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- "THE PLETCHER OR PLETSCHER FAMILY IN AMERICA" "The family name of Pletscher (with various changes in spelling due to the region the family lived is an old family name in the community of Schleitheim in the Canton (state) of Schaffhausen,n S zrland. The Swiss authorities state that the name of Pletscher has been in their community since the 15th Century. The family has always been Mennonite, and the early members of the family were deacons and leaders in their churches." " The f amily was a large one, and was settled in Switzerland, in Germany, and in France. The center for those of Mennonite faith, was Schleitheim, in Switzerland. In February of the year 1524, the Mennonites held their first Synod in tha city and a p aper was drawn up listing the beliefs of their faith. That paper is still preserved to this day in the Community of Schleitheim." "Our family came from the region near Schleitheim, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The first record we have is of th e father, believed to be named Martin Pletscher, his wife Mary (Marie) and their two sons, Samuel and Henry. Martin is believed to have been born about 1730 in Switzerland. The family was forced to move into the Alsace region of France, near Mu elhausen (now Mulhouse). It was probably here that Martin met and married his wife Mary. She has been listed as being of French birth, born about the year 1731. They were married either in the Alsace region, or the German section lying betwee n the Alsace and Switzerland." "Because of their faith, the Mennonites were forced to move around to escape persecution. Family tradition has always listed the birth place of the sons Samuel and Henry as being in Germany near the Swiss border . One tale handed down from father to son thru the generations says that the family lived so near the Swiss border that when the men chopped wood the chips flew into Switzerland." "...About the year 1757, this family, consisting of the fathe r (presumed to be Martin), his wife Mary, and the sons Samuel and Henry (now aged 6 and 1 years) emigrated to America. The usual procedure in those days, was to travel from their native country to a Dutch port....The usual voyage then took abou t 8 or 9 weeks, depending on weather. From all records available, it appears that the husband named Martin died aboard ship on the way to America." "Family histories relate the advertisement of the widow Mary and her two sons in Philadelphi a papers for the payment of certain charges put on them while on board ship...they were not 'bound' passengers, but the extra charges could have been for funeral expenses of the father while on board ship." "An uncle of Mary's named Frederic k Maynard, who lived near Lancaster, PA took them into his home. After Mary had worked as a housekeeper for the length of time to repay the charges, he married her. He was a widower at the time. The sons, Samuel and Henry Pletcher, were then r aised unger his protection on his farm near Lancaster, PA. The widow Mary Pletcher was listed as being a resident of Conestoga Twp. Lancaster County in 1750, so her marriage must have occurred after this date. Nothing further is known of the m other of Samuel and Henry except the notation that she was married to a man named Schenck after her marriage to Frederick Maynard." "225 YEARS OF PLETCHER FAMILY" of Lancaster and Centre Counties (Information from Howard Pletcher, Goshen, IN " The year was 1756. Because of religious persecution in Germany, many Mennonites were coming to PA. One of the many ships arriving was the Snow Chance, and on it was a young widow and her two sons. When Mary Pletcher arrived in Philadelphia i n 1756 with her five-year old son, Samuel, and her newborn son Henry, she was unable to pay for her voyage (perhaps her husband had died during the six-month trip) and so advertised for hire. Mary Pletcher met and married Frederick Maynard (Me nart) about 1760; he was a widower and a Mennonite who owned land on Conestoga Creek in Lancaster County He had at least two children by his first wife, Jacob and Mariah (who was to marry Michael Schenck). When Henry and Samuel came of age, th ey became apprentices at shoemaking and weaving respectively. Both served as volunteers in the Revolutionary War." 1981--Leroy and Ann Sathre, 1103 Observatory Dr., Orlando Fl. 32808
Symposium on the early Pletcher family--by Pam Pletcher (info from Howard Pletcher, Goshen,IN) "Mary Pletcher and her husband (unnamed, but perhaps Samuel Ploetscher) left their German Palatinate home near Switzerland to go to America in 17g with them their Samuel who had been born Jan. 28, 1751. On their 6-month voyage, Mary's husband died and was buried at sea, and Mary's youngest Henry was born at sea. They may have been passengers on the ship Snow Chance, which landed at P hiladelphia, Nov. 10, 1756, being the only ship reported landing German passengers there during 1756, owing to hostilities between France and England..." "Both (Samuel and Henry) volunteered for Revolutionary War service, where Henry worked a t his trade in making shoes for the soldiers. No record is available...concerning Samuel's activities as a soldier..." Information from Howard Pletcher. In Germany the name of Pletcher (or Pletscher as it in German) is very common and is the e quivelant of Schwinn, being famous for bicycles manufacturing. Pletchers were originally Catholic from Schaffhausen, Switzerland. They converted to Mennonite and suffered persecution under the Swiss government which did not allow members of t he Mennonite faith to own land. After the 100 year war, Germany invited the Mennonites to come and farm their lands. The Pletchers then moved to the Wieslach area of Germany. It is thought that Samuel the immigrant son may have been a "home-s tyle" preacher. The Pletchers were "renegade" Mennonite.
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Carl & Elaine (Grove) Rhodes' Genealogy Pages
1730 - 1757 (27 years)