Person:Mary Bechtel (7)

Elizabeth Nigh Female Family

Event(s): Birth: 22 MAR 1832 , Fairfield, Ohio

Christening: Death: 21 JAN 1909

Burial:

Parents: Father: Michael M. Nigh Family Mother: Mary Ann Bechtel

Marriages: Spouse: Amos Cook Family Marriage: 03 MAR 1850 , Pickaway, Ohio

As I said, all of the familymoved from Ohio to Illinois except Elizabeth, who was married. Mary Ann Bechtel Nigh (a widow) married James Cherry in 1854 in Fairfield Co, OH. He was with them when they came to Illinois abt 1855. They lived in Champaign Co. IL and later in Shelby Co. My grandmother and mother were born in ShelbyCo, IL. And that is how I happened to be born in Illinois.  :-) Mary Jane (the youngest) and her mother Mary Ann Bechtel Nigh both lived in IL therest of their lives. They died in the same house since Mary Ann came to livewith her daughter Mary Jane and family after James Cherry died. Mary Jane was the only one of the five children who stayed in IL. Isaac, Benjamin andBarbara moved to Kansas. In later life, Benjamin, spent his winters in CA with his daughter. He died in CA and was taken back to Kansas for burial.

Johannes Bechtel, d. 1777 Church Register Vol. II, pp. 324-325 Johannes Bechtel, Witwer hat selber von sich aufgeschrieben. Ich bin geboren ao 1690. d. 3t Octr in Weinheim an der Berg- straße in Chur Pfalz, als wohin meine Eltern geflüchtete waren da die Stadt Franckenthal, wo sie sonst gewohnt von den Frantzosen verbrannt worden. Meine liebe Eltern hielten mich fleißig zur Kirche u. Schule an. In meinem 9tn Jahr verlor ich meine Mutter und im14tn meinen Vater. 1704. kam ich nach Heidelberg in die Lehre zu einem Dreher. Ich suchte zu der Zeit manche gute Regung in meinem Herzen. 1709 reiste ich auf die Wanderschaft und kam in viele eitle Gesellschaft u. dadurch sehr aus meiner Einfalt. Ich muß es zu meiner Schande bekennen, daß ich zieml. leichtsinnig wurde u. wars am Wildesten zu gieng da war ich am liebsten daß währte etwa 3. Jahr. Da fieng mein lieber Heiland an mich in meinem Herzen zu überzeugen, daß mir oft in der lustigen Gesellschaft angst u. bang wurde und seiner züchtigende Gnade wirckte so kräftig in mir daß wenn ich nach Hause kam, mir alles vorgestellt wurde, was ich den Tag über begangen da ich dann oft in vielen Thränen zerfloß u. versprach es besser zu machen ohne zu bedencken, daß ich leider nichts könnte, bis mir endl. durch des Hei- lands Gnade, sein Wort einfiel, ohne mich könnt ihr nichts thun! Da fieng ich an mit Thränen zu bethen: Er möchte sich über mich erbarmen u. mir alle meiner Sünden vergeben; mit dem Vorsatz mich zu beßern. Ich suchte auch mich der eitlen Gesellschaft mehr u. mehr zu entziehen. 1714 lies ich mich durch meine Freunde bereden in Heidelberg Meister zu werden. 1715 in Februar heurathete ich meine liebe Frau welche 1758 d. 7tn Febr.hier zu Heiland gegangen. Wir lebten 43. Jahr in unsrer Ehe u. zeugten 9 Kinder wovon noch 5. Töchter am Leben sind, von diesen habe 38. Enkel, wovon 7. zum Heiland gegangen u. 16. Urenkel, ich wünsche u. bitte, daß sie alle den lieben Heiland gedeyhen möchten u. keines von von ihren verloren gehe. Ao 1717 zog ich von Heidelberg nach Franckenthal bis ich 1726 mit meiner Frau u. 3. Kindern nach Pensilvanien zog. Ich wohnte noch 20 Jahre in Germantown. 1738. wurde mit dem. l. Br. Spangenberg bekannt, als er bei Wiegner auf Shipach wohnte, da wir alle 4. Woche zum Besuch dahin reisten. Der sel. H. Antes, Stiefel, J. A. Gruber ich und andre von German- town hathen manche selige Stunden beysammen. 1742. als der l. selige Jünger (Graf Zinzendorff) nach Pensilv. kam wurde ich mit ihm und anderen Leuten bekannt, mein Herz fühlte gleich eine zärtliche Neigung zu ihm u. ich liebte sie herzl. Da ich den sl. Grafen das erste Mal in der Kirche in Germantown predigen hörte, so war es mir in meinem Herzen: Ja! das ist ja der einge und wahre Grund der Seeligkeit Jesus Christus und sein Verdienst u. Leiden, einen anderen Grund kan niemand legen es ist uns durch seinen Tod allein das Leben erworben . Und von da an waren die Brüder meine liebste Gesellschaft in meinem Hause u. da der Haß u. Bitterkeit gegen die Brüder im Lande angieng, so kriegte ich meinen Antheil reichlich mit. Denn meine Reformierte Religions Verwandten davon ich über 16. Jahr als Prediger gedient, fiegen nun an mich zieml. zu plagen bis sie mich 1744 [Sontag] d. 9tn Febr. ausstiessen, da die Gemein Losung hieß: Das Jerusalem das droben ist unser aller Mutter. Es ist im Ost u. Westen für die gepresten, noch immer was zum besten aus der Gemeine. Ich wüßte sie aber nicht bis ich nach Bethlehem kam, es wurde mir von da an in meinem herzen gewiß, daß ich zur Gemeine gehöre, ich bat den Heiland mir die Gnade widerfahren zu lassen u. mich zur Gemeine zu bringen. Er erhörte mein Bitten u. ich kriegte im Fruhjahr 1746. Erlaubnis nach Bethl. zu ziehen, welches am 13tn Sept drauf zu meiner großen Freude geschah. Nun! dachte ich, will ich nur vor den l. Heiland alleine leben u. will durch seiner Gnade erzeugt u. selig seyn u. so wolle Er mich erhalten bis an mein Ende. So weit der selige. Im Johannes Bechtel, a widower, wrote the following about himself.

