Ulrich Steely

185. Ulrich (Ulrick) Steely (Stally)(Staley)(Stalley (Steley) (Steeley)(Stelley) (Married: ? ) [Note: There is much confusion about Ulrich because there were two different persons named Ulrich Steely (with various spellings) who came to America and settled in Pennsylvania about the same time. One came in 1732 on the Pink Plaisance and one in 1742 on the Francis and Elizabeth. The one who came in 1732 was likely married to Anne *Anna) before 1732... if Ulrich and Anna Stally, listed on the 1732 passenger list of the ship Pink Plaisance were a couple when they arrived in Philadelphia ]. LDS says they were married in 1753. Another LDS file says about 1754 in Mifflin, Pennsylvania. Another LDS file says about 1762 in Pennsylvania. [Note: All of these LDS dates are after the 1732 arrival of the Pink Plaisance. This Ulrich is not the webmaster's ancestor, as will be explained below].

In 2023, a descendent of Gabriel Steely (Jeff Steely) helped settle the mystery. Jeff sent an e-mail to the webmaster that stated he had taken a yDNA test that matched with Bruce W. Stahly, co-administrator for the Stahly Group. The webmaster is also a descendant of Gabriel. In his e-mail, Jeff stated, "He (Bruce) listed his earliest known ancestor as a Caspar Stähli, born in Switzerland in 1685. In short, what I learned is that Caspar, a swine herder, was born in Sigriswil, Bern, Switzerland in 1685. He moved to the Palatinate in 1713. He and his wife, Magdelena Schedeberger, had 7 children. Bruce is descended from Johannes Jörg. Jörg has a brother named Johannes Ulrich, born in 1726. Caspar's children were baptized in the Reformed church. Ulrich's entry specifically states that his mother as an Anabaptist. Caspar died in 1732." Jeff went on to say, "This clarifies that the Mifflin County Ulrich was not related to the Lancaster County Ulrich, as some have suggested. My working theory is that the Wilrigh Staely/Uhlerich Ställy who came over on the Francis and Elizabeth in 1742 is the Mifflin Ulrich. He would have just turned 16 and would have been old enough to make the journey. He might have been a redemptioner and served as an indentured servant until he turned 21." (Source of all pink font is credited to Bruce W. Stahly, author of From Sigriswil to Nappanee: 300 years of Stahli History)(Source of all dark gray font is credited to Jeff Steely)

Born: 1726 in the Palatinate in Germany of Caspar Stahli (#369) and Magdelena Schedeberger (#370). He was baptized in the Reformed church. His mother was an Anabaptist.

Died: Between May-June 1793 in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. The Ulrich Steely Male Heir Statement, dated September 13, 1808 states he died in Derry Township in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. (All comments in purple are from a document sent by April Potts, Steely genealogist, to the webmaster in an e-mail.)

[He had 6 siblings, the name of only one is known].

a) Johannes Jörg Staehli: (Married: Anna Kinzinger); Born: 1721; Died: ?

The name "Steely" is the Americanized form of Swiss German Stühle, a variant of Stuhl.

Ulrich was a Palatine. [Note: His father had moved to the Palatinate from Switzerland in 1713, thirteen years before Ulrich was born.] A Palatine was a person from Palatinate. Palatinate was the land of Count Palatine, a secular prince of the Holy Roman Empire. There were two parts to the Palatinate ...the Rhenish (Lower Palatinate) and the Upper Palatinate. The Lower Palatinate included lands on both sides of the Middle Rhine River between its Main and Neckar tributaries. In the 1700s, its capital was Heidelberg. The Upper Palatinate was located in northern Bavaria and included land on both sides of the Naab River as it flowed south toward the Danube and extended eastward to the Bohemian Forest. The people of Palatinate were subjected to invasions and persecution. At the invitation of Queen Anne in 1709, Palatines began a mass migration to America and Ireland. Source of this information: Palatine History by Lorine McGinnis Schulze 1996 (Olive Tree Genealogy). (The preceding link is a detailed description of Palatine History.)

