[M] #1519 Diebold "Theobald" Mechling ( Diebold MechlingMartin Mechling )

Theobald was born 3 Nov 1694 in Hœrdt, Alsace, France. He died Apr 1765 in Upper Milford, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania.

Theobald and his brother, Jacob, appear on the passenger lists for the ship James Goodwill, David Crockett, Master. This ship sailed from Rotterdam, Netherlands to Deal, England. She set forth from there on June 15 and arrived 11 Sep 1728 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [Rupp] lists:

At a Council held in the Courthouse of Philadelphia, September 11th, 1728..... A List was presented of the Names of Forty two Palatines, who with their Families, making in all about Ninety persons, were imported here in the Ship James Goodwill, David Crockat, Master from Rotterdam, but last from Deal, as by Clearance from the officers of the Customs there, bearing Date the Fifteenth day of June, 1728." From the Minutes of the Provincial Council, printed Colonial Records, Vol. III, p. 331.

Among their fellow passengers were Johann Caspar Stöver, Senior and Junior, the prominent founders of many of the Lutheran churches in Pennsylvania and Virginia.

In 1734, Theobald took out a patent on 125 acres of land in Bucks Co., Pennsylvania (now Lehigh Co.) from Thomas and Richard Penn. They were sons of William Penn and proprietors of the province of Pennsylvania. Before that, he lived in what is now Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania and was a member of the Reformed Church at New Goshenhoppen.

The county records show the following acquisitions of land over the next few years:

29 Jun 1734 - warrant for 125 acres

12 Jun 1737 - 144 acres and 120 perches surveyed

22 Jan 1744 - warrant for 20 acres

17 Jul 1744 - 23 acres and 18 perches surveyed

29 Apr 1947 - warrant for 11 acres

5 May 1747 - 11 acres and 80 perches surveyed

16 Sep 1757 - 17 acres and 116 perches surveyed

6 Oct 1757 - warrant for 25 acres

Theobald moved to his property near Zionsville and build a cabin that is still standing as the middle room of a larger house. It was situated on a stream known as Mechling's Creek (later Walter's Creek).

A dam was erected across the stream and a mill was built. In 1735, the King's Highway was built and passed close to the Mechling homestead. In 1737, Theobald signed a petition to have the Upper Milford district, in which his property was located, assigned to a separate region. This was done in 1752 when Northampton Co. was formed. In 1812, it became part of Lehigh Co.

Theobald was one of the founding members of the Upper Milford Lutheran Church. He donated 30 acres of land for the church and cemetery. His donation of 15 shillings towards the pastor's salary in 1756, 1757, 1758 and 1759 made him one of the three largest contributors. In 1757, however, he separated from the church and, with some other members of the congregation, formed a separate church about two miles away near what is now Zionsville.

There is a mention in the Pennsylvania Archives (Series V, Vol. 1, p. 222) that a Dewalt Mechlin of Upper Milford Township had a horse returned by a constable during the time of the French and Indian War.

The Mechling Historical Association placed a memorial stone in the old Dillingersville graveyard, to replace whatever may have indicated the believed burial location of Theobald and Elizabeth. The dedication ceremony took place on Sunday, 30 June 1996.

The following is a transcription of his hand-written will done by Dorothy Mercy.

