Johan Simon HELLER

Simon was born in Tenchland, Palatinate, Germany and the sponsors at his baptism was Simon Wendel, director of the city council of Pfeddersheim and his grandmother Anna Sara Stricker Heller Wendel.

Both he and his wife are buried in St. Peters Churchyard, Plainfield Twp., Northampton Co., Pennsylvania. He arrived in Philadelphia on ship "Winter Galley" 5 Sept. 1738 along with his father and sib

lings. He took up a tract of land on warrant dated 3 Oct. 1746, on which he built a saw mill. This was a parcel of 25 acres belonging to a larger tract along the Saucon Creek, at the southern boundary

of what is now Hellertown and known as Wagner's mill. The other part of the tract was on the west side of the creek and south of the wagon road and contained 150 acres. To this, Simon added in the ye

ar 1749, 40 acres more, making a total number of 215 acres in this one tract. Simon also built an addition to the saw mill in which he ground grain. This mill tract, after several transfers, passed in

to the hands of the Wagners in the year 1771, and was still controlled by them in 1908. Simon and his father were active members of the Chestnut Hill Reformed Church in Upper Milford Twp., on the most

southern part of Lehigh Co. After taking up his abode on Saucon Creek he was instrumental in organizing the Lower Saucon Reformed congregation which, prior to his time, held their services in private

houses and principally at the house of George Hartzell. Their burying ground was the ancient cemetery at what is now the Lime Kilm school house, immediately west of the furnace near Hellertown. He wa

s the first trustee of the congregation and purchased the book in which the first records of the congregation were kept, wherein he entered the names of his father and all of the sons, also all the ba

ptisms in the Heller family prior to the year 1756. Simon, in 1764 conveyed his mill site to Blasius Beyer and the farm to Christian Bachman, removing with his entire family to Plainfield Twp., where

he purchased at sheriff's sale some 600 acres on which was a saw mill and a hotel, now the Woodley house at Wind Gap. He was a prime mover in organizing the Plainfield Reformed congregation. He also a

cted in various interests of the government in border affairs. He was the principal man in the board of viewers to lay out the road through the Wind Gap and on to Wyoming. This was the principal reaso

n why the road was laid out to accommodate the few people living along the line. At Saylorsburg lived one of his daughters, the wife of Jacob Saylor. At Houser's Mills lived another daughter, the wife

of one of the Housers. It was over this road that Sullivan passed with his army and which he was compelled to reconstruct through the swamp known as "Shades of Death." It is known as Sullivan's road

to this day. Simon's wife, of Milford Twp., died and was buried at Plainfield church. Simon transferred all of his property to his oldest son Jacob, severed his connection with the Plainfield Reformed

congregation which he helped to organize and removed over the mountain to a plantation of some 500 or more acres. Simon no sooner had his house constructed then he began organizing the Reformed congr

egation of Hamilton. Simon is buried in the cemetery adjoining the Plainfield church. He became a member of the Lower Saucon Reformed Church about 1765 under Rev. John D. Gross. Simon served in the Pe

nnsylvania Militia during the French and Indian War.

The Palatines whose Names are underwritten, imported in the Ship the Winter Galley, Edward Paynter, Mr, a Rotterdam, did this day take and su

bscribe the Oaths to the Government, Sept. 5, 1738". [Pennsylvania German Pioneers by Ralph Beaver Strassburger, LL.D., edited by William John Hinke, PH.D., D.D. 1980 Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 20

2]

He was instrumental in organizing the Lower Saucon Reformed congregation, and among their parochial records are some of the earliest birth and baptismal dates of the Heller family. Simon was

the first trustee of the congregation and is said to have purchased the book in which the first records were kept. The church burying ground was an ancient cemetery at what was later the Lime Kiln sch

ool house, near Hellertown. On 18 May 1785, on his deathbed, Simon wrote his last will and testament, as follows:

Note: "In the name of God, Amen. I, Simon Heller, of Hamilton Township, Northamp

ton County, state of Pennsylvania, being weak in body but of sound memory blessed be God, do this day, the eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-give, ma

ke and publish this my last will and testament in manner following, that is to say -- First I give and bequeath to my son Daniel Heller all my land messuage or tenament, situate in Hamilton Township,

Northampton county, wherein I now live, to have and to hold forever, except fourty acres thereof and my son Daniel Heller shall pay therefor three hundred pounds, good and lawful money to his brothers

and sisters hereafter named, and I give to my son Anthony Heller the above fourty acres land in the corning shining to Christian Willauer and Michael Roup and Melcher Bussert and the meeting house, a

nd my son Anthony shall pay therefor fourty pounds to his brothers and sisters and my son Anthony shall have the said fourty acres land forever, this is my last will and testament. Secondly, I give to

my beloved wife Magareth thirty pounds good and lawful money and fifteen pound six months after my decease, and the other fifteen pound to be paid to her a year after, fourther, I give to my wife a b

ed stet three sheets a new coverlet, and the old coverlet, two pillow and the chafe back, if my wife will go of or from my plantation and makes hereafter no demand of my heirs forever, I say then shal

l have my wife the above said sum money and not else, and if now, I Simon Heller give to my beloved wife time, twenty-eight days, after my decease to consider and if she chose to stay on my place and

live with my son Daniel Heller or how else live on the place, then shall she my wife have yearly and every year eight bushels rye, two bushel wheat, one bushel buckwheat, a half bushel corn, fifity po

und pork and fifty pound beef and three pound hachett flax and six pound tow and she shall have a cow and my son Daniel or the man that lives on the place shall winter said cow so good as his own cows

and my son Daniel Heller shall build a room for my wife to live in, on one of my houses twelfe foot long and wo with the house is with a chimony and a iron stove let in and shall her give fier wood s

o much as needful to the house cut small as needful, and my wife shall have no liberty to take, no body in to live with her in said room without the will of the owner of the place, and this she shall

have so long as she calls herself after my name Heller, and no longer, further, it is my last will that thirty pound from my state shall be put out upon interest and remain on interest during my wife'

s life, and my wife Margaretha shall have every year the interest of said thirty pound during her life, back to my heirs again but if my wife take up with the first offer that she quit my heirs and bi

nd herselfe in writings that she will make hereafter no demand to my heirs, then she may do with her goods what she pleas, further it is my last will and testament that all my children shall be equal

heirs except a few things what will be mentioned further, my son Daniel shall have, after my deceas, all my due from my sons John Hellers leas bill, said lease bill is ended now the payments shall be

paid as follows and every year the twenty seventh day of November and the beginning one thousand seven hundred and eight eight. first to my son Jacob heller, the second payment to my son Abraham, the

third to my son Michael, the fourth to my son John Heller and then to my son Simon Heller and then to my daughter Veronica [Sophronia] and then to my daughter Elisabeth and then to my daughter Margare

th, and then to my daugthter Sarah, and then to my daughter Caty and then to my daughter Mary and then to my daughter Louisa, further I give to my son Antony Heller fifteen pound good lawful money for

a horse sattle and bridle and my son Simon my black handkershif and my daughter Caty I give a long count of calico and a peticoate and two sheets of russia linen, a pewter blatter, seven shillingswor

th and one dish and six pewter plates and my daughter Mary I give trilig for a bet and jeck for to put over it and two sheets of Russia linen six pewter plates and one pewter platter and a pewter dish

seven shillingsworth and calico for a count, and stuff for a pety Coat and one yard of fine linnen and one quarter of Cambric and a new spinning wheel or the money therefor fourther I Simon Heller em

power my son Jacob Heller to sign over and deliver my son Daniel and my son Anthony Heller the full right and title of my place here in hamilton without any freaud or further likewise I empower my son

Anthony to oversign and deliver to my son Jacob all right and title belonging to the place in Plainfield in said County when the Bond is paid from the year Seventeen Hundred Eighty Five. And I Simon

Heller make my son Anthony Heller overseers of this my will to take care and see the same performed according to my true intent and meaning. In witness whereof I the said Simon Heller have to this my

last will and testament set my hand and seal the day and year above written. Signed sealed and Delivered by the said Simon Heller as and for his last will and testament in the presents of us who were

present at the signing and sealing thereof:Melchior Bossert Christopher Keller Jacob Steelsmith

I Simon Heller remember yet before signing and sealing this my last will and testament that the owner

of this my place shall have the calf of said Cow after it has suckt three weeks. Simon Heller ( )( Seal ) ()Simon died on 20 May 1785, two days after he wrote his will and he was buried

beside his first wife, Louisa Dietz, in the cemetery adjoining the Plainfield church. Chiseled in marble on his tombstone is the following: " Here rests in God, Johan Simon Heller, born June 18, 1721

in Germany, at Petersheim, in Palitinate, died May 20, 1785. In his marriage he begat 16 children. He lived to see sixteen grandchildren and fifty-four great grandchildren. He reached the age of sixt

y-four years less five weeks and two days. His selected funeral text was 4th chapter Romans, 1st verse. Then followed a German rhyme meaning in translation, "The body in the earth shall rest until the

final day. Grant to me a joyful resurrection and intercession at the judgement."

