'Wendel presumably was living in Earl Township in 1767 when he and his wife Christina Ranck had a son George baptized in the Seltenriech Reformed Church near New Holland.

        'By 1770, Wendel was living in Paxton Township. In 1770 and 1771, he was taxed there as an "inmate," along with Adam Fockler. On May 16, 1771, Wendel and Christine entered into a mortgage agreement for 300 pounds with Jacob Miller. Collateral was "about 100 acres" of land in Paxton Township. Several undated tax returns of Paxton Township, believed to be from the 1770s, and the 1779 returns listed Vendle Fackler, taxed on 80 acres, 50 acres cleared land, 2 horses, 2 cows, 6 sheep.

        'In August of 1777, Wendel was assessed a special tax of L3.6 imposed on "non-associators." A non-associator was one who chose not to participate in the military training and exercises for civilian reserves. At the beginning of 1775, Pennsylvania, founded under Quaker auspices, was totally devoid of military organization. As tensions with England mounted, volunteer companies of "Associators" formed a civilian reserve. On 30 Jun 1775, the Provincial Assembly gave official recognition to the Associators and grouped the Associators into township groups, with several township groups formed into a battalion. Although these Associators were volunteers, as the struggle became bitter, men who refused to volunteer were termed "non-associators" and were fined and punished in other ways.

        'In order to assure support for the struggle for independence, the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania decided on 13 Jun 1777 that every white male over the age of 18, with no exceptions, should be required to make a public commitment to support the state of Pennsylvania, and renounce allegiance to George the Third, King of England. Within three weeks, before July 1, all the men, were to appear before a justice of the peace and swear to or affirm the Oath of Allegiance. The deadline was later extended to 1 Jun 78. Wendel's name was not listed among those who took the oath in Lancaster County during 1777 and 1778.

        'Wendel was not charged a double tax in 1779 as some others were. However, in 1780 and 1781, he paid twice the amount of his property tax as a fine for "those not yet sworn. "In 1780, Wendle Fackler was named on "A List of all Male white Persons Residing in the Bounds of Captain Hugh Robinson's Company Between the Ages of Eighteen and Fifty-three years, Being the Fourth Company of the Tenth Battalion of Lancaster County Militia."

        'These indications of refusal to give oath and non-participation in military activities suggest the influence of the German Baptist Brethren faith. Because no membership lists were kept, it is not known when Wendle became associated with the Brethren. However, several of Wendel and Christina's children married sons and daughters of the early leaders of the Big Swatara congregation.

       'On 8 Jun 1779, Wendle and Christina had acquired additional "land situate and lying on Beaver Creek part in Paxton Township and part in Hanover Township (being the tract of land granted by the late Proprietor of Pennsylvania by their warrant dated the Eight of June 1774 unto a certain Jacob Steigleman)..." Jacob Steigleman was the husband of Christina's sister Barbara Ranck.

        'On 25 Jul 1784, Wendel purchased another 250 acres of land along Beaver Creek from Abram and Susannah Eagly. Wendel Fackler's name continued to appear on the Paxton Township tax lists, and after 1785, when Dauphin County was formed, on the Lower Paxton lists until his death. His name, however, was not found on the first United States census in 1790. This may have been on oversight, but, more likely, was due to his request that his name not be listed. Many were suspicious of the intent of the census.

In this 1791 map, Pennsylvania's Dauphin County is outlined in green in lower right; Lancaster County to its south is in blue; Huntingdon County on west is in orange.

       'From the records of the assessors for the 1798 Federal "window tax" we learn that Wendel's family was living in a one-story log home, 22' X 44', a stable was 25' square, and a 15' X 18' weaver's shop was also on the farm.

       'Wendel and Christina sold the 20 acres of their land across the Beaver Creek in West Hanover Township to Philip Overcast on 17 Apr 1798. The 1800 Census listed Vendle Fackler and his wife as over 45 years of age, and with three boys and three girls in the household, all between the ages of 16 and 25.

        'Wendel obtained the patent on 3 Mar 1803 for his farm, the "Hamburg" tract which he had purchased in 1784. On 26 Nov 1805, he purchased 156 acres of land a few miles from his home (near Susquehanna Township line).

        'This was to begin a time of consolidation and regrouping in Wendel's life, a time of concern for the future of his family. It is believed that Christina died about 1805.

        'The farm which Wendel had purchased in 1805 was sold to his son Abraham on 5 Aug 1807. A few weeks later, on 27 Aug 1807, he signed a marital agreement provided to care for his new wife Catharine, the widow of Jacob Zeiger...

