Person Page - 318

     Claus Johnson was born in 1658.¹ He married Catherine Conrad, daughter of Peter Conrad. Claus Johnson lived before 1684 in Mulheim on the Ruhr, Germany.² He immigrated in 1684 to Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.³ He was naturalized on 29 September 1709 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.² He owned 150 acres of real property in 1734 in Parkiomen & Skippake Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, according to a return of the constables.⁴ He left a will on 1 June 1739.⁵ The transcript of the Will read:
Be it known unto all whom it may concern That I Klaus Johnson of ye Township of Skippack and Perkeomy in ye County of Philad^a. yeom^d. being aged and Infirm in Body and considering ye ffrailty of my Life and knowing my Memory and Understanding perfect do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament this first day of June in ye Year of our Lord one thoufand seven hundred and thirty nine & in ye following manner and form viz^f.-----
Impris. my will is that all my just debts both by publick and private Contracts together w^th my ffuneral Charges be duly paid by my Exet^es.
I give and Bequeath unto my dear and well beloved wife Catherine Johnson ye Use of all ye Land and Plantation also Buildings and Improvements whatsoever whereon I now dwell (Towards ye Bringing up of my Younger Children) untill my Son Peter arrives to Twenty one Years of Age and when my said Son arrives to ye age abovesaid She shall quietly and peaceably surrender up ye same to him to and for the Use hereafter mentioned. I also give and bequeath unto my said wife in Lieu of her Thirds or dower out of my Estate Reall and personal ye Third part of ye profits arising yearly from my said plantation during the Term of her Natural Life and Likewise my Bed and Bedding with ye Third part of my Personal Estate (my debts and Charges being first paid as aforesaid) to be to her her Ex^rs Adm^es and assigns for ever.
I Likewise Constitute and appt my s^d wife and Son Peter to be my Sole Ex^es of this my Last Will and Testament to Raise and Levy all my Rights & Credits as also to pay my abovesaid debts.
I also give and bequeath ye Book called "the Book of Martyrs"; to my s^d. wife. I give and Bequeath to my Eldest Son John Johnson one shilling Sterb Money or value thereof in coin curr^t to be paid him his Ex^rs. Adm^ls within one Year next from ye day of my decease which s^d Legacy shall be paid unto my s^d Son John in Lieu of all other Legacys out of my Estate Reall and personal which he may or can Claim either in Law or Equity whatsomever.
I give and devise unto my s^d Son Peter Johnson ye above mentioned Land plantation Improvem^ts and appurts whatsoever Estimated to contain one hundred and fifty three acres (part of Three hundred and Six acres which I bought of Matthias vanbebber) to be freely and fully Enjoyed and pofsefsed when he arrives to Twenty one years of age by him, his heirs and assigns thenceforward and for ever. I also give and Bequeath unto my s^d. Son Peter ye other two Thirds of my personal Estate (the debts and charges being first deducted as abovesaid) To hold ye Same to him his Ex^Es. Adm^es and afs^s from ye day of my decease thenceforward and forever.
I Give and devise unto my Son Nicholas Johnson ffifty nine acres to be Laid out of the NorthEast End of one hundred and Eighteen acres (which I bought of Job Goodson) with ye Improvements and appurts thereunto belonging or in any wise appert:^g to be fully and freely Enjoyed and pofsefsed from ye time that he arrives to Twenty one Years of age by him his Heirs and assigns thenceforward and for ever. I will that the Yearly Rent arising from ye Improvem^f made on ye said Land be applied as ye Trustees hereby appointed think fit best for ye advantage to and for my said Son Nicholas untill he arrives to ye age abovesaid.
I Give and -bequeath- devise unto my son Benjamin Johnson ffifty nine acres of Land (to be Laid out on ye South West End of ye said Land which I bought of ye s^d Job Goodson) with all ye Improvem^ts and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining to be freely and fully Enjoyed and pofsefs'd from ye time that he arrives to Twenty one years of age by him his heirs and afs^s for Ever and if my s^d Trustees thinks fitt to Set or direct some Improvem^t to be made on the Last devised Land before my s^d Son Benjamin arrives to ye age aboves^d. they may provided they do not suffer thereby any to Injure ye same and furthermore it is my will that if either of my Last mentioned Sons to wit Nicholas or Benjamin dieth before they arrive to ye age aboves^d without Leaving Lawfull Ifsue of his Body then ye Survivor and his heirs of my s^d two Youngest Sons shall pofsefs and Enjoy his Deced^f Brothers part or Share of ye s^d Land (except Eighteen acres of ye Southwest end thereof the which I give and devise on ye said provisor unto my Son Peter aforenamed to be held by him his heirs and afs^s forever and if both of my s^d two Youngest Sons dieth before they attain to ye s^d age without Leaving Lawfull Ifsue as aforesaid then all ye Land hereby devised for them shall be and remain to and for ye Use of my s^d Son Peter his heirs and afs^s for ever and if in Case my Son Peter dieth before he attains to ye s^d age nor leaving Lawfull Ifsue as aforesaid then ye s^d one hundred and fifty three acres hereby devised to him shall be Equally divided in Value between his Two Younger Brothers viz^t Nicholas and Benjamin who shall freely and fully Enjoy and pofsefs the same to them or ye Surv^E of them (if he that dieth of my Two Last mentioned Sons doth not attain to ye s^d age nor have Lawfull Issue to Survive him) their heirs and assigns for ever (on which said provisor then to ye s^d Surviv^E his heirs and afs:^s forEver.
I give and bequeath ye Sum of Eighty pounds current Lawfull Money of Pennsylv^a, to be paid by my Son Peter or his heirs at ye end of ffour years next from ye day of my decease in Equal proportion between my Eight daughters or their Lawfull Ifsue born of their Body as followeth. viz^t: to pay ten pounds to my Eldest daughter Kuethin in manner aforesaid and Ten pounds unto my Second daughter Mary in manner afores^d. Ten pounds unto my Third daughter Agnes & Ten pounds to my fourth daughter Catherine. Ten pounds to my fifth daughter Eliz^th. Ten pounds to my Sixth daughter Catherine. Ten pounds to my Seventh daughter Margaret and Ten pounds to my Eighth daughter Hannah all which said moneys shall be paid them or theirs in manner afores^d.
I do _____ nominate John Cunrad and Harmonus Kufter my Loving Relations to be Guardians over such of my Children that are in their Minority at ye time of my decease giving them thereby full power and absolute authority to Command and Compell that this my s^d Will be duly observ'd perferm'd fulfilled according to ye purport meaning and true Intent thereof ffinally revoking & disannulling all other former Wills Testam^ts. Legacies and Exc^ts by me in any manner of ways before now by me named willed and bequeathed ratify^g and confirming this and no other to be my Last Will & Testament.
In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal dated ye day and Year first above written.
Claus Johnson (SEAL)
Signed, Sealed and declared by ye s^d. Claus Johnson that ye above written is his Last Will and Testam^t. in ye presence of Us the Subscribers.
Robert Jones
Ann (her mark) Jones
William Jones
Salford ye 30^th. day of October 1745. Then personally appeared Robert Jones and William Jones two of ye Witnefs^s to ye foregoing Will and on their Solemn Affirmation according to Law did declare they Saw and heard Claus Johnson ye Testator therein mentioned Sign Seal publish and declare that the same Will to be his Last Will and Testam^t. and that at ye doing thereof he was of Sound Mind Memory and Understanding to ye best of their Knowledge. Coram.
Jacob Reiff, By Authority from Wm. Plumfted, R. Gen^.l
Be it Remembred that on ye 30^th day of October 1745 The Last Will and Testam^t. of Claus Johnson deced was proved in due form of Law and probate and Lr^Tes. Testamentary were granted to Katherine and Peter Johnson Exc^ts. in the sd. Testamt. named being first Solemnly affirmed well and truly to Adm^l ye said deced^ts: Estate and to bring an Inventory thereof unto ye Reg^r Gen^ls office at Philad^a: at or before ye 30^th day of Nov^E next and render a true Account when thereunto Lawfully required. Given under ye Seal of said Office
Wm Plumsted, R. Gen^l. An inventory of his estate was filed on 19 October 1745.⁶ His estate was probated before Jacob Reiff on 30 October 1745 in Salford Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.⁷

