The First Jake
Our son Jacob was named for two Jacobs from my history. The first Jacob was my fourth great-grandfather, Jacob Hertzler. This Jacob was born in Langnau im Emmental in Canton Berne, Switzerland around 1703. I don't know what his situation was in Langnau im Emmental aside from the fact that he was involved with the Amish. Just to be clear, the Amish were followers of Jacob Amman, who had split from other Swiss Anabaptist Brethren over issues of church discipline.Because of the ongoing persecutions of the Anabaptists by the Swiss, Jacob Hertzler and his family left the Emme Valley and made their way first to the Palatinate in southwestern Germany, where there were others who shared their views on how to do church. Jacob may have been ordained a bishop in the Amish church while in the Palatinate. From thence, the family went on to Rotterdam, where they caught a ship, the Saint Andrew, for the New World.
