|
History
-of the-
Clewell Family
-in the-
United States of America
1737—1907
-By-
Lewis B. Clewell and Rev. Lewis P. Clewell
-Edited by-
Wilson D. Seyfried
Bethlehem, PA, U.S.A.
The Keystone Printing Company
1907
PREFACE
Editor’s Preface
The preparation of
the Clewell Family History has been undertaken by me as a “Labor of
Love.” Whatever diffidence I have felt in executing this trust, it has
been undertaken as a posterior duty and esteemed to be a great
privilege. My daily duties made the work burdensome at times, so that it
would have been my choice to have had more leisure for accomplishing our
purpose, but the patience of our patrons and subscribers has been
sufficient.
The
history has been a work of no small magnitude. Rising from obscurity and
the humblest beginnings, our forefathers builded better than they knew.
Little did they think as they mingled with men, fulfilling their
missions, that their deeds were to be known by later generations and
that their posterity should be so numerous. Our generation is indebted
to the authors for their enthusiasm they displayed in their undertaking.
We regret that one of them could not see his work while to the other we
bow in gratitude and adoration.
We
trust that our kinsfolk will receive this volume as a book of
information and before harshly criticizing it, contemplate the
circumstances and perplexities in recording the families in their proper
order. It may contain errors, due to wrong reports or in transcribing or
even in calculating the dates since we have found obituary records
differing with the records on tombstones thus making it impossible to
avoid inconsistencies. But we believe the mistakes are few and
unimportant.
We now
submit the work to our readers with a feeling of confidence that it is
worthy of success and hope that they will find it a source of
entertainment and interest, and that it will help to promote in the
hearts of all the sympathy and respect for higher aspirations and closer
fellowship.
Bethlehem,
Pa., August 1907. The
Editor.
To Top
Authors’ Preface
Regrets
have been expressed repeatedly by members of the Clewell family that so
little is known of the genealogy and history, coupled with desires that
some one might be moved to snatch it from oblivion. With this object in
view, we, Lewis B. Clewell, a descendant of Franz, and Lewis P., of
George Craft Clewell, undertook the task: the former, to collect and
tabulate the genealogy, the latter, to compile a brief history.
The
former proved the more difficult task; the family, already in the
seventh or eighth generation, numbers thousands and are widely scattered
over the American Continent, of some all traces are lost; others,
indifferent as to whence and whom they are, neglected to furnish the
needed dates, etc., so that, in spite of the patient and painstaking
efforts to make the record as complete as possible, some branches of the
family remain incomplete.
The
historical part proved more satisfactory. The writer had ready access to
the valuable archives of the Moravian congregations at Schoeneck,
Nazareth and Bethlehem. He also came into possession of valuable family
records.
It is
a laudable undertaking; if you find that you belong to an honorable
family, it is a strong incentive to lead an honorable life; for while
nobility is not in the blood, but in the character, it still remains a
fact that blood will tell.
“The
history,” as Dr. Stapleton well says in his Memorial of the Huguenots
“is a story of suffering for the sake of the ‘faith once delivered to
the saints.’”
With
two-fold object, to rescue from oblivion the memory of our honored
ancestors, and impress upon the minds of their numerous descendants the
fact that theirs is an honorable descent; that it may prove, as well, an
incentive to all who read, “to so run, that they may likewise obtain,”
we have undertaken the task. If these desired objects are gained, even
in part, we shall feel amply compensated for our efforts.
Bethlehem, Pa.,
December 1903.
The
Authors.
This
book goes forth as the history of the first seven generations of the
Clewell Family in the United States. As its preparation has been
connected with several other names from whom some assistance has been
derived, the extent of such aid will be fully acknowledged. The
particular connection of Mr. Wilson D. Seyfried with the publication,
deserves special mention, which is now given.
When
the history was first proposed, such was the condition of my health,
that in view of contingencies, we sought the aid of a competent person
to assist us in the work. We induced Mr. Seyfried to join us in the
work, and he has been identified with us in every stage of the book’s
progress, until its conclusion. My co-laborer, Rev. Clewell, was
confident of his part and soon after the first Reunion favored the
publication of the data then collected, but the Angel of Death
intervened. He had his manuscript prepared while I had collected between
four and five hundred families but no end in sight. Thus ended our joint
labors.
After
the death of my colleague and through the ill-health of myself, the work
rested mainly on him. The large increase in the genealogical part of the
history made it necessary to revise the history and when it is known
that he has performed his duties in the school room, during the whole
period of his connection with the work, it will be acknowledged that he
has acquitted himself to the history with fidelity, especially in view
of the fact, that there was no pecuniary reward in sight. He is the
Editor and as such we honored and recognized him.
