Nikolaus or Nicholas Schwenk, born about 1726 in Germany, died 19 Mar 1808 in Salford Twp, Montgomery Co, PA, where he followed blacksmithing as well as farming. He and his brother George were naturalized 24 Sep 1755 at a session of the Supreme Court held in Philadelphia. He was a deacon at Old Goshenhoppen Church.
On 3 Sep 1752, Nicholas Schwenk of Lower Salford Twp. bought 2 acres, 82 perches of land from Abraham Krupp. On 9 Jun 1756, he bought of Adolph Pennepacker and his wife, Susan, 154 acres of land, the consideration being 500 pounds. Harleysville is built upon this property. On 7 Dec 1768, he purchased of David Strieb and his wife, Susan, of Whitemarsh Twp., two tracts of land containing, respectively, 23 acres, 120 perches and 30 & 3/4 acres. One of these properties was a hotel, but he didn't care to conduct it (even though tradition has it that he very much enjoyed schnaps,) so on 23 May 1770, sold the hotel and 32 acres, 67 perches of land to Frederick Dickensheid, for 400 pounds. He sold two other tracts to Christian Moyer. On 29 Apr 1769 Nicholas Schwenk, blacksmith of Lower Salford Twp and his brother George Schwenk, blacksmith of Frederick Twp, bought from William Schwenk, a brother who was also a blacksmith, and his wife Mary of Gwynedd Twp, a small farm. On 27 Mar 1774, Nicholas and Anna Barbara his wife, and George and Fronica his wife, sold this property containing some 40 acres and 26 perches to Nicholas Charles.
Nicholas Schwenk of Lower Salford was assessed for 150 acres of land, 3 horses and 4 cows in 1776. His last purchase was made in 1792, when he bought the lot later purchased by Dr. J. K. Keeler. He owned nearly all the land on which the village of Harleysville has been built. On 1 Feb 1798, Nicholas and his wife, Anna Barbara, conveyed their farm to their son, George, for 800 pounds.
Nicholas was a prominent man in his community, filling several official positions in the township. For many years he was a deacon at Old Goshenhoppen Lutheran Church. Tradition says that he became blind in his old age.
His will (#100), recorded at Norristown, in Will Book 8, page 18, dated 7 Mar 1808 and proved 7 Apr 1808, refers to his children and grandchildren. His sons George and Jacob (the latter of Upper Providence) were the executors, and some time after the father's death, they obtained the consent of their mother in writing and made public sale of her lot, which was sold to Daniel Harley, a son of Samuel Harley; a deed conveying same was executed 3 Apr 1810. To his wife Anna Barbara, Nicholas willed 10 pounds in gold and silver, various articles of furniture, clock and stove, a lot on which they lived (containing two acres, 120 perches of land) and the lot of woodland near Salford meetinghouse containing four acres, 98 perches.
Even though Nicholas and Anna Barbara lived in Harleysville for over 50 years, it is not certain where they are buried, though an educated guess would be at the Goshenhoppen church in Upper Salford. Another possibility is the farm of Samuel Faust in Frederick Twp, where a number of Schwenks are buried in the Schwenk-Grob-Ziegler burying ground.
Most sources I've seen list Anna Barbara as Nicholas' only wife. However, I found, in "22 Pennsylvania German Families", by Richard William Loveless, the statement that Nicholas was first married to Maria Elizabeth, then married second to Anna Barbara. However, I believe he confused the name of Nicholas' wife with that of his step-mother, therefore I'm only showing one marriage. Loveless was also the source of the information on daughter, Susannah, whom I hadn't seen listed before as a child of Nicholas.
