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Lesh, Jacob Lesh and Philip Lesh, Revolutionary soldiers; the great grandfather and relatives of the compiler of this collection.

Among those arriving in Tulpehocken in 1723 were Johann Adam Loesch, and Johann George Loesh and their families, sons of Balthaser Loesch, who died at sea.

They settled near each other and helped to found Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church near Stouchsburg, Berks County, Pa.

In 1742, the Moravian, Count Zinzendorf, came to Berks County and preached in the house of Conrad Weiser, and in 1745, George Loesch and wife were admitted to fellowship in the Moravian Church. The older brother, Johann Adam Loesch, remained with the Lutheran Church, and both he and his wife Sophia are buried in churchyard near Stouchsburg.

The Moravians built a stone church in Heidelburg township in 1750, known as the Corner Church, and the George Loesch family look a prominent part in the founding of this church, also in founding the Moravian Church at Quittopehille (now Lebanon), and at Nazareth and Bethlehem, Pa., and in Bethania, North Carolina. Here Jacob Loesch, the elder son of George, became business manager for the Moravian Colony, and his younger brother Herman also took a prominent part in organizing the colony in North Carolina. The little colony left Bethlehem, Pa., October 8, 1753, with their goods stored in a large wagon. The night before arriving at the Susquehanna river they sojourned at the house of Mr. George Loesch, the father of Jacob and Herman, in Heidelberg township, Lancaster County, Pa. Here they

were hospitably entertained; the mother filling their boxes with provisions, and the father placing a part of the load on his own wagon, till the river had been forded. The width of the Susquehanna was a surprise to them.

The one picture which stands in clearest light is the piety and religious fervor of members of this colony. Night and morning they rejoiced in the spiritual food, afforded by the songs, the prayers, the scripture, and words of admonition spoken by their minister. The writer had the pleasure of meeting one of the grandsons of Jacob Loesh, Hon. Israel George Lash, member of Congress from North Carolina in the 70s.

The children of George Loesch having married and left home, the old folks sold their farm in Berks (formerly Lancaster) County, and removed to Gnadenthal, near Nazareth, Northampton County, Pa., 1770. On December 15, 1771, they celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. His wife died December 17, 1782, and he died August

15, 1790, in his ninety-second year and both are buried in the Moravian Cemetery at Nazareth, Pa.

Baltzer Loesch, one of the younger sons of George Loesh, did not join the Moravian Church, but remained a Lutheran, and the house which he built near Hamlin, Pa., is still standing and is now owned by a Mr. Grill. His son, George Loesch (Lesch), was my grandfather, and when a boy about 13 years of age I visited my grandfather, then living near Logan Mills, Clinton County, Pa. He was then a very old man, and could remember and describe scenes and incidents that transpired at their old home in Berks County, when he was a child-their troubles with the Indians, and how the children and women would be gathered into the forts and stockhouses, while the men would fight the Indians. He told me of a thrilling scene in which his mother, Christina Lesch, was a heroine. It was after dark. She and the children were alone in the house, the father had gone to the city. She happened to look out of the window towards the barn, and noticed Indians in single file marching around the end of the barn and hiding under the overshot in the dark. She immediately began to sing and to dance, talk fine and coarse, light candles in every room, roll tubs and buckets and overthrow chairs and make all the noise she could. The Indians listened and then sneaked away, evidently under the impression that the house was full of people. My grandfather told me several Indian experiences in which he figured as a child, also when a boy and young man, of hauling provisions for his father into the American Camp and seeing General Washington and the soldiers. His father being in good circumstances was very patriotic, and helped the cause of the Colonies with provisions and money to his utmost ability. He and his older sons, Peter and Jacob, were soldiers in the Revolutionary War. Peter, being a private in the Tenth Regiment Pennsylvania Continental Line (who received Depreciation Pay for his services) and Jacob, and the father, Baltzer, were members of Capt. Wolf's Company, Berks Co. Militia. He, grandfather, told me of a horseback ride to Virginia where his brother Jacob removed, after the Revolutionary War. He could remember incidents that occurred during this journey, where he stopped over night, and all that happened. He was a fine looking old man, over 6 feet, stood erect, with good square shoulders and very good face and form.

If I had known then (1847) that some future day I would be collecting data and writing a historical sketch of our American branch of the Loesch family, I might have learned much that would be interesting from grandfather.

Here I have to make a statement that I regret. When our ancestors

separated from their original homes in Pennsylvania, they changed the spelling of the name from the original Loesch, to Lesch, Lesh and Lash. This was a serious mistake, and makes the tracing historically of the different families much more difficult. All German names have a meaning,-Loesch or Lösch signifies to soothe, to mollify. To change the spelling obscures the meaning.

The old stone house built by Johann Adam Lesch, near Wonselsdorf, Berks County, Pa., is still standing. In the gable end of the roof is carved the name of his son, Johan Jacob Lösch-1753. Upon the death of John Jacob, his only son, he sold the property to John Kurtz, and it still remains in the hands of this family. The Moravian Church at Bethania, North Carolina, is still occupied. In 1909 the congregation celebrated the Sesqui Centennial of their organization-1759-1909.

In this church is an organ built and played by Jacob Loesch. It is perfectly preserved, and a beautifully tuned instrument, and still in use. It is also a pleasure to note the record of the descendents of the Loesch family as to education. Many of them were and are, college graduates, and stand high in the communities where they reside. It is said that the graduates of the Salem Academy and College, at WinstonSalem, N. C., that are descendants of the Loesch family far outnumber those of any other family.

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HOUSE BUILT BY JOHN ADAM LOSCH IN 1753, STILL STANDING 14 MILES NORTHWEST OF WOMELSDORF, PA. BROTHER OF GEORGE LESH (LOESCH).

[graphic]

HOME OF BALTZER LESCH (BORN 1730), SON GEORGE LOESCH. The house is between Freystown and Hamlin, Pa., and is owned by a Mr. Grill at the present time. Has been recently weather-boarded.

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