S A R
Kansas City
Alexander Majors Chapter

George Diehl's Patriot ancestors...

     Nicholas DIEHL (1741 - 1818), my great, great, great, great grandfather arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1761 aboard the sailing vessel, "The Snow Squirrel". He was born in Frankfurt, Germany. He lived in Philadelphia for several years before moving to Tinicum Island in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia International Airport now occupies some of the land owned by Nicholas Diehl.

He was an active participant in the War of the Revolution. On December 20, 1774, he was chosen as a member of the Chester County Committee of Observation. Each county had a committee to carry out the orders of the Continental Congress and to take into consideration the defense of their liberties. He was commissioned a Captain of the Fifth Company, Third Battalion, Chester County Militia.

He saw active duty in the battles that took place in the New Jersey and Long Island campaigns, and with 38 men under his command took part in disastrous battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776. After returning to his home in Chester County, the British Fleet was sighted rounding into Delaware Bay on their way up the Delaware River to Philadelphia, the seat of the Revolutionary Government. Captain Diehl and four others were enlisted to drive cattle and other stock from grazing grounds along the Delaware River to places of greater safety inland. Later on with the Government in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, orders dated 10 October 1777 called for the mounting of 50 militia to defend the inhabitants from the enemy. Captain Diehl was one of the first volunteers for this duty forming a company of Light Horse Brigade.

Nicholas Diehl later became Captain, First Company, Sixth Battalion, Chester County Militia. He remained in the service of his country until the end of the war. He lived in Tinicum Township, Delaware County until his death in 1818.

Nicholas Diehl married February 21, 1763, Anna Maria Meyerlin, born 1743, died 1827. They had eleven children, of which Johann Adam Diehl, the second child was my ancestor.

Records of immigrants to North America indicate that Nicholas Diehl was 1 of about 50 male Diehl�s to come to the New World before 1775.  (author: George S. Diehl, Jr., submitted August 12, 2000)