       'Wendel sold his original farm, the "Springfield" tract, and 24 additional acres, to his son-in-law John Brehm, on 22 Nov 1809... A few days later on 27 Nov 1809, on 27 Nov 1809, Wendel finalized the sale of the remaining 105 acres of the "Hamburg" tract along the Beaver Creek to his son Wendel...

        'In the 1810 census, Wendel and his wife were listed as over 45, with one boy and one girl between 16 and 25 in their household. Having divested himself of his land holdings, Wendel's tax assessment in 1810 was slashed from $8.50 to .50. The next year Wendel Fackler, Sr., was listed as a tenant.

       'Wendel wrote a will on 8 Nov 1814:

                 "In the name of God, Amen. I Wendle (sic) Fackler of Lower Paxton Township County of Dauphin being of sound Mind and Memory yet old and weak do make and ordain hereby my last Will and Testament and as I have already given to my Children a part viz to my son Abraham one hundred and fify pounds to my son Wendel one hundred and fifty pounds to my son-in-law John Brem one hundred and fifty pounds and my son Samuel one hundred and fifty pounds and after this my daughter Barbara intermarried with George Miller shall have one hundred fifty pounds including the sum said Miller has received already. My daughter Christiana intermarried with George Boeshare (sic) has already received two hundred pounds and shall not be entitled to more than her equal share in the residue mentioned hereafter. My daughter Eve intermarried with Wendel Henrich (sic) one hundred and fifty pounds and my daughter Elizabeth intermarried with Abraham Basbach one hundred and fifty pounds and my Catherine intermarried with George Etter one hundred and fifty pounds including what they have received already. My son Samuel had received a bond of ? which is to be deducted out of the above Sum bequested. One hundred pounds of my estate to remain in the hands of my nephew Abraham Fackler during the natural lives (sic) of my wife Catharine who shall receive the interest thereof with other things mentioned in an agreement signed by me and Recorded in Register Office of this County. The Remainder of my property is to be divided among my ten children or their Representatives in equal shares the oldest shall have his share in six Months after my decease the second one year after the first and so on every year one to be paid according to their Ages till every one has Received his Share.

               "Finally I nominate and appoint my Son Abraham Fackler and my son-in-law Abraham Balsbach to be the Executors of this my last Will & Testament, Revoking all former Wills made by me and declare this my last Will and Testament. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this Eighth day of November 1814. Witnesses Abraham Fackler and B. Mayer."

       'His will was brought for probate on 11 Mar 1816. The exact death dates of Johann Wendel Fackler and his wife Christina Ranck Fackler are not known. It is likely that they are buried on one of his farms, but there are no markers to give proof...'

from Seltenreich Reformed Church Records, trans. by William H. Hinke, 1936, p. 10:

        "John Wendel Fackler and Christina, 27 Feb 1767, s. John George (bp. 20 April 1767) Sp. John George Ranck. Also Lancaster County, PA, Miscellaneous Book, 1782-1784. p. 222: 31 Oct 1783, Michael Rank dec'd. 'George Fackler a minor son of Wendel Fackler by Christina his wife a daughter of Michael Rank deceased being above the age of fourteen years comes into Court and chooses his Father Wendel Fackler guardian over his estate during his minority and the Court approves of and appoints him his guardian accordingly.' "

also from Dr. Shifflet's draft:

        "Some researchers have stated there was also a son Valentine, c. 1790-May 1862, who married Elizabeth Simmons Miller and moved to Johnson County, Iowa. The name Valentine Fackler appeared on the Lower Paxton tax list once, in 1847, along with the remark "Jacob Fackler." the name Valentine is not mentioned in Wendel's will, as one of "my ten children." He could have been a grandson. The George Fackler who moved to Ohio, believed to have been the son of Wendel, had a son Valentine."

More About Johann Wendel Fackler:

Fact 1: "son George baptized in Selten Reformed Church, Earl Township, Lancaster County, PA;

Notes for Christina "Anna" Ranck:

from "The Swope Family Book of Remembrance" by Morse & McLachlin:

     'Christina Ranck married Wendel (?) Fockler. Their children were George Fockler, Barbara, Elizabeth, Eva, Christiana, Abraham, Samuel and Wendel Fockler.'

Children of Johann Fackler and Christina Ranck are:

Children of Johann George Fackler and Maria Miller are:

Children of Abraham Fackler/Fockler and Hepzibah Inman are:

2. History of 8th Ohio Cavalry--

      "This regiment was organized March 28, 1864, from the veterans and recruits of the 44th Ohio Infantry, under Col. Samuel A. Gilbert, for three years service. Cols. Alpheus S. Moore and Wesley Owens afterwards commanded. The regiment proceeded to West Virginia, and in June joined Averill's raid on Lynchburg, skirmishing with the enemy in the advance and on the return. At Liberty it lost 71 men. At Beverly in October [1864], it was surrounded by the enemy, but drove the Reberls off in a hand to hand fight. In the meantime a detachment of the regiment, under Col. Moore, served in the Shenandoah Valley, fighting at Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek. On the 11th of January, 1865, the camp of the Regiment was surprised and over 500 officers and men were captured. They were marched through snow, barefooted, and with scarcely any food, to Staunton, where they were loaded on stock cars and sent to Libby Prison. The sufferings of the men were dreadful at the hands of a cruel and relentless foe. They were exchanged in February, and in August, 1865, the regiment was mustered out of service.

