Person Page - 21

     Samuel Bauer was born in 1708 in Oberhofen, Lake of Thun, Switzerland. He married Barbara M. Landis, daughter of John Landis and Ann Musselman, say 1740. Samuel Bauer, Michael Bauer, Jacob Stauffer, Rev. Christoph Scholtze, Melchoir Schultz and others petitioned the Court of Philadelphia asking for the creation of a new township to be bounded and described as follows: "Beginning at a heap of stones on land of Adam Trump, being chief corner of Philadelphia County in the line of Northampton County, bounded by Colebrookdale Township, etc. to be named Hereford" in 1753.¹ Samuel Bauer died interstate before 22 January 1762.² He was buried in Hereford Mennonite Cemetery, Bally, Berks County, Pennsylvania. An inventory of the estate of Samuel Bower was made on 22 January 1762 It was filed on the same day the administration bond was obtained. The estate was valued at 77 pounds, 6 shillings.² An administration bond on the estate of Samuel Bauer was issued on 24 March 1762 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, It read:

Know all Men by these Presents That we Barbara Bower, Widow & Relick of Samuel Bower late of Hereford Township Berks County Yeoman deced., Michael Bower of the same place & Samuel Landis of Lower Milford, Bucks County, also Yeomen,
are held and firmly bound to WILLIAM PLUMSTED, Esq. Register General for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for the Providence of Pennsylvania, in the sum of Five Hundred Pounds lawful Money of the said Providence to be paid to the said Register General, his certain Attorney, Executors, Administrators or Assigns, to the which Payment well and truly to be made and done, we bind ourselves, our Heirs, Executors, and Administrators jointly and severally, for and in the Whole, firmly by these Presents.Sealed with our Seals. Dated the 24th Day of March in the Year of our Lord, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Two.

THE CONDITION of this Obligation, is such That if the above bound Barbara Bower Administratrix of all and singular the Goods, Chattels, Rights and Credits which were of the said Saml. Bower deceased, do make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods, Chattels, Rights and Credits which were of the sd. Saml. Bower deceased, which have or shall come to the Hands, Possession or Knowledge of the said Barbara Bower, or into the Hands, Possession or Knowledge of any other Person or Persons for her and the same to be made, to exhibit or cause to be exhibited into the Register General's Office at Philadelphia at or before the 24th Day of April next. And the same Goods, Chattels, Rights and Credits, which were of the said Deceased at the Time of his Death, or which at any Time hereafter shall come to the Hands or Possession of the said Barbara Bower or of any other Person or Persons for her do well and truly administer according to Law, and farther to make or cause to be made a true and just Account, Calculation or Reckoning of the said Administration at or before the 25th Day of March, Anno 1763 And all the Rest and Residue of the said Goods, Chattels, Rights and Credits which shall be found remaining upon the said Administration Accompt, the same being first examined, and allowed of by the Orphans Court of the County of Philadelphia, shall deliver and pay to such Person or Persons respectively as the said Court by its Decree or Sentence shall Limit and appoint: And if it shall hereafter appear that any last Will and Testament was made by the aid Decedent and the Executor or Executors therein named, do exhibit he same into the same Office making request to have it allowed and approved of accordingly, if the said Barbara Bower being thereunto required do render and deliver up the said Letters of Administration, Approbation of such Testament being first had and made in the said Office. Then this Obligation to be void or else to be and remain in full Force and Virtue.
Sealed and delivered
in the Presence of
Thomas Gregory.

her
Barbara BB Bower
mark

his
Michael MB Bower
mark.²

     Barbara M. Landis was born circa 1718.¹ She married Samuel Bauer, son of Hans Bauer and Anne (?), say 1740. As of say 1740, her married name was Bauer. Barbara M. Landis married Conrad Miller in 1769.^2,3 Barbara M. Landis and Conrad lived after 1769 in Richmond Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.² As of 1769, her married name was Miller.²
      Barbara M. Landis died in 1800.⁴ She was buried in Frederick Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.^4,2
      She left a will on 6 August 1793 in Frederick Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.^5,2 The transcript of the Will read:
TO KNOW whom it shall and may concern I Barbara Miller a Widow of Frederick Township in Montgomery County at present of good health mind memory and understanding (Blesed be God), Do am I for advanced in my years and considring that wee in our natural life u-certain I was moved within myself to make ordain and Publish my last will and Testament that is to say my Soul I deliver in the hand of the Allmighty God and my Body unto the Earth to be berred in--Christain like manner and concerning my worldly Estate I dispose of what little I shall leaf behind at my decease as follows

