Hans Graaf
(Graff, Groff) was a Mennonite refugee from his native Switzerland to
Alsace in France in 1695. From there he emigrated to America about
1696. He settled first in the Germantown section of what is now
Philadelphia, and then went to what is now Earl Township in Lancaster
County, PA. Hans Groff is listed in the Register of Huguenot Ancestors
thus making his descendants eligible for membership in the Huguenot
Society.
Extracted from
Biographical History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
by
Alexander Harris
E. Barr & Company, 1872
GRAFF, Hans, (John), a native of Switzerland, born in 1661, was one of
the first pioneers of Lancaster county, Who settled in it as early as
the year 1717, when the district in which he chose his future home was
comparatively a howling wilderness, still inhabited by the tawny races
of the new world. He belonged to the pious but persecuted sect of
religionists in Europe, the Mennonites, against whom the sword of
intolerance was unsheathed; and it was to escape the destruction that
seemed to threaten the devoted followers of Menno Simon, that the
subject of our notice was inducted, together with his
fellow-religionists, to select some portion of the new world as their
place of refuge. About the year 1695, Hans Graff had fled from his
native home in Switzerland, and taken up his abode in Alsace, a
district of France, where he remained until he emigrated to America,
and settled at Germantown, Pa. His stay in this latter place was of
some duration; but finally, induced by glowing descriptions of the
fertility and excellence of the soil of the Pequea Valley, he removed
thither and chose it as his abode, unless one more adapted to his
tastes should come to his knowledge. In his wanderings through the new
territory he came into a finely timbered district of country; and
embowered in the midst of beautiful and majestic oaks, he saw a gushing
stream of limpid water issuing from its fountain in all its native
purity. Fascinated with this delightful elysium of nature, this exiled
wanderer for conscience resolved to select the lovely spot upon which
his eyes then for the first time rested, and the place where, in coming
years, he and his successors might pour out their adorations to the God
of their fathers, with none to fear nor make them afraid. His
resolution was fixed. Returning to his home at Pequea, be disposed of
his effects and immediately took up his journey for the place which he
had chosen as his future home and abode. Here he erected a cabin under
a large white oak tree, in which he, the partner of his bosom and an
only child, spent the first winter. In the following spring, in order
to secure himself in this the territory of his choice, he took out a
warrant for a large tract of land, and then built for himself a house
of more commodious dimension: and near to the site of his first rude
and homely cabin. Fortune favored, in a remarkable degree, this early
pioneer of Lancaster's wilds; and it was not long till his prosperity
attracted others of his countrymen, who came and settled around and
near him; and in this manner the nucleus of a flourishing settlement
was in a short time formed. For many years, however, the principal
person with whom Hans Graff had intercourse, were the red men of the
forest, and this accounts for his great knowledge of the Indian tongue
in which he is said to have discoursed as fluently as in his vernacular
German. He was not slow in taking advantage of the circumstances by
which he was surrounded, and with the Indians he soon established a
trade that resulted to his great profit and advantage. He sold to the
Indians milk, vegetables, blankets, and other articles of merchandise
which he could purchase in Philadelphia, and obtained in exchange for
them furs and other objects of trade, for which he could secure a ready
sale, and which, to him, were equivalent to cash. In this way Hans
Graff laid the foundation of a princely fortune; and by the time that
Lancaster was organized into a separate county, he was already one of
the most independent and influential of its citizens. The township in
which he had selected his abode, was named Earl (Graff) in honor of
him, as its most respected inhabitant. He was an active and energetic
man in his day; useful as a counsellor amongst his neighbors and
fellow-citizens; and no business of importance was transacted at that
early period unless his judgment was first consulted and his consent
obtained. Despite the jealousy of race, that in those early times
inflamed the antagonistic Irish and German elements of the county, we
find the name of Hans Graff often conspicuously appearing in positions
of official trust, to which he had been assigned by the Governor and
Board of Council of the province; and by the judges of the court of his
county. After having served his day and generation, he has followed to
his last resting-place by his numerous friends and descendants, who
have erected a shrine to his memory more enduring than the lofty marble
monuments reared to princes, kings and emperors.
Hans Graff raised six sons: Peter, David, John, Daniel, Marcus and
Samuel. David was married to a Miss Moyer, and died at the age of
sixty-two years. His wife attained the age of ninety-two years. David,
son of the last named, married Barbara Hirst, and built the house in
West Earl township where Levi W. Groff now resides. He died at tie age
of twenty-seven, and his widow married David Martin. John, (gross
Johnny), son of the last, was married to a Miss Wenger. Levi W. Groff
is one of his sons, and David G. Swartz, esq, of Lancaster, is a
grandson.
Extracted from
History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
by
I. Daniel Rupp
Gilbert Hills, 1844
Hans Graaf fled from Switzerland to Alsace, with one of his brothers,
about the year 1695 or 96, he came to Germantown, where he remained a
short time; afterwards settled on Grove's Run, in Earl township, both
of which are named in honor of him. The following circumstance, as
related to us by one of his lineal descendants, will show the reader
how Graaf was led to settle in Graaf's Thaal; for this is the name by
which the settlement is known to this day:
His horses having strayed from Pequca; while in pursuit of them in a
northern direction from the inhabited parts, he discovered a fine
spring in a heavily timbered spot; the head of Grove's Run. In this
elysian dale, said he, will I fix my permanent abode. He nevertheless
pursued his horses till he found them, and returned to Pequea A short
time afterwards he made a disposition of his effects. Now he returned
to the spring, and about one-half mile down, on the north side, he
erected a cabin under a large Whitc Oak tree, in which he, his wife and
an only chid, stayed all winter. In the spring of the year, having
secured by a warrant, dated November 22 ,1917, a large tract of land,
he erected a house near the cabin. The spot where he erected the house
in the spring of 1718, is still
pointed out by his progenitors. At this time, as was common with the
aborigines in all the new settlements, the Indians called frequently at
his house to sell baskets and Hickory brooms.
Mr. Graaf had six sons; as soon as some of them where grown up, he
turned his attention to dealing in blankets, and other articles of
merchandize, which he procured at Philadelphia, and took them to
Harris's Ferry, on the Susquehanna, and exchanged them for skins, furs
and the like.
He spoke, it is said, the Indian language fluently. When one of the
sons drove, the old gentleman accompanied him, riding a fine steed, for
he kept none but fine horses. On one occasion, as his team was
returning to Philadelphia, Peter, the oldest was driving, in crossing
the Branywine, which was very flush at the time, he was in danger of a
watery grave; the father on a lofty steed, rode in, took the young
fellow on his own horse behind him, and seizing the lines, drove safely
through the rushing stream.
He raised six sons, Peter, David, the grandfather of John Graaf our
informant, John, Daniel, Marcus and Samuel, who was known as Graaf, der
Jaeger, the huntsman.Hans Graaf, after having served his day and
generation, the public also on several occasions, and having divided
his land among his sons, died, leaving a large family connection-
Perhaps there is no family in the county, more numerous respectable and
useful citizens than the Graafs. So, without doubt, the magistrates and
inhabitants of Lancaster county thought, when they met to settle upon
the bounds and give names to townships, June 9, 1723: they had regard
to the worth of this family in calling one of the townships, after the
first settlers of Graaf, i. e. Earl township.