(The narrative that follows is the work of Mr. Dennis Bilger of Independence, Missouri, an archivist with the Truman Library. It concerns the arrival of our immigrant ancestor)

On October 14, 1732, our first known ancestor, Hans Bernd Kuntzer (sometimes spelled "Kuntzert"), arrived on the English ship "Pleasant" from Rotterdam. Kuntzer , an immigrant from the Palatine region of what is now Germany, settled in Franconia Township, Philadelphia County (now Montgomery County). Our oldest Bilger ancestor, Johann Ludwig Bilger (sometimes spelled "Pilger" for the original German meaning "pilgrim") came to Philadelphia from Rotterdam on the English ship "Neptune" on September 24, 1751, just before the outbreak of the French and Indian Wars. He was an indentured servant who owed his indenture to a Mr. Funck. Ludwig Bilger, as he was called, married the stepdaughter of this Mr. Funck and the Bilgers took up housekeeping on High Street (now Market Street) in what was then the village of Philadelphia. Bilger's wife died in childbirth leaving no living children. After the death of his first wife, Johann Ludwig Bilger relocated to Franconia Township where he met and married Maria Magdelena Kuntzer, the youngest daughter of Hans Bernd and Maria Barbara Kuntzer in 1754. The Bilgers spent the rest of their lives in the Philadelphia area. They had five children, three sons and two daughters. This narrative is concerned with the descendants of these five children. Family unit charts will be added as an appendix to the narrative.

It is known that from 1727 to 1777, Johann Ludwig Bilger was the only Bilger to immigrate to Pennsylvania. In 1727 the Colonial legislature of Pennsylvania which met in Philadelphia passed an ordinance making it mandatory that all passengers coming to that colony be listed on a passenger list along with the name of the ship, the ship's captain, and the date of the arrival. This was done to limit the number of "foreigners" -mainly Germans, Dutch and Swiss -coming to America. There was considerable opposition to the immigration of these Rhinelanders to Pennsylvania on the part of the older immigrants, namely the English Quakers, the Scotch -Irish and the American Indians who lived in Pennsylvania near Philadelphia at that time. The new immigrants were opposed because of their different languages and customs. The Germans were basically two groups, the Lutherans and Reformed group and the "Plain Folk" --Mennonites, Amish and Brethren often called "Dunkers" for their method of baptism. The early Bilgers were either Lutheran or Reformed, chiefly Lutheran. The "Plain Folk" would have appeared stranger to the older immigrants mainly because of their peculiar mode of dress.

There is a possibility that Ludwig Bilger may have come from the area near Mulhouse in northeastern France from the village of Helfrantzkirch near Basle, Switzerland. Since he was a Lutheran and the area around Mulhouse was principally Lutheran at the time he came to America, this assumption appears to be reasonable, but it is not certain just where he originated.
 (The following table is a report of Bilgers who appear in the immigration records from this area with America as the destination as compiled by Alan Bilger in correspondence with Doris Freytag, director, Centre Departemental D'Histoire Des Familles, Guebwiller, Haut-Rhine, Alsace, France).  Please note that while Johann Ludwig Bilger/ Jean Louis Bilger does not appear in this table, the earliest date listed is 1817.  Records prior to this may simply not exist or were destroyed, so this table doesn't necessarily close-the-door on Johann Ludwig having come from the Alsace region of France. (See Helfrantzkirch web page)

Most of the German settlers in Pennsylvania were confined to the eastern part of the colony to the east of the Susquehanna River whereas the Scotch -Irish were the pioneers who ventured to the west over the mountains and it was this group that suffered the most from Indian attacks. However, some Germans were killed in the Penn's Creek Massacre prior to the Revolutionary War. John George Adam Bilger was married to a Margaret Huth. The Huths were among the Germans mentioned by C. Hale Sipe in his book on the Indian wars of Pennsylvania as this family met death at the hands of the Indians at Penn's Creek. The Bilgers arrived in this area now Snyder and Union Counties around 1800 after the Indian wars had ceased in this part of the state of Pennsylvania. For the most part, the relations between the Indians and the Germans were good. Germans and Indians live side by side for most of the 18th century with few problems. There was more conflict between the Scotch -Irish and the Indians because of their encroachment on the Indians hunting grounds. The chief of the Five Nations of Iroquois in Pennsylvania, Shikehemmy, had his headquarters at Shamokin on the west bank of the Susquehanna River, now Sunbury. His son, Chief Logan, moved the headquarters to Indian Valley near Reedsville in Mifflin County, north of Lewistown. Another notable Indian tribe of this area was the Aughwick Indians who lived near the mouth of the Aughwick Creek near the trading post of Aughwick (now Shirleysburg). It is in this area of the Juniata Valley that the legend of Captain Jack who supposedly lived near Mt. Union originated. Jack's Mountain is named for this Captain Jack who may have been a historical figure or a mere legend. It is not certain from history.

All three sons of Ludwig Bilger, John George Adam, John Henry and George Ludwig, served in the Revolutionary War in the Philadelphia Militia, Franconia District under a Captain John Cope from 1780 to 1782, as did their brother-in-law, John Philip Wentz. A son of John George Adam, Isaac Bilger, served in the War of 1812. Thus all of the Bilger descendants of the first four children of Ludwig Bilger would be eligible to join the Sons or Daughters of the Revolution.

After the Revolution, John George Adam Bilger, or George, as he was called, escorted some Hessian prisoners to Lancaster and moved there with his family. From Lancaster he moved to the Penn's Creek area, around 1800, in what is now Snyder County. It appears that most of the Bilgers now living in Snyder, Union and Centre Counties are descended from George Adam Bilger. His oldest son, Jacob Bilger, moved to Clearfield County and his son became a prominent member of the Republican Party and editor of the "Clearfield Republican". "Bilger's Rocks" near Curwinsville on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River is named for the elder Jacob Bilger who settled near there.  Isaac had two sons, one named George I., whom Jesse Bilger fought beside during the siege of  Petersburg in the Civil war, and the other named William I. Bilger who lived in Snyder Co, near Beaver Springs. William I. in turn had three sons, two of whom, Charles H. and Isaac A., left Pennsylvania for Ohio in 1877/78.  Of these two, Isaac A. came to West Lodi, Seneca County, Ohio.  Alan Bilger is a descendent of this Isaac A. Bilger.

Much of my information about the descendants of George Adam Bilger comes from Mary Ruth Wagner of Milroy (Mifflin County), Dorothy (Bilger) Shively of Laurelton (Union County) Pennsylvania and Jack Willadsen of Wheatland, Wyoming. Dorothy Shively has very good information on one of the sons of George Adam Bilger, namely Frederick Bilger, Sr. and his descendants. This Frederick Bilger was a prominent citizen of Union County and is listed in the court records of that county as a "Gentleman." He is buried in the cemetery in New Berlin Union County. Another son of George Adam Bilger was a John Bilger who died in Walker Township, Juniata County in 1831. Two of his sons moved to Centre County, Jonathan to Pleasant Gap near State College and David who lived near Philipsburg. They are both buried in Centre County.