142

Hans Peter Lohr

Peter Lohr (Loehr, Lehr, Leer) wag born in the German Rhineland

'(1,10). He traveled to America with his brothers Philipp (page 15)

and Haubrick (page 27) aboard the ship "TWO BROTHERS" from Cowes, ..

England. They took the Oath of Allegiance in Philadelphia September,

14, 1749(14,15). Peter settled in Bed~inster Township, Bucks County

on 100 acres of land (a part of the Bushes estate) in the southeastern

corner of the township, on the Plumstead To~nship boarder, where he

lived for the rest of his life (2-5).

There is no record of Peterfs marriage; however, the birth dates

of their children suggests that he married after arriving in America.

.

Peter and his family attended the Tohickon Reformed Congregation.

The baptismal and marriage records of Peter's children and their

children read like a chronological diary of the various ministers that

served the region (16).

The events that led up to the Revolutionary War had little to do

with Bucks County. It was not until after the battles of Lexington and

Concord in Massachusetts during April of 1775 that tensions mounted

and Bucks County residents decided to participate with the rest of the

Province in active support for military action. The people formed

themselves into township Military Associations which were organized to

repel any invasion of Pennsylvania. On June 30, 1775 the Provincial

Assembly gave official recognition to ,these groups of "Associators".

Although they were voluntary organizations, feelings ran strong enough

against those refusing to enroll that lists of Non-Associators were

posted. Peter was posted as a Non-Associator on August 16, 1775 (11).

Also, there is no evidence that he ever participated in the Pennsyl-

vania Militia that replaced the Military Associations by an Act of

March 17, 1777. Enrollment in the Militia was compulaory for all able

bodied men between the ages of 18 and 53 (17). [This confirms that

Peter was born around 1724/1725 and, therefore, the son of Johann Peter

Loehr (page 13) who had a son born March 21, 1725 but whose first name

was never recorded - see page 12. Peter would have been 24 years old

in 1749 when he arrived in America.] Peter did, however, sign the Oath

of Allegiance to the new independent colonial government on January 7,

1778 (12).

Peter is listed in the Plumstead Township tax lists of 1762 and

in the Bedminster Township tax record of 1778, which was the first'"

year taxes were levied in Bedminster Township (2). He owned two horses

and three cows. Thereafter he appears every".year in the tax records of

Bedminster. Township until 1,793 (2-5). The tEix list of 1784 nc>:tes that

there were! three inhabitants in his household; most likely Pet'er, his

wife and son, John, since Joseph was listed separately and James and

Robert had gone to Solebury Township to live. The U.S. Censu& of 1790

lists two inhabitants; one man and one woman.~- implying that Peter's

wife, Elizabeth was still living in 1790 (5}J

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