Michael Troyer (Treier) Sr.
Family from Trub, Canton Bern (spelled Dreier in Switzerland), though he was probably born outside Switzerland. Came to Philadelphia on the ship Brotherhood, 3 Nov 1750, with his brother Andreas, listed under their stepfather’s name as “Michael and Andreas Holly” (1750 The Brotherhood). Settled at Northkill, Berks County; married with four children at the time of the 1757 Hochstetler massacre nearby; fled south during the war years. In Bedford (later Somerset) County by 13 Oct 1771 (100 acres), west of Berlin, where he ran a small tub mill by 1780; 1784 household of 11; bought a farm 3½ miles north of Berlin in 1790. His brass-bound family Bible is dated 1749. Will dated 1803; died April 1807; estate appraised by Yost Miller and Jacob Stutzman. Source: Troyer Family History (Hilda Troyer, 1984).
Pedigree collapse?
The 1911 Mast Family History says his wife was Magdalena Mast, sister of Bishop Jacob Mast (1738–1808), and that the “Holly” stepfather was Johannes Holly, whose daughter Magdalena Holly (c.1740–1820) married Bishop Jacob Mast. All three are already Christopher’s ancestors on the Mast line. The Troyer book doubts the Mast marriage (a 28-year spread of children’s births, 1753–1781). Unproven either way.
Narratives and research
- History: 1750 The Brotherhood
- Research: Ships and journeys of the immigrant ancestors
- Sources: Mennonite Encyclopedia - family and place entries (read 2026-10-31)
Research log
- 2026-10-31: Mast 1911 re-read: Magdalena Mast m. ‘Michael Troyer, who with his brother Andreas crossed on the same vessel’ (Brotherhood, 3 Nov 1750); Michael’s own parents (the Dreier/Troyer father; mother m. Johannes Holly) not named in Mast, Hochstetler 1912 or Stutzman 1938
About this research
Supporting documentation is linked throughout. This project is an exercise in AI-assisted research and development, and I haven’t manually verified every link or conclusion. All transcriptions and translations of Swiss parish records were made with AI, and their accuracy should be treated accordingly.