The name has been spelled Spahr, Spar, Sparr, Spaw, Spore, etc. The earliest information about our Spahr family comes from parish records in Benkin, Switzerland. The family lived on the Rhine River near Basil in an area frequently disputed between Germany and Switzerland.

Thomas Sparr b 1570 married Chrishona Wick. Their fifth and last known child was:

Thomas b 1600 in Benken and married Crischone Huegi. Their third child was:

Hans Jacob b 1630 Benken married Verena Meyer. Their third child was:

Hans Jorg, christened 1661 and married Margareth Heyer. Their sixth child was:

Hans Ulrich (1709-1770) married Margaret Seyler, born 1709, arrived in America with their children in 1749.

Our Spahr ancestors were among the second major Spahr group of immigrants to the new world. The first came around 1740 and settled near the village of Dover, York County, PA.

Our ancestor, John Ulrich Spahr, arrived with the second group in 1749 and was the progenitor of the "southern group" as known by some researchers. Others bearing the family surname, and other relatives, continued to arrive over a period of years and sought to join their families.

It is believed that Mattern Spahr, oldest son of John Ulrich, arrived with one of the earlier groups and was followed by his parents and their children. Mattern settled in Washington County, PA, among pioneers of the earlier group, while his parents took the rest of their famiy to Virginia. It is a possibility that Mattern left the old country to escape conscription in the Swiss militia.

John Spahr, a son of John Ulrich, writes "I was born June 15th, 1742 in Germany, in a small village named Putmiga, within two miles of the City of Basil, which lies on the Rhine; and emigrated to America with parents when seven years of age". Although born on the German side of the Rhine, all records were filed in the Canton of Basil and the family immigrated as German-speaking Swiss.

Faust in the "List of Immigrants in the 18th Century to the American Colonies", pages 135-136, carries a good account of the deplorable conditions facing the residents of Basil: "Between 1742 and 1749 there was no emigration of any consequence from Basil to the colonies.... The news that nearly 60 who had started from Basil for Pennsylvania in 1740 had perished on the voyage, and reports of other emigrants facing starvation, had a depressing effect. To these were added the dangers of the war, which was raging not only on the land, but also on the sea, and which was better known in Basil than in Zurich.

But hard times caused the people to think they could nowhere be worse off than at home. The presence of three countrymen from Pennsylvania; Jacob Joner, Henrich Spenhauer and Werner Stohler, caused much unrest. Those who desired to leave were sitting continuously together and talking of the happy state they had in view. This caused a regular mania among the people so all sorts of persons reported for emigration. The government finally notified Joner and Spenhauer they must leave within 48 hours and ordered their arrest, and subsequent expulsion of Stohler.

It was decided that the 382 people with their families who had applied for emigration would be permitted to leave in order they could see how foolish!y they had acted. They were required to forfeit their land-right and not set foot upon the soil of the Canton under heavy penalties, and also leave any eventual inheritance to the discretion of the government. Further, they were to leave the country as soon as their affairs were settled. Children were released from payment of manumission, but with few exceptions both manumission and emigration tax were extracted, even of those who had less than 100 pounds. Of those who had nothing but their household goods which they wished to take along went free. They left down the Rhine River in four ships, accompanied by Jacob Joner. They transferred to larger ships for the sea voyage, but had to work out their passage.

Faust also records "the departure of two brothers during this time of turmoil, Heinrich Spar (age 52) and Hans Ulrich Spar" (age 40). They are the first and sixth born children of Hanns Jorg Sparr and Margaret Heyer." Heinrich was permitted to leave gratis with his family; they were recorded as honest and industrious people. Hans Ulrich paid his manumission dues and a ten percent tax. His is described as an honest citizen. His wife, Margaret Seyler, age 40, and nine children are listed: Anna Barbara, Hans Ulrich, Hans Jacob, Thedor, Matthias, Johannes, Walter, Anna Maria and Hans Heinrich.

Hans Jacob Seylor, a tailor, age 51, was also permitted to pay his dues and tax and leave with his family. He was the brother of Margaret Seylor. Family records indicate that the journey to American required almost two years. One year was spent in Holland awaiting passage. During that time, the youngest child of Hans Ulrich and Margaret Seylor, Hans Heinrich, died.