Whatever defects or omissions may exist in the volume, they will find an
ample excuse in the circumstances under which it was written. The whole
book so fully expresses my personal views, that I accept the surviving
authorship without reserve, and for its contents assume the sole
responsibility. My part has been to collect and suggest. So far as frail
humanity would permit, it is a truthful and complete history of the
Clewell Family. To insure the correctness of our manuscripts we mailed
over a thousand of them to people who are competent to approve them.
It is
a very pleasant duty to acknowledge the assistance that I have received
from Rev. George F. Bahnson, of the Schoeneck Moravian Church; Bishop J.
Mortimer Levering, of Bethlehem, Pa.; Rev. William Oerter, of Lebanon,
Pa.; Bishop Charles L. Moench, of Philadelphia, Pa.; Dr. P. F. Laugenour,
of Statesville, N. C.; Mr. J. O. Knauss, of the Department of Public
Instruction, of Harrisburg, Pa.; and the pastors of the Nazareth
Moravian Church: for their research of records. To them a frank
acknowledgment of obligation is cheerfully accorded. I, also, wish to
express my sincere thanks to Mr. Lucius E. Ricksecker; Mr. Oliver L.
Fehr; Capt. Frank C. Stout; Mr. Stephen A. Trein; and Mr. Ephraim Loux,
for their self-sacrificing labor.
And
now, my dear kinsfolk, having assigned to all concerned proper credit,
my task is about to close. One word more and I have done. My days of
practical usefulness are passing away; I can not much longer mingle in
the Reunions of the family. This doubtless is my last effort to serve my
kindred. It is my last tribute to my ancestors, —my farewell to that
loving band of friends and kinsmen, the sons and daughters of Franz and
George Craft Clewell.
Bethlehem,
Pa., August, 1907
Lewis B. Clewell
To Top
Introduction
Motive
lies back of every effort. The honoring of one’s parents and ancestors
of a remoter degree, the transmission to our posterity of permanent,
reliable, and easily accessible family records, the promotion of better
acquaintance with one’s own and stronger ties of love and kinship, and a
general interest in biography, constitute the motives and furnish the
justification for the publication of a work like this.
Interest in one’s ancestry, as distinguished from family pride, is
natural, and not always born of vanity. Your own child, that wishes to
be told a story of when you were a little boy, is only manifesting a
natural interest which all of us possess. Benjamin Franklin in his
inimitable “Autobiography” expressed the same interest.
Honoring one’s ancestor, without worshipping them (as the Chinese do),
and without attempting simply to honor ourselves (as the wealthier or
more famous families might be disposed to do), is always commendable.
One of the purposes of this book is the proper recognition of the
sterling qualities of our forefathers.
The
Clewell descendants have not the same temptation to family pride that
might be supposed to exist in families whose founders, though not more
honorable from a moral point of view, had yet achieved greater things in
literature, politics, or finance.
The
life history, in its early stages, of the first Clewell ancestors in
America, reads, as does Lincoln’s, to use his own quotation, like the
“simple annals of the poor.” When the widowed “stamm-mutter” and her two
boys, Franz and George, arrived in Philadelphia, in the year 1737, they
were in worse plight than Franklin was when he arrived at the same place
just a few years previous, with a singe dollar in his pocket.
While
many of the Clewell family were schooled in the same as were Lincoln and
Franklin, and though the Clewells are now represented in every calling
and profession, it is not yet of record that they have produced shining
lights of such magnitude as Franklin and Lincoln. But there is hope,
possibly, in rising generations.
Family
pride is, in most aspects, a contemptible thing. It is not the purpose
of this book to foster any of it. The achievements of our ancestors are
not our own. The Joneses have other blood in them besides Jones’ blood,
and if we trace our lineage back far enough will we not all arrive at a
common origin?
Family
pride is proper only when it deters one from wrong doing. But even then,
to do right for love of right is better. It is a proper interest in our
ancestry, then, rather than family pride, that prompts the publication
of this book.
“One
half of the world does not know how the other half is getting along.”
Just as true is it that “One generation knows very little about the
other.” It is a pitiable fact that many children do not know the time
and place of birth of their parents, to say nothing of remoter
generations. It would puzzle a good many to give their grandmother’s
Christian name. But children are not always to blame for ignorance of
matters which transpired before their advent into this world. Hence, the
necessity and duty of transmitting in some form, whether by
autobiography (not necessarily printed), or diary, or in family Bible,
or, in case of large families a work like this, accurate family records.
