An American Family History

"Bloss Family" from History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania compiled by Clinton J. Bloss.

John George Bloss, eldest son of Conrad, was born Oct. 15, 1744. He was a farmer, miller, and distiller. On June 29, 1767, he purchased his father's farm, consisting of 278 acres and sixty-three perches, for which he paid 250 pounds. On May 20. 1800, he was granted four acres and 137 perches—this tract was called "Mayfield"—in pursuance of a warrant dated Dec. 9, 1781. By a patent dated May 20, 1800, he was granted another tract of 215 acres and 130 perches, bordering on Mahoning Creek, in Penn township, Carbon county. On Dec. 9, 1784, he took out a warrant for ten acres. George Bloss and David Wyant took out a warrant bearing date Dec. 9, 1784, for 220 acres. In 1772, he paid Proprietary tax amounting to three pounds and eight shillings. In 1785 he paid Federal tax on 283 acres of land, three horses, and five head of cattle, amounting to two pounds, five shillings and five pence. On March 7, 1806, John George Bloss sold all the land he then owned; but he continued to reside on the homestead with his son Henry until his death. His farm in Washington township, Lehigh county, he sold to two of his sons, John George, Jr., bought 137 acres, fifty perches, paid 850 pounds; Henry bought 141 acres, fifteen perches, paid 850 pounds; John Lentz, his son-in-law bought the tract of 215 acres and 130 perches in Penn township, Carbon county, for which he paid 250 pounds. During the Revolutionary War, John George Bloss served in the Northampton county militia. In 1778 he was Second Lieutenant of the Fifth Company in the Third Battalion.

In 1780 he served as a private eight days on the frontier against the Indians in the Sixth Battalion as is shown in the pay roll of Capt. Conrad Reder's company. In 1781 he served as private in the Sixth Battalion, seventh class, as substitute for John Reedy, from May 16 to July 16. Again, in 1782, he was a private in the Sixth Battalion. John George Bloss was married two times. His first wife's name is Anna Barbara . The followiug are their children:

Christian, born July 27, 1768. died Feb. 2, 1836.
Anna Maria Barbara, born Oct. 6, 1769.
Elizabeth, born May 12. 1772, died Oct. 16, 1839.
Maria Susanna, born Oct. 12, 1773.
Anna Margaret, born May 14. 1777.
Jutianna. born Oct. 3, 1775, died Oct. 28. 1829.
Anna Maria, born April 17, 1779. died Jan. 3, 1836.
Anna Magdalena, born May 23, 1781.
John George, Jr., born March 20, 1783, died Oct. 4,
1862.

Henry, born March 9, 1789, died March 13, 1850.
John George Bloss' second wife was Elizabeth, ho survived him at his death, which occurred April 19, 1815, after an illness of about four days. In his will which was made April 15, and probated in Allentown, May 16, 1815, his sons Christian and John George, Jr., were appointed executors. In the old cemetery adjoining the Heidelberg church a tombstone still marks conspicuously the resting place of the last remains of John George Bloss:
Hier
Ruhen die
Gebeine der verstorbeuen
Johan Georg Bloss ist
gebohren den 15ten October
Jur jahr 1744 ist gestorb en den 19ten Aprill in johr 1815 ist alt worden 71 johr 7 monat und 4 tag.

Christian Bloss, eldest son of John George, Sr., was born in Washington township, July 27, 1768; died Feb. 2, 1836. According to the Lutheran Baptismal Record of the Heidelberg Church, he was born July 26, 1768, and baptized July 31, 1768; Johan Christian Bloss being his full name. His sponsors were Johan C. Schneider and Susanna Bloss(in). Christian Bloss was a miller by trade and operated a custom grist mill and saw-mill located one mile west of Slatedale, and now in the possession of John Remaley. Christian Bloss had twenty-nine acres and thirty perches of land which he cultivated in connection with his other business. On Nov. 7, 1812 he bought the farm from John Hunsicker. This property was in the hands of Christian Bloss and his descendants for one hundred years. Elizabeth Metzger, his wife, was born June 23, 1769, and died March 4, 1839. Christian and Elizabeth Bloss were life-long members of the Reformed congregation of the Heidelberg Church, and are buried in the new cemetery adjoining the church. They had eight children as follows: Peter, Christian, Jr., George, Elizabeth, Jonas, John, Catherine and Maria.

