John Jacob Mickley and his eleven year old son John Jacob helped save the Liberty Bell from being melted down by the British. See the account from The Mickley Family of America, 1893, published by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Frontispiece Pages 1 to 2 Pages 3 to 4
"In October 1777, the British occupied Philadelphia. Weeks earlier all bells, including the Liberty Bell, were removed from the city. It was well understood that, if left, they would likely be melted down and used for cannon. The Liberty Bell was removed from the city and hidden in the floorboards of the Zion Reformed Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania, which you can still visit today." --Quoted from Liberty Bell website.
The 1751 casting of the Liberty Bell commemorated William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges.
Mickley genealogy and the above scanned excerpt obtained through the generosity of Douglas F. Hardy. Rose Marie Stuck Bollinger kindly typed much of the genealogy in GEDCOM format.
Descendants of Louis Michelet
Generation One
1. Louis1 Michelet; born 17 Dec 1675 at Metz, Moselle, France; married Suzanne Mangeot 1697 at Zweibrucken, Palatinate, Germany; died 27 Feb 1749/50 at Zweibrucken, Palatinate, Germany, at age 74.
He was also known as Rev. The Mickley family were Huguenots who decended from the Michelets of Metz who have been traced back to the year 1444 in that city. Metz is an ancient city that dates to pre-Roman times. It was captured by Henry II, King of France, on April 10, 1552, and was formally ceded to France by the Peace of Westphalia on October 24, 1648. During the Franco-German War, Metz was beseiged by the Germans and surrendered by the French on October 27, 1870. Metz remained a part of the German Empire until 1919 when it again became part of France under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. The Protestant religion was introduced to Roman Catholic France between 1520 and 1523. Originally they were accepted and protected by the French rulers, but as their numbers increased, they were considered a threat. A series of religious wars between the Catholics and Protestants (now called Huguenots) ravaged France from 1562 to 1598 when the Edict of Nantes was proclaimed by Henry IV, King of France. This gave some religious freedom to the Huguenots until it was revoked by Louis XIV, King of France, in 1685. As a result, no marriage was solemnized in France in accordance with the Protestant religion. *Louis Michelet was a merchant in Metz and he and his intended, Susanne Mangeot, secretly were members of the protestant religion. They therefore found it necessary to travel to the neighboring Dukedom of Deus Ponts or Zweibrucken, in the Bavarian Palatinate, to celebrate their marriage. Here, in the German Empire, they were free to openly practice their religion. According to Susanne's diary, they were married there in 1697 and apparently remained in that city to await the birth and baptism of their first child, Jean Jacques Michelet. The family moved back to Metz by 1699 according to information in the Statistical Archives of Metz and in that year they openly declared their conversion to the Huguenot way and gave up Roman Catholicism. Four more children were born at Metz and in 1715, Louis, now a widower, declared that his five children had also converted to the self-styled 'Reformed Church.' At some point, Louis returned to Zweibruchen where he became a Protestant pastor and where he spent the rest of his life. *This information was obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He gathered it from Minnie F. Mickley's The Genealogy of the Mickley Family of America, together with A Brief Geneological Record of the Michelet Family of Metz and Some Interesting and Valuable Correspondence, Biographical Sketches, Obituaries and Historical Memorabilia (Advertiser, 1893).
Children of Louis1 Michelet and Suzanne Mangeot were as follows:
+ 2 i. John Jacob2 Mickley, born 1697 at Zweibrucken, Palatinate, Germany.
3 ii. Barbe' Michlet; born 16 Nov 1702 at Metz, Moselle, France.
4 iii. Marie Michlet; born 11 Dec 1703 at Metz, Moselle, France.
5 iv. Louis Michelet; born 8 Dec 1705 at Metz, Moselle, France. He immigrated in 1720 to Berlin, Germany.
6 v. Pierre Michelet; born 21 Dec 1710 at Metz, Moselle, France.
Generation Two
2. John Jacob2 Mickley (Louis1Michelet); born 1697 at Zweibrucken, Palatinate, Germany; died 18 Aug 1769 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; buried 1769 at Egypt Reformed Church, Egypt, Lehigh Co., PA.