If
such records had been kept, one might have the satisfaction of
ascertaining who his ancestors were on all lines, for some generations
back. As before indicated, no Clewell is a Clewell only. Where there is
no marriage into one’s own family, every person has or had two parents,
four grand parents, eight great grand parents, sixteen great great grand
parents, and so on, the number increasing by a geometrical ratio of two
with every generation. How many of these ancestors can we name? This
question again suggests the importance of transmitting proper records to
our children.
It is
the absence, in many cases, of such records, that makes the compilation
of a family history such a laborious task. The amount of labor involved
in the production of such a work as this is much greater than imagined
by most readers. Great credit is due the compilers of the patience,
self-sacrifice, labor, and skill bestowed upon this work.
The
form of the present record and the method of using it, as explained in
the “Preface,” will be found to be most satisfactory, as it enables
lineage to be traced in either direction with the least possible effort.
It comes as near perfection as any to be found in our day. The Jewish
system of family records differed from others in that each family record
carried names of male descendants only, the female descendants, unless
unmarried, being reckoned as of the family into which such married, and
celibacy being at a discount then, as it ought to be now. This system,
if universally adopted, would have the immense advantage of saving all
duplication of record, at the same time affording perfect record of
female descendants, as well as male, by reference from one family record
to another.
Any
record is better than none. A large portion of the Clewell record was
preserved in some form or other, for which due credit is to be given.
With many other families such a compilation as this is utterly
impossible for lack of reliable data.
The
present compilers had an advantage possessed by comparatively few
American families, in that there was but one founder of the name Clewell
(two, if you consider the family as beginning with the brothers Franz
and George). The Smiths, the Millers, and thousands of other names, have
been reinforced by repeated importations from other countries; and thus,
whoever attempted to compile, for instance, a Smith family history would
deserve the profoundest commiseration of everybody.
The
Clewell family is of Huguenot origin. And, no doubt, much of the
sterling character of our ancestors was developed in the school of
affliction and persecution. Other countries have gained what
France
has lost. For a more complete history of the family, the reader is
referred to the reports of reunions and to the biographies.
“If
you would train a child aright, you must begin with his grandmother.”
There is much food for reflection in that saying. The laws of heredity
never ceased to operate upon mankind, and one generation helps or
hinders succeeding ones according as it transmits good or bad qualities
to the next generation. Our race is a fallen one, to be sure, but it is
an undisputed fact that some have suffered more from the fall than
others. Who will say that it’s not in some measure due to the piety of
our persecuted ancestors that there are today so many among their
descendants preaching the good tidings of redemption the only Way
whereby man can be saved?
Beyond
the period of Huguenot persecutions, the Clewell family cannot be
traced. Very few families can be traced as far even as that. The farther
back we go beyond that period, the greater the darkness and general
ignorance, until we again reach the first centuries of the Christian
era. Surnames were not in common use prior to the tenth century. It was
no doubt providential that family records should be broken at this
point. Had they not been thus broken, how many would still be priding
themselves as being of the “seed of Abraham” according to the flesh
instead of seeking to be united to the true “Seed” by faith.
On
account of the liberal sprinkling of biography in this work, and the
interesting statistics found in the reports read at reunions, the book,
we trust, will be of considerable general interest, an interest shared
by many who are not of the Clewell lineage. The biographies represent
life as it really is, —its struggles, its successes, its sorrows, its
joys, its every-day duties, and some of its extraordinary tasks.
But,
of course, the work will be of special interest to those of the kin
covered by the title of the book. To the unmarried, it might be well to
suggest that they first consult the index of the book, as the laws
forbid marriage within certain degrees of consanguinity. The Jews, in
whose favor some of our laws make an exception, have sometimes so
intermarried that one could figure himself out as being his own
grandfather, —probably an undesirable result.
In
looking through the book, the reader (if he be a Clewell descendant)
will undoubtedly find names of persons of whose kinship with him he was
entirely unaware. He needs to be “introduced” to them, and this book
will do it. Thus the book will enlarge his acquaintance and ought to
promote love and sociability, and if it accomplishes these results only,
the book will be doing a good work.
The
Clewells evidently believe in “race preservation,” as there are
now more than four thousand of them, although the eighth generation is
just beginning to “sprout,” as it were. This shows well by comparison,
considering that families ordinarily grow by geometrical ratio. The
family of Roger Williams, several generations older, number about
eighteen thousand.
May
this book be a worthy memorial of those ancestors of ours that have
fallen asleep. And as to the living ones, so widely scattered, and many
of them so little acquainted with one another, may this book itself be
between them a genuine and most cordial “Introduction.”
