MATTES LEY

Our sixth great grandfather, Mathias Loy/Mattes Ley, was born in Wurttemberg, Germany on the 22nd day of February in 1706. His future wife, Anna Maria Kumpf was also born in Wurttemberg in 1711. They married in Wurttemberg in 1732.

The Loys were not well-to-do and were redemptioners who contracted to pay for their passage to America by bond service for a specified period of time. 

They arrived in America on 17 Aug 1733 on the ship Samuel. The master of the ship was Captain Hugh Percy.  Mathias was sold to a farmer in Berks County, PA for his passage. At the Philadelphia port office, Mathias and Anna took the oath of allegiance.

It appears that this couple's children were all born and baptized in Pennsylvania. Their first child was daughter, Sybilla, born in June 1734. They had 10 children in all. The family attended the church called Frieden's Evangelical Lutheran Church near Wessnerville, in Berks County. 

In 1762, Mathias wrote a will, at age 56. In 1763, Mathias was a tax collector in Berks County. In 1765, he earned his naturalization papers.

On the 26th of August 1783, Mathias passed away and was buried at the Frieden's Church Cemetery, the older portion of the cemetery at Frieden's Church, also known as New Allemangel or White Church, located near Wessnersville, Albany Twp. Many years ago the gravestones were located, deciphered, and recorded by Mrs.Sarah Kistler Brown, and some years later by Sylvester K. Loy. The original stones were in German spelling, and dates of birth preceded by Anno Christo (A.C). The original stones were in German script and stated that "to him and his wife, Anna Maria, had been born 10 children of whom 3 sons and 4 daughters survive. Evidently 3 children had died before Mathias wrote his will in 1762. [Perhaps their deaths prompted Mathias to write his early will?]

Before Mathias' descendant, Sylvester Kline Loy died, 20 October 1956, in Clearwater, FL, he provided a double gravestone for Mattes and Maria Ley to assure that the graves of these early ancestors would be marked for many years to come. He had inscribed on the new tombstone: "Mattes Ley Feb. 22.1706 Aug.25.1783 and Maria Ley Feb.27.1711 Dec. 14.1786 Landed at Philadelphia Aug. 17.1733" The old stones stand to the right.

MATTES LEY
BORN: 22 Feb 1706 in Wurttemburg, Germany
MARRIED:      1732 in Wurttemburg, Germany
DIED: 25 Aug 1783 in  Albany, Berks, PA
SOURCES: Information abstracted from the book "Michael Loy (1740-1823)"  page vi. Author, Gerald E. Collins. U.S. and Canada Passenger and Immigration Lists Index 1500-1900. Philadelphia port. Source Publication code 1804. Annotation: Taken from original manuscripts in the state archives Names 1-677, arriving in PA 521-667 $3776. Source Bibliography: Egle, Wm. Henry, editor. Names of foreigners who took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province and State of PA 1727-1775 Pennsylvania German Pioneers, vol. 1 by Strassburger and Hinke, page 106; Matthew Ley and Anna Maria Ley on Ship Samuel, 1733.