[Note: As explained above, the paragraph that follows describes the immigration of a different Ulrich than our ancestor. This description is included only as a reminder that Steely geneologists in the past have incorrectly thought this Ulrich was the father of Gabriel Steely.] According to the passenger list of the 1732 Pink Plaisance shiplist there are three listings for Ulrich. List A: "Ulrich Steeley, 32", List B: "Ulrich (0) Stalley", and List C: "Ulrich (O) Steily". List A is "A list of the Palatine men on board the Pink Plaisance above the age of 16 years, as signed on their own (or with help, if illiterate). John Parrett, Master from Rotterdam [Netherlands], but last from Cowes, [England] qualified September 21, 1732." List B: "From the minutes of the Provincal Council, printed in Colonial Records, Vol. III, p. 454. Palatines imported in the Pink Plaisance, John Parrett, Master from Rotterdam, but last from Cowes, p. Clearance thence. Qualified September 21, 1732." List C: List C: Palatines imported in the Pink Plaisance, John Parrett, Master, from Rotterdam, but last from Cowes. Qualified September 21, 1732. Also on the passenger list was Anna Stalley, 27.[Note: Jeff Steely's correspondence with Bruce W. Stahley and their yDNA match eliminate the Urlich on the Pink Plaisance as Gabriel's father. Urlich was born in 1726 and would have been only 6 years old at the time the Pink Plaisance sailed.]

According to Robert Steely (2007), a Steely genealogist, “This [below] document was written by either George Steely, Steely family historian, or H. M. Steely (Harlan Melville Steely). [Note from Susan Snyder: H. M. Steely's name is at the end of the document]. The author speculates regarding Ulrich Steely. H. M. Steely (1856-1935) was descended from Gabriel and Mary (Meek) Steely, George and Elizabeth (Emerson) Steely, and George and Hannah (Hiser) Steely. He is the individual who had the grave of Gabriel moved, and he erected the tombstone.“ See Gabriel's Gravesite Moved. [Note: Gabriel is one of Urlich's sons.] [Note: The document below is incorrect in many of its details. Urlich was born in 1726, not in 1716. In 1732, if he had arrived on the Pink Plaisance, he would have been only 6 years old]. In 1742, Urlich would have been 16. Urlich would have come to America on the Francis and Elizabeth in 1742. [For many years, the two Urlich's have been confused. "Our" Urlich lived in Mifflin County, PA, not in Lancaster, PA.]

“Ulrich Steely I, 1716-93.

Ulrich Steely, I, Born, 1716 or before landed in Philadelphia Pa. Sep. 21, 1732.

He died in Mifflin Co. Pa. in May or June 1793, Mr. Harlan Steely of Danville, Ill. tells us. Ulrich Stalley as he spelled his name at the time, in Rupp's 30,000 Names of Swiss, French and German Names, of Palatines imported into the United States;

Palatines, imported in the ship Pink Plaisance John Paret, Master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes;

77 males 16 years and up, 28 males under 16
68 Females, 16 and up, 15 females under 16, total 188.” Ulrich Steely and Hans Peter Steely were on this ship. We next find Ulrich Stealer Lancaster, Co., PA. January 24, 1737 has a Warrantee of Land for 150 acres. If this is our Ulrich he must have brought money with him or was a good thrifty man to get 150 acres in less than five years. Pa. Archives, Series 3, Volume 24. Page 520. Think we should not accept this item unless it is proven.

Uhllerich Stally, Sept 21, 1742, Palatines imported in yhe ship, Francis and Elizabeth, George north Master; from Rotterdam, last from Deal, (Rupp p. 156). This could be the father of the first Ulrich, for he could not write his name though the first Ulrich could. It could be the first Ulrich returning from a trip back from the old country after ten years in America, maby bringing back a wife or meeting her on the boat.

1751, UHLLERICH STALLEY, Lancaster Co. Pa. Sep.25, 1751.
50 acres, Warrantees of Land, Pa. S3, V24, P534.

We will assume that this is the record of one man the Ulrich who first landed in Philadelphia, Sep. 21, 1732, untill we find out different, and that he went back to the old country, then came back and nine years after landing in Philadelphia, the second time he bought 50 acres of land. Sep. seems to be his favorite month for big events in his life. Landing twice in Philadelphia, and now owning 50 acres of land all happening in the months of September,

1758, UHLLERICH STALLY? Lancaster Co. Pa. April 10, 1758.
25 acres, Warrentees of Land. Pa. S3, V24. P537/

1763, Gabriel Steely, born, Aug 19, 1763. This is from the Silas Steely records, who was a grandson og Gabriel's. Gabriel Died May 2. 1830, in Pickaway Co. ohio. Gabriel married Mary Meek. If Gabriel was the second oldest child it seems Ulrick did not marry untill about 40, or 45 years old.

