Andreas Guisbert immigrated to Pennsylvania before 1727, when he bought land there.1 The first definite record is when he bought 150 acres in 1727 in New Hanover from Jacob Fisher, as Andres Guisbert.2 His name sounds Dutch, with Guisbert as a patronymic. It appears in various records as Guisbert, Gisbert, Kusbary, Gisbus, and Gilbert.

He was taxed in 1734 in Hanover as Andreas Gisbus, with 100 acres.3 In early 1742, Andreas’ land adjoined that of Elias Affe and Mathew Hollebaugh (Hollenbach).4 In 1746 he sold 150 acres to Hollenbach.5 When Andrew died, he owned 100 acres in nearby Limerick.6

His wife was named Johanna or Hannah. She is sometimes said to be a Dotterer, but she is not in the Dotterer Family Genealogy.7 They were probably married about 1730 to 1735, and went on to have six known children. Andrew was naturalized in 1739, along with many other foreign-born men of Philadelphia County.8 He died in early 1757 in Limerick Township. He did not leave a will. Letters of administration were granted on January 24 to his widow Johanna. The sureties on the bond were Bernd and Philip Dodderer.9

The inventory of his state was taken on February 11, 1757 by John Koplin and Peter Panebecker. It included the usual clothing (“waren and baren”), household furniture, kitchenware, farm implements, lifestock. It included “a man 29 years of age”. Was this a slave or more likely an indentured servant? The plantation of 100 acres was valued at £200.20.0. The next largest items were debts due from Andrew Pall and Rineer Vanderslice. The total of over £366 and the long list of goods suggests some prosperity.10 After Johanna paid his debts, there was £147 to be shared by the heirs, plus the plantation.

On Sept. 1759 Hannah Guisbert came into the Philadelphia County Orphans Court to request that her account be settled, that his land in Limerick Township be valued for sale, and that guardians be appointed for the three youngest children. 11 Two of the daughters were married by then, Johanna and Paittin. The only son, Guisbert, wanted to buy the plantation. The court agreed to this on condition that he pay the shares of his mother and sisters.12 It is not known when Johanna died.

Children of Andreas and Johanna:13

Johanna, b. ab. 1735, married by 1756 Philip Dodderer (b. ab. 1729, d. 1790), buried at the Dodderer Burying Ground, Columbia County, Pennsylvania. Children: Johanna, Elizabeth, Abraham, Susanna, Catherine, Philip, Anna, Sarah, Mary, Magdalen.14 When Johanna (the first child) was baptized in 1756 at Falckner Swamp Reformed, the grandmother Johanna Gisbertin was the sponsor.15 When Abraham was baptized in 1760 at Germantown Reformed Church, the sponsors were Abraham Paul and Beeltje his wife. Beeltje (or Paittin) was Johanna’s sister.16

Guisbert, of age in 1759, wanted to buy the plantation after his father’s death. No further definite records.17

Paittin, b. ab. 1740, d. 1827, married by 1759, Abraham Paul (d. 1816), buried Market Square Presbyterian in Germantown, had children  Andrew, Susanna, Mary, Joseph, Abraham, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Hannah.18

Catharine, a minor in 1759, married David Paul of Limerick, she died 1822. Children: John, Elizabeth, David, William, Susannah, Hannah, Samuel, Daniel, and Henry.19 There was a David Paul in the 1786 tax list of Montgomery County.20

Susanna, a minor in 1759

Hannah, under 14 in 1759, confirmed in 1766 at Falckner Swamp Reformed Church, married in 1768 Samuel Pennebacker at Evangelical Lutheran Church at Trappe21. She died in 1837 and was buried at Lower Skippack Mennonite Cemetery.22 The house of Samuel and Hannah, inherited from his father Peter, was the center of activity for Washington’s army before and after the Battle of Germantown. Some relics and stories are preserved at the house, now called Pennypacker Mill.