Johan Adam Bolch sailed from Rotterdam, Holland, on the ship Neptune and arrived in Philadelphia September 24, 1753. Andreas Balch was also on this ship. The next record we have is the baptism by Rev. Daniel Schumacher of Johan Adam Bolich, son of Johan Adam Bolich and his wife, Christina on February 8, 1755 when he was 4 weeks old. His sponsors were Johannes Rau (Barbirer, barber) and Maria Ursula.*
Judge Koch says that the record of the Trinity Lutheran Church at Reading shows the baptism of Johannes Adam Bolich as taking place February 6, 1755 in the house at Schwarzwald. Schwarzwald is a small community southeast of Reading in Exeter Township, known today as Jacksonwald. This record establishes the place of residence of Johan Adam Bolch.
Johan Caspar Bolich, son of Johan Adam Bolich and his wife, Christina, was baptized by Rev. Daniel Schumacher February 16, 1757 when 7 weeks old. His sponsor was Caspar Roeder.**
The name of Adam Bolich appears on the list of taxables in Exeter Township, Berks County in 1757, and Adam Bolick on a list of taxables in Oley Township in 1758.***
These two townships were settled very early, Oley in 1706, and Exeter by the English in 1718. The Andrew Robeson tract near Lorane in Exeter Township was purchased later by Mordecai Lincoln, Jr., great-great-grandfather of Abraham Lincoln. Daniel Boone was born nearby in 1733. The Lincolns and the Boones were Quakers. But in 1750, before the arrival of Johan Adam Bolch, the Lincolns, the Hanks, the Boones and others left Berks County for the South, taking the Indian trail to Reading. The Lincolns and the Hanks settled in Rockingham County, Virginia, but the Boones went on to North Carolina. Daniel was 17 years of age when he reached North Carolina. He married at 20, moving into Tennessee and finally into Kentucky, where he became know as the "Great Pioneer or Kentucky". John Lincoln, son of Mordecai, Jr., left Berks County in 1750. His son, Abraham, emigrated to Kentucky in 1782, where he was killed by the Indians, and left 3 sons, one of whom was Thomas, the father of Abraham Lincoln.
It is not know when Johan Adam Bolich and his family left Pennsylvania, nor where he tarried, nor how long it took to reach his destination. He probably travelled [sic] south with other German settlers. from his will we gather that he received a State's grant of land in Lincoln County, North Carolina, September 20, 1770, and a second State's grant October 20, 1782. On the 21st of July 1774 he purchased additional land which had been held under Royal Grant. These grants were probably somewhat similar to the patents of the State of Pennsylvania.
The children of Johan Adam Bolch and his wife, Christina, were: Jacob; Sebastian; Adam; Caspar; Godfrey; Christiana; and Elizabeth.
Jacob Bolch married Maria Salome Grimes on march 21, 1775 in Rowan County, North Carolina.
Sebastian Bolch married Hanna Margaret Heffner February 18, 1776 in Lincoln County, North Carolina. His will was probated in 1822.
Among the children of Godfrey Bolich and his wife Catherine, was David who married Elizabeth Sigmon. Their son, Cain, married Barbara Caroline Dellinger. Her father was David Dellinger who married Martha Jones of Rockingham County, North Carolina. Jerome Bolich of Conover, N.C., and John Alonzo Bolich, father of William Bryan Bolich, Professor of Law at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, were two of 14 children born to Cain Bolich and his wife, Barbara. The will of Godfrey Bolch was probated September 244, 1823 at Lincolnton, N.C.
The descendats [sic] of Johan Adam Bolch spell the surname in various ways, the most common being Bolch, Balch, Bolich and Bolick.
In a letter dated June 12, 1939 to Charles M. Bolich, William Bryan Bolich tells us the following interesting facts:
| "My father told me that his grandfather first used the spelling Bolich, which was continued by my grandfather. David Bolich, in addition to being a planter, operated a wagon manufacturing business which was continued by his eldest son, A.E., until the latter's death. At that time his eldest son, Jerome, took over the business, and developed it into a carriage and buggy plant at Conover, N.C., Today it is largely devoted to the making of school busses and such, and no longer makes horse-drawn vehicles. Uncle Jerome patented the first all metal wheel; and I well remember as a boy, seeing at this home the medal he received at the Jamestown Exposition of 1907. He, by the way, started the Bolick spelling in our line. He told me his reason: most customers seemed to use 'k' instead of 'h', and he decided against embarrassing them by insisting on 'h'." |
Casper Bolick (Johan Caspar Bolich, son of Johan Adam Bolch and his wife, Christina) served in the Revolutionary War. While residing in Lincoln County, North Carolina, he enlisted in 1776 and served as a private in Captain Bateman's Company, Col. Bateman's North Carolina Regiment. He enlisted in November 1778 and served 5 months in Captain Taylor W. Richardson's Company, Col. Locke's North Carolina Regiment. He enlisted as served 3 months in Captain Davidson's North Carolina Company and went on an expedition against the Indians. He again enlisted in 1781, served 3 months in Captain Horshbarger's Company, Col. Charles McDowell's North Carolina Regiment, and was discharged about December 1, 1781.****
"Casper Bolick received pension Claim W18566 allowed on his application executed October 30, 1832 while residing in Lincoln County, North Carolina. His pension began March 4, 1831 in his 78th year. he died August 27th or 28th, 1834 in Lincoln County, North Carolina.