First I will that all my just debts and funeral Charges shall be justly and fully paid by my Executor out of my Estate Leaft at my decease and secondly it is my Will and order that when my debts and funeral Charges paid what my son John Bauer shall be remain in debt to my Estate that shall be his full share Part and Portion of my Estate for him and his Heirs forever; And thirdly all the residue of what little shall be remain whatsoever it is I give and devise to my son Samuel Bauer, and to my Daughter Fronica wofe pt Abraham Shwenck in Equal share between them to be divided or to the Heirs of their Body's and fourtly I do nominate and order my son Samuel Bauer to be my Executor of this my last Will and Testament and give him full power to execute the same to the true Indent herein contained. In Witness whereof I the said Barbara Miller do hereunto set my hand and seal this sixth day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety three 1793.
Her X
Mark

Signed sealed and declared by the said Testator as her last Will and Testament in the presence of us.
Isaac Barkey
John Barkey sen

Personally came each of the Witnesses to the foregoing Will and being duly Affirmed according to Law did say that they were personally present and did see Barbara Miller the Testatrix therein named sign & seal & heard her pronounce and declare the same to be her last will and Testament and at the doing thereof she was of a perfect sound disposing mind memory and undserstanding to the best of their knowledge that they subscribed their names as witnesses thereto at the request of the Testatrix in her presence and the presence of each other.
Be it remembered that on the 30th Day of October 1800 the foregoing will of Barbara Miller was proved in due form of Law and Letter Testamentory granted unto Samuel Bauer the Executor therein named he having first been affirmed well and truly to perform the same and render an Account according to Law. Given under my hand & Seal of Office the 30th Day of October 1800.
for Register. Geo M Potts.^5,2 Her estate was probated on 30 October 1800 in Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.⁶

