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The story of how and when the Germanic "Gieg" surname became "Keith" is an interesting one. When family first arrived in America in the mid-18th century the surname listed on the ship manifests was Balthasar "Geich", Adam's oldest son, who arrived in America [Philadelphia] September 24th, 1753 on the Ship Neptune, and Adam "Gieg" who arrived in Philadelphia with the rest of the family on the Ship Phoenix October 1st, 1754. The early census for Philadelphia in 1754 show both Adam and Balthasar Gieg. Ella Gieg, a respected and published genealogist in Germany, whose husband is also descended from Adam's father responded to the following questions; How would the surname "Gieg" have been pronounced by family members and possibly have been interpreted by officials in America as some form of the surname "Keith"? "Gieg is pronounced 'geesh' with a 'g' as in go or gun, 'ie' as in bee or free and 'g' as the 'sh' in fish or dish." Ella goes on to say, "[the] G or K is often mixed up, for example the following family names are written sometimes with G and sometimes with K; Grall or Krall, Grell or Krell." The English names spelled 'Geeth', 'Keeth', and 'Kyth' sounds, in German, more like geesh." She continues, "still, nowadays people pronounce our name [geesh] … only people [who] are not born in our area pronounce our name [geek]." In 1758, after the family had moved from Phildelphia 57 miles east north east to Brecknock Twp., Lancaster Co. PA Adam's surname was on the tax roll as "Gig". In 1769, in the same township, Adam was listed as "Geege" and his son Michael as "Geaith". For the same year in neighboring Caernarvon Twp. Adam's son Baltzer was listed as "Kich". In 1775, Adam's son Adam, had moved to Hopewell Twp. of Bedford Co. PA and was also listed as "Kich". In 1777 Adam's son Michael was listed on the roster of the 10th Lancaster Co. militia as "Michael Keith" and, in 1782 for the 5th Lancaster Co. militia as "Keyth". Meanwhile, in 1772 Adam's son Baltzer and his family moved to Chanceford Twp. of York Co. PA where, in the 1781 tax roll he was listed as "Keith". As late as the United States ' of 1840/50/60, the families of Adam's sons were still listed with the surname Keith, Kich and Kegh. In fact, the will of Adam Keith, the son of Lewis, and a grandson of Adam, was signed in 1849 as "Adam Gieg". Poverty seems to have been one of the main reasons Adam and his family came to America. Just after Adam left the village of Höchst in 1754 a notice of his bankruptcy and move to America was reported. Translated Report of the CENTSCHULTHEISS [The Mayor of a district, who was also called a CENT, that consisted of several area villages] by Hieronymus Friedrich, dated May 29, 1754) Emigration of Adam Gieg from Hochst Since Johann Adam Gieg, a master smith working together with a partner of the CENT Hochst citizen and inhabitant of Hochst and his wife and their seven children [the oldest living child Baltzer had gone to America a year earlier], all under age, run into debt and went bankrupt and everything was sold, he [Adam Gieg] decided to go to the New Country [America] with their children to make their money for a piece of bread. As far as we know they do not have any fortune, with the exception of some smith tools which were given to them by the creditors although the creditors lost quite a lot [of money]. The above given information certified for the honorable OBERAMT BREUBERG (office of the HERRSCHAFT BREUBERG, an area between the principality of Lowenstein-Wertheim and the Principality of Erbach). The trip to America, completed by nearly 75,000 Germanic immigrant families, between the years of 1727 and 1785 was not at all an easy one. A thorough description of the trip was made by Gottlieb Mittelberger in his journal "Journey to America" written during one of his trips in the mid-18th century. For the Keith family the adversity of the trip was compounded with a way to pay for it. Again, Ella Gieg responded to the following question, How would the family have paid for the trip? Ella pointed to a reference that detailed the concept of a form of indentured servitude whereby the travelers had there passage paid after their arrival in Philadelphia by an individual or company. In return for the payment, the person(s) were to work for the payee for a period of usually about 3 to 4 years up to 15 years depending on the amount of the debt, the age, and the skill of the person[s] undertaking the indebtedness. This seems to have been true in the case of the Keith family. They arrived in Philadelphia in 1753 and 1754 and do not appear in Lancaster Co. until 1758. This could well have meant the family stayed three or four years working as servants in Philadelphia prior to moving. Ella also provided additional insight about the geographical travel that would have been involved to get to America