| Notes |
- Philip Jacob Probst was a master potter by trade (as were his father and brothers) in Kandel. He left Kandel and moved across the Lauder (River) about 15 miles to Oberseebach, in Alsace, where he met Catherine (Christ?), his future wife. C'erine was a French Heugonot. They were married probably in Oberseebach, although they may have married in Minfeld before they moved to Alsace. (In 1720, Alsace was controlled by Germany, but soon thereafter reverted back to French control.) He might have also later used the name of Philippe Jacques Probst, reflecting the politics of living in French Alsace! The births of his first four children were recorded there. They were French citizens when they left for America. The first names of the three boys may have been originally intended to be Johan, but had become Jean for political reasons, prior to their departure for America.
It is noted in the church records in Oberseebach (Evangelish-Reformierte Kirche) that one Phillippe J. Probst was the godfather on April 15 1724 of Marie Marguerite Anthes, daughter of Henri Anthes and his wife, Eve; the godmother was Maria Margaretha Christin (Christ). That same Maria Margaretha Christin was the godmother of Jean Michael, son of Philipp Jacob and C'erine. It is also noted that the German translation of those baptismal records shows PJ's name to be Philippus Jacobus in one place and Philippi Jacobi in another!!
He came to America on the pink (ship) "John and William" , leaving from Rotterdam, Holland, and then Dover, England, in 1732, and landing in Philadelphia on 17 October of that year, with their children Jean Michael, Jean Valentine, Jean Martin, and perhaps Anne Marie. Also on that boat were (1) an older Hans Michael Probst (1655?), PJ's younger brother Johann Michael (1707), and his younger sister Elisabeth Margaretha Probst Vossellmann.
His family stayed in Philadelphia over the winter, and in the spring of 1733 left for Berks County. See "The Brobst Chronicles" for details of this move and settlement. Since he could not make a living as a potter, he became a farmer as well.
By virture of a warrant dated 1 August 1734 (Book C-155, page 253, in the Land Office of the Commonwealth) and surveyed 12 November 1735, PJ was granted 200 acres of land situated on Kistler Creek, a branch of Maiden Creek, in eastern Albany Township, Berks County. He soon after acquired 50 acres more. In 1743, he acquired 97 more acres. The northeast corner of his land extended into Lynn Twp, Northampton (now Lehigh) County, per Lewis Donat, a Berks/Lehigh County historian. His farm, adjoining the Donat plantation, was northeast of Kempton, Albany Twp, Berks County, about 7 miles northwest from that of his brother, Johann Michael, whose farm was in Weisenberg Twp, Lehigh County. To the south of this land was the farmland of Jean Valentine Probst, reaching almost to the Jerusalem Church.
It is evident that Philip Jacob and Michael Probst; and Erhardt Vosselman
moved much more quickly than most to become established in a district that for a time was called Allemagnel, which today is Albany Township, Berks County, PA. Philip Jacobs’ warrant for two hundred acres of land plus 6% allowance for roads is dated 1 Aug 1734 which is but twenty one months from the time of their arrival in this country. This has been found to be most unusual.
The farmsite is located just about a mile northwest of the Jerusalem "Red" Church in Stony Run, in what was back then called Fetherolfsville. It lies just north of Kistler Creek, at the intersection of Kistler Valley Road and Old Philly Pike. The bridge is still called Fetherolfsville Bridge on county maps.
The tract, resembling huge trapezoid is located East of the village of Kempton, Berks County, PA, along what is locally known as the "Kistlers’ Valley Road". More specifically, Philipp Jacob's house located just north of the bridge spanning the Kistler Valley Creek in what years ago was regarded as the village of Fetherolfsville would be near the center of this tract. The tract bordered George Ritter's farm on the west side.
All three of them, Philip Jacob and Michael Probst and Erhardt Vosselman must have been skilled in the trades of masonry and carpentry, although they had been potters in Germany. With all of this work in progress in this time period of the 1730s, this would account for the reason why Erhardt Vosselman did not acquire his own tract of land until 4 Oct 1738. There is a possibility that Hans David Billman was another person to aid in the construction of the Brobst tract; for he had acquired land adjoining Erhardt Vosselman on the North of the warrant, too, dated 4 Oct 1738. Billman arrived in this country on 16 September 1736. Certainly the sons of Philip Jacob Brobst were of but limited help during this time period for in 1734 his son Michael was but 13 years old, Valentine was 10, and Martin was 8. It was during this time period that their three daughters were born.
In addition to necessary housing and farm buildings that had to be constructed, a
grist mill and a saw mill were built across the road from the house of Philip Jacob. This mill has long since disappeared but the foundation stones still exist at the site, though no longer visible because of later road improvements.