Before the Revolutionary War he resided in Burke County, North Carolina, that part which was later Lincoln County, and afterward Catawba County, North Carolina. He married on December 28, 1779 Maria Magdalena Deal, also known as Mary. She was born August 15, 1756 and died in Catawba County, North Carolina October 25, 1838. Seven children survived their mother and were paid the pensions due their mother. They were all living in 1850. The children were: Casper Bolick, who made an affidavit in Catawba County, N.C., in 1850; Sally Bolick, who married Samuel Austin, a resident of Caldwell County, N.C., in 1850; Regina or Rachel Bolick, born 1805, who married Joseph Killian February, 1824; Polly Bolick, who married Andrew Holler; Elizabeth Bolick, born 1784, who married Phillip Hefner March 14, 1822; Frances or fanny Bolick, who married Frederick Miller, and Solomon Bolick.
In 1850, one Elizabeth Bolich made affidavit in Catawba County, N.C. No relationship of said Elizabeth to the family was shown."*****
Hiram Smith Balch, of Hickory, N.C., a descendant of Johan Adam Balch, Jr., says that Jacob Bolick and Godfrey Bolick also served in the War of Independence, and that the records of such service are to be found at the North Carolina Historical Society in Raleigh. He further states that Johan Adam Bolch brought with him to this country, his wife, Anna Christina, and one son, Jacob, who had been born to them in Germany about 1751. A second son, Sebastian, was born while they were crossing the ocean. They arrived in North Carolina about 1760, he says and settled near what is now Conover. In the Census of 1790 his family consisted of one male over sixten [sic] years, a four free white females. He was a shoemaker by trade, and a man of much property and very strict religious habits. His name and those of this children appear on the Lutheran church records of his county.
In the possession of Hiram S. Balch is an old chest which had been then property of his grandfather, Hiram Balch, and which is said to have been brought from Europe by Johan Adam Bolch.
Recorded at Lincolnton, Lincoln County, North Carolina is the Will of Adam Bolch, which follows:
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In the name of God, Amen. I, Adam Bolch of Lincolnton in the State of North Carolina, shoemaker, being very sick and weak in body but a perfect mind and memory, THANKS BE TO GOD, calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament, that is to day principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried at the direction of my Executors, hereinafter named, nothing doubting but at the resurrection I shall receive same again by the mighty Power, God. And touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. First I give and bequeath unto Christina, my dearly beloved wife, my dwelling house I now live in to be freely enjoyed by her during the time of her life, and at the expiration of her natural life the same shall be deemed The Real Property of my son Gottfried, and also my garden to be freely possessed and enjoyed by her, to her only proper use during the time of her natural life and after her death to be the absolute property of my son Gottfried. I also give her the following effects to be and remain her absolute property forever, to wit: my feather bed, and bed-stand and furniture; one iron cot, one Sermon book, one Hymn book, one frying pan, one milk cow and all the cash I have with me, besides one-third of all my movables. I give to her my linen chest, and all the linens and other goods therein, too tedious mentioned, to be her absolute property forever; and whereas all my children are in possession of land which I have provided for them, and my Son Jasper hath received of me all the purchase money for same my absolute will is that each of my children shall be liable to pay yearly on the first day of October, every year unto said wife two bushels of authentic good and lawful well cleaned wheat; one quarter of a hundred pounds good meat, half pork and half beef; three pounds of well cleaned picketed flax, and in total they shall find and provide for her every year one pair of good shoes. The eldest shall do it first, then the next shall find and provide for the said shoes and the following year and so on in order to the youngest, then if death not happens, to begin in the same order with the eldest as aforesaid, and to prevent confusion or errors that might happen in the whole I say all and every articles above mentioned to be paid unto my dearly beloved wife on the first day of October every year after my decease, expressly by each and every one of my children. I see just cause to name them all in particular. (1) Jacob my son. (2) Sebastian my son. (3) Adam, my son. (4) Jasper my son. (5) Godfrey, my son. (6) Christina, my daughter (7) Elizabeth, my daughter. And whereas they altogether hold land as aforesaid my absolute will is that each of them shall be liable to pay said described articles per annum on the limited time, and in case that any of my children should happen to die before my wife, that in this case or cases their heirs or heirs of them, or any of them, whoever will hold land or lands of the deceased shall be liable to the aforesaid duties, for the maintenance of my wife during the time of her natural life, but not any longer; and my son Godfrey shall provide food and all necessities for her milch cow aforementioned likewise for an ewe which I do give her hereby; and in case I should happen to die in a short or long time my will is that my sons shall divide my apparel and clothes among them in equal portions, and after the death of my wife my daughters shall divide her apparels and clothes amongst them in the said order as in said of my sons. And whereas I have declared that my