from the family's location in Höchst. How would the Gieg family have gotten to Rotterdam from their village and how long might that trip have taken? "Now I am quite sure that the emigrants went to WORTH at the Main River and left on rafts consisting of logs [that would have been used when they arrived in Rotterdam by] the Dutch [for] shipbuilding. [The] start of the journey was WORTH AM MAIN, now Bavaria, along the Main River [past] Frankfurt to MAINZ and from [there] on the Rhine River down to Rotterdam. [And, from there] to Cowes Isle of Wight [in] England across the Atlantic to Philadelphia." Ella provided a map of the trip she described that shows six "toll houses" (points along the Rhine River where various political entities collected money for the use of the River) on the Rhine River between MAINZ and Rotterdam. Ella, and others, has indicated this portion of the trip could have taken as much as six weeks even though the distance is only about 316 miles. The stops at each of the toll houses could have amounted to days depending on the disposition and work ethic of the toll collectors. Adam Keith, b. 1706 died in mid-October 1782 or early spring 1783. His will, translated from German, an inventory of his possessions and the financial distribution of his estate appear below. John Adam Gieg, Dec'd [deceased], in the name of God, amen. J. Adam Gieg of Brecknock Township in the County of Lancaster and Province of Pennsylvania Yeoman [the term "yeoman" as used in this context did not refer to an occupation but rather "a common man, or one of the commonly of the first or most respectable class; a freeholder; a man free born."] being now in the wearily state of body but of a sound retaining mind and memory I thank God and calling to mind uncertainty of death and of this life I do therefore ordain this my last will and testament in manner following viz. [namely, as follows] I will and allow that all my just debts and funeral charges be fully paid and satisfied. Now I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Elizabeth [the mother of Adam's children and his previous wife was Juliana (Schuchard). Apparently she died earlier] the third share of my place where we now live on and the third share of the cattle what we shall have when I die except this what I shall mention here and devise and bequeath unto my dear beloved son Michael Gieg [Johann Michael born 2/3/1737] which I give unto him for his kindness and trouble he took with me in the time of need above his equal share with my other children. I say for this reason I give and bequeath unto him the sum of forty pounds hard money gold or silver which he shall have insured before I die and after my death he shall likewise have twelve pounds hard money gold or silver before hand and above his equal share with my other children and afterwards he shall have full share equal and alike as one of my other children of any and everything of my estate what I shall leave behind me after my death since I had more good of him than of all the rest of my children in the time of need. Further I give and bequeath unto my son Baltzer Gieg [Johann Balthasar born 8/10/1733] which is my oldest son that he shall have after my death the sum of five pounds hard money out of my estate for his share and no more. And further I give and bequeath unto my servant boy John Furlow that he shall have after my death the sum of eight pounds hard money of my estate and no more. And further it is my will and I allow this what Hironimus Gieg [born 12/12/1734] and Ludwig Gieg [Johann Ludwig born 5/22/1747] had before this time that I will bestow unto them in their fathers name and they shall after my death have an equal share with any other children out of my estate. And further to mention my beloved wife Elizabeth once more it is my will and I ordain that she shall have the third share of the land where we live on now and the third part of the cattle and the third share of the money what shall remain after the same is paid what is bequeathed and made over in this will already which is plainly to be seen in this will and testament and it is my will that my mentioned wife shall have and keep all her beds and bed cloathes [clothes] beforehand. Once and likewise it is my will that she shall have beforehand and for herself one iron pot and one pewter spoon and one pewter dish and after my death she shall have the third share of the rent for a certain piece of land which lies in Sheneater if it bears rent as long as she lives and no longer this what I give to her in this my last will shall be her dower [The legal right or interest that a wife acquires in the property her husband held or acquired during their marriage.] and share and she shall no more but this what my last will allows. And after her death this mentioned land shall be for my children equally. Further I ordain and it is my will that my mentioned wife