Providence, R.
I., April, 1907
Chas. W. Loux.
To Top
To the Memory
of the
“Mothers” and “Fathers” of the Clewell Family
Who have gone to enjoy the full fruition
of the
“Fatherhood of God” and the Brotherhood of Man,
the Fundamental Tenet of Our Better Lives,
Which sought Recognition at their hands;
To the
Executive Committee
And
Living Kindred
With the Hope and Belief that their struggles will
Likewise be crowned,
This Volume is Dedicated.
To Top
A General History
-Of the –
Clewell Family
FROM WHERE ¢
¢
s to
whence the Clewells are is a matter not easily determined. All
the records in our possession, however, assure us that the
grand-parents of Franz and George Clewell were French Protestant
or Huguenots. They lived in the southern part of France in the
province of Dauphiny (Dauphiné) in the town of Grenoble, and
from this place they fled to Auerbach in Baden. No attempt has
been made to trace our ancestry in Europe for reasons which are
almost self evident. One might wish to know more about them and
without doubt could discover much interesting data bearing upon
their ancestral lineage or affiliation.
DAUPHINY
¢
¢
auphiné
was formerly a frontier province in the southeastern part of
France, now comprising the departments of Dróme Isére and Hautes
Alps. It is a mountainous district with beautiful and fertile
valleys. It borders on Italy and Switzerland on the east with
the lofty Alps mountains as its boundary. Its chief city was
Grenoble. It has a strong fortress and even at present is an
important city. It was originally a city of the Allobroges and
later was fortified by the Romans who had conquered the
province, 121 B.C. and the people became loyal subjects of that
empire. In the 5th Century, it was conquered by the Burgundians
who were originally a German tribe, and for a short period was a
part of an independent kingdom. From 1032 until the middle of
the 14th Century, it was a possession of Germany when it was
presented to France by the last Lord of the old rulers who had
the title of “Dauphin” from which the province received its
name. Among the public buildings of Grenoble is the “Palace of
Justice” which was originally the palace of the Dauphin.
Such is
the history of the country from which the grandparents of Franz
and George Clewell fled. Whether the history sheds any light
upon their ancestors or not, is left to the judgment of the
reader but the environment in which people live is a great
factor in their lives and the laws of heredity can neither be
disavowed.
To
Top
DERISIVE TAUNTS
¢
¢
here are
those in the family who regard it very probably that they
originally came not only from this frontier province of ancient
Gaul, but from the frontier of the frontier, namely, Spain. Two
plausible reasons are given: First, there is an old saying among
the older Clewells that they were sometimes, in derision, called
“Schwartze Spanier,” Black Spaniards as well as “Schwartze
Fransoa” Black Frenchmen. Second, that the early members of the
family, before they were much intermarried with the fair-haired
and blue-eyed Germans, were a very black-haired and black-eyed
people, although of remarkable fair skin. Their vivacity of
disposition and temper, their versatility and impulsive
eccentricities, indicate that they were descended from the Latin
or Celtic races, rather than from the fair and more phlegmatic
Germans who overran and conquered ancient Gaul, converting it
into modern France.
THE FAMILY
¢
¢
he family
must have been quite numerous for the name appears among the
exiles of various lands and also among the galley-slaves to
which some had been condemned. Michael Clavel who was number
37,246 had been in servitude for three years on the ship “La
Fidelle” and another person, Antoine Clavel, who was number
30,789, had been in servitude for six years on the ship “La
Vieille Reale.” They were among galley-slaves that were released
by King Louis XIV of France in 1713 and 1714 respectively. Rev.
David Clavel, a prominent member of the Reformed Church, was
born in 1754, in Genoa. As early as 1628, a John Clavel, a
poetical highway-man under Charles I, who after being reprieved
wrote a poem on the “Tricks of Highwayman and How to Catch
Thieves.”
Another
branch of the family, the one in which we are directly
interested, fled from Dauphiny to Auerbach, Baden, for the sake
of “the Faith once delivered unto the Saints.”
