Johannes Unruh was from Ober Lustadt, a small village in the Palatinate between Speyer and Landau. About 1737 he married a woman named Anna Apollonia.1 They had four children baptized in Ober Lustadt, two sons and two daughters. The daughters both died young.2 Johannes and Apollonia were members of the Reformed Church, where the records of their children appear, including two sons who traveled with them to Pennsylvania.

In 1752 Johannes, Apollonia and the two sons traveled to Pennsylvania on the ship Brothers, William Muir captain. They sailed from Rotterdam, having stopped at Cowes, England on the way.3 They left no record of their travels, but the outlines of the immigration from the Palatinate are well known: the need to obtain a passport from their locality, the tortuous trip down the Rhine past many toll stations, the rigors of the Atlantic passage. They arrived safely in Philadelphia, where on September 22 Johannes took the oath of allegiance at the State House in front of Edward Shippen.4 He could not sign his name, and signed with a mark. This was a customary rite of passage for immigrants from continental Europe, based on laws passed by the Provincial Council. There were two oaths: one of allegiance to the British crown and one of fidelity to the laws of the province.5 In April 1763, after being in the country for ten years, John was naturalized at the Supreme Court in Philadelphia, before Justices William Allen and William Coleman.6

There are no records of their lives for the next six years. They undoubtedly lived in Germantown or adjoining Bristol township, working as farmers, either renting land or working for someone else. The two teenage sons were surely welcome labor. They may have attended school (or perhaps they had already attended in Germany), since Sebastian at least was able to sign his name.7

In September 1760 John bought a stone house and an acre of land on the Germantown road from Jacob and Elizabeth Dietrich for 200 pounds. The land was described as in his actual possession at the time, but he was also described as John Unruh of Bristol. In any case, an acre of land was not sufficient for farming; perhaps he bought the house and lot for his son George Nicholas, who would marry Catharine Frank the following year.8

In 1764 John made a larger real estate purchase, buying a farm of 97 acres from Justus William Rubencam. He paid £700 for the land in Bristol, adoining Anthony Williams, John Shoemaker, Daniel Berndollar, other land of Rubencam, John Clever, and Ezekiel Potts. One corner of the tract was set aside for a school, granted by Justus and his wife Susanna for the service of the neighborhood. This land would later go to Sebastian, the younger son, and in turn to his son Philip.9 The house on the tract still stands, known as the Rubencam-Unruh house; it has been greatly expanded and was added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places in 1960.10

In 1762 John and Apollonia were sponsors, as grandparents, of the baptism of Apollonia, daughter of their son George (Sebastian) and Catherine. She was baptized on December 12 at the Germantown Reformed Church.11 Founded in the 1730s, it was probably the home church for John and Apollonia, as both of their sons baptized children there. The alternative would have been St. Michael’s Lutheran Church where George Nicholas and his wife Catharine were buried. In 1765 John and Apollonia were sponsors for the baptism of their grandson John in October at the Reformed Church, the second child of George Sebastian and Catherine.12

In 1764 the families of Germantown subscribed for the cost of a fire engine. John Unruh (as Unrue) and his son George signed up.13 In 1769 John and Sebastian were both taxed in Bristol Township. John still owned the 97 acres, with two horses and six cows. Sebastian was not taxed for any land, so he was probably living with his parents.14 In 1774 John and Apollonia sold their farm to Sebastian, but they probably retained the privilege of living on it for the rest of their lives. The usual formula for such arrangements was for the older generation to have the privilege of a room, plus use of the kitchen and cellar, pasturage for a few animals such as a cow and a horse, delivery of firewood, and a cash annuity.15

Apollonia died in 1776, a few days before her 76^th birthday. Her death was recorded by St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, and the record stated that she was buried there. There was no record of John’s death.16 He did not leave a will. Since the farm had gone to Sebastian, the younger son, it is probable that John had already provided for George Nicholas, either by a cash grant, or by requiring Sebastian to pay Nicholas (although this is not specified in the sale to Sebastian).

Children of Johannes and Apollonia:17

George Nicholas, born or baptised 1 Sept 1738, died 1807, usually known as Nicholas18

George Sebastian, born or baptised 10 November 1739, d. 1813, known as George or Sebastian

Mary Margaretha, born or baptised 1742, died March 1745

Anna Apollonia, born or baptised 1744, died March 1746