Peter Stone was a German who lived in Upper Bucks County in the second half of the 1700s. He was probably born in Germany around 1730. Since he is not associated with other men named Stein or Stone, he probably immigrated along as a young man. One Peter Stein arrived in late October 1754 on the ship Friendship and took the oath of allegiance on the 21^st. The oath was required of all non-English immigrants. The list of those on the Friendship on that trip show no other Stein except for Peter.1 This would be a plausible time for Peter to arrive, find a place to work as a farm laborer, and accumulate enough money to marry and support a family.2

On 20 March 1759 Peter married Margaret Dieman at Tohickon Reformed Church.3 Margaret’s parents are not known. There were no other families named Dieman in the area at the time, but there were people named Deemer. Michael and Elizabeth Deemer had a large family of children in Nockamixon, including a daughter Margaret, but she was a full generation younger than the woman who married Peter Stein. Could Margaret have been a sister of Michael Deemer?4

Peter and Margaret lived in Nockamixon, surrounded by other German families, both Reformed and Lutheran. With their distinctive culture, different from that of the Quakers of Lower Bucks County, the Germans carved out a life for themselves and generally prospered. Peter worked as a farmer and as a weaver. In 1782 and 1784 he was taxed for 50 acres of land in Nockamixon.5 In 1791 he bought 100 acres from Michael and Sarah Walter, and four years later he bought another 50 acres.6 By the time of his death he owned 100 acres in Nockamixon and 174 in Tinicum.7

Peter and Margaret had four known children, born in the 1760s and 1770s.8 During the same time they sponsored baptisms of other children: for a son of Conrad Klein, for a son of John Schick, a daughter of Henry Kalb.9 At the baptism of Peter and Margaret’s own daughter Margaret in May 1761, John Schick and his wife were the sponsors.10

Peter died in 1795 or 1796. He did not leave a will, and the family went to Orphans’ Court to settle his affairs. Margaret was still alive, along with four children, one under age. The court appointed a guardian for the affairs of the youngest child, Frederick, who was 19 years old.11 For some reason, perhaps having to do with selling the land, the estate was not settled until 1807. At that time two of the heirs, Philip Rapp and George Maust, gave a power of attorney to another heir, Henry Calf, to enter satisfaction of bonds with the court.12

Children of Peter and Margaret:13

Margaret, born 1761, married Philip Rapp. By 1807 they were living in Alexandria Township, Hunterdon County, NJ.14 Philip died in 1831 and is buried at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Nockamixon.15 He left a will, but there was a caveat against it, and letters of administration were granted to George Rapp and Philip Rapp, probably sons. Other heirs were Frederick Rapp and George Hager.16

Eve, alive in 1823, married by 1792 Henry Calf. They lived in Tinicum, where Henry made his will in 1823. He named Eve, and six children.17 He left a tract of 174 acres, which may be the same tract that Peter Stone owned in Tinicum. Children: John, Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth, Sarah, Nancy.

Mary, married about 1793 George Maust, son of Jacob and Catherine. They lived in Tinicum, went to Lutheran churches. Mary died in 1840; George died in 1849. He did not leave a will, and the estate was administered by his son Peter and son-in-law Joseph Myers. Children: Sarah, Magdalene, Jacob, Susanna, George, Samuel, Peter, Maria, Catherine, Elizabeth.

Frederick, born 1777, died in 1847, buried at St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Nockamixon.18 About 1800, he married Anna Margaret Boyer, who died in 1859 and is buried with him. Children: Mary, Peter, Frederick, Jacob, John, William, Daniel.19