Joel Spyker

By Barry January 9, 2009

Webmaster's Note: -- I feel a special kinship with my 3ggf, Joel Spyker. I think in part it is because he left behind a Journal of his life. The facts tell a certain story but not like a person telling the same story. The facts show that he had four children die in 1840. To read about it brings chills. I am not actively researching this line but would love to exchange information on our Spyker family. Joel can best tell you his story, in his own words. -- Barry

My parents names were Peter Spyker and Susanna Spyker. They told me I was born in Jonestown, Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania but now Lebanon County, Pennsylvania on the 30th of June 1803 between 7 and 8 o'clock in the evening and was baptized the 17th of July 1803 by Rev. George Lochman a Lutheran minister. The sponsors were my parents and gave me, or named me, Joel. That was the name of a prophet in the Bible and the 6th prophet in notation, and has only 3 chapters and had not much to prophecy, but what he said was good. I never could prophecy till after things were past.

My father was born on the 25th of November 1756 in Berks County, Pennsylvania and my mother was born August 8th 1760 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. My father's first marriage was the 23rd of May 1782 to Catherine Etchberger. They lived together for nearly 15 years without any children. She died April 27th 1797.

On the 16th of July 1798, he married Susanna Kurtz who about five years thereafter said she was my mother. My grandfather on my father's side was John Peter Spyker. He came from Germany on the 30th of Aug. 1737 and grandmother's name was Margaret . My grandfather on Mother's side was Rev. William Kurtz. He came also from Germany and was nearly one of the first Lutheran ministers in this Country. My grandmother on Mother's side name was Regina.

I may as well tell the reader here as any other place that in the spring of 1824 a little before I was twenty one years old, I got my first pair of boots. Now the boys get nearly boots before they are born. My brother was living in this Marion County and several times wrote to me after Father's death. I should move to Ohio, I could do better there than where I was, but always said I should see the country first before I move. On the 4th of April 1824 I started on foot. Whether I put on my census shoes I do not now recollect but I can tell that after traveling seventy-four miles I had my shoes half soled in Chambersburgh . I walked the whole way to my brother's, 421 miles from Jonestown. I travelled through part of Lebanon, Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Somerset, Westmoreland, Allegheny and Beaver Counties in Pennsylvania and in Ohio through Colombiana, Stark, Wayne, Richland, Crawford and Marion Counties. I arrived at my brother's on the 19th of April. It took me 16 days. I traveled on an average of a little more than 26 miles a day. The least distance I made was 18 miles and the greatest 33 miles. I traveled according to the weather and getting shopping places. These 16 days travels cost nine dollars and forty eight cents including shoe soling.

I staid with my brother till the 25th of April but in the time I was there I just felt like a certain girl. She was asked the reason she did not marry. Her answer was them that would like to marry I cannot get and them that I can get I don't want. My purse was too light for what I would like to have for a home and what I could get I did not want. On the 25th of April I started for home, took another root to see a little more of Ohio. From Marion County I went to Delaware, Franklin, Muskingum, Harrison, and Jefferson County, Ohio. Brooke County, Virginia , Washington and Allegheny Counties, Pa., then back the same route. I took out from Jonestown and home in 13 days, cost $9.75 and traveled 468 miles. Of these I traveled 38 miles in a stagecoach, 28 miles and 10 miles in a hack. The stage charges was 6 1/4 cents and the hack 3 3/4 cents per mile and arrived home at midnight on the 7th of May. The last day I traveled 53 miles, 28 in stage, 25 afoot.

SCARLET FEVER - 1840

The commencement of this year was sorrowful. We lost our four youngest children the latter end of January. One died the 22nd , two the 24th just one hour apart, we put them both on one coffin, and the 4th died the 27th . All had the malignant scarlet fever. They died in six days. We had then 7 children. The three oldest did not get the fever. These deaths made a large hole in our family and had many sympathizing hearts in our neighborhood. Being so sudden and no sickness then in our neighborhood and not within 10 miles of us. We could only say like Job of Old the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, Blessed be the name of the Lord.