1765, ULRICK STEELIE, Lancaster Co. Pa. Aug. 7, 1765
150 acres, Warrentees of Land. Pa. S3, V24, P538.
Urlich is now, shall we say 49 years old, has two or three boys and may have two or three girls, and has 225 acres of land if he still owns the 50 acres and the 25 acres he bought in 1751 and 1758. The next date is;

1771, ULRICK STEALY, Lancaster Co. Pa. Bethel Twp.
100 acres, 2h. 2c, Tax 2 .6 Pa.S3, V17, P159.

1772, ULRICK STEALY, Lancaster Co. Pa. Bethel Twp.
100 acres, 2 h, 2c. Tax 2 .6 S3, V17, P239.

1773 ULRICK STEALY, Lancaster Co, Pa. Bethel Twp.
100 acres. 2h. 2c 2 .6 Pa. S3, V17, p338.

1773, ULRICK STEELY?, Cumberland Co. Pa. May 22, 1773.
100 acres, Dated of Survey. Pa. S3, V24, P762.
Cumberland Co. was organized in Jan. 27, 1750, from a part of Lancaster Co. This 100 acres is perhaps in Derry Twp, in what is now Mifflin Co., Pa, where Ulrick lived and paid taxes from 1778 to his death in 1793. It looks like Ulrick was moveing around a lot but it was the counties that was doing so much moveing. He lived in only two places in Pa. Bethel twp. and Derry Twp. as far as we have any records. H.M. Steelly of Danville.”

Click on Original Paper for the link to the document transcribed above. The information in the original paper was converted into a Chart, originally by George Steely (1873-1953) and later organized by Robert Steely in 2007.

Both Ulrick Steelys came from the Palatinate area of Germany and settled in Pennsylvania. Click here to see the similarities and differences in their immigrations. At the time the two Ulrichs made the trip. Ships from the continent bound for England's North American colonies were required to visit an English port to register their cargo and passengers before crossing the Atlantic. This explains the stop in Cowes and Deal. The trip from England to Philadelphia probably took several months.

The following Map Link shows where both Urlick Steelys (with variant spellings) had documented dealings in Pennsylvania, as referenced in the Chart link above.

There have been several indicators that the first Urlich to Pennsylvania was not the father of Gabriel.

1. The above paper speculates that Urlich may have returned to Germany and then come back to the colonies 10 years later. If this is true, why was he able to write his name the first time, but not the second time?

2. The first Ulrich Stelley (Steley) (Stalley) (Steily) (aged 32) arrived in Philadelphia from Rotterdam, Germany September 21, 1732 on the ship Pink Plaisance, John Paret, master. (This is verified by Immigrants Into Pennsylvania, Volume 1 as searched in Historical Records on ancestry.com). Anna Stalley 27 also arrived on that ship. (Another source for this information is Pennsylvania German Pioneers by Ralph B. Strassburger and William J. Hinke, published in 1934 by the Pennsylvania German Society, Norristown, PA). As quoted from Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776 "Sept. 21, 1732. Palatines imported in the ship Pink Plaisance, John Paret , Master, from Rotterdam, last from Cowes .--Col. Rec. III. 459. Seventy-seven males above sixteen, twenty-eight under sixteen; sixty-eight females above sixteen, and fifteen under sixteen--in all one hundred and eighty-eight.--(Editor.)" (Hans Peter Steley and Anna Barbra Stelin are listed as passengers under the age of 16 and Ulrich's children. The source of Hans Peter and Anna Barbra listings on the ship: SCHELBERT, LEO, and SANDRA LUEBKING. "Swiss Mennonite Family Names: An Annotated Checklist." In Pennsylvania Folklife, Vol. 26:4 (Summer 1977), pp. 2-24. Page: 20.] Hans Peter and Anna Barbra are not listed as being siblings of Gabriel Steely (#93) by April Potts. (Ulrich's children according to April Potts, a Steely Family genealogy researcher, included Gabriel, Christina, Sarah, Jacob, Lazarus, Mary, and Henry.) Jeff Steely found and transcribed the Ulrich Steely Male Heir Settlement with the Female Heirs of Ulrich. Click here to see the document and Jeff's transcription. This document proves that Hans Peter Steley and Anna Barbra Stelin are not the children of the Ulrich. Ulrich (our ancestor) fathered Jacob, Gabriel, Lazarus, Henry, Sarah, Christiana, and Mary. So, who are Hans Peter and Anna Barbra? They must be the children of the other Ulrich.

3. If Ulrich was born in 1700 as the Pink Plaisance ship's list indicates, then Ulrich would have been 63 when he fathered Gabriel, and even older for some of Gabriel's siblings. Although this isn't impossible, it is improbable.

4. The second Wilrigh Staely / Uhllerich Ställy arrived in Philadelphia from Rotterdam, Germany September 21, 1742 on the ship Francis & Elizabeth, George North, Master; from Rotterdam, last from Deal. Source: Rupp, 30,000 Names of Swiss, French and German Names of Palatines Imported in the United States. p. 156. [Note from Susan Snyder: Ulrich was travelling alone. The original paper states he was born in 1716 (see Original Paper), making him a more likely candidate to be Gabriel's father; he would have been 47 when Gabriel was born, but it more likely that he was born in 1726. Perhaps the first Ulrich is this Ulrich's cousin. It was a custom in some countries to name the first born son after his paternal grandfather, so cousins often had the same first and last names.]

5. In 1737, a Ulrich Steeley was living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and was purchasing land from 1737-1767 and 1771-1773. For information about this land in Pennsylvania, click here. In 1770, 1773, and 1778, a Ulrich Steeley was purchasing land in Cumberland County. For information about this land in Pennsylvania, click here.

As noted earlier, Jeff Steely's y-DNA test and connections to Bruce W. Stahly's research indicated that the Urlich who came to Pennsylvania in 1742, is likely the father of Gabriel. Bruce W. Stahley's research states that Urlich was born in 1726, not in 1716 as stated in the paragraph above. [Note if Urlich was born in 1726, he would have been 37 when his son, Gabriel, was born].

On April 10 1757 a Ulrich Staley was granted naturalization by a supreme court in Pennsylvania. It is unknown whether it was Ulrich Staley, father of Gabriel, that was naturalized. But he had been living in Pennsylvaia 15 years.

Heads of Families At The First Census of the United States taken in the Year 1790 Pennsylvania, a publication of the Department of Commerce and Labor Bureau of the Census, S. N. D. North, Director, page 154 lists Urick Steely as living in Mifflin County. The census charts 1 "Free white males of 16 years and upward including heads of families" and 1 "Free white females, including heads of families" in the home. Listed below his name are Jacob Steely and Henry Steely. Jacob is listed as having 1 "Free white males of 16 years and upward including heads of families", 1 "Free white male under 16 years," and 4 "Free white females, including heads of families" in his home. Henry has 1 "Free white males of 16 years and upward including heads of families" and 3 "Free white females, including heads of families" in his home. Jacob and Henry are two of Urick's (way Ulrick's name was spelled in the census) sons, brothers of Gabriel (#93).

Below: 1790 United States census for Mifflin County, Pennsylvania is shown below. The census instructed the marshals to identify, by age brackets, free white males sixteen years of age or older and those under sixteen. It was designed to determine the country’s industrial and military capabilities. Additionally, the first census was to count the number of free white females; all other free persons regardless of race or gender; and slaves. A twenty-dollar fine, to be split between the marshals’ assistants and the government, would be levied against anyone who refused to answer the enumerator’s questions. The first column is the number of free white males 16 or older; the second column is the number of free white males under 16; the third column is the number of free white females; the fourth are all other free persons; the last column is the number of slaves. Highlighted in red below is Ulrich. In blue are three of his sons, Jacob Steely, Henry Steely, and Gabriel Steely. Note: There is a free white female living with Ulrich, but it is unkown whether or not this is his wife. The three sons who are listed all have families of their own. Ulrich died just three years after this census was taken.