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The Martins had moved from Switzerland to Bockshaft, Germany sometime in the early 1700s. Christian Martin, his wife and two children are mentioned there in the Anabaptist census of 1731.
Christian Martin (M2), son of the Christian Martin mentioned above, is the first of our family to immigrate to America. He is found on the tax lists of Conestoga Township, Chester County by 1724. He settled on a tract along the upper reaches of the Mill Creek, near the location of Summit Valley Elementary School, New Holland, Pennslvania. By the 1740s he had resettled in the Conestoga Manor on a tract just west of present day Millersville, Pennsylvania.
David and his brother Jacob Martin arrived in Philadelphia on the ship Molly Sept. 30, 1727. They both settled in the Weaverland Valley, near Christian Martin's first tract. Both brothers remained in Weaverland. "Hans Hendrik" Martin and his family arrived in Philadelphia on Sept. 21, 1731 aboard the ship Britannia. A probable sister Veronica, age 23 years, was also aboard this voyage. Hans Heinrich settled east of Weaverland along the upper reaches of the Conestoga River. He acquired the name "Creek Henry" because his homestead was located next to the Conestoga Creek. Hans Heinrich also developed a mill at this site.
Christian and Ells Martin remained in Bockshaft, Germany, at least through November 1731. The November 1731 census of Bockshaft includes Christian Martin, his wife and two children. They immigrated to Pennsylvania Sept. 21,1732, aboard Pink Plaisance with Fravin, age 16, and Fronik and Martin, both aged under 16. I assume that Fronik and Martin are the two children mentioned in the census and Fravin was considered an adult. Since these children are too young to be of Christian and Ells, I assume that they are actually grandchildren--raised because a son [and his wife?] had died. I placed this hypothetical son as the eldest member of the family.
Others from Bockshaft who immigated on the Pink Plaisance with the Martin family include Samuel and Martin Meyer and their families, Hans Huber and his family, and Hans Scharer and his family. The Zimmerman family who settled east of the Martins in Earl Township, was also on the ship, although I could not find documentation for them in Europe.
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