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EIGHTH GENERATION

128. Matthais Keffer⁽⁹⁾⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was born in 1707 in Sitzmanns, Lower Austria.⁽⁹⁾ He died in May 1766 in Maxatawny, Pa.

Matthias Keffer and his wife came from Alsace in 1740 on the ship "Lydia" and landing at Philadelphia in September of that year, along with two sons, Matthais Jr. and Martin. A third son, John Peter Keffer was born to them at Maxatawny, Pa in late 1742.

On September 27, 1740, with probably a thousand or more others, "Matteis Kaffer" (the progenitor of the family which originated in Maxatawny, Berks County) arrived in Philadelphia on the Ship Lydia, out of Rotterdam via Dover, from the Palatinate (James Allen - Commander). We know little about him personally except that he was 33 at the time he landed. Matthias was obviously not indentured to pay for the voyage since he went almost immediately to Maxatawny, the name applied to that part of the Perkiomen Valley straddling the present boundary between Berks & Lehigh Counties. The records of St Paul's Catholic Church at Bally (Goshenhoppen) show the baptism of a son John Peter at his home in that place on December 19, 1742. We do not know where or when Matthais died.

As to how long Matthias and his wife lived we can only conjecture. Either their thirst for adventure took them to new frontiers, away from their family, which we doubt, or they probably died before 1766. The latter probability is borne out by the fact that they never appeared as sponsors at baptism for any of their grandchildren, a custom, which was practically never overlooked. Sponsorship in those days required that if a death of the parents occurred, then the sponsors were responsible for raising that child. Furthermore, in the Pennsylvania Archives, Series III, Vol. 18 are listed the tax assessments for all property owners in Berks County from 1768 to 1785. While practically all of his children are listed in 1768 with their holdings of land, cattle, and sheep, the names of Matthias and his wife are missing.

So, Matthais and his spouse (Anna Marie) passed on to their reward without leaving a complete record in stone or elsewhere but left instead a small army of descendants to pick up the burden as they laid it down on the frontiers of civilization in their adopted land.

129. Anna Maria⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾⁽³⁾. Children were:

i. Martin Keffer⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was born in Alasce, Germany.

Martin may well have seen service in the War of Independence. Martin Keffer, of Goshenhoppen, following the death of his first wife, Mary Eva, married Anna Marie Adams. In the Census of Pensioners made in connection with the Sixth Federal Census in 1840 there appears the name Anna Marie Keffer residing with the family of John J. Black in the South Ward of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pa.
ii. Matthais Keffer Jr⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was born in Alasce, Germany.
64 iii. John Peter Keffer.
iv. John Keffer⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was born about 1744.
v. A. Dorothy Keffer⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was born in 1746 in Goshenhoppen, Pa.
vi. Eva Keffer⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was born about 1748.
vii. Barbara Keffer⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was born about 1750.
viii. Elizabeth Keffer⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was born about 1755.
ix. Catherine Keffer⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was born about 1753.
x. Ludwig Keffer⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ was born about 1757.