He was also known as Jean Jacques Michelet. He was listed on the passenger list as Johan Jacob Mueckli, age 22, and signed his name that way when he took the oath of allegiance. John was single at the time and first lived with a cousin, Jacob Levan, in Oley, Berks County, PA, and farmed the land. Several years later he moved to Whitehall township and became one of the first settlers of that part of Northampton Co. This is now part of the town of Egypt and became part of Lehigh County When that county was formed in 1812. He bought land from Adam Deshler in Whitehall Township on December 14, 1761 and the town of Mickleys developed on this original tract. He was naturalized on 9 Aug 1761 at Northampton Co., PA. **Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File. Also see Carl Boyer III, Ship Passenger Lists, Pennsylvania and Delaware (1641-1825) **Please see 'notes' on Louis Michlet for more information. He immigrated on 28 Aug 1733 to Philadelphia, PA on the ship Hope of London, Dan Ried master, leaving from Rotterdam, Holland. He was Type: Re-interred in 1864 at Mickleys' Church Cemetery, Mickleys, Lehigh Co., PA, in the lot of their grandson Jacob Mickl.
Children of John Jacob2 Mickley and Elizabeth Barbara Burkhalter were as follows:
7 i. Susanne3 Mickley; born between 1737 and 1745 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA.
+ 8 ii. John Jacob Mickley, born 17 Dec 1737 at Old Egypt, Lehigh Co., PA; married Susanna Margaretha Miller.
9 iii. John Martin Mickley; born 3 Mar 1744/45 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 11 Mar 1828 at Adams Co., PA, at age 83.
Martin was the twin of Magdalena Mickley. Their birthdate may have been March 30th. He died on March 11, 1828 at the age of 83. *Nine children were born of the marriage and all were baptised at the Egypt Reformed Church in Lehigh Co. Martin was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and was in the battle of Germantown, PA, on October 4, 1777. He sold the old homestead in Lehigh (then Northampton) County and moved to Adams County, PA, probably in 1785. *Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File. Also see Carl Boyer III, Ship Passenger Lists, Pennsylvania and Delaware (1641-1825).
10 iv. Magdalena Mickley; born 3 Mar 1744/45 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; married Peter Deshler at Near Egypt; died 1827 at Schoenersville, Northampton Co., PA; buried at Schoenersville, Northampton Co., PA in a churchyard.
Magdalena was the twin of John Martin Mickley. Their birthdate may have been March 30th. Magdalena first married Peter Deshler. They married near Egypt and settled in Schoenersville, Northampton Co., PA. She had three sons and one daughter by Peter before he died. Magdalena next married Michael Bieber of Allen Township, Northampton Co. There were no children of this marriage. **Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File. Also see Carl Boyer III, Ship Passenger Lists, Pennsylvania and Delaware (1641-1825).
11 v. John Peter Mickley; born 1752 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 1828 at Bedminster Township, Bucks Co., PA.
October 8, 1763, Peter, age 11, was chestnutting with his brother, Henry, age 9, and his sister, Barbara, age 7, on Laurel Hill near Spring Mill in Lehigh County, when they were attacked by Indians. Peter narrowly escaped by hiding between two trees in the woods, but Henry and Barbara were both scalped. He was in the military service against the Indians and served throughout the Revolutionary War as a fifer. He was in the battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. John Peter married Eva Keck of Bucks County at the close of the war and about 1784 they settled in Bedminster Township. They had two sons and eight daughters. He lived circa 1784 at Bedminster Township, Bucks Co., PA.
12 vi. John Henry Mickley; born 1754 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 8 Oct 1763 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA. Was scalped by Indians.
13 vii. Barbara Mickley; born 1756 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 9 Oct 1763 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA. She was scalped by Indians.
Generation Three
8. John Jacob3 Mickley (John2, Louis1Michelet); born 17 Dec 1737 at Old Egypt, Lehigh Co., PA; married Susanna Margaretha Miller 1763 at Lehigh Co., PA; died 12 Dec 1808 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA, at age 70.
John Jacob Mickley was a Private in the Northampton County Militia in 1776 in Captain Benjamin Weiser's company. When the British troups invaded Philadelphia in 1777, the Executive Council ordered that the bells of the city be removed for safe keeping. The State House bell (or Liberty Bell), the bells of Christ Church and St. Peter's Church, eleven bells in all, were removed to Allentown by way of Bethlehem, PA. The reason for this order was to prevent the captors of the town from seizing the bells as spoils of war and melting them into cannons. The Liberty Bell was secretly removed and loaded on a wagon and carried off, ostensibly with the baggage train of the Continental Army. The impression was given that it was lost in the Delaware River. Some historians say that it was taken to Lancaster and then to York, PA, where Congress met between 1777 and June 27, 1778. The diary kept by the presiding Bishop of the Moravian Church of Bethlehem states, however, that on September 23, 1777, 'The bells from Philadelphia were brought in wagons. The wagon with the Liberty Bell broke down here, so it had to be unloaded; the other bells went on.' The bells were being taken to allentown under the charge of John Jacob Mickley who used his own horses and wagon and was accompanied by his son, John Jacob, then eleven, who was allowed, at times, to drive the horses. After his wagon broke down in Bethlehem, the Liberty Bell was transferred to Frederick Leaser's wagon and arrived safely in Allentown the next day, September 24, 1777. The bells had been taken from Philadelphia during the night and appeared to be farmers' wagons loaded with manure. In allentown, the Liberty Bell and the chimes of Christ Church were buried beneath the floor of Zion's Reformed Church and remained secreted there for nearly a year. Rev. Abraham Blummer was pastor of the Church at the time. His son, Henry Blummer, was married to Sarah, a daughter of John Mickley. After the British troups left Philadelphia, the bells were returned to their proper places in the latter part of 1778. The account of 'The Liberty Bell Episode' was written by Minnie F. Mickley for the 'American Monthly Magazine' and is reprinted in 'The Genealogy of the Mickley Family of America.' **Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File. Unrecognized GEDCOM data: Unknown GEDCOM tag: _MIL in 1776 at Private in the Northampton County Militia, Captain Benjamin Weiser's Company.
