John Hand was born in 1767, in places unknown, and travelled through Pennsylvania sometime in the 1780's. Though a pioneer, he was an educated one. He could both read and write and would help establish both a church and school in Pennsylvania where he would eventually settle. John Hand got along easily with the native peoples and would became a community leader. For more information on John Hand and his adventures in the New World, check both the individual notes page and the histories page.

NOTE: There is some debate about John Hand's wife's details. Some believe that Johannes's first wife was an immigrant. Others believe that Johannes married a native born Pennsylvania girl, Anna Margaretha Zimmerman, born January 30, 1769 in Pennsylvania, and babtized on February 19, 1769 at Altalaha Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rehrersburg, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Family lore has his wife's name as "Margraid," the German form of Margaret, and tells of them travelling together through Pennsylvania. Whether they travelled from one internal locale to another or were indeed immigrants is also questionable. Whether Margraid Hand and Anna Margaretha Zimmerman are indeed the same person is also not known. Whatever the case, John Hand and his wife had a productive union with 13 children in all.