RIN: MH:N503001

Simon was born in Tenchland, Palatinate, Germany and the sponsors at his baptism was Simon Wendel, director of the city council of Pfeddersheim and his grandmother Anna Sara Stricker Heller Wendel.

Both he and his wife are buried in St. Peters

Churchyard, Plainfield Twp., Northampton Co., PA.

He arrived in Philadelphia, PA on ship "Winter Galley" 5 Sept. 1738 along with his father

and siblings. He took up a tract of land on warrant dated 3 Oct. 1746, on which he built a saw mill. This was a parcel of 25 acres belonging to a larger tract

along the Saucon Creek, at the sou

thern boundary of what is now Hellertown and known as Wagner's mill. The other part of the tract was on the west side of the creek and south of the wagon road and contained 150 acres. To this, Simon a

dded in the year

1749, 40 acres more, making a total number of 215 acres in this one tract. Simon also built an addition to the saw mill in which he ground grain. This mill tract, after several

transfers, passed into the hands of the Wagners in the year 1771, and was

still controlled by them in 1908. Simon and his father were active members of the Chestnut Hill Reformed Church in Upp

er Milford Twp., on the most southern part of Lehigh Co. After taking up his abode on Saucon Creek he was instrumental in organizing

the Lower Saucon Reformed congregation which, prior to his t

ime, held their services in private houses and principally at the house of George Hartzell. Their burying ground was the ancient cemetery at what is now the Lime Kilm school house,

immediately

west of the furnace near Hellertown.

He was the first trustee of the congregation and purchased the book in which the first records of the congregation were kept, wherein he entered the names of

his father and all of the sons, also all the baptisms in the Heller family prior to the year

1756. Simon, in 1764 conveyed his mill site to Blasius Beyer and the farm to Christian Bachman, rem

oving with his entire family to Plainfield Twp., where he purchased at sheriff's sale some 600 acres on which was a saw mill and a hotel, now the

Woodley house at Wind Gap.

He was a prime

mover in organizing the Plainfield Reformed congregation. He also acted in various interests of the government in border affairs. He was the principal man in the board of viewers to lay out the road

through the Wind Gap and on to

Wyoming. This was the principal reason why the road was laid out to accommodate the few people living along the line. At Saylorsburg lived one of his daughters, t

he wife of Jacob Saylor. At Houser's Mills lived another daughter, the wife of one of

the Housers. It was over this road that Sullivan passed with his army and which he was compelled to reconst

ruct through the swamp known as "Shades of Death." It is known as Sullivan's road to this day. Simon's wife, of Milford Twp., died and was

buried at Plainfield church. Simon transferred all of

his property to his oldest son Jacob, severed his connection with the Plainfield Reformed congregation which he helped to organize and removed over the mountain to a plantation of some 500 or more

acres. Simon no sooner had his house constructed then he began organizing the Reformed congregation of Hamilton. Simon is buried in the cemetery adjoining the Plainfield church. He became a member

of the Lower Saucon Reformed Church about 1765 under

Rev. John D. Gross.

Simon served in the Pennsylvania Militia during the French and Indian War.

"The Palatines whose Names are u

nderwritten, imported in the Ship the Winter Galley, Edward paynter, Mr, a Rotterdam, did this day take and subscribe the Oaths to the Government, Sept. 5, 1738". [Pennsylvania German Pioneers by Ralp

h Beaver

Strassburger, LL.D., edited by William John Hinke, PH.D., D.D. 1980 Genealogical Publishing Co. p. 202]

He was instrumental in organizing the Lower Saucon Reformed congregation,

and among their parochial records are some of the earliest birth and baptismal dates of the Heller family. Simon was the first trustee of the congregation and is said to have

purchased the book

in which the first records were kept. The church burying ground was an ancient cemetery at what was later the Lime Kiln school house, near Hellertown.

On 18 May 1785, on his deathbed, Simon wro

te his last will and testament, as follows:

Note:

"In the name of God, Amen. I, Simon Heller, of Hamilton Township, Northampton County, state of Pennsylvania, being weak in body but of so

und memory blessed be God, do this day, the eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven

hundred and eighty-give, make and publish this my last will and testament in manner

following, that is to say -- First I give and bequeath to my son Daniel Heller all my land messuage or tenament, situate in Hamilton Township, Northampton county,

wherein I now live, to have a

nd to hold forever, except fourty acres thereof and my son Daniel Heller shall pay therefor three hundred pounds, good and lawful money to his brothers and sisters hereafter named, and I give to my so

n Anthony Heller the

above fourty acresland in the corning shining to Christian Willauer and Michael Roup and Melcher Bussert and the meting house, and my son Anthony shall pay therefor fourty

pounds to his brothers and sisters and my son Anthony shall have the said fourty

acres land forever, this is my last will and testament.

Secondly, I give to my beloved wife Magareth thirt

y pounds good and lawful money and fifteen pound six months after my decease, and the other fifteen pound to be paid to her a year after, fourther, I give to my wife a bed stet three sheets a new

coverlet, and the old coverlet, two pillow and the chafe back, if my wife will go of or from my plantation and makes hereafter no demand of my heirs forever, I say then shall have my wife the above

said sum money and not else, and if now, I Simon

Heller give to my beloved wife time, twenty-eight days, after my decease to consider and if she chose to stay on my place and live with my son

Daniel Heller or how else live on the place, then shall she my wife have yearly and every year eight bushels

rye, two bushel wheat, one bushel buckwheat, a half bushel corn, fifity pound pork a

nd fifty pound beef and three pound hachett flax and six pound tow and she shall have a cow and my son Daniel or the man that lives on the place shall winter said cow

so good as his own cows an

d my son Daniel Heller shall build a room for my wife to live in, on one of my houses twelfe foot long and wo with the house is with a chimony and a iron stove let in and shall her give fier wood so m

uch as needful to the

house cut small as needful, and my wife shall have no liberty to take, no body in to live with her in said room without the will of the owner of the place, and this she sh

all have so long as she calls herself after my name Heller, and no longer,

further, it is my last will that thirty pound from my state shall be put out upon interest and remain on interest duri

ng my wife's life, and my wife Margaretha shall have every year the interest of said thirty pound during her life, back to my heirs

again but if my wife take up with the first offer that she qu

it my heirs and bind herselfe in writings that she will make hereafter no demand to my heirs, then she may do with her goods what she pleas, further it is my last will and testament that all

my

children shall be equal heirs except a few things what will be mentioned further, my son Daniel shall have, after my deceas, all my due from my sons John Hellers leas bill, said lease bill is ended n

ow the payments shall be paid as follows and every

year the twenty seventh day of November and the beginning one thousand seven hundred and eight eight. first to my son Jacob heller, the second

payment to my son Abraham, the third to my son Michael, the fourth to my son John Heller and then to my son

Simon Heller and then to my daughter Veronica [Sophronia] and then to my daughter El

isabeth and then to my daughter Margareth, and then to my daugthter Sarah, and then to my daughter Caty and then to my daughter Mary and then to my daughter Louisa,

further I give to my son Ant

ony Heller fifteen pound good lawful money for a horse sattle and bridle and my son Simon my black handkershif and my daughter Caty I give a long count of calico and a peticoate and two sheets of russ

ia linen, a pewter

blatter, seven shillingsworth and one dish and six pewter plates and my daughter Mary I give trilig for a bet and jeck for to put over it and two sheets of Russia linen six p

ewter plates and one pewter platter and a pewter dish seven shillingsworth and

calico for a count, and stuff for a pety Coat and one yard of fine linnen and one quarter of Cambric and a new spi

nning wheel or the money therefor fourther I Simon Heller empower my son Jacob Heller to sign over and deliver my son Daniel and my son

Anthony Heller the full right and title of my place here

in hamilton without any freaud or further likewise I empower my son Anthony to oversign and deliver to my son Jacob all right and title belonging to the place in plainfield in said County when

the Bond is paid from the year Seventeen Hundred Eighty Five. And I Simon Heller make my son Anthony Heller overseers of this my will to take care and see the same performed according to my true inten

t and meaning.

In witness whereof I the said Simon Heller have to this my last will and testament set my hand and seal the day and year above written.

Signed sealed and Delivered by the sa

id Simon Heller as and for his last will and testament in the presents of us who were present at the signing and sealing thereof:

Melchior Bossert

Christopher Keller

Jacob Steelsmith

I Simon Heller remember yet before signing and sealing this my last will and testament that the owner of this my place shall have the calf of said Cow after it has suckt three weeks.

Simo

n Heller _______

( )

( Seal )

(_______)

Simon died on 20 May 1785, two days after he wrote his will and he was buried beside his first wife, Louisa Dietz, in the cemetery adjoi

ning the Plainfield church. Chiseled in marble on his tombstone is the following: " Here rests in God, Johan

Simon Heller, born June 18, 1721 in Germany, at Petersheim, in Palitinate, died May

20, 1785.

In his marriage he begat 16 children. He lived to see sixteen grandchildren and fifty-four great grandchildren. He reached the age of sixty-four years less five weeks and two days. His

selected funeral text was 4th chapter Romans, 1st verse. Then

followed a German rhyme meaning in translation, "The body in the earth shall rest until the final day. Grant to me a joyful resurrect

ion and intercession at the judgement."

RIN: MH:N503002

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