as- tius Bear, by whom he had eight children born as follows : Barbary. Februarys. 1777. Married David Burkholder. Jacob. April 16. 1778. Married Magdalene Shank. John. June 5. 1780. Married Bar- bara Kagey. Abrahann. April. 5. 1782. Died single. Anna. Oct. 27. 178o. Died single. Peter. Feb. 3. 1787. Married Anna Bear. David, Feb. 28. 1789. Died single. Jonas. July K . 1791. Married Mar- garet Burkholder. The foregoing dates of births, copied fronn a slip of paper written in the Ger- man languige by their father, which were nice and legibly written. Magdalene's father. -Blastius Bear, was born in Germany, he ran off from, his mother and sister while they were in the woods gather;ng mushrooms to eat. t they being very poor and scarcely, hav- ing anything to eat) and he hired himself as stage driver.^ On December 3, 1740. he came to America on the ship "Robert and Alice." which sailed from Rotterdam. Peter and his wife were both very poor, and being married in the beginning of the Revolutionary war, had a very hard time of making a living. He was a member of the Mennonite Church which advocates the non-resistant doctnne as )|(He never after saw his mother or sister. taught by our blessed Lord and Savior to keep from shedding the blood of his fellow-inan, he had to hide and work as best he could to ma^e a living. He was a wheel-wright by trade, and made spinning-wheels, which were scarce, and people came across the Blue Ridge to get them. Money was so very scarce thai he did not get to see his pock- et-book sometin es for more than a year, not having anything to put into it. But, by hard labor and strict economy they were enabled to purchase a farm, but the country being new. and the land some- what sterile, they still had hard work to clear their land and make a living. They would put bells on their horses and turn them out in the woods to pasture at night. Then, very early in the morning, before day. the father would get the boys up and they together would go out in the dark to find the horses. When Jacob and John became of age they went to Rockingham County, Vir- ginia, where they married. Jacob mar- ried his wife near Trissel's Church, in what is known as the brush country. John married his wife near New Mar- ket. They bought a farm about three - fourths of a mile below Cootes' Store in Brock's Gap where they lived for awhile The other children becoming of age Peter and Magdalene disposed of their farm, and giving everything over to their children they came to Rockingham Coun- ty. Va.. about the year 1815. Jocob and John also sold all their lands, and all the brothers together bought lands on the Warm Springs turn- pike, about two and a half miles south- west of Harrisonburg. Jacob. John, and Abraham together bought the Harrison farm, and all six of the brothers together bought the Whit- more farm. Peter. David, and Jonas lived on the Whitmore farm, and their parents lived with them and we suppose their mother did the house work for them. About the year 1818. some of the brothers became dissatisfied, so they concluded to divide the Whitmore farm. Peter. David, and Jonas took the North end of the farm, while the other three brothers took the South. About the year 1 827. John sold his interest in the farm to Jacob and Abra- ham, and moved to Mahoning County. Ohio, where he lived until Octcber 4th. 1864. when he died in the 85th year of his age. After buying their brother's interest Jacob and Abraham divided the farm. Abraham took the west end of the farm which is at present. 1887 owned by Emanuel Cromer, and Jacob the east end. Jacob lived on his farm until Oc- tober 13th, 1834, when he died of a fever in his 57th year, and was buried in the Blosser grave-yard. Abraham lived on his farm until the fall of 1864 when everything was burnt by the Federal soldiers: he then went to John G. Heatwole's where he died Feb- ruary 14th. 1868. in his 86th year, and was hurried in the Blosser grave-yard which was on his farm. Anna, his sister, had been living with, and keeping house for him until the spring of February 16th, 1864, when she died in her 79th year, and was buried in the Blosser grave-yard. When the Whitmore farm was divided the buildings fell to the three brothers, on the soutn, and the other three brothers then built on their part of the farm and moved there, and their parents with them. — their mother still doing the house work for them. Peter then marrying, they divided off one- third, his interest on the west side of the farm, the same is at present. 1888, owned by John Blos- ser, son of Jonas Blosser. Peter then built a house on the east side of his farm and lived there until 1825 when he sold to his brothers, David and Jonas, and moved to Mahoning county, Ohio, where he lived until October 5th, 1872. when he died in the 86th year of his age. He went to Ohio two years before his 8 brother John. About this tiiTie Jonas married and his father and mo:her tjioved into the house which Peter had built where they lived about seven years '.ak ing care of themselves, the children pro viding for them. Their father then becoming unable to walk from the effects of rhuematism,. they moved to their son. Abraham, in the old Whitmore building where they lived until they died. Peter died of phthisic as did his father before him. April 7th. 1834. aged 85 years and ] 8 days, and his wife. Magdalene. Jul\ 10th. 1843. aged 92 years 9 months, and were both buried in the Blosser grave-yard. 0^ .-^JJ'^.'^o. .<^^ . o « a ■v>