Notes:

In The Mennonites of America by C. Henry Smith, pubished 1909:

"The settlers (in PA) from 1711 to 1717 came as individuals and in small groups. But in the later year there was another wave of immigration including many of those who had been exiled from Berne in 1710 and 1711. These refugees, as we saw, were scattered throughout the Palatinate and other parts of Germany. they were never in prospersous circumstances. The country was wasted by wars. The churches were poor. They hac to gain a livelihood as best they could, often by the help of their brethren in the Netherlands. At the same time came a special invitation from King George I to settle the lands west of the Alleghanies. Consequently, in February of 1717 a number of elders met at Mannheim and decided to emigrate to Pennsylvania. The Committee on Foreign Needs which had been organized some time before at Amsterdam for the purpose of helping their needy brethren in the Palatinate, and to whom these exiles now applied for assistance, discouraged the movement due to fear that they would be pressed for more

The Mennonite settlement occupied at this time the southern half of what was then Conestoga Township. the northern part of the township was composed largely of Scotch-Irish and English. Most of Lancaster County was, as a result, mostly a Mennonite community. In the first list of tax payers taken in 1718, there was included the names of Jacob Landes, Felix Landes, and Jacob Landes Jr.

These early ships bearing the settlers arrived usually in the fall during the months of August, September, and October."

Three brothers, Felix, Jacob and John Landis were driven by persecution from Mannheim on the Rhine in Baden Wurttemberg, from whence they emigrated in 1717 to district Old Chester (now Lancaster) Co, PA, received a patent for 400 acres there in Creek near Witmer's Bridge (now East Lampeter): of Lampeter twp 1737. Mennonites. John settled in Bucks Co, PA but Felix and Jacob remained in Lancaster Co, PA.

Records in the Register's Office in Lancaster evidence the fact the Foelix Landis purchased two 400 acre tracts from the London Company under dates of February 19 and 20, 1718. He paid 75 pounds for the land. Felix sold 200 acres of the land to his son in law, Johannes Binkley, and his daughter Barbara for 100 pounds.

1929 Naturalized (Ref: Best Swiss Origins p 22.)

1723-From the book "East Lampeter Township" on page 893 is the following:

"Felix Landis was an old patentee under the London Company, having acquired four hundred acres of land by patent in 1723. He granted part of this property to John Binckle, as then written who appears to have been a relative. John Binckely died intestate in 1757, leaving three sons, Felix, Henry and Christian Binckley. At the divisiion of the property Felix Binckley took the water right and land adjoining, and in 1767 built the mill. Felix died in this county, and as there are many graves of Binckleys at Mellinger's graveyard, it is fair to suppose that he was buried there also, although no stone bearing his name can be found. After the death of Felix Binckley his immediate family moved to Dauphin County and bought a farm at the junction of the Swartara and Spring Run, where their descendants still reside. This property remained in a collateral branch of the family for some time after the movement of the family of Felix, the builder of the mill. there is a stone dwelling house upon this mill property,

1731- From the book History of Lancaster County, PA by Ellis and Evans in 1883, pgs 899-900. "Graff's Mill. Felix Landis, in 1719, received a patent from the sons of Penn, Proprietors of the province, for four hundred acres of land situated on a branch of Conestoga River, county of Chester, (note that in 1719 the land around Lancaster, PA was in Chester Co., that land did not become Lancaster Co., until 1727.) This land was on Mill Creek, farther south than the tract of Boughwalter, and separated from it by the tract of Michael Danner. In 1731 he transferred part of this tract to John Binkley, also a Palatine, who died intestate in 1760, and his son, Felix Binkley, took one hundred and thirteen acres and ninety-six perches at the settlement of the estate and in 1767 built the mill at Millport, on Mill Creek. This mill remained, as far as can be learned, in the hands of the Binkley family, but not the immediate descendants of Felix, SR., until about the year 1820, when John Binkley sold it to Jacob Ch

There are some apparent errors in the above description as John Binkley died in 1749 with a will.

Will of Felix Landis, born 1672 and died April, 1739.

