Our Ancestors: Lt. Johannes Jacob Beisel
We are excited to introduce a new feature in which we will recognize the Revolutionary War patriots whose service we honor with our participation in the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution.
PSSR member: William Murray Gordon
Murray, who was PSSR president from 2015 to 2018, lives in the Malvern area with his wife, Lori. They have two sons, Richard and Scott. Retired from the Sun Company, Murray served in the Pennsylvania National Guard and is a member of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry. He joined the Society in 1991 and has two Revolutionary patriots in his family line, one of which was recently verified by our Admissions Committee as an officer.
Ancestor: Lt. Johannes Jacob Beisel
The son of a German immigrant from Baden-Wurttemberg, Beisel was born in 1758 in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. He was probably a farmer. In 1777, he joined the Pennsylvania Militia. Two of Beisel’s brothers were militia privates, so Murray believes that his ancestor also likely entered service as a private. At the war’s close, he was promoted to lieutenant under Capt. John Trexler – no doubt a recognition of his leadership qualities.
Beisel died at age 71 in Upper Mahanoy Township, Northumberland County. His name is engraved on a bronze plaque at Jacob’s Cemetery in Line Mountain, Pa., that lists the many Revolutionary War patriots buried at the site.
Murray is also a descendant of Michael Deck, a private in a Virginia regiment of the Continental Line. An undocumented story suggests that Michael Deck at some point was a bodyguard to Gen. Washington.
Question to Murray: What does it mean to have Joannes Jacob Beisel as your ancestor?
“It’s important to me because ancestors in both my mother’s line and my father’s line served in the Revolutionary War. Pvt. Deck is in my father’s line, and Lt. Beisel is in my mother’s line. With the incredible technology that is now available, we are able to discover and honor the dedicated service of our ancestors, who made many sacrifices to establish our country.”