       "Among it deployments: march to Lewisburg May 29; Hunter's Raid to Lynchburg Mary 29-July1, 1864; action at Lexington June 11, Buchanan June 13, New London June 16, Diamond Hill June 17, Lynchburg June 17-18; action new Moore field August 7, 1864, Morrefield and Huttonsville August 24; action at Beverly [WV] January 11, 1865, mostly captured; paroled February 15, mustered out as prisoners of war June, 1865, etc.; regiment lost during its service both as 44th OI and 8th OC 3 officers and 53 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 officer and 113 enlisted men by disease--total 210."

Baptism April 6, 1841, Trinity Lutheran Church, Taneytown, MD;

divorced abt. 1892; remarried a Rice Feb. 1895;

separation after 3 months;

More About John William Reck:

Burial: August 1896, Gettysburg Cemetery, Darke Co., Ohio

Fact 1: marriage license #11131 in Miami Co., Ohio;

**For Reck genealogy, go to the Reck page.**

Children of Amanda Fackler and John Reck are:

Children of Emma Reck and John Summers are:

1. Johann Michael¹ Muller was born 1655 in Zollikofen, Switzerland, and died Bet. January 31, 1694 - 1695 in Steinwenden, Pfalz, Germany. He married Anna Loysa Regina. She was born Abt. 1654 in Switzerland.

Notes for Johann Michael Muller:

info on Muller/Miller, etc., family from Bob Manning @ RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: German Roots;

Children of Johann Muller and Anna Regina are:

2. Hans Johann Michael² Miller (Johann Michael¹ Muller) was born October 03, 1692 in Steinwenden, Pfalz, Germany, and died 1771 in Ash Swamp, near Hagerstown, MD. He married Susanna Anges Berchtal/Berchtol, daughter of Hans Berchtal/Berchtol and Anna Christina. She was born May 03, 1688 in Krottelbach, Germany.

**For Berchtal/Berchtol genealogy, go to section 2 below.**

Notes for Hans Johann Michael Miller:

from Miller researcher Robert Duane Harter, bob.harter at unh.edu:

       "...born on 10 May 1692 in Steinwenden, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. He immigrated in 1727 aboard the ship 'Adventure.' He died in 1771 in Washington Co., MD. He was married to Susanna Agnes Berchtal in 1710.

       "Much of the information on Hans Johann Michael Muller/Miller descendancy is from article by Wilbur Linder, 616 West High St., Portland, IN 47371, published in 'Fellowship of Brethren Genealogists Newsletter,' vol. 20, no. 1, Spring, 1988.

       "[Another researcher] Mason gives birth 10-5-1692. Mason: immigrated with step-brother Jacob Stutsman, II, 10-3-1727.

       "From Tree Outline source: Michael Miller (as he will now be called) and his wife Suzanna Agnes Berchtol, came to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Colony, 2 October, 1727, on the ship 'Adventure', with several children and accompnaied by Jacob Berchtol, her brother and Jacob Stutzman, Jr., his step brother. They left Germany because of their opposition to military conscriptions of the times.

       "There is also another date of arrival which has been found. The second date is 23 September, 1732, on the 'Adventrue.' It is thought that perhaps he returned to his mother country to get settlement of his father's estate and returned in 1732. No record can be found of the settlement of the estate, but soon after the date of 1732, Michael and Susanna began to look for land. He is recorded as paying tax for land in Chester County, Coventry Township, Pennsylvania, for years 173201740. He took out a warrant for 200 acres of land in 1737 but never obtained a patent for the property.

        "On 7 February, 1744, Michael Miller, Nicholas Garber, Samuel Berchtol, Hans Jacob and Elizabeth Berchtol, (who also lived in Chester County, Pennsylvania), purchased a tract of land consisting of 400 acres, northeast of Hanover, Pennsylvania, in York County...

       "They settled in Rapho Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Colony. Later they moved to Hanover, York County Pennsylvania Colony and 1744 to the Little Conewago Congregation Church. They were early settlers of Frederick County, (later to become Washington County) Maryland.

