John Henrich and Mary Brogley

John and Mary Henrich were my Great, Great Grandparents.  Another way to think of 2nd Great Grandparents is that they are your grandparent's grandparents.  In this case, this couple were my grandfather Herman Henry's paternal grandparents.  

The name "Henry" seems to have evolved over the years from the original "Henrich", although for a time both names seem to have been used interchangeably.  At some point in the early 20th Century, the old Germanic form was dropped by most family members, and "Henry" became the preferred form.

It is not known exactly when John Henrich and Mary Brogley came to Churchville (Bally), Pennsylvania, but it is likely that both families were attracted to the town by the presence of the Catholic Church.  We do know that John and Mary were Catholic and that they were married at the Most Blessed Sacrament Church on October 11th 1857 by it's esteemed Pastor, Reverend Augustine Bally.  If the identifications accompanying  the photographs on the next page are accurate, they are the images of John Henrich and Mary Brogley, taken in Reading, Pennsylvania about a year before their marriage, perhaps at the time of their engagement.

Records from the Berks County Recorder of Deeds indicate that in April, 1858 the young couple purchased a property from a man named Anthony Eltz, on what is now Church Street in Bally.  An old map of Churchville locates this property and today, there is a house that stands on this site.  It is believed to be the same house in which the Henrich's lived.

Throughout the first 20 years of their married life, John and Mary had 10 children, having each one baptized in the Catholic Church with various family members and friends serving as Godparents.  The children attended school at the Church, Mary kept house, and John made his living as a carpenter.  During the Civil War, John's brother Charles, who also lived in the town, was drafted and served for nine month's in Suffolk, Virginia with a number of the other townspeople.

The 1880 census gives us a snapshot of life in the 19th Century.  At that time, John was 45, Mary 44 and they had 13 year old Elizabeth, 11 year old Amos, 9 year old Mary, 7 year old Franklin, and 5 year old Irwin living at home.  Their oldest son, William, was now a border at the home of Isaiah Miller.  John was doing his carpentry work, Mary was keeping house, and young Elizabeth and Amos were both attending school.

John and Mary raised their children and when they grew to adulthood many of them migrated to other communities.  It is known that Amos Henry came to live in Allentown, and William and Joseph moved to Reading.  The youngest son, Irwin, stayed in Bally and farmed the land and his farm is still owned and operated by family members.  Today, in 2000, some of the descendants of these families still meet once a year, in the summer, at the Irwin Henry - Henry Family Reunion in Hereford, Pennsylvania continuing a tradition that has lasted for over 60 years.

Mary Henrich passed away  in 1894 and John in 1902.  They are laid to rest in the Cemetery at the Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Bally.