They arrived in Philadelphia, PA, August 30, 1749 on the ship CROWN, Michael James, Master. The ship sailed from Rotterdam, last out of Cowes, England. Passengers on the manifest include Henrich Spahr, Jacob Seyler, Matheas Seyler and Hans Henrich Spahr. In all 500 persons are reported as passengers. They "did on this day take the usual Qualifications to the Government".

Upon arrival in this country Hans Ulrich Spar and Jacob Seylor both purchased a farm "20 studen" (60 miles) from Philadelphia, in Lancaster County. At that time a studen was known as the distance a man could walk in a day. Our fami!y came to know Hans Ulrich as John Ulrich and he is called that in much of this narrative. His youngest daughter, Anna Maria, died in Phiadelphia shortly after their arrival. Subsequently, two additional children were born, Henry in 1752 and Rebecca in 1754. The first family marriage occured in this country November 26, 1756, when Anna Barbara married George Meyers in the Reformed Church at Lancaster.

John Ulrich and Margaret remained in Lancaster County for 12 years before moving their fami!y and possessions to Berkely Coun!y, VA. It should be noted that Berkley was formed from Frederick County in 1772. This was an area where a number of Swiss, Dutch and German immigrants had located. In 1761 he purchased 70 acres in Frederick County for which he paid thirty pounds. Court records in Winchester, VA, show he purchased additional land in 1764, 1765 and 1767, adding 248 acres adjacent to his original 70 acres.

John Ulrich Spahr made "his mark on his will this 2nd day of September anno Domini 1769, seventeen sixty-nine." His will was filed March 6, 1770, Will Book 3, page 515, Circuit Court of Frederick County, VA. His estate was divided between his wife and 8 (out of 10 living) children. Our ancestor, Theodorus, did not receive a division as the others did because he had already received thirty pounds. Walter was not mentioned.

One son, Henry, was a member of the Virginia Militia and helped put down Indian uprisings on the frontiers of Western Virginia. He was killed by Indians on his own property just north of Bristol, VA in 1821 and buried there. No one knows where his grave is because the stone, carved on a large boulder, was moved many years ago. The stone has been overgrown by a large tree but is still readable.

Children; Mattern, Haunce, Henry, Walter & Rebecca made a journey westward to look for land. The party was attacked by Indians near Scenery Hill, about 40 miles north of Short Creek, VA, and two people were killed. Reports are conflicting as to the names, however Walter and Mary, Mattern's wife, disappear from all records. Mattern went on to Fayette County, PA, where he purchased 200 acres from Col. Edward Cook along the Monogahelia River. He is reported to have taken part in the the Whiskey Insurrection and was a soldier of 1812. His land was in the portion of the county that later became known as Washington County.

John built a cabin and settled on Short Creek. During the Revolution he was an avowed Tory and during the war disappeared until the war was over. What he did during those years went to his death bed with him.

Jacob Spahr was a brother-in-law to Abram VanMeter. VanMeter had known Daniel Boone and was aware of his scouting in Eastern Kentucky, despite the prohibition of the British. He persuaded brothers Jacob, Matthias and Theodorus to travel to Kentucky in 1885. There they met an old friend from Virginia named John Strode who convinced them to accompany him to a new location which became known as "Strode's Station." This was a palisaded fort with the homes circling the walls of the fort.

In the spring of 1781 the station was attacked by indians lasting from 7/8 am until 3/4 pm. Jacob Spahr, alarmed by the indians, attempted to run and was shot and scalped within 40 yards of the fort. In October, 1785, Matthais Spahr, Joshua Bennet and Michael Cassidy, started with the intention to kill buffalo at the Upper Blue Licks and take the the meat to the Lower Lick and exchange it for salt. They encamped the first night on Plum Lick Creek. The Indians came on them, killed Bennet and Spahr and wounded Cassidy. It was later reported that "Cassidy was expected to mary widow Spahr but he didn't - Wells took her."

Theodorus had married Ann (last name unknown) before going to Kentucky. They had 6 children. He claimed land in Clark County, KY, in 1781. His wife reportedly ran off with a man named Jacob Smith, Winchester, Ky. Theodorus traded his 200 acres of land for a horse and returned to VA. He is on the tax rolls there in Berkeley County in 1781. About 1783 he married Dorothy Davis and they had 7 children. Their daughter, Ruth, married Jacob Wollam. Ruth and Jacob were the great-grandparents of Dora May (Piper) Gibson.