       "In 1745 he purchased from John George Arnold, 150 acres of land, NW of what is now Hagerstown, Maryland. The property was then called 'Ash Swamp.' this land holding was later expanded to 290 acres.

       "In 1749 Michael Miller, yeoman, of Frederick County, purchased 'Skipton-on-Craven' from Colonel Thomas Cresap.

       "Michael Miller married (second wife) Elizabeth Garber, widow of Nicholas Garber. She had four children from her former marriage: Samuel..., Elizabeth, Ann, and Martin...

       "He and Elizabeth had a grant of land surveyed for him in 1749. It was granted to him in 1754 and it was located between 'Skipton-on-Craven' and 'Resurvey of Well Taught' and contained 36 acres that he called 'Miller's Fancy.'

        "Land records help us understand the mind and spirit of this wealthy land owner and great family man. He resided for many years in the vicinity of Leitersburg near the mouth of Little Antietam. Here he owned at one time seven hundred acres of land...

        "In 1755 Michael Miller bought 409 acres of land from George Poe. This was a portion of land known by the name of 'Resurvey on Well Taught.'

       "In 1760 he was Constable of Upper Antietam Hundred.

       "In 1765 John Reiff (a non-associator) purchased from Michael Miller 117 acres of land, part of 'Skipton-on-Craven' whereon John Reiff then lived. Michael was a resident of the district and a neighbor to Jacob Leiter. By successive purchases he eventually acquired more than four hundred acres of land, southwest of Leitersburg and on both sides of the Antietam and the turnpike, much of which was doubtless reduced to cultivation and improved by him.

       "In 1765 Jacob Good (another non-associator) purchased from Michael Miller, 163 acres part of 'Skipton-on-Craven.'

        "There is a rather strong possibility that most of the Brethren bearing the name Miller, sprung from this Michael Miller line. There have been many ministers and elders in these families and almost all were devout church members and they always took their church with them when they moved into a new territory. There are more Brethren Church members with the name Miller, than any other."

More About Hans Johann Michael Miller:

Burial: Conococheaque, near Hagerstown, Washington Co., MD

Fact 1: immigrated October 3, 1727, on board ship "Adventure";

More About Susanna Anges Berchtal/Berchtol:

Burial: Conococheaque, near Hagerstown, Washington Co., MD

Children of Hans Miller and Susanna Berchtal/Berchtol are:

8. George³ Miller (Hans Johann Michael², Johann Michael¹ Muller) was born 1722 in Germany, and died 1798 in Lancaster/Dauphin Co., PA. He married Catharine. She was born 1726, and died 1796.

Notes for George Miller:

from Larry Crawford at RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project--

       "George Miller, Occupation: Farmer, Weaver, Minister;  Religion: Church of the Brethren (German Baptist Brethren);

      "It is recorded that he [George Miller] remained in Chester County, Pennsylvania and became a church of the Brethren minister.  When families moved west to the area of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, they prevailed on George Miller to move with them and be their minister.  He was a farmer and waver and was the first preacher at Great Swatara, Church of the Brethren, East Conewago, Pennsylvania.

     "In 1770, the Great Swatara or East Conewago Congregation had thirty-five member...  Jacob Engel is universally cited in BIC literature as one of the founders who were convinced that trine immersion was the Scriptural method of baptism  Sensing alienation from the United Brethren and Mennonites over this issue, compounded by an unwillingness from several Dunker ministers to baptize outside their own circle, this group sought to establish its own identity.  A tradition exists that a dunker Elder, George Miller encouraged them to form their own group through a 'mutual baptism' as was earlier performed by the Schwarzenau Brethren.  This group event is thought to have occurred in the 1780's."

More About George Miller:

Fact 1: info from "Mennonite Family History," Oct. 1983, p. 169;

Fact 2: elder and minister Big Swatara Church of the Brethren, Lancaster Co., PA;

From the Pennsylvania Digital Archives on the net, this picture is labeled as the East Hanover (Big Swatara) Church, in Dauphin Co. or Lancaster Co., PA.  This may be the last photo of the church since the property was sold in 1869.

Children of George Miller and Catharine are:

23. Maria⁴ Miller (George³, Hans Johann Michael², Johann Michael¹ Muller) was born Bet. 1765 - 1775, and died Bef. 1817. She married Johann (John) George Fackler, son of Johann Fackler and Christina Ranck. He was born February 27, 1767 in Dauphin Co., PA, and died Abt. 1820 in Newton Twp., Miami Co., Ohio.

**Return to Fackler, generation #2.**

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Section 2

1. Hans¹ Berchtal/Berchtol was born in Krottelbach, Germany, and died June 15, 1711. He married Anna Christina. She was born in Krottelbach, Germany.

Children of Hans Berchtal/Berchtol and Anna Christina are: