Successful Family Reunion in Vermillion Co., PA.

The Hazelbakers of Vermillion County Illinois had their most recent of a long string of family reunions earlier this month. It was a special event to celebrate the 250th birth year of their family patriarch, Peter Hasselbacher/ Hazelbaker. If you have looked at these pages, you will know the story of the 18 year-old Hasselbacher boy from Münchsteinach who was conscripted by his Margrave to fight for the British in the American Revolutionary War. Family legend and secondary sources tell of his remaining behind and moving from Virginia (where he was captured and held) to Pennsylvania where he sired the largest discrete Hasselbacher family line of which I am aware.

Mark Hazelbaker (who has contributed to these pages) and his cousins John and Tammy Hazelbaker organized a wonderful reunion picnic for well over 100 persons. On the evening before, a family history night was held at which Craig Hazelbaker (also a contributer) and I gave presentations related to the family history. In honor of Peter the Elder, I focussed on events in his family life in Germany and before he moved to Pennsylvania. Craig and I were both made to feel very welcome.

New Historical Information Presented.
I will try to incorporate some of the information in the presentations into this website. I know you will be interested. To my knowledge, some of the information presented has never been available or disclosed in this country before. Such items include concrete proof of when Peter first sailed for America (March 1777) and a photograph of the very house in which he was born. I also gave an account of his activities following his capture in Yorktown that makes it clear he was in exactly the right place, at precisely the right time, and under the right circumstances to have met and married Elisabeth Shively. My slides for the presentation can be seen here.

I want to thank again the Hazelbakers of Vermillion County for their hospitality and thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

Peter the Younger; August 16, 2009

One Response to “Successful Family Reunion in Vermillion Co., PA.”

  1. Kelly Hazelbaker says:

    It was a pleasure having you join us this year. I wanted to thank you once again for all your amazing information.

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