J. George Bloss, son of J. George, Sr., was born March 20, 1783, in Heidelberg township, now Washington township. Here he owned upwards of 300 acres of land. His homestead is now owned by Oliver DeLong. He also operated a distillery upon this farm. He was in his eightieth year at the time of his death, which occurred Oct. 4, 1862. Eva Metzger, his wife, was born Oct. 10, 1770, and died Jan. 27, 1837. Their children are as follows: Lydia, born Nov. 18, 1806; died Aug. 27, 1871, married Jacob Harter, born Feb. 22, 1803; died June 7, 1882; Jacob; William, born March 17, 1814, settled at Scranton, Pa.; Christian settled in Tennessee; George and two others whose names are not remembered. J. George Bloss and wife were Reformed members of the Heidelberg Church which he served as elder.

Henry Bloss, youngest son of John George. Sr., and Anna Barbara Bloss, was born in Washington township, on March 9, 1789. On March 27, 1806, at the age of 17, he bought from his father the homestead, together with 141 acres and fifteen perches of land. This constituted almost half the original farm which belonged to his grandfather Conrad, the immigrant. Henry Bloss was a farmer and a distiller. His death occured March 13, 1850. Salome Handwerk, [daughter of Peter Handwerk and Maria Eva Stettler] his wife, was born July 18, 1791, and died Feb. 7, 1867. Their children are:

Magdalena, born Feb. 28, 1813, died Nov. 18, 1882.
Sallie, born May 31. 1815, died June 8. 1897.
Reuben, born Dec. 5, 1818, died March 13, 1884.
Maria, born Aug. 7, 1822, died Aug. 19, 1842.
Lydia, born Feb. 22, 1827, died Nov. 27, 1892.

After the death of their father, the children took possession of his farm; none of them ever married. They lived together here as one family while alive. With the death of Sallie, one line of the descendants of John George Bloss became extinct.

Elizabeth Bloss, daughter of John George, Sr., was born in Washington township, May 12, 1772, and died Oct. 16, 1839. She was married to John Peter, [son of Jacob Peter and Susanna Rex] born May 17, 1773; died March 21, 1857. They resided at Hoffman's, this county. Their children are as follows:
Susanna, born 1795;
Elizabeth, born 1796;
Jonas, born 1798;
Magdalena, born 1800;
Margaretta, born 1802;
John, born 1804;
Henry, born 1806;
Anna Maria, born 1807;
Catherine, born 1809;
Michael, born 1811; and
William, born 1813.
Elizabeth Bloss is buried in the new cemetery adjoining Heidelberg Church.

Julianna Bloss, daughter of John George, Sr., was born in Washington township, Oct. 3, 1775; died Oct. 28, 1829. Her husband, Casper Peter, was born Oct. 10, 1774, and died Nov. 15, 1841. They lived on a farm one mile east of the Heidelburg Church. Their children are, namely,
Daniel, born Aug. 19, 1798;
John Casper, born 1797;
Godfrey, born March 19, 1800;
Elizabeth, born July 15, 1802;
Henry, born March 23, 1808; and
Reuben, born Aug. 4, 1814.
Julianna Bloss is buried in the old cemetery adjoining Heidelberg Church.

Anna Maria Bloss, daughter of John George, Sr., was born in Washington township, April 17, 1779; died Jan. 2, 1836. Michael Wehr, her husband, was born Feb. 3, 1768, and. died March 29, 1852. They lived near Best Station on the farm owned by Benjamin Wehr, their grandson. They had the following children: Daniel, Michael, William, Solomon, Elias, and Maria, wife of Jonas Kern.