• General Notes

  REFN: 382
  Mathias Slaymaker was the immigrant ancestor.  The German name was
  Schleiermacher.  He was born in Hesse Castle in Germany, from which place
  he migrated to the city of Strasburg.  His immediate family were very
  prominent people of position and eminence and early in the Reformation
  embraced Protestantism.  Mathias had two brothers who continued to reside
  in Germany.  One, a clergyman, was for some years secretary of the German
  legation, at the Court of St. James, and afterwards Charge d'[Affaires.  
  His other brother was a major in the King of Prussia's full regiment. 
  By a strange coincidence, a Major Schleiermacher, an officer of Hessian
  Troops in the British army, was one of the Hessian officers captured by
  the American forces during the Revolution and was confined in the
  Lancaster jail.  He was probably a descendant of one of the brothers of
  the American emigrant, Matthias Slaymaker, Sr., who was married prior to
  his emigration.  Mathias came to America about 1710.  He and his family
  settled on a tract of 1,000 acres, which he purchased from a company
  called the London Company and known as the "London Lands", situated in
  Strasburg Township, now Paradise Township, and built a log house near a
  spring not far from the present village of Williamstown, Lancaster
  County, PA.  He was married in Germany to Catherine, and had 5 sons,
  Lawrence, Mathias, John, Henry & Daniel, and two daughters, Margaret &
  Barbara.  Lawrence and Margaret were born in Germany; the other five
  children were born in Lancaster County, PA.  All of these sons, with the
  possible exception of Lawrence, the eldest, were soldiers in the patriot
  army during the Revolution, In the Lancaster County Militia, as were also
  some of their sons.  Mathias Slaymaker, as well as his sons, were noted
  for their gigantic stature and strength, which was of great advantage in
  those days, as the Indians were all around them. (Source:  Colonial and
  Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, Volumes 1-111)
  Mathias lived to an advanced age and died about 1762, and is buried in
  Old Leacock burying ground, which has been the burying place of many of
  his descendants.  Mathias left the bulk of his property to his four sons,
  Mathias, John, Henry and Daniel, with a small portion being given to his
  two daughters, Barbara and Margaret, and also to his granddaughter, Anna
  Barbara (child of deceased son, Lawrence), who was raised by Mathias,
  after he petitioned the court for custody from her mother and
  step-father, Jacob Pfoutz.   Mathias' youngest son, Daniel, was Executor
  of the will as follows:
  "Will of Mathias Slaymaker
  In the name of God Amen the twenty fifth day of November in the year
  of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty two, I Mathias
  Slaymaker, of Strausburg Township, Lancaster County, and province of
  Pennsylvania, yeoman being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind
  and memory, thanks be given unto God therefore calling to mind the
  mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to
  die do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say
  principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the Hands
  of God that gave it and my body I recommend it to the Earth to be buried
  in a Christian like and decent manner nothing doubting but at the General
  Resurrection to receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as
  touching such worldly Estate where with God hath been pleased to bless me
  in this life I give and dispose of the same in the manner and form
  following first of all it is my will and I do order that all my just
  debts and funeral charges be paid and satisfied, second I give and
  bequeath unto the Heir of my oldest son Lawrence Slaymaker deceased ten
  shillings to be levied out of my Estate.  Thirdly I will and bequeath
  unto my daughter Margaret one hundred pounds to be levied out of my
  estate one

Details of Mathias' family with Catharine Schiebel