Story
1938
In a list of traveling companions to America, the author of the Register, Ulrich Simmindinger, wrote, "In the year 1709, when in consequence of the most golden promises of the English letters, many families departed from the Palatinate, ... down the Rhine to England, in order to embark there for Pennsylvania, which land Queen Anne of Great Britain had granted sundry privileges, ... I resolved to go to England, with God's will, with the intention of enjoying a better living perhaps, by the grace of the Queen, and so in the year mentioned and on the 31 of July, I set out on my journey in the name of God....
"During this time, because it was planned to seize Canada or New France, which had been discovered and occupied by the French in the year 1504, ... equipment, bread and other necessities of life were provided us, but this Expedition did not succeed as expected.... Thereupon each one received his freedom to the extent that he might seek his own piece of bread in his own way within the Province until the Queen should again need our services.
"These are they who are left of my traveling companions to America and who are still alive." (1717)
Then followed a list of his companions and the camp or settlement along the Hudson in which each lived. In this list is the name Casper Rausch (later spelled Roush), who, with his wife and four children, was living at Hayesbury, New York.
In this same volume is included a copy of Governor Hunter's Ration Lists, June, 1710, to September, 1714, now in the Records of the British Museum, London, and in it is found the name of Casper Roush, a soldier in the Canadian Expedition, 1711, and the head of a family then at East Camp, New York.
After his service in the Canadian Expedition had been completed, the Palatines did not find living conditions in the Province of New York to their liking, and having heard of the fair dealing of William Penn and the religious liberty accorded to those living in his domain, many came to Pennsylvania to make their homes.
From Dr. George Moyer of Freeburg, Pennsylvania, who through his mother is a descendant of Casper Roush, it was learned that Casper Roush, with his family, settled in what was known in colonial times as Penn's Township, Northumberland County, now Snyder County, and owned about 304 acres along the ridge one mile north of where Freeburg now stands. He was buried in Old Zion's Church Burying Ground near his farm.
Casper Roush's son, known as George, Casper, or George Casper, remained in that locality as is shown in the record contained in "The History of Freeburg Charge," by Rev. J. F. Wampole. The following is quoted from p. 3 of the above mentioned booklet:
"Inasmuch as shortly before the Revolutionary War this neighborhood was settled with people who believed in the Christian religion, the Lutherans, through Andrew Morr, Peter Straub and Casper Roush, the later a soldier in the Revolutionary War, applied in the year 1770, and had patented for the use of the Lutheran Church in the year 1774, 42 acres of land one mile north of Freeburg, then in Penn's Township, Northumberland County, now Washington Township, Snyder County. On this ground they erected a school house in which they held church services, school and lectures."
In the same booklet we are told that George Casper Roush was one of three men to give a glebe of six acres of ground to be used as a cemetery. This is known as Old Zion Cemetery.
Mention is made of this ancestor, George Casper Roush, in Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. 23, p. 256, as belonging to the Northumberland Rangers in the Revolutionary War, 1778-1783; in Vol. 19 (ibid), p. 453, as having been assessed a tax of 2 pounds and 13 shillings on 100 acres of land and 3 head of cattle in the year 1781.
In Vol. 15 (ibid), p. 273, it is recorded that he signed the Oath of Allegiance 10 April 1746. Since by that time a great number of Palatines had come into Pennsylvania, they were asked to subscribe to the following:
"We, subscribers, natives and late inhabitants of the Palatinate of the Rhine and places adjacent, having transplanted ourselves and families into this Province of Pennsylvania, a colony subject to the crown of Great Britain, in hopes and expectation of finding a retreat and peaceable settlement therein, Do Solemnly Promise and engage that we deem ourselves peaceably to all His said Majesty's subjects, and strictly observe and conform to the Laws of England and of this Province." (Rupp's Collection of 30,000 Names of German, Swiss and Other Immigrants. Pp. 48-49.)
The first census of the United States, ordered by President Washington and issued in 1790 contains the names George Casper Roush and his son, John Jacob Roush.
George Casper Roush is buried in Old Zion's Cemetery, one mile north of Freeburg, near the grave of his father, Casper Roush.