The following was taken from Highlights of the Journey from Switzerland to Virginia (1737-1770's). Paul Reger of Buckhannon, WV who is descended from John Reger, brother of Jacob sent Melinda Larson a copy.
"Anthoni Reger, the elder, at age 47, his wife Barbara Wurtz Reger, also 47 and Elsbeth Scholerin, age 72, his mother-in-law by his first (should be third) marriage, asked permission to go to the American Colonies because of excess taxation. Permission was denied because of quotas.May 11, 1737: Antoni (age 47), leaves Rotterdam, Holland with his family and mother-in-law on "THE VIRTUOUS GRACE" with Capt. John Bull at the helm.
The voyage takes all summer, arriving in Philadelphia on Sep 24, 1737. The mother-in-law died during the voyage. Anthoni was now 48. Adult males (older than 16?) were immediately naturalized "American colonials and British subjects." The ship's manifest lists Anthony Reigel, age 48, Anthoni Reigel, age 24 and Burghart Reigel age 21, the latter 2 being sons from his first marriage.
[Note: Names were also spelled Antoni and Burckhart Ruger or Reuger, often reflecting illiterate or semi-literate cabin boys and the practice of spelling names the way they sound, even though one may have spelled the same name in different ways at different times.]
"Soon after their arrival, the family moved to Dolben Hagen, PA (now named Womelsdorf) about 75 miles northwest of Philadelphia. (Womelsdorf is roughly midway between Harrisburg and Reading on US 404). They were in Dolben Hagen at least as late as 1739, but soon (?) moved to Lancaster Co. PA. Hans Jacob would have been 3 years old when the family arrived in America. Eventually, in 1760, he would marry Barbary (Barbara) Crites, another German immigrant. She had arrived in Philadelphia with her father, Hans Kritz (Crites) aboard the "OSGOOD" in 1750. Jacob and Barbary had 11 children born in Hardy Co. (formerly Hampshire) W.V. and did not cross the Alleghenies into Lewis (Barbour,Upshur) Co. until near the end of the Revolutionary War. Jacob received a land grant for Big Run, Barbour (Upshur) Co. in 1781." (1)
Land Information, Hampshire Co. (now Hardy Co.) West Virginia:
Antoni Reger/Reager patented 375 acres of Lot 5 in 1748 and 498 acres of lot 6 in 1749, located along Kade Run and Baker Hollow Run on the west bank and reaching towards Shooks Run on the east on the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac in Hampshire/Hardy Co., Virginia/West Virginia.(2)
Notes for Antoni REGER/REAGER/REUGER:
Swiss Church Records of Benken, Basel, Switzerland....research by Ruth Froelke, sent to Melinda Larson by Margaret Carlson Lew
Information from Melinda Collins Larson
(1) Highlights of the Journey From Switzerland to Virginia (1737-1770s)....Paul Reger
(2) Hampshire Co., V/WV Land Grant Book G...pgs.131 & 273........ Lot 5, 375 acres, Map 8970, Grid 410...... Lot 6, 498 acres, Map 8970, Grid 440
Two Moravian missionaries traveled the South Branch of the Potomac River in 1749. While traveling up the South Fork preaching, they "met an old Swiss, Anton Richert" (Reager) who occasionally read sermons for his neighbors and had baptized his own children since no minister had ever visited the settlement before the Moravians.
In 1750 Anthony Reger and Anthony Reger Jr. had to pay taxes while living on the South Fork.
According to the records of Mary Shingleton, descendent of John Reger, Antoni Reger's will was proved May 8, 1770 in Hampshire Co., Virginia (now West Virginia).
Notes for JUDITHA SCHAUB:
Juditha Schaub's parents were Jacob Schaub and Susanna (Buser) Schaub.
Children of Antoni REGER/REAGER/REUGER and Barbara WURTZ are:
2. John REGER, b. 1735, Germany. John Reger may have returned to Pennsylvania.
Compiled by Ann Carroll
2. John Reger4 (b. 1735)
The parents of Antoni Rieger, Sr.3 were Hans Jacob Rueger2 (b. c 1651) and Elizabeth Ritter2 (b. 13 Jul 1662).
Compiled by Dan Hyde