     Trini Leeman was born circa 1561 probably in Eggiwil.² Trini was the possible daughter of Ulrich Leeman and Barbli (?). They share the same surname, as far as surnames were used in the mid-16th centuary, and were living in the same city. They were all Anabaptists, and that community was supposed to intermarry among themselves. There is no known document that names Trini's parents.^1,2 Trini Leeman married Niclaus Stauffer, son of Ulrich Stauffer.¹

     Ulrich Leeman married Barbli (?) Ulrich Leeman and Barbli were Anabaptists.¹ Ulrich Leeman was the possible father of Trini Leeman. They share the same surname, as far as surnames were used in the mid-16th centuary, and were living in the same city. They were all Anabaptists, and that community was supposed to intermarry among themselves. There is no known document that names Trini's parents.^1,2 Ulrich Leeman and Barbli lived in 1569 in Kapf, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland, at which time they were called Wiedertaufers. They were still living there in 1590.^2,1

     Barbli (?) married Ulrich Leeman. Her married name was Leeman. Barbli (?) and Ulrich were Anabaptists.¹ Barbli (?) was the possible mother of Trini Leeman. They share the same surname, as far as surnames were used in the mid-16th centuary, and were living in the same city. They were all Anabaptists, and that community was supposed to intermarry among themselves. There is no known document that names Trini's parents.^1,2 Barbli (?) and Ulrich lived in 1569 in Kapf, Eggiwil, Bern, Switzerland. At which time they were called Wiedertaufers. They were still living there in 1590.^2,1

     Ulrich Stauffer was born circa 1415.¹ He was the first Stauffer for which there is a record in the area of Röthenbach, Bern, Switzerland, <1440.> It is possible that he was the father of Peter.¹