Re: JOHANNES BECHTELL/BECHTOLD OF PA.
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In reply to:
JOHANNES BECHTELL/BECHTOLD OF PA.
6/13/99
Dear Melinda,
I can trace my ggrandfather Amos Bechtol to Maiden Creek Township, Berks County Pennsylvania.His son James Walter was married twice.My father was a product of the second marriage; hence, I have second cousins that are not my age, but the age of my father--giving me a double generation gap but I can safely say I am the only living person who had a great-grandfather who was in the Civil War!
Back to Berks County.....It is around 1800 census that I see the name change to include the additions of "d" and dt" to Bechtol. (let me explain that I was going back in time, not forward, so I should have said that the t and dt were dropped, not added.) I was told by a German friend of mine that the spelling were definate indications of their German locations.For example, TEL meant a jewish connection, T and DT meant the German Palatinate and TOL was from the Black Forest in Bavaria (you know! the guys who make those great cookoo clocks!I got an authentic 1904 model and just tell friends that my grandpa made it for me! Ha!
Went to Maiden Creek Township and it has a Bavarian Festival and a shop that sells Bavarian costumes.The oldest cemetery is Lutheran and stones are in German.
If you are stuck on a certain year, it is quite possible that they moved to Ohio where farming was much more productive from the mountains of PA to all that flat!!!! Ohio country.My husband's family took the same migration route only did it much earlier than most.
Would be happy to hear from you!
Barbara Bechtol Flory
5709 Houston Road
West Lafayette, Indiana 47906