son, Godfrey, shall keep the said milch cow and ewe to the only use of my wife, at his proper cost and charges, in recompense of which I give hereby and in virtue of this, my Folio Bible, printed in Nuremberg unto him, the said Godfrey hereby forewarning all the rest of my children, their heirs, executors or administrators, from all claim of the same by any lawful pretense whatsoever. I give and bequeath unto my son Jacob the sum of twenty shillings to be paid out of my money by my executors, besides purchase money I have given him before to pay for his land and this shall be his portion which he hath already received before. I give and bequeath unto Sebastian, my son, all that portion or parcel of land lying and situate on the western or northern side of Lysle's creek, adjoining the land of George Adam Schmitt and one other tract of my own land, being part of a large tract that I bought of Henry Schmitt by virtue of Royal Grant (Patent) bearing date of twenty first of July 1774 as the said patent will more fully and clearly appear, to have and to hold the said tract on said creek, which shall set a limit between him and his brother Jasper (Casper) unto my son Sebastian Bolch, his heirs, executors, and assigns forever; and further; I give unto my son Jasper all the remainder of the said described tract I bought of the aforesaid Henry Schmitt that is situated in the eastern or south side of said Lysle's creek which shall set limit between him and his brother, Sebastian, adjoining Philip Adam and Philip Giger, to have and to hold the said tract being part of the aforesaid larger tract unto the said Jasper Bolch and his heirs, executors, assigns forever. Also I give unto my son, Adam, all that tract or piece or parcel of land situate on the eastern side of a division line laid off by Joseph Rankin in a line of a larger tract at the north of a branch on Macklings creek running north 15 west to a post oak, then 10 corner from beginning in the lines of the said larger tract of the plantation I live on, to have and to hold the said described tract, piece or parcel of land being part of a larger tract granted to me by virtue of a States grant bearing the date of 20th day of October 1782. Where the limits will be more fully and largely appear unto the said Adam Bolch, his heirs, executors and assigns forever; and further I give also unto my son, Godfrey, the remainder of the said tract bound by the line aforesaid described which shall set limit between him and his brother Adam, and is situate on the western side of said Rankin line, to have and to hold the said land as part of the larger tract unto the said Godfrey Bolch, his heirs, executors and assigns (except that before excepted for the dowry) forever. Further I give unto my daughter, Christina, the lawful wife of Fredrick Trefflested one hundred and sixty acres of land adjoining the land of Sebastian, being part of larger tract granted me by virtue of States grant bearing the date September 20th, 1770, situate on both sides of Eko Creek to be divided by a line beginning across the said creek in the middle of the whole tract, setting limits between her and her sister, dividing the whole tract into divisions and parallel parts. I give unto my daughter, Elizabeth, the other half or remaining 160 acres of the aforesaid tract, being the upper or western part thereof adjoining the land of Jacob Mitchell, to have and to hold the same premises unto the said Christina and Elizabeth, their lawful heirs, executors and assigns forever, and finally, and all the remainder of my effects not willed herein, my will is it shall be divided among all my children in equal proportion without regard to sex or age, but selling thereof to strangers either by private or public sale I do hereby prohibit. P.S. I give my iron pot, called a Dutch Oven, two pewter basins, one half dozen of Ditto spoons, unto my wife to have use during life, but after her death to be considered part of my movables to be divided among my children in manner and form above directed. Lastly, I do hereby constitute, appoint and ordain Godfrey Bolch, my well beloved son to be my whole and sole executor of this my last will and testament and do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and disannounce all and every other former testaments, wills, legacies, bequeaths and executors by me in any ways before willed and bequeathed, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament, in witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand, seven hundred and ninety four.
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| Adam Bolch
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Signed, sealed and published, pronounced and declared by the said Adam Bolch as his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names.
his his
Conrad (X) Maugro Jacob (X) Diehl
mark mark
Andrew Cloninger (or Bollinger)
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**"Collections of the Genealogical society of Penna., Baptisms by Rev. Daniel Schumacher (1754-1774)" vol. 279, page 34, found among the records of the Historical Society of Penna. in Philadelphia.
***Research of Judge Koch.
****"Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in American Revolution" by North Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution pages 441 and 573, Lincoln County, North Carolina Militia, a copy of which book is in the possession of the Historical Society of Penna. at Philadelphia.
*****The foregoing information was given in a letter to the Honorable W.F. Kopp, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., by the Assistant to Administrator, Veterans Administration, Washington, D.C. All replies to be referred to BA-J/EEL Casper Bolich, W18566.
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