     Hans Bauer was also known as Bower. He was reported as being born, incorrectly in 1670 in Oberhofen, Lake of Thun, Switzerland, This record refers to the Hans Baur who married Anne Willaner of Swisligi, and not the Hans Baur who immigrated to Pennsylvania. He married Anne (?) circa 1700. Hans Bauer and Anne (?) immigrated between 1708 and 1717 to Colebrookdale Township, Philadelphia County, now Berks County , Pennsylvania.¹ Hans Bauer and Anne were Mennonites.¹ Hans Bauer received a land patent on 30 March 1736 of 150 acres, part of the Great Manatawny tract, Philadelphia County, now Berks co., Pennsylvania. From the Proprietaries of the Commonwealth.² The transcript of the Patent read:
          JOHN PENN, THOMAS PENN and RICHARD PENN, Esquires, true and absolute Proprietaries and Governors in Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware. To all unto whom these Presents shall come. Greeting:
WHEREAS in Pursuance and by Virtue of our Warrent under the letter seal of our said Province, bearing date the twenty-ninth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty-four there was surveyed and laid out on the eighteenth day of March then next ensuing unto hans Bower of the county of Philadelphia, a certain Tract of land situate on a Branch of Perkiomen Creek near Cowishoppen in the said County, adjoining lands of Humphey Hill, containing one hundred and fifty acres. Now at the Instance and request of the said hans Bower that we would be pleased to grant him a Confirmation of the same, Know ye that *** in consideration of the sum of twenty-five pounds five schillings to us in hand paid by the said hans Bower ** We have given, granted, released and confirmed unto the said hans Bower and his heirs the said one hundred and fifty acres ** Given at Philadelphia the thirtieth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and thirty-six, and in the nineth year of the reign of George the Second over Great Britain and the eighteenth of our Government.
Thomas Penn SS.³
He received a land patent on 30 November 1742 of about 105 acres in the valley known as Butter-tahl, Colebrookdale, now Hereford twp., Philadelphia County, now Berks co., Pennsylvania.⁴ He bought 134 acres from Thomas Hopkinson, trustee for the heirs of Humphey Hill on 14 March 1743. It was part of a tract, on Perkiomen Creek, known as Douglas Manor, Colebrookdale, now Hereford twp., Philadelphia County, now Berks co., Pennsylvania.⁵ He died between 1748 and 1749 in Washington Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. He left a will, written in German, on 27 October 1748.⁶ The transcript of the Will read:
IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. Whereas I Hans Bower of Colebrookdale in the county of Philadelphia Yeoman do find myself very weak as to Bodily Health but of sound and perfect mind and memory blessed be the Lord for the same, And considering the uncertainty of this Transitory Life and present weakness of my Body, have therefore as Customary resolved to Order and Settle my Wordly affairs and to Make this my Last Will & Testament and I do hereby make the Same and desire the same may be taken and accounted as such, And the same is as follows
IMPRIMIS I do ordain concerning my beloved Wife That she shall during her Natural Life have Lodging and free Priviledge to live in my dwelling House and on This My Plantation where I now Dwell, as also all Necessarys of Life, in victuals and Apparell &c: all which my two sons Michael and Abraham shall sufficiently Provide for her out of my sd Plantation AND furthermore That if my said Wife should not like to stay here on my Plantation then they shall so Sufficiently Provide for her in manner aforesaid, at the Place where she shall Choose to Live, which Liberty she shall have.
ITEM I give and devise unto my Son Samuel his Heirs and Assigns for ever all That Piece of Land unto him already Surveyed and whereon he now lives Together with all Buildings, Improvements & all the Appurtenances thereunto belonging in Consideration whereof and of such Sums he owed me before he shall pay to my wife the sum of Thirty seven Pound Eight Shillings ITEM I give and devise unto my two sons Michael and Abraham their Heirs and Assigns forever in Equal parts All that Plantation whereon I now Live Together with all my other Lands whatsoever in my Possession and all my Cattle great and small and the Household goods which I heretofore gave unto them in Possession in consideration whereof they shall Provide for my said Wife Anne in manner aforesaid and they shall also pay unto my said Wife the Sum of one hundred seventy two Pound twelve Shilling And as I had formerly reserved Some Cattle and Creatures for myself out of these I heretofore give unto them in Possession as aforesaid such Creatures shall after mine and my Wife's Decease be Equally divided amongst our Children AND WHEREAS there is an Improvement on part of last mentioned Land which I formerly gave into the possession of my Son Hans now Deceased, which sd Improvement I valued then at Forty Pound which should have been a part of his share in my Estate. AND WHEREAS after my said son Hans decease, I did redeem the said Improvement for Sixty pound, which said Improvement I do hereby Intirely give unto my said two Sons Michael and Abraham and their Heirs forever, They paying the Sum of Forty Pounds unto the two Children of the said Hans deceased and Twenty Pounds (as the Remainder) all Lawfull Money of this Province according to the Last Will of my said Son Deceased unto his Widow and Relict and his said two Children in Equal parts AND WHEREAS my said son deceased did by his Last Will & Testament Constitute me as one of the Executors and (Intra alia) Entrusted me with the Care and Education of his son Abraham. It is therefore my Strict Will That he shall, according to the Intent of the said recited Will, be Educated and maintained by my said two Sons Michael and Abram And if he should, through the Distemper or ffits he is now affected with, become Indigent, I oblige all my Children Equally to maintain him, and when he arrive to the age of twenty one years my said two sons Michael and Abraham shall give him a Horse to the value of six Pounds they having an allowance made unto them by me for the same: UNTO my Daughter Barbara I give the Sum of Forty Pounds Money and ffifteen Pounds worth in household goods and unto my daughter Susannah I give also the Sum of Forty Pounds in Money and fifteen Pounds in Household Goods, which said Sums and Goods my sd two Sons Michael and Abraham shall pay and give unto their said two sisters when they marry [as is Barbara's Case already] Further as concerning the above sd Sums which my said Son Samuel as well as my said Sons Michael and Abraham are to pay unto my said Wife Anne as above sd all the Use thereof shall be for her use during her Life and after her decease the same and all remainder shall be Equally divided among my children. It is also to be Remembered that Barbara has already received the sum of Seven pounds fourteen Shillings in part of her abovesaid share And Susannah has likewise received the sum of two Pounds ffourteen Shillings in part of her said share, and my Daughter Susannah shall also have the old Iron Stove a Cow our Chest and our Bed besides her Share. And my said son Samuel shall have the sum of Seven Pound Eight Shillings, besides what I have given unto him before whom I likewise Together with my Trusty Friend George Sholtz of Upper Hanover Weaver do Nominate and Constitute to be the two Executors this my Last Will and Testament Giving hereby unto the said George Sholtz full authority in my stead and Behalf to Sign Seal Execute & Confirm Titles unto my said Sons respectively ^{My Deed being for that purpose already Delivered unto a Clerk} for my Land unto them above devised.
IN WITNESS whereof I have set my hand and Seal the 27th Day of October in the year of our Lord 1748.
                                   HANS BAUER
Signed Sealed Published and
Declared by the said Hans Bower
as his Last Will and Testament in the
presence of us
Johann Conrad
Bob George Sholtze
Christopher Sholtze^{7
     8.} He was buried in Schwenkfelder burying ground, near Clayton, Berks County, Pennsylvania. His estate was probated on 7 March 1748/49 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.⁹

     Anne (?) was also known as Anne Willener. She was reported as being born, incorrectly in 1677 in Switzerland This record, however, is for the Anne Willener who married the Hans Baur of Oberhofen, not the Hans Baur of Colebrookdale, Pennsylvania. She married Hans Bauer circa 1700. Anne (?) and Hans Bauer immigrated between 1708 and 1717 to Colebrookdale Township, Philadelphia County, now Berks County , Pennsylvania.¹ Anne (?) and Hans were Mennonites.¹ Anne (?) was living in March 1749 in Colebrookdale Township, Pennsylvania.² She was reported to have died, according to some sources, in 1761 in Washington Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.