SECOND GENERATION

4. Wolfgang NEWCOMER⁽⁹⁾⁽¹⁰⁾ ⁽¹¹⁾⁽¹²⁾⁽¹³⁾⁽¹⁴⁾⁽¹⁵⁾⁽¹⁶⁾⁽¹⁷⁾ was born about 1715 in Bern, Langnau, Im Immental, Switzerland.⁽¹⁸⁾ Wolfgang's birth year was given as about 1710 by Manley Mallet. He died on 4 Mar 1771 in Leacock, Lancaster, PA.⁽¹⁹⁾ Wolfgang Newcomer came to the United States in 24 August 1717 from Switzerland. His parents and he landed at Philadelphia. They were Mennonites. He became a carpenter. He later moved to Leacock, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1749 where he took up farming. Newcomer may be spelled Neukommets, Neukomer, and Neukommett.

Silas and Esther Smucker summarized the religious background of the Wiedertaufer (rebaptizer) or, in English, an Anabaptist. Most of the following is from their work.

Martin Luther's thesis posted at Wittenberg University on 31 October 1517 is recognized as the founding of the Protestant Reformation Movement. Anabaptists split from Martin Lurther's reformation movement. On 18 January 1525 the Zurich City Council ordered families who refused to baptize their children upon birth expelled from the city, by force if necessary. Meeting in Felix Manz's Zurich home three days later on 21 January 1525, Conrad Grebel and George Blaurock joined Manz in baptizing each other. This was the start of the Swiss Brethren, who advocated adult baptism.

The cardinal principles of Anabaptism included adult baptism, separation from the world, separation of church and state, individual interpretation of the Bible, and Christianity as a way of life in active discipleship to Christ. Out of this literal interpretation of the New Testament came the refusal to bear arms, hold political office or to swear oaths. It also entailed the obligation of Christian love for every person, even for non-believers.

Menno Simons, a Dutch priest converted to Anabaptism, in 1536. His followers became known as Mennonites. Jakob Amman in the late 1600s emphasized a more rigid observance of Simons's teachings. His followers were known as Amish.

Alexander Mack founded the Brethren sect in 1708. As was the Anabaptist custom, many off-shoots of Mack's off-shoots occured over the years. In 1836 the German Baptist Brethren broke off. In 1908 the Church of the Brethren was established. Today, the prominent branches of Mack's organization, rank by size, are the Church of the Brethren, Fellowship of Grace Brethren Church, Brethren Church, Old German Baptist Brethren, Dunkard Brethren and othe small off-shoots. Some church groups who use the name Brethrenm, however, are not descended from Mack's group. These include the Moravian Brethren, Brethren in Christ, United Brethren, Christian Brethren and Plymouth Brethren.

Continual persecution by provinical authorities led many Anabaptists to leave Switzerland for Alsace from 1671 to 1711. The Sante Marie-aux-Mines Valley received most of these immigrants. On 9 September 1712 local hostility to the Anabaptists led authorities to expel the Brethren.

Montbeliard, under control of the Duke of Wurttemberg until the French Revolution in 1796 annex Montbeliard into France, extended refuge to many of the Brethren, mostly Amish, fleeing Alsace. Other popular destinations for the Swiss Brethren departing Alsace were Breisgau, Zweibrucken and Palatinate.

In 1681 King Charles II of England granted William Penn the area known as Pennsylvania in repayment of debt to Penn's father. A Quaker, Penn invited all religious groups to settle his land and enjoy religious freedom. Mennonites eagerly accepted his offer beginning in 1710. Mennonites from Palatinate and Switzerland settled mostly north and west of Philadelphia. Beginning in 1736 Amish settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania. When the French and Indian War led to attacks on settlers in Berks County in the 1750s, many moved to Lancaster and Chester counties.

The American Revolution detered immigration, but after 1815 Anabaptists renewed their immigration to America. Many of them settled west of the Alleghenies.

He was married to BAER about 1737.⁽²⁰⁾ BAER⁽²¹⁾ ⁽¹⁹⁾ died about 1738. Wolfgang NEWCOMER and BAER had the following children:

+14 i. Magdalena NEWCOMER.

He was married to Elizabeth Mandelin WEBER (daughter of Henrich "Henry" WEBER Senior and Madgalena Maudlin KENDIG) about 1743.⁽⁸⁾ Williams listed Wolfgang Newcomer's and Elizabeth Weber's marriage in about 1740. In this year she would have been about 14. Lyman Cole gave 1748 as their wedding date. But, it seems likely to me that the marriage date was closer to the birth date of their first child in 1744, when she would have been 18. Elizabeth Mandelin WEBER⁽²¹⁾⁽²²⁾⁽²³⁾ was born after 1727 in Weaverland, Lancaster, PA.⁽⁸⁾ IGI listed Elizabeth Weber's birth date as 1735, and another source listed 1739, but these are surely wrong. Melanie Jackson listed "after 1717". However, Elizabeth Weber's and Wolfgang Newcomer's first child, Henry Newcomer, was born in 1744. Another birth date given by one sources was 1721, but her parents were married about 1726. Thus, all three dates seem incorrect. It is probable that she was born around 1726. She died about 1798 in , Lancaster, PA. Jay Weaver gave Elizabeth Weber's death date as after 4 March 1771. She was buried in Farm Graveyard, near Bareville, PA.
Weber also may be spelled, Weaver, Weller or Miller. All three spellings are used in different sources. Weller is the name listed by Christian, her son. Weber, and middle name Mandelin, is listed in the Ancestry Files. Furthermore, her ancestry records all use Weber. The Biographical Annals of Lancaster County used Weaver for family.
Weaverland may be modern Millersville, Pennsylvania. Wolfgang NEWCOMER and Elizabeth Mandelin WEBER had the following children:

+15 i. Henry NEWCOMER Senior.
+16 ii. Barbara NEWCOMER.
+17 iii. Christian NEWCOMER.
+18 iv. Elizabeth NEWCOMER.
+19 v. Peter NEWCOMER Senior.
+20 vi. Anna NEWCOMER.
+21 vii. NEWCOMER.

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