Christoph¹ Hacker (Stephen^A), who Herr Heil called a “cowboy and shoemaker,” was a shoemaker in Rußheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany where he was christened on 2 May 1697. His sponsors were Sebastian Neesz, a shoemaker from Rußheim; Christian Weickh, of Graben, and Anna Barbara Krebs of Linckenheim.¹ He died in Cocalico Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania some time after 1775. It is likely that he was buried on his son Adam’s farm in the vicinity of the village of Lincoln (now part of Ephrata Borough) in Cocalico Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

On 9 February 1723, when Christoph was 25, he married Anna Margaretha Jock², daughter of Thiebold/Diebold Jock (29 August 1659-3 March 1707-1708) and Margaretha Hausser (14 August 1669-14 January 1714/15), in Rußheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ³ Born in June 1696 in Rußheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Anna Margaretha was baptized in Rußheim on 29 June 1696 by Pastor Paul Frederick Voegtlin. Her sponsors were Maria Barbara Hager, Maria Barbara Boltzin, and Hans Geusz.⁴ She died in Cocalico Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania after 1773. She too was likely buried on their son Adam’s farm.

This couple desired to move from Rußheim to the town of Gräben, where she was born and raised, but the villagers rejected them. It was this rejection that caused them to apply for emigration to America. Christoph and Margaretha Hacker sailed on the ship Rawley, captained by George Grove, from Rotterdam, Holland, last from Plymouth, England (British ships were required to stop at a British port before sailing to the Colonies), arriving in Philadelphia, Penn’s colony on 23 October 1752 with 133 listed passengers.⁵ Christoph and his wife were both in their mid 50s when they left their homeland to settle in the Pennsylvania colony. Their daughters Christina and Margaretha and their husbands accompanied the couple on the trip. Their sons Adam and George had already come to the new world and settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Children of Christoph and Margaretha (Jock) Hacker, all born in Rußheim:

1. Christina² Hacker was born on 25 December 1723 and died in Cocalico Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, date unknown. She married Michael Lang in Rußheim on 8 November 1746 and came to America with her parents in 1752.
2. Maria Catharina Hacker was born on 4 September 1725 died as a child in Rußheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany on 21 November 1726 at the age of 1 year, 2 months and 17 days.
3. Johan Adam Hacker was baptized on 27 October 1727. In 1749 he immigrated to the United States and settled in Lancaster County. There he married Elisabetha Weidman in 1752. He died circa 1782 and was probably buried on the family farm.
4. Anna Margaretha Hacker was born 24 December 1730 and died 12 April 1807 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She married in Rußheim circa 1751 Lorentz Haushalter. The couple came to America in 1752 with Margaretha’s parents.
5. Johan George Hacker was born 4 April 1734 and died 14 October 1821 at his family home “Erdenheim” in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He married circa 1754 Margaretta Weidman, sister to his brother Adam’s wife, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.