Valentine Clemmer

     Valentine was born on Friday, 1 January 1655 in Affoltern, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland.² Valentine married Barbara Bär, daughter of Hans Jogli Bär and Anna Syedler, on 16 February 1678 in Ottenbach, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland.³ Valentine & Barbara lived at Affoltern in 1678 next to his brother Casper & his wife, Catherina Frey. The family is not found at Affoltern or Ottenbach after 1678. He probably moved to the Pfalz about 1679, possibly around the Friedelsheim area near his brother Hans Jacob. Valentine immigrated to the new world in 1717, arriving in Philidelphia in August of that year. He brought with him his youngest son, Henrich, and a grandson, Valentine Hunsucker. The boys were assigned to them a 2 foot by 6 foot area to sleep and sit. Stored in the same area were fish, meat and butter, all very heavily salted and very rank. The smell only added to the many bouts of seasickness. Upon landing, Valentine and the boys stayed in Germantown for a short while before settling in the Great Swamp area in Milford Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania [actual translation of "Grooten Schwamb" is Great Meadow]. He was a weaver by trade, and was soon to become Bishop of the Mennonite Community of Bucks County. There is no record of his death or burial.⁴