Children of John Jacob3 Mickley and Susanna Margaretha Miller were as follows:
14 i. Catherine M.4 Mickley; born 28 Mar 1764 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 2 Jan 1835 at age 70.
She lived at Limestoneville, Montour Co., PA. She This couple had two children.
15 ii. John Jacob Mickley; born 14 Apr 1766 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; married Eva Catherine Schrieber 1788; died 1 Apr 1857 at The homestead at Mickleys, Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co., PA, at age 90.
He rode on the wagon bearing the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia to Allentown in 1777 at the age of eleven. Sponsors for baptism were Peter Doeschler and his wife, Magdalena Doeschler, Valentin Fatzinger and Maria Barbara Hofman. _MIL in 1794 at Soldier in the Whiskey Rebellion of PA.
+ 16 iii. Christian Mickley, born 1767 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA.
17 iv. Johann Peter Mickley; born 17 Jan 1773 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 1861 at Hokendauqua, Lehigh Co., PA. He lived at near Hokendauqua, PA.
18 v. Henrich Mickley; born 11 Dec 1774. His sponsors for baptism were John Martin Mickley and his wife Catharina. He must have died young.
19 vi. Daniel Mickley; born 29 May 1776 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA. Sponsors for baptism were Peter Mickley and Maria Barbara Burkhalter. *He must have died young as this is the first of two Daniel Mickleys born to Jacob and Susanna Mickley, the second was born in 1780.
20 vii. Magdalena Mickley; born 1 Mar 1778 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA. Sponsors for baptism were Andreas Miller and his wife Anna Elizabeth Miller.
21 viii. Daniel Mickley; born 7 May 1780 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 1822. He lived at Greensburt, Westmoreland Co., PA. Sponsors for baptism were Johannes Adam Miller and Maria Catharine Hofmann wife of John Hofmann.
+ 22 ix. Heinrich Mickley, born 10 Jul 1782 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA.
23 x. Joseph Mickley; born 26 May 1784. He lived at Franklin Co., PA.
24 xi. Sarah Mickley; born 27 Nov 1786. The decendants of Sarah are mentioned in the DAR records 19:234.
25 xii. Anna Mickley; born circa 1788. She lived at Danville, PA.
Generation Four
16. Christian4 Mickley (John3, John2, Louis1Michelet); born 1767 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 1812.
Children of Christian4 Mickley and Mary Elizabeth Deshler were as follows:
26 i. Peter5 Mickley; born 17 Jul 1797.
27 ii. Catherine Mickley.
28 iii. Elizabeth Mickley.
29 iv. Anna Mickley.
22. Heinrich4 Mickley (John3, John2, Louis1Michelet); born 10 Jul 1782 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 27 May 1827 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA, at age 44.
He was also known as Henry. He Henry's sponsors for baptism were Peter Mickley and his wife Eva. He died at age 44 *Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File.
Children of Heinrich4 Mickley and Mary Magdalena Burkhalter were as follows:
30 i. Magdalena5 Mickley; born 3 Jan 1804 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 21 Jul 1875 at Waterloo, Seneca Co., NY, at age 71.
She was also known as Polly. She Magdelena, called Polly Sigfried is mentioned in guardianship papers regarding five nieces, daughters of her sister Anna Lovina Mickley Deshler. *Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File.
31 ii. Anna Lovina Mickley; born 22 Jul 1806 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; married John Deshler 14 Oct 1827 at Fayette, Seneca, New York; died circa 1870; buried at Bear Cemetery Fayette, Seneca Co. NY. Their daughter, Sally Ann Deshler, married Moses Stuck.