In the name of God Amen, I Davold Mechlin of the township of Ubermilford, in the county of Northampton in the province of Pennsylvania, being old & weak in body, but of a sound & perfect mind and memory, Blessed be God for ye same and weile [sic] it is appointed for all Men to Die and to Leave their Worldly Estates behind, Do I this Nineteenth Day of September In ye year of our Lord one Thousand Seven hundred and sixty-three make & Publish this my Last Will and Testament. In the manner and form following, after my Just Debts be fully Paid and Discharged, that is to say, first I Give & bequeath unto my beloved Wife Elisabeth Mechlin one complete Bed and Bed Stead with all the furniture, one Cow, one Side Saddle to be worth Three Pounds and ten Shillings, one Chest, one Spinning Weal [sic], Two Iron Pots, a black one and one Small one, all the flax which is Not Spun into yarn at my decease, & two butter dishes, three plates, six spoons, one tea pot, two bureaus, one pine. Then it is my will That Soon after my Death, all the money Due to be Divided in manner following, whereas I have Given to my oldest Son Daobold Mechlin, the Sum of one hundred pounds, when he was married. Likewise the Said Sum of one hundred Pounds I have Given to my Second Son Peter Mechlin when he was married. Also I have Given to my Daughter Elizabeth who is married unto Lenhard Stininger, the Sum of Seventy-two Pounds, the Remaining Twenty-eight shall be paid after my Decease, if I do not pay in my Life Time, to make up the hundred pounds. Receipts Shall be produced of them all.

Item, one hundred Pounds, I Give unto my Son, Jacob Mechlin together with the Lawful Interest for the Same from the Twenty-seventh Day of November Last. Also I Give unto my Two other Sons, Philip Mechlin and Thomas Mechlin, Each of them the Sum of one hundred Pounds with Lawful Interest aforesaid which shall be Lend out upon Interest By my Executors hereafter mentioned 6 to be paid unto them as Each of them Come of his full age of Twenty-one years.

Item, I Give and bequeath unto my oldest Son Dabold Mechlin, the Sum of five Pounds of Good and Lawful money of Pennsylvania to him in hand paid within one month after my Decease by my Executors.

Item, I Give and bequeath unto my Son Thomas Mechlin, the Plantation which I now Live on, Situated in ye Township of Ubermillford in the County aforesaid, containing one hundred and Seventy acres being the same more or less together with all ye improvements there on for ye value or Price of four Hundred Pounds of Lawful Money of Pennsylvania to be Paid. In the manner following one year after his Taking it in possession when he comes to his full age of Twenty-one years, he shall pay the first payment, the Sum of Twenty-five Pounds and Every year Twenty-five Pounds to full payment is made for whole, which Said Sum of Four hundred Pounds Shall be Equal Divided among my Six Children before mentioned. Every payment yearly as they become Due. Ye said Plantation To be possessed by him, the Said Thomas Mechlin, his heirs and Assigns forever. Further it is my will that in Case he Should Die before he will Come to his full age aforesaid and Leaving no Lawful heirs, Then I give and bequeath the Same to my Son Phillip Mechlin, his heirs & Assigns for Ever, and in Case he Should not Live to be Enjoyable and Leave No heirs as aforesaid, then I Give and bequeath the same to my Son, Jacob Mechlin, by the Conditions above mentioned. Further it is my will that If one or Either one of any three Sons as Jacob, Philip and Thomas Mechlin Should Not live, he or them be of their full age, then his share shall equal be divided among the remaining of my Children or their heirs and assigns.

Item, I Give unto my three Last Subscribed, Each of them when they Come of age, one young mare at the value of Thirteen Pounds, one good New hunting Saddle, one bridle, one new Shmoot [sic] Gun, one Chest, one asct [sic] one Grubin [sic] hoe, two small Rings and two wedges.

Item, I Give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Elizabeth Mechlin all the third Part of my Personal Estates, all the Remainder of my moveable Estates, I Give and bequeath to my Six Children to be Divided Shear and Shear [sic] Alike among them.

Item, I give to my son Jacob Mechlin, my great Coat. Further it is my will that after my Decease, my wife shall have one good Room in the house to Live in and a bed in the Garden next to the old house about thirteen feet broad up the whole length of the Garden & one long Row of apple trees In the orchard for her own Use during her natural Life if She Remains a widow and no Longer.

