See second and third posts for new material -- Blogger thinks it's still May 1

Another Trip -- of Great Importance to the Family - Hershbergers and Hostetlers

This is taken from the book Descendants of Jacob Hochstetler by Rev. Harvey Hostetler, D.D.

After William Penn had purchased, in 1682, from the British Crown the province of Pennsylvania, he went to the mainland of Europe to solicit settlers for his colony and found most ready acceptance from the Mennonites, whom he had previously visited as a representative of the Quakers. He visited Holland and the countries along the Rhine, where he found many Mennonites and Amish longing for a change. The inducements held out to them prompted many to emigrate to America, likewise many other Germans. The first Swiss Amish to settle in America had years before emigrated to Alsace, Hessia and the Palatinate. Some of the Jotters (Yoders), Oeschs, Gingerichs, Schlabachs and others, when coming to America spoke the Hessian dialect, but were originally Swiss. After about the year 1700, the Swiss Amish sometimes made their way direct to our country. Traveling at that time was tedious and crossing the ocean hazardous and a journey from Switzerland to America required the greater part of a summer, an average ocean passage requiring about fifty days.
p.20

I thought I had seen a detailed account of the conditions of the ships, but must have seen it elsewhere. Perhaps in an account of the Pilgrims. Now, why were the Mennonites and Amish longing for a change? Will include information on that another time.

Until then,
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.