The Seneca Historian Office Card - Name of Anna was obtained from probate or obit of Sally Ann Stuck. *Her sponsors when she was baptized were Johann Peter Burkhalter, Sr., and his wife Catherine. *Her will mentions Sally Ann, wife of Moses Stuck of Lenawee Co., MI; Walter J. Deshler and wife Urana of Lenawee Co., MI, Pricilla, wife of Henry Rich of Bremer Co., Iowa, David Deshler and wife Elnora Deshler of Fayette, NY; Lovina, wife of Jacob Houser of Fayette, NY: Margaret, wife of Wilson Kidd, and Harriet Deshler. *Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File.
32 iii. Edward B. Mickley; born 17 Dec 1808 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 11 Feb 1885 at Fayette, Seneca Co. NY, at age 76; buried 14 Feb 1885 at Maple Grove Cemetery, Lot 553, Waterloo, Seneca Co., NY.
Edward Mickley died at age 76 having suffered a stroke on February 5. His residence at time of death was 80 Elizabeth Street, Fayette, NY. *He was born and raised in Whitehall Township. As a young man he moved to Seneca Co., NY and settled in Fayette (South Waterloo). For several years he was a grain shipper to Albany and New York City--shipping his grain by way of the barge canal. He later engaged in the dry goods business as Mickley & Kohler, later associating with a Mr. Seigfried in the flouring business and with General Markel, in the brick mills of South Waterloo. He served as a town clerk and in the spring of 1840, was elected and served as supervisor of the Town of Fayette. He appeared on the census of 14 Aug 1850 at Fayette, Seneca Co., NY, giving his age as 41 years, his birthplace as Pennsylvania and his occupation as clerk. He was living with his wife and six children--Franklin, Henry, Adeline, Catherine, Erastus and Decatur. *Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File.
33 iv. Deborah Mickley; born 12 Mar 1811 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 10 Dec 1869 at Waterloo, Seneca Co., NY, at age 58; buried at Maple Grove Cemetery, Lot 385, Waterloo, Seneca Co., NY.
The Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File.
34 v. William Burkhalter Mickley; born 30 Jun 1813 at South Whitehall Township, Sehigh Co., PA; married Sarah Alleman circa 1845; died 30 Oct 1897 at His farm on East River Road, Seneca Falls, Seneca Co., NY, at age 84; buried 1 Nov 1897 at Maple Grove Cemetery, Lot 207, Waterloo, Seneca Co., NY.
He was born and raised in South Whitehall where he spoke only German. His father died when he was a teenager and at the age of eighteen, he was apprenticed to a man who built furnace bellows. About three years later, he moved to Waterloo, NY., and helped build the first brick gristmill in the town. He worked for a year in Rochester, placing machinery in a large mill, then built the first distillery in Waterloo. He soon built one in Penn Yan which he operated himself and later traded it for a farm on the banks of Seneca Lake. He purchased land west of Waterloo which he sold to a railroad company. He purchased another tract of one hundred acres nerar McDougall which was leased and cultivated on shares. He appeared on the cencus of August 1, 1860 at Seneca Falls, Sececa Co., NY, giving his age as 46 years, his birthplace as Pennsylvania and his occupation as farmer. He was living with his wife and five children - Susan, Elsie, Alice, Georgiana and Dewitt. He left a will on 23 Mar 1893 at Seneca Falls, Seneca Co., NY. In it he mentions his wife, Sarah A, seven children and three nieces. *Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File.
35 vi. Charles Mickley; born 1815 at Pennsylvania; died 1878 at Waverly, Bremer Co., IA.
Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File.
36 vii. Stephen B. Mickley; born 24 Mar 1818 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died 9 Jan 1902 at LeMars, Plymouth Co., IA, at age 83.
Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File.
37 viii. Thomas Mickley; born 5 Apr 1820; died at Waverly, Bremer Co., IA.
He and Margaret Mickley bought a farm near Janesville, Iowa, in 1868, as reported in a Seneca Falls Newspaper on May 15, 1868. *Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File.
38 ix. James Mickley; born 30 Aug 1826 at Whitehall Township, Lehigh Co. PA; died at Allentown, Lehigh Co., PA. Sponsors for baptism were Joseph and Catharina Mickley. He served in the Mexican War in 1847 and then moved to Allentown, PA. James never married. *Information obtained from Douglas F. Hardy, MD. He obtained the information from 'Mickley Family of America' by Mickley; 'Records of the Egypt Reformed Church' by Roberts; The Stanley I. Reynolds Collection in the Terwillinger Section of the Waterloo Library and Historical Society, Waterloo, Sececa Co., NY and on LDS Microfilm Deischler-Mickley File.
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