from The History of Chester County
In 1713 the Manovon tract, at what is now Phoenixville, was patented to
David Lloyd. The earliest settler upon it was Francis Buckwalter, to whom
Lloyd sold 650 acres in 1720, for ?195. Buckwalter, a Protestant refugee
from Germany, as subjected when in the Fatherland to many persecutions
because of his faith, and it was a matter of family history that he was
compelled to read his Bible by stealth, concealed in a cow trough. He
finally concluded to flee, and after leaving his home was pursued for 3 days
by his vindictive Catholic brothers, who were determined upon his
destruction.
His children were Joseph, Jacob, Johannes, Mary and Yost, and
from him are descended all of the Buckwalter family in this county.
Of
these, Johannes' son John [Buckwalter], b Sept 14, 1777 married July 27, 1800, Mary
Bechtel, b Jan 2, 1775, and their children were Samuel, John, David, Henry,
James, and Elizabeth, who married James Wynn.
Of these children, Samuel [Buckwalter] the
eldest was born May 5, 1801, in East Nantmeal twp, and in 1817-18 went to
Charlestown twp to live with his grandfather, Johannes (John), on the farm
on which John Henry Buckwalter now resides.
In 1832 he was married by Rev.
Jacob Wampole to Mary, dau of Daniel and Margaret High, of Schuylkill twp,
by whom he had 7 children - Charles C; John Henry; Samuel R; Elizabeth,
married to Enoch J Davis; and Helen Caroline, all living; and 2 deceased,David and Margaret, who died young. Samuel Buckwalter died Feb 26, 1869,
and his wife, Mary High, Jan 4, 1850. He was a second time married, in
1855, to Ann Pennypacker, widow of James Pennypacker. He was one of the
most systematic farmers in the county and was, with his family, a member of
the Mennonite Church.
