For the deeply religious communities around Bentheim, this change in power in the late 1600's meant the could loose their soul. Losing ones life on the treacherous cross Atlantic journey to America paled comparison to loosing ones soul. All circumstances led Henry to find a solution. He sought out the teachings of his church and the news of the day. There were many schools in Holland. Religious men (and women) learned how to read the bible. Henry Tibben was an educated church member, and more likely a church elder in the old world. Somewhere William Penn's new message of freedom found the Tibben's ears. William Penn's associates advertised a new German colony in Pennsylvania. The promise of religious freedom and cheap land spread across the German and Dutch countryside.
However, German and Dutch immigration had just begin. A group of successful merchants heard William Penn's promise of religious freedom in America and planned to organize a Geman/Dutch town for people like Henry Tibben. They created a real estate company called The Frankfort Land Company between 1683 and 1686. The group of merchants came from Crefeld, Germany, made up of religious dissidents including Mennonites, Pietists, and Quakers . Their goal was to purchase land from William Penn in Pennsylvania that was far away from the hostile, every shifting …show more content…
Pastorius was the right person at the correct time to accomplish this task. He came from a wealthy family, spoke several languages (not English before arriving in America) and practiced a similar religion, a Pietist, as the groups mentioned above. He had studied theology and law inside some of the best German universities of his day, including the University of Altdorf, the University of Strasbourg and the University of Jena, graduating around
However, German and Dutch immigration had just begin. A group of successful merchants heard William Penn's promise of religious freedom in America and planned to organize a Geman/Dutch town for people like Henry Tibben. They created a real estate company called The Frankfort Land Company between 1683 and 1686. The group of merchants came from Crefeld, Germany, made up of religious dissidents including Mennonites, Pietists, and Quakers . Their goal was to purchase land from William Penn in Pennsylvania that was far away from the hostile, every shifting …show more content…
Pastorius was the right person at the correct time to accomplish this task. He came from a wealthy family, spoke several languages (not English before arriving in America) and practiced a similar religion, a Pietist, as the groups mentioned above. He had studied theology and law inside some of the best German universities of his day, including the University of Altdorf, the University of Strasbourg and the University of Jena, graduating around