Lesh/Loesch

The Lesh ancestors did not arrive in Juniata Township until about 1840. However they came to America about 1720; settled in Schoharie, New York before coming to the Susquehanna valley. It's an interesting story. It was the custom to give their sons the first name of the father and they were known by their middle name. So it is confusing. Also remember Markelsville didn't get its name until after 1853 when George Markel bought "Pretty Meadows".

Loesch, Johann George (1699-1790) Birth: 23 APR 1699 in Gimbsheim, Palatinate, Germany. Death: 15 AUG 1790 in Nazareth, Northampton, PA.

The following was extracted from the "Meet the Lesh Family" by Mrs. Clarence Ray Rupp: "Johann George Loesch...on arriving at New York he was 12 years old and apprenticed to a linen weaver there. After serving his apprenticeship he moved to Schoharie County and joined the rest of his family."

"When the Moravian Church at Lebanon, Pennsylvania celebrated their bi-centennial in 1947 their souvenir booklet contained the following "On the 19th day of December, 1747, a formal organization of the congregation at Hebron was effected. The first Evangeliche members to become Moravians at Hebron were George Loesch and his wife Christina, who were received as Moravians at the Heidelberg Synod. They had a family of eleven children and constituted a very promising nucleus for the Moravian Congregation at Hebron. The Loesh home was made headquarters of many of the official visitations from Bethlehem". "After the children of George Loesch had left home he sold his Berks County farm and moved to Gnadenthal near Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in 1770. There he and his wife celebrated their golden wedding, December 15, 1771, the latter date establishing the date of their marriage."

1. Johann Jacob LOESCH  Birth: 1722 in ,Schoharie, NY. Death: 1782 in Mt. Bethel Twp.,Northampton, PA. Burial: Moravian Cem., Nazareth, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.  Jacob Loesch was b. in the late fall of 1722 while his parents were still living near Schoharie, New York. Shortly after his birth his parents and a number of other Schoharie settlers traveled over 400 miles down the Susquehanna River in canoes, and on rafts to the Swatara Creek in Pennsylvania where they started a settlement near Tulpehocken. Jacob was Justice of Peace for Northampton County, Pa. and the first business manager of the Moravian settlement in the Winston Salem, NC area. 
   
2. Susanna Philipina LOESCH    b: 1724 in Chester, PA.
3. Hermanus Wall. LOESCH  b: 1726 in Chester, PA.
4. Maria Elisabeth LOESCH       b: 1728 in Chester, PA.
5. Maria Catharina LOESCH       b: 1730 in Tulpehocken, Lancaster, PA.
6. Christina Elisabeth LOESCH   b: 1732 in Lancaster, PA.
7. Johann Balthasar LESH       b: 1734 in Berks, PA. See below
8. Margretha Elizabeth LOESCH b: 1736 in Lancaster, PA.
9. Johann Georg LOESCH          b: 1738 in ,Lancaster, PA. d: 1811 m. Ann Child: George b: 1770 in NC
10. Johann Adam LOESCH           b: 1741 in ,Lancaster, PA.
11. Maria Barbara LOESCH          b:  1744 in ,Lancaster, PA.

Johann Balthasar LESH 1734-1802 Burial: Hamlin, Lebanon, PA.  Johann Balthasar (Balthazer, Balthazar) Lesh(Lesch) tombstone gives his birth as 1730, however, records at Reed's Church gives his birth as 1734. He was a revolutionary soldier. He married first Anna Maria; they had three children within two 1755 and 1757: John, Benjamin and Jacob. Let's assume Anna died in child birth. Balthasar remarried about 1759 in Berks, PA. to Anna Christina HEIL b. 1740. They had nine children all b. in Berks, PA.:

1.  Anna Maria                  b:  1760 
2.  Johann Peter               b: 1763 
3.  Johann Bathazar Jr.  b: 1765
4.  Maria Salome              b: 1767 
5.  Johann George         b: 1770
6.  Maria Barbara              b: 1774
7.  Anna Catharine            b: 1775 
8.  Elizabeth                     b: 1779
9.  Christina 

--------NEXT GENERATION George & Balthazar Jr.--------------

Johann George LESH  (son of Johann Balthazar LOESCH ), was b. in 1770 in Bethel, Berks, PA.  He died in 1847 in PA

George married Fronica BROTZMANN daughter of Mr. BROTZMAN and Mrs. BROTZMAN in 1796 in Berks Co, PA.  Fronica was b. in 1768 in Berks Co, PA. Apparently they lived in Indiana before moving to Newport. Fronica died in 1847 in Logansport, Indiana.

They had the following children:

1. John Lesh - b. 1797 in Logan, Cass, Ind. He died 1864
2. Elizabeth Lesh  - b. 1800 in Logan, Cass, Ind.; died 1872
3. Catherine Lesh - b. in Logan; died 1872
4. George W. Lesh - b. 1805 in Berks Co.; died 1872
5. Peter Lesh - b. 1808 in Newport, Pa died 1872 in Newport
6. Jacob Lesh - b. 1810 in Newport; died 1846
7. Marie Lesh - b. 1812 in Newport; died 1860
8. Daniel Lesh - b. 1820 in Newport; died 1882 in Clinton, PA
9. Sarah Lesh - b. 1822 in Newport; died 1882

THUS CAME THE NEWPORT LESH FAMILIES

Johann Balthazar Jr.  (son of Johann Balthazar LOESCH ), was b. 1765 in Berks Co.; died in Milford, Juniata Twp. Perry Co. Balthazar Jr. married Salome BROTZMAN (Did he marry a cousin?) Salome was b. about 1770 in Berks Co, PA. She died 1839 in Milford, Juniata Twp, Perry Co, PA. Note: Markelsville was not named until after 1853 when George Markel bought "Pretty Meadows". The Milford Cemetery is in Wila, Juniata Twp. 

