Oral Family History

According to research conducted by Harvey D. Hand and oral family history, Johannes Han (John Hand) was born across the pond in 1767 and was thought to be of German Palatinate descent. This is supported by many of his descendants and evidenced through his business dealings, most of which were conducted in the German language. The story goes that Johannes came to North America sometime in the 1780's.

"[The Johannes party] landed somewhere in New Jersey, and made it's way over land to Wellswill, New York. From there it traveled to the headwaters of the Susquehanna River and came down down the river on flat boats to somewhere near Millersburg, from near Millersburg, they travelled up the valley which is now Lykens Valley, to Williams Thal."

*Excerpt from "History and Genealogy of the Hand Family" by Harvey Hand. Private collection.

According to family lore, the Johannes party eventually stopped by a spring to rest, near the present-day Reformed Church in Tower City, Pennsylvania. The men in the group went ahead, to scope out the lay of the land, while the women stayed behind. When they returned, a female known only as "Margraid," Johannes' wife, told them she was going no further. As far as she was concerned, she was already home. In the end, the family stayed put, taking up hundreds of acres of land and making a new home for themselves in Pennsylvania. If this oral history is true, then this would be the exact beginning of the Hand family in Williams Valley, over 200 years ago. Many of the Hand descendants are still in that very area today. My own particular line moved out of Tower City, Pennsylvania during my grandfather's time.

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