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Samuel Bachtell 1706 |
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Samuel Bachtel was born about 1706 in Europe. His parents were Hans Jacob and Eliza Bachtell. He married Maria Oberholtzer. Maria's parents were Jacob Oberholtzer and Barbara Fretz. Maria Bachtel (1744), On April 11, 1744, he was living in Upper Hanover Township, Philadelphia, County, Pennsylvania. In 1747 Samuel was one of Trustees and ministers of the Old Mennonite Church at Coopersburg, Lehigh County. In 1750 he purchased a copy of Martyrs Mirror for 40 shillings. In 1764 he bought land in Rockhill Township, Bucks County. Samuel Bechtel was the minister of Rockhill Mennonite Church from 1764 to 1802. The church was near Telford, Pennsylvania and was a part of the Franconia Mennonite Conference, formerly called Bechtel's, then Gehman's. From 1765 to 1796 he traveled to and preached at the Franconia Church. On March 16. 1773, the year of the Boston Tea Party, Samuel and Mary Bechtel sold Michael Dierstine, and Abraham Gehman, Elders and Trustees of the Mennonite Congregation of the Township of Rockhill half an acre for a meeting house and a burial ground. In 1777, during Samuel's tenure as pastor, Christian Funk urged Mennonites to pay the revolutionary war tax and he did not oppose the the oath of allegiance. His beliefs conflicted with the nonresistant Mennonite establishment. The Rockhill congregation split over this issue. Samuel wrote his will on March 12, 1796 and it was proved May 3, 1802. He left his land to his grandson, Samuel Gehman, and directed him to pay 700 pounds to the other grandchildren.
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