Balthazar Jr. and Salome had the following children:

1. Margaret Lesh was b. 1789. Margaret married Peter SMITH.
2. Christina LESH. b. 1790 
3. Catherine LESH was b. 1792 Catherine married John SMITH.
4. Jonathan LESH was b. 26 Nov 1796 and was christened 7 Jan 1797 in Tulpehocken, Berks Co, PA.
5. Barbara Lesh b. 1799
6. Eva Louisa LESH. b. about 1800
7. Johan LESH b. 1804 He died 1810.
8. Jacob LESH was b. 3 Jul 1806 and died 21 Feb 1886.
9. Benjamin LESH. b. 1808
10. Sarah LESH. b. 1810 Sarah married BIXLER.
11. Daniel LESH. b. 1813
12. Betsy Lesh married Zimmerman
13. daughter  LESH married Hollopeter

Notice the familiar Markelville names  

Margaret LESH (daughter of Johann Balthazar LOESCH )Birth: 9 MAR 1789 Death: 14 DEC 1864 Burial: Markelsville, Pennsylvania, USA. 

Biography: Married Peter Schmidt II, the brother of John Schmidt, the husband of her sister Catharine Lesh. They were married in Berks or Lebanon County and came to Perry (then Cumberland) County sometime later, after the birth of one or more children, purchasing land in present Juniata and Oliver Townships as early as 1815, and owning 150 acres in 1820. During his early years they owned land which reached from Newport cemetery almost to Milford. However, due to faulty titles they lost most of it and spent their last years on a smaller tract adjoining the land of Peter's brother Johannas or the latter's heirs. Peter was a farmer, carpenter, and shoemaker, and was trustee of the old Christ Union Church (Lutheran and Reformed) at New Bloomfield. They had 11 children. 

---------------- the YOUNGEST Generation -----------

LESH, Daniel 1813-  (son of Johann Balthasar Lesh Jr.). Daniel married Mary Ann HIMER about 1837 in Bethel, Berks, PA. Mary was b. about 1815 in Bethel, Berks, PA. They apparently settled in Juniata Twp., Perry county.

1. Daniel Jr. Lesh - b. 1838 in Juniata, Perry Co. PA
2. John Lesh - b. 1839 in Juniata, Perry Co. PA
3. Baltser Lesh - b. 1841 in Juniata, Perry Co. PA
4. James D.  Lesh - b. 1844 in Juniata, Perry Co. PA
5. Salome Ann Lesh - b. 1844 in Juniata, Perry Co. PA; died 1912 in Hot Springs, SD.

On 5 Sep 1864 John and Baltser Lesh mustered in the two hundredth and eighth regiment organized at Camp Curtin,
Harrisburg Pa.  They were joined with their neighbors, Wm. Fleckinger and John Fosselman. On the 27th of Nov the regiment joined the Army of the Potomac and was assigned to the First Brigade, Third Division of the Ninth Corps under the command of General Hartranft. On the 25th of March helped capture Fort Steadman. From the 27 Mar to 2 Apr were constantly moving, till the assault on Petersburg at which 48 were killed or wounded. On the ninth of April arrived at Nottoway Court house where they remained till the 20th. At Alexandria the 208th were mustered out of service.

In 1862 Daniel Lesh Jr. married Sarah Jane Albert, who was b. 1841. Daniel was a house carpenter. They had a daughter, Sarah.  

"Sarah J. ALBERT marriage: 18 Dec 1862; Perry Co.; A&P; 21 Jan 1863; md. Daniel Lesh, both of Perry Co. 8 Jan 1863; Perry Co.; DEMO; 22 Jan 1863; md. Daniel Lesh, both of Perry Co."

According to the graveyard stones, John Lesh returned from war and married Sarah J., b. 1847 and died 1923  John died 1917. They had a son, John B. Lesh, b. 1875 and a daughter, Henrietta B, b. 1884. John B. Lesh married a young maiden, Maude E. Crawford, b. 1903 and 28 years younger than he. They were probably married before 1920 when John B. was in his mid 40s and Maude just a teenager. Maude died 1920 - she was only 17 or 18! They are all buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery. 

James D. Lesh married  Annie J (Jennie), b. 1847. They apparently had three children:

1. Daniel Victor Lesh, b. 1872. He died 1889 before his 18th birthday
2. William Morris,       b. 1877 and died at the age of 4 months.
3. Harry B Lesh,         b. 1881 and married Margaret B., born 1880

Did Harry and Margaret Lesh have children? Margaret Lesh died 1908 and Harry Lesh died 1921. They are all buried in St. John's (Markelsville) Cemetery.

That's was the graveyard tells!

Census: 1870: L-Z Index to the 1870 Census Perry County, PA

Lesh Addie 
Lesh Allen 
Lesh Baltzer 
Lesh Benjamin 
Lesh Daniel 
Lesh James 
Lesh John 
Lesh Joseph 
Lesh Lewis 
Lesh Peter 
Lesh John 
Lesh Daniel 
Lesh Adam