Johann Jacob Bortner, Sr.

Jacob Bortner, A Patriot of the American Revolution for PENNSYLVANIA. DAR Ancestor A012287

Jacob Bortner was born about 1722 in Oberhochstadt, Landau Pfalz, Bayern, Germany. According to the DAR, he was born in Rotterdam. He arrived in Philadephia with his parents Balthazar and Maria Elizabetha, and sister Anna Maria Bortner, on 23 September 1732, on the ship "Adventure."

On 26 January 1737 he acquired a land warrant in Tulpechocken Township, at that time part of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Jacob served in the Colonial militia during King Gerge's was, in 1746/7. He appears on the Sept 1746 return for Captain John Deimer's company, where he appears as Jacob Bordner, age 26, laborer. He next appears in the record in 1747, when he was named executor of his father Balthazar's estate.

On 10 April 1761, he was naturalized as a citizen of Tulpehocken township, Berks County, at the Supreme Court of Philadelphia. Subsequently, on 20 June, 1761, he purchased from the proprietors, Thomas and Richard Penn, the present Bordner homestead, which had been leased to Jacob Hoffman, who was unable to pay his rental. Since that day the homestead has been owned by a son of each successive generation. In some records in Berks County, he is listed as Johann Jacob.

Jacob Bordner married Sarah Balt. Jacob and Sarah had seven known children: Jacob, John, William, Daniel, Peter, Anna Maria, and Barbara; all are named in his will. Jacob died in 1792, and by his will the homestead passed to his eldest son, Jacob.

There are some trees and histories that confuse Jacob with another Johann Jacob Bortner, whose 1731 birth was recorded in Germany.