For a period of almost eight years, there was no attempt made to acquire more land. The building phase was completed, and the Brobst children were growing up. Suddenly, in 1742, there was a flurry of activity. A fifty acre tract of land was acquired about a mile distant from the plantation; a twenty five acres tract of land was acquired which adjoined the plantation on the western boundary; a seventy five acre tract of land was acquired which adjoined the plantation partially on the northern boundary and all of the eastern boundary. All of these separate tracts were acquired by warrants on the same day, the 23rd of March, 1742.
The family farmhouse was on the farmsite of Philipp Jacob Probst. The original log house is gone, but the stone house which replaced it is still there and is being used today as a residence. There is a stone in the foundation clearly engraved "1737". During the French and Indian War, the Ft. Henry Militia stayed overnight in the "Brobst Tavern" in Philipp Jacob's house, operated by Valentine Brobst. The bar room was in the cellar, next to the fireplace which is still there. The tavern had a separate entrance around the south side of the house.
The house left Brobst hands probably around 1900. Interestingly, the front walkway is made of the millstones from Martin Probst's Mill which was across the street. The stone house has been modified and expanded in recent years. In the 1930s, it was occupied by Ralph and Mabel Lutz; they sold it to a Dritski family in the 1950s. It is currently occupied by Joseph and Barbara Freeman. Sarah (Schroeder) Burns, a Brobst descendant, spent some time visiting in that house when she wasa child, not knowing it was a Brobst ancestral home!
In 1740, he and his sons helped to build the "New Bethel Corner" Church in Albany Township, west of Kempton, and just north of the Brobst Grist Mill on Pine Creek. (per Bill Rutledge)
PJ's son Jean Michael took over management the farm in the late-1750s; PJ died around 1757-1759, just a short time before his wife, C'erine. Jean Michael died in 1771, and his sons Martin and Johannes F. took over the farm.
His saw mill (later son Martin's) Grist Mill was just across the street (now Old Philly Pike), also on the north side of Kistler Creek, but is no longer there; it was located in what is now just a depression with some buried stones in a grove of trees.
Their children were probably all born on the family farm.
His spelling of English was poor, and command of spoken English probably not much better.
PJ signed his will on Apr 27, 1747, stating that he was then in good health; his will was not probated until Mar 21, 1860. Jacob Albrecht was a witness to the signing of the will, which was written in very poor English, and signed what appears to be "Philbs Brobs". However, Lewis Donat of Allentown challenges that will. He translated the original will from German to English. On May 20, 1991, Lewis wrote to Paul Gann:
"1760 was the year of the probate of the last will and testament of Philip Jacob Probst. At this point I will write something that will astonish you. Historians have oft quoted this will, and it has caused some genealogical discomfort. I say to you that the PHILIP JACOB BROBST WILL IS A FRAUD. Now that you have regained consciousness from this genealogical shock, let me give you the end result of all these goings on. We are dealing here with the original 1734 land purchase by PJ containing 212 acres of land. In addition to that we must add 150 acres of the 1742 purchase, all of which amounts to 362 acres of the finest farm land to be found, and is so to this day. the PJ daughters were very neatly eased out of the picture, leaving the land mass to PJ's sons. (Jean) Michael, as administrator of the PJ estate, out of love and affection for his brothers, paid 5 shillings to (Jean) Valentine and 5 shillings to (Jean) Martin; Valentine, out of love and affection for his brothers, paid (Jean) Michael 5 shill
He apparently never became a naturalized citizen.
His will was witnessed by Johann Jacob Albrecht, father of Marilis Albrecht who married Philipp Jacob's son Jean Michael.
His will was probated on March 21 1760; his death date is not recorded. He apparently died 13 years earlier, which was the date of his will. He was by his own assertion in "I being in good helth and my Naturall Senses" in 1747 when he made his will; it is assumed he lived significantly longer than that. It would have been extremely unusual to take 13 years to probate the will, especially as land-hungry as his sons were. On the other hand, Bill Rutledge's history of the Brobsts notes that he "was not listed among the residents of Albany Township in 1748 or 1752, although his three sons were listed." He was not listed on the tax rolls for Albany Twp, Berks Co, in 1752, so he may have already died by then. Rutledge states ".... the will was not filed until 1760 as the widow died in 1760 and the necessity of settling the estate led to the filing of the Will and the repatenting of the Land."
Per Irene Konrad, he was buried on 27 Apr 1747, so perhaps he really did die in Apr 1747. Brobst is trying to verify that.
Perhaps buried w/ C'erine in New Bethel "Corner" Church Cemetery, Albany Twp, Berks Cty, but no marked stones have been found (there are many unmarked ones). It is also possible that both he and C'erine were buried on the family farmsite.
It is noted that a Joes Philippus Probst was the sponsor for the baptism of Johannes Philippus Enes, born to Johannes and Elisabeth Enes, Pietists -- in Oberseebach, Alsace, on 14 June 1726, in the Oberseebach Catholic and Lutheran Church! Who was Joes Philippus Probst?
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1692 - 1747 (54 years)