THE 6 AFFLERBACH BOYS WHO IMMIGRATED TO PENNSYLVANIA

THE 6 AFFLERBACH BOYS WHO IMMIGRATED TO PENNSYLVANIA:

Originally 6 young men immigrated from Wittgenstein, Germany to Philadelphia.  By various census records, marriage records, tax records, and stories - the men can be tracked from Philadelphia to Bucks County, PA and beyond.  In Bucks County is a small town named Applebachsville.  I have walked many of the graveyards around Applebachsville, Haycock, and Strawntown and there are many stones with the Afflerbach or Applebach (or variations) name.  The families were large in Germany and would continue to be so in the USA. Twins are also an interesting feature of this family.  The author of one of the books, Jost Afflerbach, is a fraternal twin.  My father is also a fraternal twin, and his father was an identical.  By looking thru various records and talking to family members, twins are a common occurrence in this family.

The first immigrant young man was Johann Daniel Afflerbach (Daniel Applebach) who immigrated in 1766 and later fought for his new country with the Pennsylvania militia.  He was followed by a cousin (once removed?) Johann Heinrich Afflerbach (Henry Afflerbach) in 1770 - he would also fight for his new country. The next young man was Daniel's brother Ludwig Afflerbach (Lewis Afflerbach/Applebach) who would immigrate in 1773 and also fight for his new country. Next would come Daniel's nephew Johannes Jost Afflerbach (Joseph Afflerbach) in 1796, and then another cousin (once removed?) George Konrad Afflerbach, and finally another nephew Johann Heinrich  Afflerbach (Henry Applebach) in 1807.

In the mid 1800's a few more family members immigrated, but my understanding is that they arrived in Texas and truthfully, while I am aware of them, I don't know much about them.  Varge Applebach moved around with the military and finally lived in Texas and there was some contact between him and those family members. Maybe someday there will be a book about them as well, but not currently that I know of.

The original 6 young men were trained as blacksmiths, but also worked as carpenters.  Ludwig had a freight company that went back and forth between Bucks County and Philadelphia. His tombstone has an informative life story for him.  These young men came to the US as single men, and married girls from German families once here.  Whether they knew each other in Germany, or only met in the US is currently unknown.  Daniel married Dorothea Popp in 1772. Henry Afflerbach married Maria Renshimer in 1780. Ludwig married Anna ______ in 1778, and Mary Magdalena (widow of Kessler) in 1805. Joseph would marry Maria Stonebach in 1799, and George would marry Elizabeth _____, and Henry would marry Anna Elizabeth Triede in 1809.

Little is known about George Konrad once he got to the US.  There is a story that during the War of 1812 he fought on the side of the British, which probably would have put him on the outs with his American loving relatives. What records are known point to George remaining in Philadelphia with his wife and children.