| Notes |
- It took from early May to middle October to make the complete journey from the villages of Germany to the shores of America. The trip was a long, hard journey which took a huge toll of the immigrants, mostly children.
George Michael Eller came over on the ship "Phoenix" in 1743, and took his oath of allegiance on October 1743.The trip consisted of three parts: the journey from their village to the port of departure, usually in Rotterdam; the ocean voyage to aanother port in England; and the final ocean journey to America. It took approximately five to six weeks for the trip from their village to the port of Rotterdam, because they had about 26 custom houses to stop at on the way up to the coast. They had to stop for a few days at each custom house while the ships were being examined. Most of the emigrants money was spent just getting to Rotterdam, with the biggest share of the journey still ahead of them.
The second part of their journey was from Rotterdam to the final port of departure, usually in England. They were delayed here sometimes for weeks waiting for good winds and the countless inspections of their ships.
The third and final part of their voyage was the trip across the ocean lasting from 7-12 weeks. The people were packed into the ships as tightly as possible. Most slept on deck. There was a lack of proper food and water was contaminated. Diseases and fever, dysentery, typhoid, and smallpox were widespread, and the children were the first to die. The ships were infested with rats, who ate what little food there was and helped to spread the diseases further. There were frequent storms which lasted days and nights at a time, and many people were washed overboard. There was also a fear of being captured by pirates and hauled off to be sold as slaves in some other part of the world.
When at last the travelers reached the Delaware River with America in sight, they had still another wait, while the ships were once again examined. If disease was discovered among the people, the ship was put out at sea one mile till all signs of the infection were gone. After docking again, the immigrants were marched down to the City Hall where they gave their oaths of allegiance. This allegiance was forced upon them by the Governors of Pennsylvania whereby they had to denounce the German Princes and place their loyalties with the Governing Body of Pennsylvania. The Immigrants were once again returned to their ships where they were put up for sale. Those who were very rich paid their passage and were immediately set free. The other immigrants were bought and placed into slavery for a period of 4-7 years in order to pay their passage over. This was called the "Redeemtionary System". After this period of enslavement was served, the immigrants were freed and given "Freedom Dues" which were usually a few articles of clothing, and either a parcel of land, or some livestock. Marriage was only allowed when a payment of a goodly sum was made during these years of service, so most waited till their time was served before they married. Most of these "Immigrant Slaves" were treated fairly in exchange for good hard labor
There were many reasons why the Eller Family decided to leave their homeland to come to America. Excessive taxes were being placed upon them by the German Princes in order that they might build magnificent palaces and gardens like those of the FFrench Courts. The Thirty-Years War had left their land devastated, and the political and economic collapse of their Government followed close behind. Famines only added to their already endless burdens and left the land barren. The colonial land agents and ships companies thought it was a good time to encourage these beaten, bitter people to come to America, and propaganda was distributed throughout Germany. William Penn, who had been granted a large tract of land by King Charles II oof England as a payment of a family debt, was the most influential person in getting the German people to leave their homeland. His promise of complete religious freedom for everyone without government intervention, along with free grants of land to settlers who would live and work on the land for a certain number of years brought the German immigrants to America by the thousands to settle in Pennsylvania.George Michael Eller was granted 25 acres of land in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on April 2, 1753. He later settled in Frederick County, Maryland, when he purchased a section of land called "Hammond's Strife", on April 14, 1773. This is recorded in Deed books, pp 96-98. This section of land contained 100 acres and bordered Little Pipe Creek which formed the border between Frederick and Carrol Counties. This property was located 10 miles NE of Frederick Town and just east of the town of Johnsville.
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1723 - 1778 (56 years)