Adam Trach (1749 - 1815)

Trach, Drach or maybe Trough, they are all the same Pennsylvania Dutch name. Our ancestor, Adam Drach was born about 1749 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania several years after his parents, Rudolph and Maria Elizabetha Drach arrived in Philadelphia on August  29th, 1730, aboard the ship "Thistle". In 1770 Adam inherited 300 acres from his father in Bucks Co., where he lived into his adult years when he gave service in the Revolutionary War in the Bucks Co. Milita under Captain William McHenry. After the war he lived in Cumberland County until his death May 10,1815.  His son Michael appears to have moved back to Monroe Co. with his older brothers where he married and reared his family. 

David Henry Keller included a memoir of Adam Trach and his descendants in his book, The Kellers of Hamilton Township.  His research presented here has stood the test of time for almost 100 years.

"The name Rudolph appears with such frequency in this family that it is difficult to tell one person from another. Fortunately this is not the case with the name Adam. There is only one Adam Drach on record and the agreement, will and deeds, show plainly that he was the son of Rudolph and had reached adult life prior to the Revolutionary War. In addition, the baptismal records of the Lutheran Church at Tohicken, Bucks County, show that he and his wife, Eva, had at least two children prior to the war. John Rudolph was born August 19th, 1770, and baptized on the 9th of October of the same year. The other son, John Peter, was born November 4th, 1772, and baptized January 3rd, 1773, the sponsor being Catharine Geres (single).

This church record giving the date of birth of Rudolph, son of Adam, as August 19th, 1770, corresponds exactly to the date of birth on his stone in the Hamilton Church yard, thus proving beyond a doubt that the Monroe County Trachs are directly descended from the Bucks County family.

Adam Trough (thus the name is spelled on the old muster rolls) was an Associator in Captain McHenry's company, Bedminister Township, Bucks County Militia. Satisfactory proof of his service is contained in the Pennsylvania Archives, Series 5, Vol. 5. It is believed that the information contained in this chapter is sufficient to permit any of his descendants to apply for membership in any Revolutionary Society. While some dates are missing, the line of descent is proven beyond cavile (without a doubt)."(Keller)

On  December 27, 1813, he drew up his will which was probated in Carlisle, PA where the family was living on May 10, 1815.  The will names all his children including Michael, our direct ancestor. "I give and bequeath the same to my children, to wit: Henry, Rudolph, Peter Philip, Michael, John, Elizabeth and Hannah, to be equally divided amongst them, and after the decease of my beloved wife, Eve..." (Keller)

Adam had a son named Michael who lived in Monroe Co., PA and had a son named Jacob. Jacob's  daughter Elizabeth married Edward Graver of Franklin Twp. in Carbon Co., PA. Ed Graver was the  Great Grandson of George Graver, another Rev. War Patriot.  Elizabeth Trach is named by Beatrice Graver Smith as her grandmother in the  family history notes that she so diligently kept.  These notes are in my files. Grammy Smith (Beatrice) always said that her family was from the Moorestown area, in Monroe County, and so they were! Elizabeth married Edward Graver when she was about 22 years old. The children  of Edward Graver and Elizabeth Trach were Oscar, Amanda,  David, Thomas, Carrie, Sarah and Wilson S. Graver, who married Jennie E. Lauer. Wilson and Jennie were the parents of Beatrice Graver Smith. 
Sources:

• PA Archives, Fifth Series, Vol. 5,  numerous pages.
• Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File Indexes  http://www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us
• Keller, David Henry, Kellers of Hamilton Township
,1922. page 106(available at the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society) 
• Pennsylvania German Pioneers & Palatine Passenger Lists 1727-1808, Ralph B. Strassburger and William J. Hinke, 1934, Pennsylvania German Society, p.32
• DAR Record of Service for Adam Trough, Ancestor #A116171. National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, online research, http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/
• Commemorative biographical record of northeastern Pennsylvania: including the counties of Susquehanna, Wayne, Pike and Monroe, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and many of the early settled families, by J.H. Beers & Co., 1900, page 567
• Will Book 8, page 329, Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
• Image http://mymilitaryhistory.blogspot.com/2007/07/morgans-revolutionary-ranger-riflemen.html.

                           Please see this list of all My Revolutionary War Ancestors.
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