New Hanover Lutheran Church
On Sunday, Aug. 10, 2002, I visited New Hanover Lutheran Church and cemetery in Gilbertsville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The surname Bible was originally spelled in Germany as Biebel. Most of the Bible descendants can trace their lineage back to a Johannes (Hans) Adam Biebel, who was born in Goersdorf, Alsace (which was at one time part of the German Palatinate). He arrived at the Port of Philadelphia on November 30, 1750 aboard the Ship Sandwich. After 1756, but before 1773 Hans Adam moved his family to the Rockingham County area of Virginia. From there this family has migrated across the United States.

In the New Hanover Lutheran Church KB, Montgomery Co., PA, it shows that Adam Biebel and wife Eva had the following children:

Johan Christian b. 7 Jan 1752, bpt 9 Feb 1752 Sponsors: Christian Kurtz and Elisabeth Borchart.
Eva Catharina b. 31 Oct 1756, bpt 28 Nov 1756 Sponsors: Jacob Mayer and Eva Krebs.

Photos (will open in new window; hosted at Flickr)

1—Side view of New Hanover Lutheran Church graveyard looking toward Swamp Pike.
2—Rear view of graveyard and New Hanover Lutheran Church.
3—American Revolutionary War Memorial. This memorial is erected to honor the Continental Soldiers who were brought to New Hanover Lutheran Church for treatment of wounds received at battles in the Fall of 1777 including Brandywine and Paoli and those who failed to survive are known only to God and are buried in this area.
4—Name engraved on cornerstone at church.
5—Gravestone of Jonas Kurtz. May be related to Christian Kurtz who was a witness to the baptism of our ancestor Johan Christian Bible at New Hanover Lutheran Church on 9 February 1752. (Tombstone is in German)
6—New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church. 300 Yrs. of Faith, Hope, & Love. Rooted in the Past. Reaching to the Future. 1700-2000. Beneath this stone is a time capsule to be opened in 2050 AD placed at the 300th Anniversary Service. November 5, 2000.
7—Beneath this tablet are two "time capsules" containing articles of interest to the New Hanover Lutheran congregation. The top capsule to be opened 2000 A.D. The lower capsule to be opened 2050 A.D. Placed at the 250th Anniversary Service. September 10, 1950. 1700-1950.
8—Front of the New Hanover Lutheran Church.
9 —Signs at intersection of Swamp Pike and Lutheran Road in Gilbertsville, Montgomery County, PA.
10—New Hanover Lutheran Church. A view from Swamp Pike.
11—Sign at the intersection of Swamp Pike and Lutheran Road for New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church. Pastor Richard Elliott S.T.M., Pastor Susan Lynch.
12—New Hanover Lutheran Church: The first German Lutheran Church in America; organized by Daniel Falckner about 1700. From 1742 to 1761 Henry Melchior Muhlenberg served as pastor. Present building one-quarter mile NE, was erected in 1767. Pennsylvania Historial and Museum Commission.

For more information on the Biebel/Bible family, click here. To contact me about Bible family genealogy, e-mail matthewtpatton@yahoo.com.

—Matthew T. Patton