My family tree

Elizabeth Lauer, the eldest living child of Christian and Catharina Lauer. married George Holstein in 1759, they were t he parents of 10 children, 7 girls and 3 boys. He was a farmer and spent his entire life in the area around Milbach, Pe nnsvlvania. George Holstein was the son of Leonhardt Holsteiner, a German immigrant and one of the earliest settlers in the region . (The Holsteiners, page 92). He inherited his father's farm in 1753 when he was just 19 years of age. Arrangements wer e made for specific compensation to the other heirs, all but one of whom were under age when their father died. He appa rently lived in an existing house on the property until a fine new two-story stone house was built in 1788. It has a ma rker at the second floor level thatreads "God bless this house -- George and Elizabeth Holstein --1788". The house is s till lived in today by a distant relative and appears to show little effect of its age. When in his forties, George served in the Second Pennsylvania Battalion in the War of Independence, (a private in Capta in George Hudson’s Company of Berk’s County Associators — DAR Vol XXII, #21325) seeing some severe action which result ed in considerable disability. In an interesting coincidence, a unit of the French troops under Rochambeau that was fig hting on the side of the colonies was known as the "Zweibruchen Regiment". Zweibruchen was the birthplace of George Hol stein's father. (it was temporarily under the control of France at the time). The rapprochement between Rcchambeau'sme n and the Pennsylvania Germans under George Washington is noted in the book The Pennsylvania Germans by the following e xchange: Rochambeau asked the American general "Haveyou made an alliance with Frederick the Great?" Washington replie d "No,why?" To which the Frenchman answered "Because your men are speaking German with mine and acting as if they wer e old friends." By his death in 1805, George Holstein had built a substantial estate. His will consisted of four pages of script beauti fully penned by a scrivener and, typical of contemporary documents, revealed a deep religious commitment. Its preambl e states in part: "In the name of God, Amen. This twenty-ninth day of September in the year of Our Lord one thousand se ven hundred and ninety-four, I, George Holstein being at present sickly and weakly in body, but of soundand disposing m ind, memory and understanding. thanks be to God therefore, do make this my last will and testament. Principally and fir st of all I recommend my soul into the hands of God who gave it, hoping through the merits of our Savior JesusChrist t o receive remission of all my sins, and a happy admission into the regions of bliss and immortaltly. My body I recommen d to the earth to be buried in a Christian-like manner and touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased Godt o bless me in this life." His will further illustrated the value placed upon almost all household appurtenances at the time specifying in detai l the distribution of such items. For instance, he bequeathed to his wife Elizabeth "A bed with bedstead and curtain, o ne chest,a desk half of the linen ware, cloth and flax, a copper kettle, two iron pots, iron pan, teakettle and the tea -ware, two pewter basins, two dishes, six plates six spoons, her saddle and bridle, a spinning wheel, two chairs an d a table and two cows to take her choice." Continuing, he also willed that his son Leonard should provide Elizabeth with: "Twelve bushels of good wheat, five bush els of good rye (and take the same from time to time, as she has occasion, to the mill and to fetch the meal and bran h ome again into her dwelling); a fat swine which shall weigh 125 pounds, 50 pounds of good beef, both at the season of k illing time or autumn; so many hens or fowls and eggs for to eat as she has occasion for; so many apples for to eat an d to make dry apples; the third part of the garden, and to dung the same when required; three bushels of good potatoes ; one barrel of good cider; three bushels of good potatoes; fifteen pounds hatcheled flax; six pounds of good wool; s o much small cut firewood fit for use to be hauled to her dwelling as she has need for; to keep her horse and two cow s in provender both summers and winters like his own horses and cows; ten pounds of tallow for candles; the liberty o f the lower and upper rooms on the northside of the house wherein I at present dwell to live in; and the use of the kit chen, cellar and springbouse with free ingress and egress. But in case it should happen that they cannot live peaceabl e together, then my son Leonard or his heirs istobuild a good and commodious house with a cellar under it, at the eas t end of the aforesaid house, for my wife to live in; and when she should get sick or infirm to give or send her good a ttendance." In addition, she was given "The sum of fourhundred pounds in real specie of gold and silver money.". Most wives today should be so lucky as to have this kind of caring and detailed attention to their welfare! A total of 765 acres was bequeathed to his sons --365 in Pennsylvania and another 400 in Kentucky -- plus an unspccifled arnount of acreage that he directed be sold and the proceeds distributed among his heirs. He als o left specific sums of money to the children.