Johann Philip LEPPER was the son of Philippus Herman LEPPER and his wife, Maria
Christina OBERSTRUHT, daughter of Herr OBERSTRUHT. He was born 14 August 1696
in Amsterdam, Holland, was orphaned, and at age 12 was bound (apprenticed) to
John Hallock of Brookhaven, NY 31 August 1710.
During the religious persecution along the Rhine River and the vicinity of
Heidleberg, Germany, thousands of Protestant families were driven out of
France and the borderlands of Germany and Belgium. Some went to Holland for
refuge, others went to England. Our ancestors fled to England from Amsterdam
Holland. The Crown decided to settle the colonies with these people. During
the long and strenuous voyage to America much sickness and a great many deaths
occurred. A total of 1700, both on board ship and at the landing at New York
before those who were sick could be taken care of.
Among those who died at sea were Philip Herman Lepper and three of his five
children. His widow was taken to the Hudson River tar camps where she received
rations from the crown from 1710 to 1714. Then, possibly because she was widowed
and had no children old enough to provide for her, it is believed she was
sent back to Amsterdam, Holland.
Of the two remaining children, the daughter Catrina (one source says
age 14, another age 16) was apprenticed to a man named Andrew Mead of NY, per
"Book of Names" by MacWethy (pg 128). It lists her as Hanna Catrina Laparing.
She also has an "aka" of Anna Christina. She was born 26 April 1695.
Johann Philip's father, Philippus Herman LEPPER of Dillenburg, son of Hans
LEPPER and Anna Gertraudt, also of Dillemburg, was a Listenmeister in London
5 December 1709, signing Pastor Hager's endorsement on that date.
Philipp Herman later moved to Rengsdorf where a relative, Andreas Ludwig
LEPPER, was Pastor there.
The Furstliches Archiv zu Wied has a mss. listing owners of goats at Rengsdorf
1699-1706 and among the names is Philipp LEPPER. Philippus Herman LEPPER, his
wife and 5 children were on Capt. Johan Enrit's ship in Holland in the 5th party
of 1709 (Rotterdam Lists).
