Henry Stauffer

Henry Stauffer was born in Ibersheim, Germany on 1724 and died November 27, 1777. He immigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 9, 1749, and settled in Bedminster on 23 acres (93,000 m²), purchased of William Allen, June 12, 1762. The purchase of this land was recorded in the history of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Please see below this recording.

It is said three brothers came to America, that they were potters along the River Rhine and manufactured fine china and porcelain ware in Alsace, France and Germany. In America they expected to find a superior quality of clay and came here to establish a china plant, but as the clay did not turn out as was expected they turned their attention to milling and farming. One of the brothers is said to have gone South, but where the third brother went to is not known. As has already been stated, Henry Stauffer finally settled in Bedminster Township, where he purchased his land from William Allen, the deed bearing date of June 12, 1762, for 213 acres (0.86 km²) and 91 perches, for which Henry Stauffer paid the sum of œ400, 8 shillings and 8 pence "lawful money of Pennsylvania, with a rent yearly forever of one pepper corn, if the same shall be demanded." After the death of Henry Stauffer the homestead in Bedminster Township came into the possession of his son, Ulrich Stover, who was the second owner. "The deed of Henry Stover, Jacob Stover and Catharine his wife, and Ralph Stover and Catharine his wife, all of Bedminster Township, county of Bucks, state of Pennsylvania, yoeman of the one part, Ulrich Stover, sons of Henry Stover, of the same township, county and state yoeman of the other part, for 213 acres (0.86 km²) and 91 perches of land in Bedminster Township for 1150 pounds of lawful money of Pennsylvania with a rent yearly forever of one pepper corn if the same shall be demanded," is dated April 28, 1786.

THE HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, CHAPTER XXXV, BEDMINSTER, 1742

Henry Stauffer born in Germany, and married Barbara Hockman, landed at Philadelphia, September 9, 1749, and settled in Bedminster on 23 acres (93,000 m²), purchased of William Allen, June 12, 1762. [Stover_Mill|Here] he lived and died, on the farm now, or recently owned by Joseph Sine. They had five children, Ulrich, Barbara, who died young, Henry, Jacob and Ralph.

Ulrich Stover (Stauffer) born July 16, 1750, eldest son of the immigrant, married Barbara Swartz and had seven children, Elizabeth, who died young, Mary married William Fretz, Henry, Abraham, Jacob, Andrew and Joseph. He died on the Tohickon, Haycock Township, November 2, 1811, where his grandson, John Stover, now or recently, lived.

Henry Stover, second son of the immigrant, born July 9, 1754, married Elizabeth Fretz, [Tinicum], had children, Abraham, Catharine, Barbara, and Elizabeth, and died in Springfield near Bursonville.

Jacob, the third son, born May 13, 1757, and died April 28, 1844, married Elizabeth Swartz, and by her had one child, and nine children by a second wife. He drove his father's team, a mere lad, when pressed into the service during the Revolution, first with Sullivan's cavalry, and then with the main army, under George Washington, sometimes carrying his personal effects. He purchased the mill property on the Tohickon now known as "Myer's Roller Mill," December 27, 1784, and died there.

The most prominent members of the Stover family were Ralph, youngest son of Henry, the immigrant, and his eldest son, Abraham F. Stover. The former, born January 10, 1760, married Catharine, daughter of Abraham Funk, owned a farm on the Tohickon where the Easton road crosses that stream, and died there November 7, 1811. He was many years a Justice of the Peace, when a much more important office than now, and member of the Assembly, 1793–99, inclusive. While a member of Assembly, he had an act passed changing the name "Stauffer" to "Stover." His son Abraham F. Stover, born May 10, 1786, married Rachel Fretz, of [Warwick], and died 1854. He followed in his father's footsteps; was several years a [Justice of Peace] and [Surveyor], and three years a member of Assembly, [1817] - [1820]; removed to Farquier County, Virginia, 1833, purchased a 300-acre (1.2 km²) farm and died there. The late Ralph Stover, Point Pleasant, was one of his children. A Christian Stauffer settled in Bedminster about the same period, and owned a farm on 181 acres (0.73 km²) there, but we do not know that he was a member of the same family.

The Stauffer/Stover family, according to tradition, had its origin in a generation of knights called Stauffacher, at Hohenstauen, in Suabia. The dynasty existed more than 130 years to 1268, when Conrad, son and heir of Conrad IVth, was taken in battle and beheaded. The family now separated, and their elegant seat has never been reclaimed, one branch finding a home in America.

The third owner was Henry Stover, son of Ulrich, but when he came into possession off and the amount he paid for it we have not been informed. Some time during either the lifetime of Ulrich or is son Henry portions of the homestead were divided or sold off, so that at the time the old homestead proper was sold there were but 87 acres (350,000 m²) and 42 perches remaining, which Henry Stover and his wife Barbara sold to their son, Reuben Stover, in 1855, for $4799.44. Reuben Stover was the fourth and last Stover owner of the old homestead. In 1860 Reuben Stover and wife sold the homestead of 87 acres (350,000 m²) and 22 perches to the present owner, Joseph Sine, for $5700. The house and barn were built by Henry Stover—the barn in 1808 and the house about the same time. The additions to the house and barn were built by Joseph Sine, the present owner. The immediate neighbors of Henry Stauffer, whose lands joined his plantation, were John Fretz, Christian Stover, Jacob Overholt and Frederick Solliday. The old family Bible of Henry Stauffer is in the possession of Aaron Stover, of Richland Centre, Pennsylvania. It contains a record of his family and also of his son Ulrich's family. It also contains some poetic descriptions that probably were composed and written by Ulrich Stover, as this and Ulrich Stover's family records seem to be the same hand writing. It reads as follows:

The name as written in the Bible is "Stauffer," but was changed to Stover by his son, Ralph Stover, by an Act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania—presumably about the time that he (Ralph) was a member of that body. It is quite evident that Henry Stauffer and wife were members of the Mennonite church at Deep Run, where they are buried. Children: Ulrich, Barbara, Henry, Jacob, Ralph.

Tohickon Creek was named by the Lenape some of the first inhabitants of the area. "To-Hick-Hanne" means "Deer-Bone-Creek". Ralph Stover State Park was the site of an 18th-century gristmill that was built on Tohickon Creek by the park's namesake, Ralph Stover. Remnants of the mill and mill race can still be seen near Tohickon Creek, Pennsylvania.

The Stover family gave their land to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1931. The recreational facilities were built during the Great Depression by the Federal Works Progress Administration created by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide work for the unemployed. Author James A. Michener donated the High Rocks area to the park in 1956. Although "High Rocks State Park" is listed in the United States Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System and the coordinates given in USGS GNIS are located here, it was never an official name according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources or a separate park.