We began our journey there on May 8, 1750, with our little son Johannes, and on August 12 we arrived in Philadelphia, where I immediately began to ply my trade. We affiliated with the Brethren Church there and to our joy were accepted into the congregation that same year. The following February, we had the joy of celebrating Holy Communion with this congregation, an unspeakable blessing to our hearts. In the year 1752 we were blessed by the birth of two healthy sons, but they left this world again nine months later; and in December of the same year, my wife also went to her eternal home. This loss was deeply painful for me. After this, I sought permission to move to Bethlehem. But brother Spangenberg who happened to be in Philadelphis at the time, advised me to stay where I was and to shine as a light in this place.

In the year 1753, I was married again, to Anna Christina Gottling, who was a member of the society here. We continued to live in Philadelphia until March 3, 1759, when we moved to Lititz, which was just beginning to be built. Here I built me a house and settled as the first citizen of this church site.
(Here his narrative ends)

Even in his old age, he recalled with pleasure that he had been with the congregation in Lititz at its beginning, had watched it grow, and had enjoyed so much goodness from our dear Lord with the Brethren there. He worked at his shoemaker's trade, and after a few years he added a tannery and God blessed his business. On his eight trips, there were several instances where he experienced special protection for his life. Once he was on a wagon in the area of Bethel picking up raw hides for his tannery. On the way back, when he was sitting atop the load in the wagon, it so happened that the latter overturned; he was covered by the wagon and its entire load and was even dragged along for a short distance. He was in no position to help himself. In response to his persistent cries, someone finally came and freed him, and it turned out that he had not sustained any injuries. Another time, about six years ago, he had business in the Mannheim area. He was driving in a wagon laden with salt barrels. This wagon also overturned, and one of the barrels fell on him and crushed his hip, so that he felt the pain of it for a long time; but to him it was a miracle that he had come away without further injury. But in the course of many changes and sometimes difficult trials, he never forgot that the Savior had chosen him for His own, embraced him warmly, and drawn him into a relationship of love and peace.

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