To
Top
EDICT OF NANTES
¢
¢
uring the
struggles of the Reformation period, the Protestants of France
were successful in obtaining a decree which secured for them
religious freedom. They enjoyed this privilege to see 760
churches rise but were denied the printing of books on the
tenets of their religion, except in such places where it already
existed nor were they allowed to approach the heart of the
government with their religion and consequently their political
strength was gradually crushed and their liberties interfered
with. On October18, 1685, King Louis XIV of France revoked the
Decree and more than 400,000 of the Protestants left their
country and fled to other countries for protection rather than
submit to Popish superstition. Among these refugees were
merchants, manufacturers and skilled artisans, the most
intelligent and most religious people of the nation. The loss to
the French king was immense and the despotic ruler being
entrapped through his half-secret marriage to one who was
governed by the Jesuits, wreaked vengeance upon the Protestants
with sword and fire. With the alternative of Popish superstition
and oppression, and the truth as it is in Jesus, they chose the
latter. Leaving in quick flight, they left all their worldly
goods behind in order to find refuge where they might worship
God according to the teachings of His Word and the dictates of
their consciences.
To
Top
THE FLIGHT
¢
¢
here is a
well authenticated tradition that an only brother of Francois
Clavel became separated from the rest of the family during the
flight and was never heard of again. He doubtless, became a
victim of the persecution. Their first resting place in their
flight was in Geneva, Switzerland, whither the parents of the
future wife of Francois had also fled. How long they stopped in
that city we are not told but they continued their journey,
perhaps to gratify a desire for greater safety, into Baden from
whence their posterity was destined to continue the flight until
they landed upon the shores of the New World.
FRANCOIS CLAVEL
¢
¢
hen our
ancestors arrived in the Palatinate they renewed their
allegiance to the Reformed Church of which they were consistent
and zealous members as is evident from the autobiography of
Franz Clewell. Francois Clavel was married in Auerbach to Louise
Frache in 1718. He appears to have been a man of more than
ordinary intelligence and force of character. He died in the
year 1730, leaving a widow and two sons, Franz, aged ten, and
George Craft, aged four years.
LOUISA FRACHE
¢
¢
he widow,
Louisa Clavel, nee Frache, was born in Geneva, Switzerland, on
the 5th of December, 1695. Her parents, as already stated, were
among the French Huguenots who were compelled to seek refuge
under a Protestant ruler. They were also members of the Reformed
Church. She received a very good education as well as a thorough
religious training. Her span in life from her birthplace in
Geneva to her last resting-place on Schoeneck’s “God’s Acre,”
shows that she played the part of a heroine in many respects.
To
Top
HER
SECOND MARRIAGE ¢
¢
bout a
year after the death of her husband, Francois Clavel, she
married Johannes G’Fellern, a native of
Switzerland.
This marriage no doubt, was prompted by feeling the need of a
protector for herself and her children in those unsettled
times. The religious wars continued and the persecutions of the
Protestants were as furious as ever. This union was blessed with
one daughter who died in infancy. No further mention is made of
her second husband except that his name appears among the
immigrants of the Billender Townshead which anchored in
the Delaware at Philadelphia on October 5, 1737, from Amsterdam,
Holland.
THE PASS
¢
¢
hat he
assumed the responsibility of a father is evident from the so
called PASS which he obtained from the officers in whose
jurisdiction they lived. The Pass, which is the possession of
Mr. Jacob Clewell of Philadelphia, Pa., is written in German.
The cut is a correct facsimile of the original and a strict
literal translation of the same follows.
To Top
WE
CHARLES, by the grace of God, margrave of Baden and grave of
Sausenberg, count of Spanheim and Eberstein, lord of Roeteln, Badenweyler,
Lahr and Mahlberg & cet., by these presents acknowledge and
declare, that, upon the humble petition of John Gefaeller from
Auerbach in our bailiwick of Stin, who desires to betake himself
to the island of Pennsylvania and to make his home there;
together with his wife, Louise Frasch and her two children from
her first husband, John Franz Cleve and George Craft Cleve;--we
have, for a suitable consideration, graciously released them
from servitude by which heretofore they have been allied and
belonged to us; and we do this with the understanding, that
neither we nor our princely heirs will have to obtain any
further claims on them or their heirs on account of the
servitude, unless they should sooner or later again settle in
one of the other places within our principality and territory,
where we have serfs, in which case they shall again be and
become serfs, as before.
In
testimony of this we have ordered the present document to be
executed for the aforesaid John Gefaeller, given under our own
signature and imprinted seal of the princely chancery, at our
princely residence, the city of Carls-Ruh, April 6, 1737.
It was
generally understood that the above secured for them the passage
on the ship but it is not exactly that except in an indirect
sense. It will be noticed that the tenor of the instrument is
the releasing of the man as well as of his wife and the two
children from servitude and when we read of their being held as
serfs we may become overwhelmed with astonishment. But our
descendants will not only find relief in their mortification, if
any there should be,, in the history of the times and the sense
in which the word was used but also, the fact is settled forever
that the descendants of Franz and George Clewell have elevated
their position in society and that they lived that positive life
which had the assurance of being rewarded while the blood of the
nobility has degenerated in many instances.
