The family roots have been traced to the 1500’s in a village about 15 miles east of Berne or Bern. The official famiy Gemeinde or commune for their citizenship is “Sumiswald, Canton Bern, Switzerland.” Confirmation of the family Heimatberechtigung or citizenship is confirmed in the official government record book: “Familiennamenbuch Der Schweiz or Swiss Surnames, A Complete Registry.”

The actual verification that our first American emigrant Ulli Reinhad (Ulrich Rinehart 1704-1787) was “Swiss” came from a genealogist, Robert Crumbaker, who traced his own family. This identification was proven by triangulation with other people in Switzerland and then with the list of immigrants in Pennsylvania. Robert Crumbaker found four generations of inter-marriages in Switzerland between the Reist, Reinhard (Rinehart), Grumdbacker (Crumbaker) and Wissler (Wisler) families. These four families were part of the “Mennonite” or “Anabaptist” people in Switzerland. It was quite normal for these people to emigrate in groups seeking a location they could practice their religious beliefs. At this time the Berne area’s officially declared state religion was the Swiss Reform Church.

Information from “A Collection of Upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and Other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776” by Prof. I. Daniel Rupp and the “Pennsylvania German Pioneers, A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808” by Ralph Beaver Strassburger, LL.D. states Ulrich and his wife sailed from Rotterdam, Holland in 1733 on the ship “Hope”. The ship then arrived in Cowes, England. From there the ship sailed to America and arrived in Philadelphia August 28, 1733. The crossing from Cowes was about 50 days. While at sea their first son, Peter, was born. The passengers included - males eighty-three above sixteen, females eighty-one; males and females two hundred and twenty-five under sixteen - in all 389. The list of arrivals was Ulrig Rayenhart age 29 and Barbra Raynhart age 23. Another spelling on the same listing is Ulrich Reinhardt. In Switzerland it was Ulli Reinhard. The list includes his two cousins Ulrig Wisler and Hans Crombacker. The men were required to sign an “Oath of Allegiance” to the Province and State of Pennsylvania before disembarking.

Some available genealogy information states that Ulli’s wife Barbra was from Bavaria, but another strong possibility is that she came from a village called Sigriswil which is just south of Sumiswald, Canton Bern.

Ulrich Rinehart settled on a farm on the west side of the Shyulkill River in Chester County, Pennsylvania, a half-mile below Frick’s Lock. In later years, the farm was passed on to his son, Rev. Martin Rinehart. Ulrich was buried in the Union Graveyard at Parkerford, Chester County, Pennsylvania.530

“The Palatines whose Names are underwritten, being imported in the Ship Hope, of London, Daniel Reid, Mr., from Rotterdam, but last from Cowes, did this day take & subscribe the Oaths to the Government.”: Ulrich Reinhardt253, Foreigners Who took the Oath of Allegiance, 1727-1775

“At the courthouse aforesaid, August 28th, 1733. Eighty four Palatines, who with their families, making in all Two hundred & twenty six persons, were imported here in the Ship Hope, of London, Daniel Reid, Master, from Rotterdam, but last from Cowes, as by Clearance thence, were qualified as before.” From the Minutes of the Provincial Council, printed in Colonial Records, Vol. III, p. 517.

[List 31 B] Palatines imported in the Ship Hope, of London, Daniel Reid, Mr., from Rotterdam, but last from Cowes, p. Clearance thence. Qualified Aug. 28th 1733.”: Ulrich Reinhardt253, Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Vol. I, 1727-1775, List of Pennsylvania German Pioneers

“31) Aug. 28, 1733. Palatines,—ship Hope of London, Dan. Reid, Master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes.—Males eighty-three above sixteen, females eighty-one; males and females two hundred and twenty-five under sixteen—in all 389.—(Editor.)

Aug. 28, 1733. Pfalzer mit dem Schiffe Hope von London, Capitain Daniel Reid, von Rotterdam uber cowes.—Drei und achtzig mannlichen Oefchlechts und ein und adtzig meiblichen uber fechzehn; unter fechzehn beiberlei Oefchlechts zwei bundert funf und zmanzig—im Oanzen 389.—(Herausgeber.): Ulrich Reinhardt253, Thirty Thousand Immigrant Names in Pennsylvania, 1727-76, Names of German, Swiss and Other Immigrants

He lived first in Germantown where he started the first print-shop in Pennsylvania with his brother-in-law Christopher Sower (Sauer), the famous printer. He later settled near Parkerford, Chester, Pennsylvania.