THEODORUS EBY, son of Bishop JACOB EBY, was born in Canton Zurich, Switzerland, on 25 April 1663. He left his native country about 1704 on account of religious persecution. From 1704 till 1715 he resided in the 'Palatinate' or Pfaltz, Germany. Finding persecution there equally severe, he left for Philadelphia in the Spring of 1715. Some time in August of the same year he settled on Mill Creek. Theodorus' family consisted of 5 sons and 1 daughter. The sons were all skilled in the mechanical arts, so that with their assistance Theodorus built a mill and other buildings without employing persons outside the family, except for the purpose of burning charcoal to supply the smith forge, which process they themselves did not sufficiently understand. (Taken from History of the Eby Family, by Ezra E. Eby, 1889, p.3; available from the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society for $12.)
Few people have the opportunity to acquire their family homestead, especially one built 9 generations ago. I and my wife, Dace, have been fortunate enough to do just this. We are restoring the Eby house along Mill Creek in Earl Township, Lancaster County. We are both natives of Lancaster County. I lived away from the area for 21 years and returned in 1990. Theodorus Eby first arrived in what is now Lancaster County in 1712, the first immigrant to North America of this family. He received a warrant for 300 acres in what is now Lancaster city on May 18, 1718. In 1724 he had surveyed and purchased the land along Mill Creek from Martin Kendig and John Herr. A saw and grist mill were on the site by 1726. Family tradition places the erection of the stone house in 1727, and claims that Theodorus lived there a short time before his death. But by 1755 it passed out of the Eby family. When we purchased the house in 1990, it had block additions in the front and back plus numerous alterations. Fortunately no plumbing or electricity had ever been installed [thanks to Amish ownership for the prior 7 decades]. It is exciting to live in this house and realize that my ancestors built it over 260 years ago. We hope other family members will stop by near the intersection of Peters and Hollander roads to say hello. (Written by Christian Earl Eaby, 405 Peters Road, New Holland, PA 17557; taken from Research Notes column in Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage, October 1991.)
