TENTH GENERATION

512. Casper Bleiler (1) was born before 1700 in Germany. The history of the Plyler Family (or clan) has been found to be very fascinating. The surname Plyler is derived from Bleil(e) meaning "hammer, mallett, cudgel; crushing-mill." It would suggest therefore the meaning of one who worked at a crushing-mill or a maker or user of hammer or malletts.

The original name for Plyler was Bleiler. A Casper Bleiler arrived in Philadelphia, Penn. on May 29, 1735 aboard the Ship Mercury which had sailed from Switzerland via England. He had with him three children ....
Hans Hendrich Bleiler, age 13; Hans Jacob Bleiler, age 8; and Catherine
Bleiler, age 9. This was apparently our emigrant ancestor here in America. Casper Bleiler came from Germany via Switzerland. The Plylers spoke German and had strong German family ties. The names of the children also indicate that they were Germans. From the time of Casper Bleiler's arrival in 1735, the Plyler family was found to be living entirely within German Communities in America. Other spellings for the name Bleiler has been Pliler, Plilar, Pluilur, Plylar and Plyler which has been the most common usage of the
name.

Little is known about Casper Bleiler. There is no mention about his wife nor of her name being listed as a passenger on the Ship Mercury which brought the Bleilers to America. She apparently either died in Germany or on the way to America and was possibly buried at sea. Be that as it may, Casper arrived with three children whose names and ages have already been listed and originally lived in Philadelphia, Penn.

Descendancy
of
Casper Bleiler

Casper Bleiler, B. ca.1688, Germany

Hans Hendrich Bleiler, B. 1722 in Germany, D. 1808 in Lancaster County, South Carolina, M. Maria Christina Reinhart.

Jacob Plyler, B.1766, D. after 1850 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. M. Mary Plyler

Henry Plyler, B. 1795 in Lancaster County, South Carolina, D. June 13, 1873 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. M. Sarah Plyler.

ELizabeth (Betsy) PlyLer, B. 1830 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, D. March 4, 1892 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina; M. Pleasant Peter Key. Children were:

child256 i. Hans Hendrich (Plyler) Bleiler.
child ii. Catherine Bleiler(1) was born in 1726.
child iii. Hans Jacob Bleiler(1) was born in 1727. Agnes Bleiler

Agnes ? m. (1) Jacob Bleiler, d. yes, m. (2) John Hartman Sr., b. 28 Dec 1731, d. 18 Oct 1786, buried: Trinity Lutheran Church, Reading, Pa.
Agnes died Apr 1791, buried: Trinity Lutheran Church, Reading, Pa.
Children by John Hartman Sr.:
i Michael Hartman
ii John Hartman b. 23 Jun 1771.
iii Juliana Hartman m. Michael Gereth,
iv Catharine Elizabeth Hartman m. Henry Silvis,
v Catharine Hartman

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