Bechtel Family Page


Bechtel

Bechtel Family of Berks, Montgomery and Chester Counties, PA

My immigrant Bechtel ancestor was Johan George Bechtel. He emigrated from Germany and settled near Amity, Berks County, PA. He married Anna Maria Klingman and they had two children: Catherine and George K.

Johan George Bechtel died about 1748. According to one report, he had returned to Germany to settle his father's estate and died on the return trip. In 1750 his widow married George Schadler. The son George K. Bechtel, who was born in 1744, married Hannah Yocum.

George K. Bechtel and Hannah Yocum had 11 children who were included in George's will. (The sons were named directly and daughters were implied based on the disbursements made to their husbands). These children were: Samuel (who was described as unmarried), George, John, Peter, Jacob, David, William, Catherine (wife of John Yocum), Anna Maria (wife of Conrad Garber/Gerber), Hannah (wife of Mattias Gilbert) and Elizabeth (wife of Jacob Herner). These children are often identified by researchers with the middle initial "Y" to help distinguish them from other generations as well as other contemporary Bechtels of the same first name. While this appears to be a naming convention adopted by researchers, later generations of Bechtels were actually given the mother's maiden name as their middle name, following the tradition commonly followed by many families of German descent.

Of the above named children of George and Hannah (Yocum) Bechtel, I descend from the son George Y. Bechtel, on my father's side and from the daughter, Anna Maria Y. Bechtel married to Conrad Garber/Gerber on my mother's side. I have, however, collected information on some of the other children of George and Hannah in the course of my research, and so I have decided to include Descendant Reports on some of them in the Resource Menu below. I will add more of these reports as I collect more information. As always, please let me know if you think my reports contain errors or if you would like sources on the information provided.

Visit the biography of my grandmother MaryAnn Sassaman Dilliplane for more information on the Bechtels in my direct line. (The line of George Y. Becthel.)

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Page Last Modified: Thursday, 05-Feb-2015 11:02:32 MST