The term
serf must not be construed in this document as meaning a slave
and must also be distinguished from the serfs or villains of the
early middle ages. These were subjugated by the conqueror and
consisted of the population of the earlier races. There are also
instances of persons selling themselves by reason of famine or
other pressing causes to the lords for the sake of protection
and still others who surrendered themselves to churches and
monasteries for the sake of the benefits to be derived from the
prayers of their masters. Different as was the condition of the
serfs in different countries and at different periods, his
position, on the whole, was much more favorable than that of a
slave and by the customs of
France
and Germany the serfs were only bound to fixed payments and
duties in respect to their lords. It is this latter condition
from which our ancestral family seeks release, and, like true
and loyal subjects they petitioned their lord for their freedom
and by paying their respects were privileged to take advantage
of their purpose in a very honorable and creditable manner.
Whether the island of Pennsylvania as it was then conceived,
could afford them greater protection in the vicissitudes of life
than this lord who was unable to cope with the difficulties of
the times, must have been a serious problem to them but their
sturdy spirit of independence and their Christian zeal
over-shadowed all such thoughts. Moreover the wise have said,
“There are no gains without pains” and the journey was begun.
According to tradition the voyage was a stormy one. Storm after
storm overtook them and during one of these storms Johannes
G’Fellern was drowned.
To
Top
THE LANDING
¢
¢
hus we see that Louise Clavel G’Fellern landed at Philadelphia,
a widow for the second time and now it seems the worst time of
her trials was at hand. It may be taken for granted that they
had some account of the surpassing advantages that were to be
realized in this new country before they left the Fatherland,
but now the one on whom they had depended was missing. They had
left a home but where were they to find one here and who would
support them? The colony with which they came resolved to try
their fortunes in the Schuylkill Valley but what incentive did
the forests of the valley offer to a woman in her position and
to be separated from her acquaintances or even kindred and stay
in the city, was equally odious to her. Just what made her to
follow the colony into the Schuylkill Valley we are not told but
after she had handed her two sons, Franz and George, over to
their future masters as “Redemptioners” she traveled alone in
her bereavement and anxiety.
To Top
THE REDEMPTIONERS
¢
¢
he family was
among the thousands whose pecuniary means were very limited but this was
no insurmountable obstacle for a chance to try the fortunes of the new
world. Therefore, they generally entered into contracts with the
shipmasters for their passage to the New World. By the terms of these
contracts, the person agreed upon the arrival of the ship at the
designated port that he would allow himself to be sold into service to
the highest bidder for a term of time sufficient to liquidate their
indebtedness to the ship. Consequently upon their arrival, such persons
who entered into such a compact were exposed for sale at auction or
privately and their services sold for a period of from three to five
years whichever might be found necessary to defray the expenses of the
passage.
The price paid for
them varied according to age and physical condition but ordinarily they
brought ten pounds, equal to about $26.67 in the old money of the
province of Pennsylvania, or about $50 according to the money standard
of to-day.
The sales of these
unfortunates were chiefly made to the comparatively wealthy residents in
the south-eastern part of the province of Pennsylvania, near
Philadelphia, because there the greater need of such service was felt
and the people had also more ability to pay for such services. But the
time came when the market for these servants in the city became
overstocked and it was necessary to dispose of them at places more
remote.
The guardian of
our ancestors saw both her sons sold into such servitude as well as that
of their future wives. Franz Clewell became the servant of a planter in
the Schuylkill Valley while George found his master in the city and
served his term as a “button-maker.” Such was the introduction our
ancestors received but this stroke proved to be their fortune as well as
to many others, for it laid the foundation of a material prosperity,
which resulted frequently in the possession of their hundreds of acres
of fertile land, their barns and granaries filled, besides means by
which they could have been the happy possessors of bonds and stocks.
After George had served his time as a redemptioner, he also joined his
friends in the vicinity of Oley in the Schuylkill Valley and the dawn of
a brighter future became apparent. His brother, Franz, had acquired his
own possessions and soon afterwards married Salome Kuechley and George
followed the example a few years later by taking her sister, Anna Maria
Kuechley and making her his wife.
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HER THIRD MARRIAGE
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hether the mother
of these two maidens died in Oley or a few years after they had left
that place we are not certain but the fact remains that their father
Johannes Kuechley became a widower and some time before the year1750 had
married their mother-in-law, Louise Clavel G’Fellern or the mother of
their husbands. The three families lived closely together for the rest
of their parents’ lifetime as their possessions or plantations were
contiguous which they purchased from the Provincial government and which
were situated north of Nazareth.
