| Sources |
- [S2608] FamilySearch.org, Find A Grave Index, "Find a Grave Index", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z5RW-WQZM : Thu Apr 03 01:55:35 UTC 2025), Entry for Christian Hershey.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z5RW-WQZM
- [S3155] FamilySearch.org, Pennsylvania, Cemetery Records, ca. 1700-ca. 1950, "Pennsylvania, Cemetery Records, ca. 1700-ca. 1950", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8R6B-HVW2 : Sun Jan 19 09:43:18 UTC 2025), Entry for Magdalena Hershey Bomberger and Hershey.
20260106GHLn-
A Brief Summary of the Pennsylvania Hershey's Ancestry back to Switzerland
Contributed By
D
Darl F Hirschi
Where did Milton Snavely Hershey's ancestors come from?
In a book called MILTON SNAVELY HERSHEY - ONE OF A KIND 1857 - 1945, by Charles Schuyler Castner 1983, it says in the Prologue that his family origin goes back to Switzerland to 1672 to his forefather Christian Hirschi. So, Milton's ancestors on his father's side came from the "alpine Swiss Canton of Berne in 1672," and that Christian Hirschi was of the "Anabaptist Swiss Brethren" and a Farmer. It says "His ancestors had been land holders in the general area of the Bernese Oberland since early in the fifteenth century. The members of his clan were tillers of the soil whose farms lay on either side of the winding ten-mile stretch of road between the villages of Schangnau and Interlaken."(1)
Why did Milton Hershey's ancestors leave Switzerland?
In the Prologue of the same book, it says that "wars swirled all around the Swiss frontiers." So, the leaders of two of the largest Cantons of Switzerland came together in Emmental for a meeting, and "formed an alliance in order to set a course for Swiss national unity." At this meeting it was decided that "Every man in the Swiss population was henceforth required to register for military service." Then later when, "Christian Hirschi and some two hundred other families of the Mennonite and Swiss Brethren faiths" dissented, they were told "Either sign up for military service or get out of the country!"(1) The followers of the Mennonites and Swiss Brethren faiths, did not believe in taking up arms.
Why were the Hirschi Mennonites of Switzerland, living in Germany for 45 years before they came to Pennsylvania?
So, where could they go in 1672 when they were told to get out of Switzerland? Pennsylvania was not possible at that time. That question can be answered by checking into the genealogy and history of the Hirschis, or other groups, that came and settled in Pennsylvania. They could not take 200 plus people and just go anywhere they wanted, because countries had restrictions on crossing their borders. They would have to have permission from the other country. There were several places referred to as palatinate areas, where these people went. Evidently, many of the Hirschis from the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, and the Canton of Zurich, Switzerland left the country, and went to Palatinate areas in Germany. These movements of people actually had to be set up ahead of their going by the leaders of the new group. The leaders had to be willing to sign a new contract in the place of one expiring. The number of people going in was limited as well.(2)
The area in which these Mennonite followers were living in Germany was called a palatinate. The title of Palatine was given by a Roman Emperior to a local official, and descendants, who became known as Count Palatine. The people taking care of the land were called palatines, and the large land area that the Count Palatine controlled, became known as a Palatinate.(3) Christian Hirschi, born 13 September 1627 in Schangnau, Switzerland took his family out of Switzerland to the German Palatinate, and died there in Friedelsheim, Germany. Christian Hirschi's son Christian, born in 1661 in Schangnau, Switzerland, married his wife and had his son Benjamin in this new palatinate area. They left in 1717 to go to Pennsylvania, where Benjamin's father, Christian (1661-1722), lived about 5 years until his death in 1722. That is why one can not find these death or birth dates, if one looks for them in Switzerland.
They were seeking a place where there was freedom for their different beliefs in religion. The palatinate areas were not much better when it came to restrictions, or limitations on what they could do, but they did not have to take up arms, and actually had to pay protection fees as a result. There were some restrictions on assembly as to how many could assemble together. Ownership of land was limited. The building of a church was limited, and could not look like a church. They could not preach their beliefs, and had limitations on how to carry on a funeral so it could not be heard. Contracts were signed with such restrictions.(2) Gradually, these immigrants were recognized as very trustworthy, loyal, peaceful, God fearing people, who were later considered to be more desired for their expertise in agriculture, use of the land, etc.
One can quickly realize why many did not stay any longer than they needed to stay. However, they had to finish their contracts to stay and work the land, and have another place to go to. As soon as the contract expired, having money in hand, or funding promised by a group such as the Dutch Mennonites, they made travel arrangements to a new place. In a way, it was a stopping off place on the way to somewhere else. The Hirschis and others who left Switzerland in 1672 ended up making it a 45 year adventure before they arrived in Pennsylvania, resulting in the fact that most of the older ones did not get there. It ended up being mostly the sons and daughters of those who started out. The history of this people can be hard to find because it seems to often get passed over. Probably, because it's easier to pass over it, rather than cite all of the number of different cities, or places one has to search in. There are 129 cities and towns in the Rheinland-Palatinate.(4) There were also frequent changes in the rulers of the area, and a high number of people moving in and out. Yet after 45 years, the older ones would probably call it home and find it hard to leave.
In 1672, there were around 200 of the Mennonite followers who left Switzerland, because their persecution had greatly increased, and they were told to get out of the country.(1) That coincides with what is said in an article by Gerhard Hein, who stated "In January 1672, 215 persons had arrived west of the Rhein and 428 east of the Rhein."(5) The place to which the Hirschis went, with around 200 people, was a small town called Friedelsheim, Germany west of the Rhein.