shall have liberty to live on said place as long as she lives and I ordain likewise that if it should happen that my beloved son Michael Gieg after my death likes to live one or two or three years on this plantation we live on now so shall my other children and nobody else drive him away and nobody hath the right to but said place and likewise nobody hath a right to sell it he shall live peaceably and without molestation upon the same place as he lives free and my said wife shall have the third share of the moveable goods directly after my death and third share of the land when my son Michael Gieg moves from the place where he lives now. Lastly I nominate ordain and approve my trusty friends as my beloved son Michael Gieg and George Slough [or Schlauch, the husband of Adam's daughter Maria Catharina. She was born 9/25/1742.] I say I approve them as my trusty friends to be my executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking and disannulling all former wills and testaments by me hitherts had or made and confirming this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twelfth day of October one thousand seven hundred and eighty two, 1782. John Adam Gieg (seal) Elizabeth Gieg (seal) Sealed signed published and declared in the presence of us Henry (his mark) Silknitter [Henry Silknitter or Seidenstricker was a good friend and likely close neighbor of Adam and Elizabeth Gieg. Michael and Rosina (Retge) Geig named their son Henry, born in 1782, for Henry Seidenstricker.] and Englehard Brown. Lancaster County the sixth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty three before me the subscriber personally appeared Englehard Brown one of the witnesses to the foregoing will and gave his solemn affirmation according to law did declare and say that he was present and saw and heard Adam Gieg the testator above named sign seal and publish pronounce and declare the foregoing writing as and for his last will and testament and at the time of doing thereof he was of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge observation and belief John Hubley, Register Be it remembered that on the sixth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty three the last will and testament of Adam Gieg late of Lancaster County yeoman deceased was proved in due form of law and letters testamentary thereon were granted to Michael Gieg and George Slauch the executors therein named they being first duly qualified well and truly to administer the estate and especially to exhibit a perfect inventory thereof into the Registers office at Lancaster on or before the sixth day of July next and to render a just account of their administration on the said estate within one year or when thereto lawfully required given under the seal of the said office. John Hubley, Register [Adam must have died between October 12, 1782 the date of the will, and May 17, 1783, the date of the inventory of his possessions. Likely, he died closer to the May 17 date.] Appraised by us. Signature of Henry Weaver Signature of Philip Miller Exhibited into the Registers Office at Lancaster the 6th June , 1783 The Exors [executors] affirmed Henry Weaver one of the appraisers affirmed and Philip Miller the other appraiser sworn same day and year. Signed John Hubley, Register Signed Michael Gieg Signed Georg Slough An inventory of Adam's estate and the receipts and disbursements detail is available on request. Militia muster roles of 1780 and 1781 list Michael Gieg as poor and needing to return home from militia duty. Adam was at one time after his immigration a blacksmith in Lancaster County and likely so was his son Michael. Baltzer, his oldest son, was also listed as a blacksmith in both Lancaster and York Counties] Adam's father and grandfather were also smiths, shoe and pewter smiths respectively, in the region of Germanic Europe from which the family immigrated.] Census information 1758 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Gig 1759 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Gigg 1763 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Gige 1767 PA>Berks>Brecknock>Adam Gige, farmer 1769 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Geeg 1770 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Geeth 1771 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Geeth 1772 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Gid 1773 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Geege 1775 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Geege 1778 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Geg 1779 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Geege 1781 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Geege 1782 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Adam Geege 1783 PA>Lancaster>Brecknock>Widow Geege Source: Bob Keith
Erika Elisabeth
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