My maternal grandparents were Kenneth E. ELDRED and Blanche Irene (KICHLINE)ELDRED. I hope that if you're visiting this page, it's because you're a cousin or interested in the lines you'll find in the reports below. Always happy to exchange information!
My grandfather Ken's family has an interesting and even royal history. His lines are below, and more information can be found on my Web page.
My grandmother Blanche's most illustrious ancestor so far was John Philip BOEHM, 1683 - 1749:
"John Philip BOEHM was an innkeeper of the Stage Inn at Lambsheim in his early years. He became a citizen there 14 Apr 1706. He was the Reformed Schoolmaster at Worms from 1708 to 1715 where his salary was 100 guiden or about $48.00. A Christopher Schmidt wanted someone else as schoolmaster and his persecution caused John Philip to resign and take a position in Lambsheim where he earned 145 florin or about $69.60. This salary placed him in the upper middle class. He quarreled with the town council over distribution of lands and although the electoral government decided in his favor this conflict plus persecution by Catholics probably influenced to migrate to America.
It is likely that he arrived on the "Laurel" 10 Aug 1720. He settled on a 200 acre farm in Whitpain township, Philadelphia (later Montgomery) county which he purchased in September 1736.
There were no Reformed church buildings or pastors so the early emigrants would meet on Sundays in houses and barns to pray, sing, and listen to one of them read a sermon. John Philip was frequently the reader. The devout missed having children baptized and communion so they urged John Philip to become their minister. After much fasting and prayer, he reluctantly agreed and served congregations in Falkner Swamp, Skippack, and Whitemarsh. He served communion at Falkner Swamp 15 Oct 1725, this date is now used as the founding of the German Reformed Church (also known as the Dutch Reformed Church) in Pennsylvania. Word spread and other groups requested his services so he became a circuit rider for Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton, Lancaster, Chester, and Lebanon counties.
When an ordained minister, George Michael Weiss, arrived in 1727, he denounced Boehm's ministry and challenged the validity of his ministerial acts. The people were divided but several congregations sent petitions to the Classis at Amsterdam which concluded that Boehm's call "originating as it did, out of the very heart of the congregation, must be considered as valid." He was ordained in New York 23 Nov 1729.
The act of 14 Feb 1730 allowed Boehm to become a naturalized citizen of Pennsylvania. The English passed a law in 1740 allowing provincial courts to grant British citizenship to foreigners. Boehm took advantage of this and became a citizen 11 Apr 1741.
He owned several tracts of land and evidently supplemented his income with other pursuits since he advertised in the 1 Aug 1755 Sower's newspaper "good rum and molasses for sale cheap."
The Holland fathers had committed to helping the foreign churches in 1731. Boehm provided them with the detailed information they requested. His letters revealed a querulous disposition-- describing his own poverty and weakening constitution, criticizing his pastoral colleagues, and making harsh remarks about other sects. The requested information must not have been taken at face value by the church authorities for no help was given to the Pennsylvania churches.
John Philip Boehm died at his oldest son's farm near Hellertown. He was buried under the altar of his church in Whitpain. He had been a prudent and successful manager of his temporal affairs. After debts were paid, his estate was valued at 348 pounds and included many books." --Narrative by Betty I. RALPH
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