Going to another article from GAMEO, it stated "The first certain information concerning their presence is found in a rental contract of 1682, in which Elector Charles Luis leased his Friedelsheim estate, about 1000 acres, together with the dwelling houses and farm buildings of the Moenchhof, now the "Mennonitenhof," to Christian Herschi [Hirschi mispelled], Ulrich Weydmann, Jose Erbsal, and Hans Burgholder."(2) This is a reference to Christian Hirschi, who arrived there in 1672, as is indicated in the previous paragraph, when it mentions "215 persons" arriving from Switzerland, and in a group "west of the Rhein." The other group of 428 went east of the Rhein River, probably into the Mannheim area of the palatinate.(5)
One can see that a group of farmers of that approximate size or a little larger, would want and need an area of land that same size or larger to work on, when they arrived in Pennsylvania. William Penn had received a very large area of land in 1681, newly called Pennsylvania, by Charles II of England for a debt the King owed Admiral Penn, William Penn's father. So, Penn could easily sell parcels of land that size or larger to any groups of people that he could get interested in relocating to Pennsylvania.(6) Penn's receiving this large area for development and colonization was very propitious for the Hirschi mennonite group, and others leasing property in the palatinate. It probably helped relieve restrictions on later groups contracting leases in a palatinate area.
William Penn was of the Quaker belief, similar in many ways to the Mennonites, and "fired with a missionary spirit." He knew right where to go to get the people to carryout "what he called a 'Holy Experiment' in government. Here was to be the nearest thing to Eutopia thus far planned on earth; religious and political freedom should here be the lot of all," in this new territory in America.(6) He set out as soon as he could to accomplish this by going to the Netherlands and to the Rhein Valley in Germany. He went a couple of times or more, and informed the people of what he was making possible for them in his area of Pennsylvania in America.
Gerhard Hein also stated "in the Spring of 1717 some 300 Palatine Mennonites were in Rotterdam to embark for Pennsylvania where religious freedom was unrestricted; they received financial support from the Dutch Mennonites."(2) It was in 1717 that Christian Hirschi came into Pennsylvania with a friend, Hans Brubaker. It says that "Christian Hirschi, along with his friend, Hans Brubaker, had taken out a warrant for a thousand acres of land near the Little Conestoga Creek" in Penn's colonial territory.(1)
When did the Hirschi spelling of the name change to Hershey?
The answer to this question is in the Prologue of the book. This occurred after the Hirschis had immigrated to Pennsylvania. It says that "Sometime following the move into the Derry Township area where the homestead was to stand, the spelling of the name was changed from Hirschi to Hershey, possibly as a consequence of the Scots-Presbyterian influence that had existed there prior to the influx of Swiss Hirschis."(1)
It appears the Author of the book didn't exactly know why the spelling of the name was changed. These Hirschis settled in the area of Pennslyvania, before the country of America was founded. The area of Pennsylvania was given to William Penn in 1681 by Charles II of England for a debt that William Penn's father, Admiral Penn was owed. So, the area owned by Penn was under British Rule, and was actually a British Colony.(6) When immigrants bought property in the area of Pennsylvania, and wanted to become citizens, they had to give allegiance to the Crown of England. They had to accept an English spelling of their name, particularly, if they were not from an English speaking country. The immigrants were expected to learn the English language, which was spoken in the British Colony.
Did Milton Snavely Hershey have any descendants?
It is interesting that Milton Snavely Hershey and his wife had no descendants to leave his fortune to, or to carry on the Hershey name. In fact, even his only sister died just prior to the age of five. He did have aunts, uncles and cousins. After building up his Hershey Empire in Pennsylvania in the USA, he gave it all away to the Hershey Foundation, etc., to use for the Hershey School he founded. The Foundation benefits the Hershey School, Hershey Pennsylvania, and whatever the Foundation overseerers see as good for the community of Hershey Pennsylvania. However, this all represents the kind of people who went to the colonies of America seeking such unrestricted freedoms of all kinds, such as exist in America today, and are the kind of people who built it up. They are our ancestors and they came for a reason.
Research on the Pennsylvania Hersheys, explaining where they came from in Switzerland, why they came, and when the name was changed from "Hirschi" was done by Darl F Hirschi.
1 MILTON SNAVELY HIRSCHI - ONE OF A KIND, 1857-1945, 1983 by Charles Schuyler Castner, June 1983: Prologue pages 1-4.
2 Foth, Johannes. "Friedelsheim (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1956. Web. 3 April 2018. http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Friedelsheim_(Rheinland-Pfalz,_Germany)&oldid=146435.
3 Rheinland-Pfalz, Genealogy.net. Web. 17 May 2018. http://www.genealogienetz.de/reg/RHE-PFA/rhein-p-his.html.
4 List of cities and towns in Germany. Web. 17 May 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_and_towns_in_Germany.
5 Hein, Gerhard. "Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1959. Web. 3 April 2018. http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Palatinate_(Rheinland-Pfalz,_Germany)&oldid=145420.
6 IMMIGRATION TRENDS ARE DIVIDED INTO THREE GENERAL PERIODS. Web. 17 May 2018. http://www.sacred-texts.com/ame/elpg/elpg02.htm.
- [S2958] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch FamilyTree.
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=60592&h=165447&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=fjU1615&_phstart=successSource
- [S2958] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch FamilyTree, "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 13 September 2025, 13:48), entry for Christian Hershey (PID https://ark.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:L5X8-RQ3 ); contributed by various users.
https://ark.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:L5X8-RQ3
|
1719 - 1782 (63 years)
[1, 3] 
