The first KITCH we find over in this country is John Michael KITCH.  He was married to Elizabeth Weiss ( or Weissin, using the German feminine), daughter of Jacob Weiss and Barbra Wolf, at some point, with their first child being born in 1730, and every two years after that for four ( 4 ) children.  These were his namesake, John Michael, his daughters Elizabeth and Barbra, and my direct line, Martin.

John Michael's first appearance in any records we've found to-date was an assault and battery he charged John Priestly with, in 1730.  (Lancaster Quarter-Sessions, Nov.)  The original record has to be checked out, since this finding was based upon the book by Gary T. Brubaker (Hershey, PA., 1986,)

He and his father-in-law were among the first to file for Land Warrants in the new county of Lancaster, Pa.  Unfortunately, he never got around to having his land surveyed, so it was re-sold in 1748, eight years after his intestate filing, to M. Weidman, thence to Elser.  He had run a saw and fulling mill on the Middle Creek in what is now Clay township (on the line with Elizabethtown), and as of the 1880 edition of the History of Lancaster County (Ellis, reprint by GPC, 1985) it was still in operation as the Elser Mill.

bulletFirst appears 1730 - from where?
bulletMarried to Elizabeth Weiss - When?
bulletPartners in the Mill - were who?
bulletDied in 1740/1 - from?

 


John Michael Kitch's first Land Warrant in Lancaster

For questions, comments, or additions, please contact me at: jerry.garrison@snet.net  or jerrygarrison@yahoo.com