Michael Remaly (1731 - 1793)

On  August 5, 1765 Michael Remilie took out a land warrent for 32 acres of farm land (Roberts, p719).  Michael's farm land was all of the upper part of Main Street in what is now Slatington, Pennsylvania  and included what was known as Spruce Hill, Victory Park, Remaley's Spring and Remaley's Hotel. He owned 190 acres when his will was probated on January 16, 1793 in the Easton, Pennsylvania Courthouse.  The Remaley's, Michael, George and John and their father Ambrose, were some of the hardy men who cleared and farmed the land of this newly settled area in Lehigh County.

Illustrated Atlas of Lehigh County, 1876

The birth record for Michael has been researched by many including genealogist, Raymond E. Hollenbach.   Michael's birth was recorded  in the church records at Weisenheim-am-Sand in the Rhenish Palatinate, Western Germany on March, 2l, l731.  He is listed as Johan Michael Remeli, son of Ambrosius Remeli.  The microfilm records from the "Vereingte Protestantische Evang.-Chrsitl. Kirche der Plflz" now the United Protestant Evangelical Christian Church of the Pfalz in the city of  Weisenheim am Sand; Province: Rheinland-Pfalz are located in Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ambrose Remeli, father of Michael,  arrived in Philadelphia with his family on the ship Lydia and qualified on October 13, 1749.  Annette Burgert (p270) names his wife as Anna Catharina Schick and the following children: Peter;  Joh. Georg;  Johannes;  Joh. Michael; Maria Magdalena;  Anna Maria and Joh. Philipp.  By 1751 the family of Ambrose and his sons, Michael, George and John are found in various  census, tax, and land sales records in the Lehigh Valley of Northampton County. There is a land warrant for 25 acres issued August 14, 1751 for property in Heidelberg Twp., Bucks Co, PA. which later became Washington Twp. in Lehigh Co. This was near Slatington.  Speculation may be made that Ambrose arrived with enough money to acquire land and settle his family without going the route of indentured servant as so many immigrants from the Palatinate needed to do to pay for their passage.

Tax list for Heidelberg Twp.

 In 1762 the name of  Michael Remely appears on the Tax list for Heidelberg Twp., Northampton Co.  He owed a tax of 5 pounds. (Roberts, p719).  Later Michael Reemaly, George Reemely, and George Remaly, Jr. are found  on the 1781 Tax list for Heidelberg Twp.  (Roberts, p720).

How did he serve in the Revolutionary War? Michael Romely signed the Oath of Allegiance  on August 25, 1777 under the authority of Justice of the Peace, Peter Meyer, Esq.  Also signing that day were George Romely and George Romely, Jun.  By signing the Oath they pledged to support the cause for the fight for independence from English rule.

The DAR holds a service record for Michael as Ancestor #: A095286.  In this record his spouse is given as Anna Maria.   Michael (Remely) Remaley enrolled in the Northampton County, Pennsylvania Militia.  He is listed as private in Conrad Ritter (Reader) 5th Company of the 3rd Battalion in 1778   He is a private in the 5th Class.   He is also listed as a private in the 5th class of the 5th company under Capt. Conrad Reader the 6th Battalion, Northampton County Militia, Oct. 26, 1780 and again in 1782.  The  3rd Battalion was later changed to 6th Battalion,  Northampton County Militia during Revolutionary War.  Also in the Class were George Remley Sen'r and George Remley Ju'r.  There is a General Class Roll dated October 26, 1780 in the records of the Comptroller General at the Division of Public Records, Harrisburg.  The Michael Remaley  residence is listed as Heidelberg Township.

It is not known when he married Anna Maria Vautrin.  Their children were: George, Ambrose, Catherine, Christina, John Jacob, Michael, William and Johan Heinrich.  The 1790 Census shows family of  Michel Romaley (Michael Ramaley) of Heidelberg, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania has 4 males over the age 16, 2 males under the age of  16 and 3 females.

James Ramaley on his Blog, "Ramaley Genealogy" discusses the many spelling variations of the family name and estimates that there are thousands of descendants of our immigrant Ambrose Remeli living in the United States today. Among those descendants are my children and husband Ron.  Ron's grandmother Beatrice Graver Smith was the granddaughter of Jennie Ellen (Genevieve) Lauer Graver Moore.   Jennie was the granddaughter of Julia Remeli, who was  the granddaughter of Michael Remaley.

Sources:

• Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
• PA Archives, Fifth Series, Vol. VIII  page 234, 449
• Charles R. Roberts, History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Vol.I, Allentown, PA., 1914
• James Remaley, http://ramaley.blogspot.com/2014_01_01_archive.html
• Burgert, Annette K., Palatine Origins of Some Pennsylvania Pioneers. Myerstown, PA
• Illustrated Atlas of Lehigh County, 1876, online http://ancestortracks.com/LehighCo.Atlas,1876.html.

Please see this list of all My Revolutionary War Ancestors.

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