In the name of God Amen: I, Felix Landis, of the Township of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster, in the Province of Pennsylvania, yeoman, being of perfect memory and sound judgment, thanks be to God for it, but weak and frail, and being satisfied to settle my affairs before it shall please God to call me hence. I do hereby give my soul to God who gave it to me, and my body to be buried in a decent manner at the discretion of my executors hereinafter nominated and: Item, I do leave and bequeath to my beloved wife, Rosina, One full third of all my real and personal estate that I shall die possessed of, Item, I do leave and bequeath unto Abraham Miers, the sum of five shillings currance to be paid immediately after my decease by my executors hereinafter nominated in full of all demands he shall or may have against my estate, real or personal, for or on account of being married to my daughter, Fronicka, Item, I leave and bequeath all the residue and remainder of my estate to my only son, Felix, to be u

Felix's land was next to that of Jacob Landis, his brother.

Felix married WITNER Rosina in 1705 in Alsace, Germany. Rosina was born in ABT. 1675 in Germany or Switzerland; died in AFT. 1739 in Lancaster County, PA; was buried in Mellinger Cem, Lampeter Twp, Lancaster Co, PA. [Group Sheet]

Fronica married MIERS Abraham. [Group Sheet]

Barbara married BINKLEY Johannes in ABT. 1725 in Lancaster Co, PA. Johannes was born in ABT. 1695 in Guggisberg, Bern, Switzerland; died on 4 May 1749 in Lancaster Co, PA. [Group Sheet]

Felix married LOBAN Catharine in 1727 in PA. Catharine was born in 1708. [Group Sheet]

Felix married ELKINS Mary in 1750 in Derry, Lancaster Co, PA. Mary was born in 1708 in Alsace, Germany. [Group Sheet]

Anna married DOHNER Jacob. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

John was the oldest child of Johannes. A horse killed him before his marriage and before he reached his 21st birthday. Apparenty the will of his father was never probated because of the death of John, his first born son, who is mentioned in the will.

Felix married LANDIS Anna in 1756 in Lancaster Co, PA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Unknown Writer:

Christian Binkley (1737-1805). Born in Lancaster County, PA. He married Elizabeth Shulmacker and they lived in a two story stone house near Eden, Northeast of Lancaster on the Conestoga Creek. Here he built, around 1779, a grist and saw mill and in 1789 the famous Binkley's Bridge. The mill was three and a half stories high and measured thirty by sixty feet. It is said he was wealthy. he is listed in the records as having __rded horses, along with other Lancaster citizens, in compliance with the Army order of 1 August, 1780 which stated "the county was to furnish 1,200 barrels of four monthy, 5,000 bushels of forage, 50 wagons, 400 horses and 700 men."

The bridge, located where the current Route 23 crossed the river, was the first stone bridge in Lancaster County and cost about $17,000 to build. To repay the cost of construction, Christian sought to have the state grant him the priviledge of making it a toll bride. Unable to secure permission, he later transferred the bridge to the public for one thousand pounds in sold and silver coin.

Christian married SHULMAKER Elizabeth. Elizabeth was born in ABT. 1740. [Group Sheet]

Anna married JOHNSON Richard in ABT. 1761 in Lancaster Co, PA. [Group Sheet]

Henry married HERR Fronica "Fanny". Fronica (daughter of HERR David and HERSHEY Barbara) was born on 19 Jan 1746/47; died in 1813. [Group Sheet]

Ann married LICHT John in Mar 1748/49 in Lebanon Co, PA. [Group Sheet]

Henry married POORMAN Anna. [Group Sheet]

Barbara married LICHT Henry. [Group Sheet]

John married HERR Susannah. Susannah (daughter of HERR Christian and BRENNEMAN Veronica) was born on 15 Sep 1762 in PA; died on 20 Jun 1816 in Lampeter Twp, Lancaster Co, PA; was buried in Mellinger's Cemetery, Lancaster Co, PA. [Group Sheet]

Johnson married HAINES Elizabeth in ABT. 1786 in Probably Lancaster Co, PA. (daughter of HAINES Samuel and YONER Mary) [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Barbara can be found on the 1860 census records for Wayne Co, Plain Twp, Ohio. She is livng with her children: Fanny, Anna, Barbara, Mary, and Elizabeth. The family is living between the families of David Mellinger and Christian Mellinger.

Barbara married MELLINGER Benedict on 3 Sep 1793 in First Reformed Church, Lancaster County, PA. Benedict (son of MELLINGER Melchior and UNKNOWN) was born on 25 Oct 1770; died on 11 Aug 1851 in Plain Twnshp, Wayne County, Ohio; was buried in Reedsburg Cemetery, Ohio. [Group Sheet]