I was born in the year 1690 on October 3rd in Weinheim on the mountain road in electoral Palatinate, where my parents had fled because the city of Franckenthal, where they otherwise lived, had been burned by the French. My dear parents sent me to school and church regularly. In my 9th year I lost my mother and in my 14th [I lost] my father. In 1704 I came to Heidelberg and was apprenticed to a turner. At that time I look for a good stirring of my heart. In 1709 I set out as an itinerant [journeyman], fell into vain company, and lost my innocence. To my shame I must confess that I became rather reckless and where things were wildest that?s where I most enjoyed being; this lasted for about three years. Then my dear Savior began to work in my heart so that I became anxious and afraid in the company of my jolly friends, and his chastising mercy worked so powerfully in me that when I came home I remembered everything that I had done over the course of the day. Then I often dissolved in many tears and promised to make it better without thinking that I unfortunately could do nothing until finally, through the Savior?s grace, his word came to me: Without me you can do nothing, The I began to pray with tears that He would have mercy on me and forgive me all my sins and I resolved to improve myself. I also ttried more and more to free myself from my vain companions. In 1714 I allowed my friends to convince me to become a master craftsman in Heidelberg. In February 1715 I married my dear wife, who went to the Savior here on February 7, 1758. We were married 43 years and had 9 children, of whom 5 daughters are still alive and from them we have 38 grandchildren, of whom 7 have gone to the Savior, and 16 great-grandchildren. I hope and pray that all of them may progress toward the Savior and that none of them will be lost. In the year 1717 I moved from Heidelberg to Franckenthal until in 1726 I moved to Pennsylvania with my wife and 3 children. I lived for 20 years in Germantown. In 1738 I became acquainted with the dear Br. Spangenberg when he was living with Wiegner in Skippack, since we traveled there for a visit every 4 weeks. The blessed H[einrich] Antes, Stiefel, J. A. Gruber, I, and others from Germantown had many blessed hours together with each other. In 1742, when the dear Blessed Disciple (Count Zinzendorff) came to Pennsylvania, I became acquainted with him and other people [and] my heart quickly felt a tender inclination to him and I came to love them heartily. When I heard the blessed Count preach in the church in Germantown for the first time it was this way in my heart: "Yes! That is indeed the true and only basis of blessedness: Jesus Christ and his merits and suffering. No other foundation can one lay. It is only through his death that life is earned." And from then on the Brethren were the dearest visitors in my house, and when hate and bitterness against the Brethren began to grow in the country I received my own portion in abundance. Then my Reformed religious relatives, among who I had served as a preacher for more than 16 years, began now to torment me somewhat until they expelled me on Sunday, February 9, 1744. The congregation?s watchword for that day was: "The Jerusalem above is mother to us all. In the East and the West it is for those who are pressed down, still always something for the best from the congregation." I did not know it [the watchword], however, until I came to Bethlehem but thereafter I knew in my heart that I belonged in the congregation. I asked the Savior to see to it that I received grace and to bring me to the congregation. He heard my plea and in early 1746 I received permission to move to Bethlehem which, to my great joy, occurred on September 13th. "Now!" I thought, "I will live for the dear Lord alone and through his grace I will be productive and blessed and thus he will keep me until my end." Thus far [what] the blessed [brother wrote himself].

In the year 1742 he was ordained a Reformed preacher in Germantown through the laying-on of hands in the name of the Trinity by Bishop David Nitschmann. At the same time he was also made a Reformed catechist in His name. Here in B[ethlehem] he served the Economy and the congregation with his whole heart and joyfully in all ways, especially by doing hand work. For many years he was president of the Overseers Board. He spent his time, especially his years as a widower, in quiet fellowship with the Savior, and was loved by all, just as he loved them heartily. The lovely services of worship to the Lord were his joy, and he did not miss any meeting lightly. On the 18th of March was afflicted with a serious case of fainting and has been laid up since that time. He told those who visited him that he believed that he would soon see his salvation. "Oh, if He would only come to take me soon!" was his heartfelt wish and it was fulfilled on April 16th at 11 o?clock in the evening. He was in his 87th year. He was buried on the 20th.