Notes:

Notes for PETER BASTRESS:
Peter Bastress is buried in Lot 304 in Jersey Shore Cemetery next to his father and mother (41°11'54.12"N,
77°15'56.13"W).

Peter Bastress, now one of the oldest residents of the borough of Jersey Shore, was born at Pottstown, Berks County, November 12, 1808, and came here with his parents in 1817. His father, Solomon Bastress, who is well remembered as one of the representative men of Lycoming County, was also born at Pottstown, January 20, 1788, and died at Jersey Shore May 12, 1872, in the 84th year of his age. His father, Peter Bastress, and grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born at Pottstown, July 9, 1758, and died at Lebanon in 1837, aged 79 years. Solomon Bastress was a weaver and dyer by trade, but after settling here he became a surveyor and scrivener, and carried on that business in addition to his trade.
Before locating here he had entered into partnership with John Slonaker, John Brown and Philip Krebs, to build an iron furnace on Upper Pine Bottom Run, above the First Forks of Pine Creek, in 1814, and they carried it on until 1817, when it was blown out. His father superintended the furnace while it was in operation. The ruins of the stack may yet be seen.
Solomon Bastress was sent to the Legislature from Lycoming County in 1827, and re-elected in 1828-9-30, serving four terms in succession. In 1846 he was elected an Associate Judge, and served until 1856, a period of ten years, having been re-elected in the meantime.
Many of his friends who had settled in that portion of the county now embraced in Bastress, when it came to he erected into a township in 1854, insisted, inasmuch as he had frequently done surveying and writing for them, that it should he named after him, and it was done.
In addition to being a surveyor, member of the Legislature and Associate Judge, Solomon Bastress also served as a Justice of the Peace for a number of years in Jersey Shore. No man in the county stood higher or was more respected and honored by the people than Judge Bastress. And it is a pleasure to add that his son, Peter Bastress. stands equally high. He has often been tendered office, such as Montgomery County Commissioner and a Justice of the Peace of Montgomery County to the state convention of 1837, by his fellow citizens, but has steadily declined. He is now quietly spending the evening of his life at his comfortable residence on the hill-side, overlooking the town of Jersey Shore, honored and respected by his friends and neighbors.
[The Historical Journal, Volume 1
edited by John Franklin Meginness]

Peter married Calvert, Mary Catherine. Mary was born on 31 Dec 1815 in Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, PA; died on 16 Dec 1882 in Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, PA; was buried in Jersey Shore Cemetery, Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Notes for CATHARINE C:
Catherine Bastress is buried in Lot 304 in Jersey Shore Cemetery next to Peter (41°11'54.12"N,
77°15'56.13"W).

Notes:

Solomon had moved to Jersey Shore, Lycoming County in 1817 where he became a prominent citizen and a lifelong
resident. He had six children.
Among the early representative of Jersey Shore was Solomon Bastress. Born in Pottstown, Montgomery County
PA. January 20, 1788 and died at Jersey Shore, May 12, 1872., in his Eight-fourth year. Before locating here he
became interested with a company in the furnace business on Pine Bottom run. This was before 1814.
According to his obituary, Solomon served in the War of 1812, holding the commission of Lieutenant.
Mr. Bastress was a weaver and dyer by trade, but soon after settling here he became a surveyor and Scrivner. He
was sent to the legislature in 1827 and re-elected in 1828, 1829 and 1830, serving four years in succession. In
1846 he was chosen an associate Judge and served two terms of five years each.
When Susquehanna township was divided in 1854, his friends insisted that the new township should be name
after him and it was named " Bastress Township".
Solomon Bastress is buried in Lot 303 in Jersey Shore Cemetery (41°11'54.12"N, 77°15'56.13"W).

Solomon married Sloanaker, Elizabeth on 22 Nov 1807. Elizabeth was born on 31 Aug 1788 in Pottstown, Montgomery County, PA; died on 27 Nov 1880 in Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, PA; was buried in Jersey Shore Cemetery, Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Notes for ELIZABETH SLONAKER:
Elizabeth Bastress is buried in Lot 303 in Jersey Shore Cemetery (41°11'54.12"N, 77°15'56.13"W).

Notes:

Notes for PETER BASTRESS:
Born 7/9/1758. He and his wife, Anna Elizabeth Roth lived in and around Pottstown. They attended the
Emanuel Lutheran Church and were buried in the church cemetery. A number of references to Peter indicate that
he was a man of various skills; a blue dyer, a dealer in land, coal and lumber as well as probable lawyer.
Peter was a Berks County Solider in the Revolution but his name was given as Peter Bastery in one source as
Peter Bastres in another (see index oaths of Allegiance, Berks County, PA. Revolutionary War- on microfilm #
133. PA. State Library in Harrisburg.) According to the Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File - {series
#13.50}, Peter was considered inactive duty militia under the 4th Battalion, 7th Company because "The
circumstance of his family will not admit his going out..." He was subsequently ordered to pay a fine.
Peter died in Jonestown, Lebanon County, in 1837. Anna Elizabeth was born in 1753 and died in 1832 as far as
is known, both were buried in the Emanuel Church Cemetery. Peter and Anna Elizabeth were married in 1778 or
1779 and had three sons, John, Peter J., and Solomon.

Peter married Roth, Ann Elizabeth in 1778. Ann was born on 12 Jul 1761 in Colebrookdale Twp, Berks County, PA; died on 06 Feb 1832 in Pottstown, PA; was buried in Emanuel Church Cemetery, Pottstown, Montgomery County, PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Anna Elizabeth was the daughter of Matthias Roth who was born November 8, 1717 at sea, on the voyage to
America. died March 13, 1795 in Colebrookdale Twp., Berks County, PA. Matthias was the son of Johann
Jacob Roth and Maria Barbara Weber. He married Maria Elizabeth Beyer January 18, 1741. Maria Elizabeth
Beyer was born January 26, 1724 in Eppstein, Palatinate, Germany. Maria Elizabeth died November 14, 1809.
She was the daughter of John Philip Beyer born March 23,1701 in Flomersheim Palatinate, Germany and Maria
Elizabeth Beck born November 11, 1721 in Eppstein Germany.
Anna Elizabeth Bastress is buried in the Old Burial Ground, Zion Reformed Church (now UCC), in Pottstown,
Montgomery Co., PA. (40°14'51.94"N, 75°38'58.85"W) Her name is inscribed on a bronze plaque in the
memory garden in front of the church.
The plaque reads in part:
Site of Old Burial Ground
The Gift of John Potts Founder of Pottstown to
Early German Settler of the Lutheran and Reformed Faith, A.D. 1752
On the adjoining bronze tablets are inscribed the names and dates of persons whose graves were located in the
3
Reformed portion of the graveyard. The monument was created by the congregation of Zion Reformed Church
(United Church of Christ) Rev. Howard A. Norman, Pastor, Oct 12 A.D. 1959 to perpetuate the memory of the
beloved dead whose graves are located here.
Anna Elizabeth's headstone reads as follows:
Elizabeth Bastress
w/o Peter Bastress
b. 7/12/1761
d. 2/6/1832