Here on the
frontier, between the plantation of Franz Clewell on the east and the
plantation of George Clewell on the west they, in the declining years of
their lives, lived under the protection of their sons and daughters,
breaking words of wisdom to them and guiding them until all seemed to
have been fairly begun when they again were summoned to suffer a great
loss. In the year 1756, not many years after their marriage, she became
a widow for the third time through the death of her husband. This being
before the organization of the church at Schoeneck, or about a year
after they had petitioned the Moravians for a minister and while they
occasionally had religious services in Franz Clewell’s house they, for
some reason, buried his remains on his own possessions.
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HER WIDOWHOOD
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he remained a
widow for about eleven years in which she prepared for her final
summons. The Gospel as preached by the Moravian ministers, convicted her
of her sins and shortcomings and reminded her of the instructions she
had received in the days of persecution. When Franz was received into
the communion of the church at Schoeneck it impressed her deeply and she
eagerly longed for the same privilege. After much prayer and many
trials, she was received into the church on
January 23, 1763, according to the customs of the Moravians and on
August 6th of the same year she was permitted to partake of the Holy
Communion. She was thereby much humbled and exclaimed “Moncher
Sauyeur m’a pris mon coein” –“My loving Saviour has come very near
to my heart.”
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LOUISA'S DEATH
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uring her last
years she was unable in consequence of advanced age and infirmities to
leave her home and she was almost totally deaf, making it very difficult
to converse with her and during the last few months of her life she
could hardly be understood. She died of a violent and sudden hemorrhage
from an attack of pleurisy at
six o’clock
on the morning of October 5, 1767, aged 72 years less two months. She
was buried at Schoeneck on the Moravian God’s Acre where her resting
place is marked by a white marble slab and bears the following
inscription:
“Louisa Kuechley,
geborne Frache,
geboren December 1695
zu Geneve in der Schweiz:
Mutter von Franz
und George Clewell.
Sie war die stamm-mutter
von der zahlreichen Clewell’s familie: Gestorben October, 1767”
Louisa
Kuechley, maiden name Frache, born December, 1695, in Geneva,
Switzerland. Mother of Franz and George Clewell and ancestress of the
numerous Clewell family. Died October, 1767.
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CASTING LOTS
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t may not
be amiss at this time to digress for a while from our direct subject and
give a few general points or hints on their experiences as members of
the Moravian church, then generally known as the Brethren’s Church. It
appears that it was a more serious matter to belong and have the
privileges of a church than at present. The fact that our ancestors
became refugees and sought religious freedom is a thing that can hardly
be appreciated to-day, and when they had the opportunity of uniting with
a church here in America it was seized and its precincts were approached
with deep piety. The guiding hand of Providence in the affairs of men
was recognized by those persecuted people while they humbly submitted to
Divine
Will. The custom of deciding questions by lot among Moravians was
uncommonly prevalent, both privately and in the control of church
affairs. It was used in various ways, in making selections, in seeking
guidance in perplexity and in deciding questions and was usually
conducted by drawing names or numbers or slips on which were written the
word “yes” or “no.” It was not, however, at exclusive Moravian custom
but rather as a Providential ruling. After our ancestors, Franz and
George Clewell, as well as their mother, were admitted into the Society
of the Brethren, the question whether they were fit subjects to partake
of the Lord’s Supper was decided by lot. In the case of Franz it was
favorable at once but unfavorable to that of his mother and brother and
therefore they did not become full members of the church until some time
afterwards. They submitted to the decision without murmuring and
prepared for the next chance.
Previous to 1818,
lot was applied to many marriages. This, perhaps, was to carry out lofty
ideals in the selection of consecrated associates and as a matter of
complete subjection to Divine guidance. However, the law of love took
its course—and as a result the system was generally disapproved. There
were also such among our descendants who were Moravians that desired to
marry some one not of the church and they would not submit to the system
and again dissatisfaction arose. In one particular instance when the
hand of a descendant widow with her three children was sought in
marriage by one who belonged to the church, he made his intentions known
to the officials of the church who wanted to proceed with lot when he
told them “the widow or none.” Lot was favorable and the marriage was a
happy one as many among our descendants could testify.
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THE NAME
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any of our readers
may dispute the correctness of the orthography of the name Clewell and
no attempt will be made to decide that question but rather to present
the various forms of the name which came to our notice while gathering
the data for this book. It will be noticed that in the baptismal
certificate of George Craft the name is spelled Clavell while in the
passport the name is spelled Cleve. That the latter is a clerical error
is almost self-evident, perhaps confounded with the duchy, Cleves, in
Westphalia while the former may have been the form used by the people in
Europe. In the recital of the deed by the Commonwealth to Franz, the
name is repeatedly spelled “Klewell” alias “Clavell” while Franz writes
his own name with a K and about a year afterwards, under the same
circumstances, he writes Clewell. This may be explained by comparing the
so-called hard sound of C with the German K.
The form “Clewell”
appears on the legal documents that were executed by both Franz and
George as their signatures and the same form is used by their children
in the execution of documents in the settlement of the estates with the
exception of Abraham, the youngest heir of George, who signed his name
Klewell. The reason for this was explained by his son, Abraham, who was
still living at the time of the first reunion. Abraham, son of George,
had his family in Philadelphia and when the children entered school the
teacher persisted in spelling the name with a K and the whole family
yielded.
In the list of
taxable people of
Northampton
County, in 1780,
the name is spelled “Clewelder” and “Cleweld.” In each case the name
begins with a C and the spelling of the rest of the word is simple to
anyone who understands the Pennsylvania German dialect. This instance
goes to prove the erroneousness of official records which may have also
been the case with the name on the passport.
In the genealogy
it will be noticed that Joseph William Clewell spells his name “Cavelt.”
The history of the man will explain the orthography of the name. While
being yet a mere lad he became separated from his parents and was raised
in a Pennsylvania German family who had not only neglected their own
education but failed to do their duty to the boy and consequently when
the time arrived that he had occasion to write his name, he spelled it
according to the pronunciation of the word among those people.
Another form of
the name is that of John F. and James D. Clewell. But this form is
similar to those already explained. Local pronunciation often changed
the spelling of the name.
We were often
attracted by the similarity of our family surname to that of others,
like Clayville, Clavill and Clavell. The first two as far as we have
investigated have a history peculiar of their own while the latter are
inhabitants of Canada and claim to descendants of the pioneers of the
colonial days as well as of French nationality. We have reason to
believe that they are a distinctive branch of the family and that their
form of the name which is Clavell, bears the greater resemblance of the
original form. We leave the duty of finding the connecting link to the
future family historian.
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THE VILLAGE OF
SCHOENECK
The history of
that small village about one mile north of Nazareth called Schoeneck and
which means “Pleasant Corner” does not strictly belong to our Family
History but it is so closely allied with our early ancestors that it may
find a proper place among these pages.
It was in the year
1754 that a number of dwellers in Bushkill Township then a part of
Plainfield Township, wrote a petition to the Synod of the Brethren now
commonly known as Moravians, who were holding their sessions in Bethel
on the Swatava, asking that body to send a minister, who could proclaim
the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them pure and unadulterated like the
Apostle of old. The letter thus addressed was signed by Franz Clewell,
George Clewell, John Peter Stoudt, a brother-in-law of the above named
and John Kuechle, father-in-law of the aforenamed Henry Kostenbader,
Walter Mueller and -------- Bleily.
Among these seven
persons, Franz Clewell, who had been awakened by a sermon of Rev.
Eschenbach in Oley, was the prime author of this movement, influenced
principally by his concern for the salvation of his children.
It was resolved by
that Synod to send a minister to them who met the seven petitioners in
the house of Franz Clewell. Here in this house, services were held from
time to time by Moravian ministers who came on request, during the year
1755 and each meeting attracted more of the neighbors and thus
continuing until 1756 the question of building a place of worship and a
school-house was earnestly discussed.
All of them felt
the need but the obstacles that had to be overcome seemed like mountains
because of their limited number in building and supporting the same.
About the year
1756, the Moravian Synod again came to their aid when they passed a
resolution that a congregation place should be established on the
Nazareth Tract a short mile from Nazareth Hall in the direction of the
Blue Mountains. This place so established, received the name Schoeneck,
named after a place in Austria which belonged to Count Zinzindorf’s
family.
In 1760 George
Clauss, who later became the father-in-law of Elizabeth Clewell, oldest
daughter of George Clewell, built the first house in the place. In the
spring of 1762, the building of the proposed place of worship and
school-house was commenced and so steadily and vehemently was the work
pushed that the third of October of the same year was set apart for its
consecration.
This was
the first church which evidently stood a few rods north of the present
church. On August 12, previous to the consecration of this church, Rev.
Daniel Neibert and his wife Hannah, arrived as the first regular pastor.
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