Item, I give unto my said wife Elizabeth ye third share of the Rent of my Plantation as long as She Remains a widow but no Longer, which yearly to be Paid to her. Further Provided a true Inventory Shall be made Soon after my Death, of all my moveable Estates, money, Bonds, Bills from The highest to the Lowest by my Executors hereinafter mentioned; further it is my will that my Executors shall make sale of my moveable Estate for the best price that Can begotten and Enable them to Discharge my Debts and to Rent out my plantation till my Son Thomas Comes to be of age aforesaid. I do here by make, Constitute and appoint my Second Son Peter Mechlin and my Wife, Elizabeth Mechlin, Sole Executors of this my Last Will and Testament to Take Care of my Children and their Estates and for everything herein before mentioned performed according to my true Interest & meaning meaning thereof and In case If my Said Wife Elizabeth Should marry again, then I make and constitute and appoint my Loving friend, Samuel Mechlin in heir Room [sic] to act for my Sole Executor with my son Peter. And In Case any Dispute Should arise Between my Children among themselves or between my Children and my Wife or between them or my Executors Then in Such Case I do Hereby order that they Shall Not go to Law with Each other to Dispute, But it is my will and I do order That all Disputes Shall be Settled between three men in ye neighborhood chosen by them as arbitrators and

according them, three men their Judgments, Each Party Shall Stand do & be Satisfied accordingly. And I Do here by declare This only to be My Last Will and Testament and all Former Wills and Testaments to be Void.

In Witness whereof, I the Said Davold Mechlin have to this my Last will and Testament Set my Hand and Seal the Day and year above.

Davold Mechlin

[His Mark]

Written, Signed, Sealed, Delivered by the Said Davold Mechlin as and for his Last Will and Testament in ye Presence of us Who were present

at the Signing and Sealing Thereof.

Peter Heildeman

Johannes Johns

Philadelphia, May 8th 1765. There Personally appeared Peter Heildeman & Johannes Johns the Witnesses to the foregoing Will and the said Peter Heildeman on Oath & Johannes Johns on his Solemn affirmation according to Law did Declare and affirm they Saw and heard Davold Mechlin the Testator therein named Sign, Seal Publish and declare the same Will for and as his last Will and Testament and that at the doing that he was of Sound Mind, Memory & Understanding to the best of their knowledge.

Theobald married #1906 Anna Elizabeth "Elizabeth" Lauer. She is the daughter of John Peter & Anna Margaret Lauer.

Relationship notes

They married Abt 1730.

 

She is believed to be buried in the old Dillingersville graveyard next to Theobald.

Children of this relationship:

#1520MiJohn Theobald "Dewalt" Mechling(11 Nov 1731–29 Mar 1816)
#1521MiiJohn Peter "Peter" Mechling(Abt 1737–1765)
#1522Fiii«Unknown» Mechling(1740–)
#1523FivAnna Elizabeth Mechling(25 Aug 1741–26 Nov 1784)
#1538FvAnna Margaret Mechling(27 Apr 1744–10 Apr 1748)
#1524MviJohn Jacob Mechling(27 Feb 1747–8 Nov 1824)
#1525MviiPhilip Mechling(Abt 1749–11 Nov 1817)
#1526MviiiThomas Mechling(4 Aug 1751–8 Jun 1786)

Dorothy Hallarn Mercy, Mechlin Mechling Macklin - Descendants of Theobald Mechling, 1728-1998, Volume I-Dewalt Mechling, (Butler, PA: Mechling Associates, 1998). Ref. as [Mercy I-98].

Dorothy Hallarn Mercy, Mechlin Mechling Macklin - Descendants of Theobald Mechling, Volume III-John Jacob Mechling, (Butler, PA: Mechling Associates, 1996). Ref. as [Mercy III-96].

Israel Daniel Rupp, A collection of upwards of 30,000 names of emigrants landed in Philadelphia, Pa. 1730-1800, (Philadelphia: Leary-Stewart, 1927). Ref. as [Rupp].

Roland Stoll, Mechling: a trip from Hoerdt, Alsace, France to Philadelphia, PA, USA, PowerPoint listing of research notes, (2014).


Line Generation: 3

Relationship: Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather