Christian Bucher ^{1 2 3 4}

  General Notes:

The following Lancaster County deeds which have not been inspected yet:
Deed in name of Prenneman (misspelling) dated 7 May 1751. Conveys land from Christian Brenneman and wife Susanna to Melchior benneman, son of Christian.
Deed of 26 March 1730 but not recorded until 1793: Christina Brenneman and wife Eilzabeth of Conestogoe, Lancaster Co. convey land to Adam Brenneman, son of Melchoir, said land warranted to Melchoir 7 Sep 1717.
Deed of 24 May 1784 conveys from these grantors: Christian Bougher of Donegal and Fronica his wife; Abraham Hess of Lampeter Twp and Mary his wife; Abraham Huber of Warwick Twp and Elizabeth his wife; John Hess of Conestogoe Twp. and Ann his wife; Barbara Good widow of Peter Good; Melchoir Brenneman and Susanna his wife; and Martin Bougher. The land is conveyed to Joseph and John Bougher, of Warwick Twp, yeoman. This deed recites a patent of land to Christian Boumbarger, dated 5 feb 1735; the death of said Boumbarger leaving a will dated 30 Jan 1741, devising to Martin Bougher "who is now married to my daughter Elizabeth." and the dath of said Martin, intestate, leaving issue to wit: Christian Bougher, eldest son; Mary wife of Abraham Hess; Elizabeth wife of Abraham Huber; Ann wife of John Hess; Barbara formerly wife of Peter Good; Susannah now wife of Melchoir Brennamen; Martin Bougher; Joseph Bougher; and John Bougher. A note in the margin of the deed book indicates the name should be Bucher, not Bougher.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Land, 17 Apr 1768, Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. ³ On 17 Apr 1768 Rev. Melchoir Brenneman, 2nd, transferred 350 ¼ acres to his son-in-law Christian Bucher. This was evidently his daughter Veronica's marriage portion. Christian already owned much land in his own right, and became one of the wealthiest citizens of East Donegal.

• Tax List, 1771, Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁵ He was listed with 250 acres.

• Tax List, 1773, Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁵ He was listed with 200 acres.

• Tax List, 1779, Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁵ Christley Bucher was listed with 364 acres.

• Tax List, 1782, Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁶ Christian Bucher is taxed 194 acres, 3 horses, 4 cattle. 16 pounds 15 shillings.

• Tax List, 1783, Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁷ Christian Bucher is taxed for 200 acres, 4 horses, 4 cattle. 16 shillings.

• Census, 1790, Maytown, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁸ Christian Bucher is listed having 1 white male over 16, 2 white males under 16, and 3 females.

• Census, 1800, Warwick Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. ⁹ The 1800 Census showed the household of Christian Bucher with:
Males (born)
10-15 (1785-1790) = 2 sons
16-25 (1775-1784) = 1 son
26-44 (1756-1774) = 1 father Christian + 1 ?
Females (born)
Under 10 (1791-1800) = 3 daughters
10-15 (1785-1790) = 3 daughters
26-44 (1756-1774) = 1 wife

• Estate, 4 Nov 1806, , Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA.
The will of his father-in-law, Melchoir Brenneman, mentions a debt owed him by Christian:

Christian Bucher is indebted to us by a bond of 100 pounds out of which money his three daughters, Ann, Elizabeth, and Freny shall have the sum of 30 pounds and our son John's sons Christian and Melchior shall have 30 pounds and our daughter Elizabeth, her daughter Ann and son John shall have 40 pounds, which will amount to the sum of 100 pound which Christian Bucher is indebted to us…

• Book: History of Lancaster County, 1883. ¹⁰
Christian Bucher came from Switzerland to avoid religious persecution. He was a member of the Mennonite persuasion. He located among the Mennonites in the western part of Donegal township about the year 1760.

On the 5th day of April, 1768, he married Frena (Frances), daughter of Melchoir Breneman. On April 17, 1768, the latter conveyed to him a tract of land, and on the 26th day of April, 1774, he conveyed to him another tract adjoining the first. This land was taken up and settled by William Bryans in 1720. The first-mentioned tract, where Mr. Bucher had his homestead, is now owned by John Hollinger. The old Peter's road, which extended from the eastern end of the county to Conoy, ran through both of these farms. The road leading from Maytown to Elizabethtown also ran through the land, which is about one mile and a half from the former place.

• Book: Biographical Annals of Lancaster Co., Pa, 1903. ¹¹ John Brandt, Grandfather of Samuel L. Brandt, in 1784, was indentured to George Rutt for three years and eight months to learn the trade of joiner and spinning wheel maker. After he had grown to man's estate, he, with his employer and fellow carpenters, built a number of Swiss barns in the vicinity of Maytown. Among these buildings was one erected for Christian Bucher, one of the wealthiest citizens of Donegal township, who was born March 27, 1742, and died Dec. 27, 1825. The young carpenter, John Brandt, fell in love with Mr. Bucher's third daughter, Frances, born Jan. 18, 1769, and they were married April 26, 1791.

• Book: History of Lancaster County, 1926. ¹² Christian Bucher ; Mennonite, settled in the western part of Donegal township in about 1760, and through his father-in-law, Melchoir Breneman, in 1768, acquired a tract adjoining his own, this land being the tract warranted to William Bryan in 1720. It was about one and a half miles from Maytown, on the road to Elizabethtown.

• Book: Eighth Bucher Reunion, 3 Aug 1928. ¹ From the pen of Joseph L. Brandt, Marietta, PA., 1928

I am pleased to learn that the history of the Buchers is being taken up. My great-grandfather was Christian Bucher - born March 27, 1742, died December 27, 1825.

I have in my possession the original family record of Christian Bucher written in German of which the following is the translation:

"On April 5\super th\nosupersub , 1768, I married Ferena (Frances) Breneman. (This was a daughter of Melchior Breneman.)

Children:
Anna Bucher born January 18\super th\nosupersub , 1769.
Elizabeth Bucher born Nov. 1, 1770.
Ferena (Frances) Bucher born Dec 30, 1772.
Christian Bucher born March 19, 1775.
John Bucher born January 15, 1780.
Joseph Bucher born Nov. 4, 1782.
Martin Bucher, born January 18, 1788.

Christian Bucher owned about 300 acres on which he resided, situate a few miles to north by northwest of Maytown.

At a certain time he built a stone barn and "still" house on one of his farms and as mechanics sometimes had to be brought from a distance he employed stone masons from Chester County and the carpenters from Conewago, Dauphin County. These mechanics boarded and lodged with the Bucher family during the erection of the buildings. An attachment between several of Bucher's daughters and the young mechanics developed which ripened into love making but was strenuously opposed by the Buchers.

In 1791 my grandfather, John Brandt, married Bucher's third daughter, Ferena. In 1792 Anna married John Taylor, a Quaker from Chester County, Penna. This was a "runaway match." The Buchers objected to this marriage because Taylor was an Englishman and a Quaker as well as a poor stone mason. The Buchers were Swiss-Germans and Mennonites. Early one morning daughter Anna's favorite riding horse was missing and so was Anna. She and John Taylor eloped and were married on their way to Chester County. This couple became the grandparents of Byard Taylor, the noted author, poet and diplomat of Kennett Square, Chester County, Pa.

The daughter Frances, who married John Brandt, set up housekeeping on one of the Bucher farms. This farm was finally owned by John Brandt. Christian Bucher spent his last years with the Brandt family when he died. Christian Brandt, a son of John Brandt, after the latter's death became the possessor of the farm which even to this day (1928) is in the Brandt name.

Christian married Frances Veronica Brenneman, daughter of Rev. Melchoir Brenneman II and Ann Snavely, on 5 Apr 1768.¹ (Frances Veronica Brenneman was born on 24 Feb 1751 in Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA ³ and died on 5 Jan 1804 in Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA ³.)