The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-04-09
THE Pennsylvania GERMANS.
Said on Good Authority to be Of
Hebrew Ancestry.

doubt be in the nature of news to
the large majority of the readers OF
The Gate City is given editorially in
recent issue of the Reading (Pa) I
Times, as follows:
/ While much has been written and /
said concerning the settlement OF /
what is now Berks and Lebanon
counties by Germans, French Hugue-
nots. Welshmen and Quakers, there |
has been strange amount of silence
regarding the first white settlers in
this section who were German Jews.
They came here with lofty purpose. /
having heard that the Indians were
the lost tribe OF Israel and determin-
ed to convert them back to their orig
inal religious belief They were es-
pecially anxious to do so, knowing
THAT the religion of the Red Men was
Monotheistic.
tiers arrived in 1905 in the vicinity OF
the village that was first called Hell
dieberg and later Schaefferstown I'm
/ fortunately their mission was fail
IRE, and they endured many hard
ships. Luckily for them, they pos
sessed the trading instinct and after
missionary work and agriculture turn
ed to naught they entered into bust
mess relations with their Indian neigh
4 bcra.
+! Gradually they spread out through
the surrounding country and their
sons and daughters intermarried with
) the Gentle families from Germany,
4 France and Wales. Although they
! we're few in numbers, they constitut-
4 ed, SO to speak, the parent stock OF
1.-THE present-day Pennsylvania Ger
mans 1t is safe to assume that most
cf the old-time families in this part
of the state have strain OF Jewish
Flood 1t is manifested in their dark
: hair and eyes. regular features, their
business ability and personal integ-
rlty.
There are many names in Berks
and surrounding counties which sound
more German-Jewish than they do
German. Take the names of places
lfo1 instance, Rothville, Myerstown.
Hummelstown, Wernersville, Strauss
town, Schubert. Goodhart's and Lau-
stterbach's. All have Jewish SAVIOR and
( were probably founded by men with
: that blood in their veins. AS sucn
they contributed largely to the up
building and prosperity of the state.
In reading over the lists of soldiers
who fought in the revolutionary war.
e from this region, we are struck by the
e frequency of names which sound ia
miliar to anyone who has had dealings
s with Hebrews in any OF our large
: cities.
1t is we'll known that members OF
e the Jewish race did much toward Sc
I curing independence for the colonies.
$ They financed the revolution, al
s though few of them got any credit for
e it They advised Robert Morris. but
e what is more to the point, put UP ac
i trail cash In the revolution. as well
It Jas in our later wars, they made brave
soldiers and sailors.
e. Much has been related of the en-
s ergy and unselfishness of PeLnsylva
VI ma Germans and we must give credit
y to the Jewish element before the orig
D. in of these instincts can be fully ex
, Ilained. The early Jews of Pennsyl
n vania need a historian before it is tor
s. late to record the facts. How many
J. missionaries made UP the first colon,
Re at Schaefferstown, who their leaders
a. were and why the mission failed, al
IN oug ht to be cleared up to the satisfac
n ton of their descendants and members
lie o. their race who later came to thii
lie state
It The old Hebrew burying groun,
x and the remains of the synagogue ar
n well worth visit to this quaint spo
in the Lebanon county hills. Neithe
Id of these, however, dates before 172G
rs The old cement wall was built aroun
al the bnrying ground In 1892 and tn
,y synagogue only commenced a year o
z two earlier. The first settlers lie mos
ly In unmarked graves and their cal
OF Hest religious services were held III
err der the trees Or a rough shed of log!
ct Their influence, like that of the Pi
at grim Fathers, will endure and gro
he stronger with each succeeding year.
re Nameless and little understoo,
they have sent their impress throug
tx. the generations. One has to but loo
mn around and. In noting the progress {
or eastern Pennsylvania. give credit
Jet this small band of noble-hearted Jew
IT. who entered the Wilderness with the
no high ideals and admirable courag e
While their memories will endur
he something more Of their personalitit
he and the circumstances Of their live
en- should be known. This surely woul
s. be a rich field for some embryo hi
of torian. He would honor himself ar
itv also the record Of our Jewish for
nd fathers.
re-
ne From the Top Of Freight Cars.
'rk Chicago Evening Post: Don't I'll
70, .