| Notes |
- Jan Binkley believes his first name was George, thus LtCol George Michael Brobst.
With his brother, Johannes, he operated "Union Forge" in Albany Twp. He owned considerable land in Albany Twp, Berks Co, and 247 acres of woodland in Lynn Twp, Lehigh Co. He owned a valuable flour mill (The Brobst Grist Mill) near the village of Albany where flour was made to be used by the neighbors who built ovens and baked bread to relieve the suffering of Washington's army in the Rev. War. In his will, he gave the Forges and Furnace jointly to his son Michael and to his daughter Elizabeth and her husband James Mitchell.
In the Miller Family history "The Spirit of Evangelical Women", p 128, Michael was described as a "rich iron-master of Albany, Berks County." He disowned his daughter Magdalena because she became an Evangelical, and she suffered bitter persecution from him. He was known for his bad temper (per Jan Binkley).
He was a LT COL, 3rd Battalion, Northhampton County Militia, Rev. War. He is listed in the DAR Patriot Index files, and is on the DAR Roll of Honor. One report that he had served with General Stanwix in the Indian wars on the frontier in 1758-1759 was in error, since Michael wasn't born until 1751. The Michael who served with General Stanwix was Michael Bobst (1739).
Both Andrew and Daniel Straub of Lynn Twp, Lehigh County are listed on the General Muster Roll for June 18, 1777 under Colonel Michael Brobst, as is his uncle, Mathias George Probst 1736.
His will was written in Albany Twp, Berks Co, PA, on Oct 3 1814. He mentioned his sons Johannes (Jacob) and (George) Michael, his daughter Elizabeth and his son-in-law James Mitchell, his daughters Magdalena Miller, Maria Miller, Catherina Merckel, and Susanna Landes; and his friend Jacob Levan (the father-in-law of his Uncle Valentine); no mention of his wife who preceded him in death.
He is buried near the boundary of Berks and Lehigh Counties, but the dates on the stones are obliterated with age.
Courtesy of Peggy Light, Albany County Historical Society: From "A
History of the Evangelical Church", by Raymond W. Albright, 1942:
"A very unudual situation grew out of the regular preaching of (Rev. Jacob)
Albright at the home of Michael Brobst near Miller's home in Albany
Township, Berks County, equalled perhaps only in the Eyer family near
New Berlin where the Rev. John Dreisbach, the Rev. Henry Niebel, and the
Rev. David Shellenberger married daughters of the Eyers. Magdalena and
Maria (Catharina) Brost married George and Solomon Miller and were
convereted with their husbands under Albright's preaching. Mr. Brobst,
formerly a lieutenant in the French and Indian War and a major and
lieutenant-colonel of militia in the Revolution, was a wealthy owner of
the Union Iron Works and had associated with him his two sons John and
Michael Jr. These sons with their wives were also won to the
(Evangelical) church at the Easter meeting at the home of Solomon Miller
in 1803. As a result of these accessions, a class was formed and George
Miller became their leader. Both George and Solomon Miller later became
ministers. Colonel Brobst was very much opposed to having a son-in-law
in the ministry and, it is reported, tried to kill George Miller. Jacob
Albright intervened and succeeded in calming Brobst. Later Brobst was
converted and his home became a regular preaching place."
|
Abt 1751 - 1814 (~ 63 years)