Clevenstine Family Sketch
An American Adventure
Berks and Chester Counties, Pennsylvania - Henry Clevenstine (or Johan Henrich Kliebenstein) sailed into the port of Philadelphia on the Ship Sally in 1770. Henry served in the Berks County Militia during the Revolution. Henry was married three times: first to Mary Emerich in 1775, second to Catherine, and third to Sarah Optegraf in 1804. At the time of his death in 1805, Henry's thirteen children petitioned the court to appoint guardians and to protect their rights to his estate.

Many descendants remained in the Berks and Chester counties area.
  • Daughter Mary Clevenstine married Amos Beard and settled in Geigertown, Berks County.
  • Son Henry Clevenstine served in the War of 1812 as a Sergeant in Captain Robert Wilson's Company of Infantry, Third Regiment, Company C, Pennsylvania Militia. He may have sustained severe injuries, as he died prior to 1817, leaving four children under the age of fourteen in Brandywine Township.
  • Son John Clevenstine became a farmer, blacksmith, and wheelwright, living in East Pikeland Township, Chester County in 1850.
  • Son Christian Clevenstine married Mary Williams and named several of his sons after US presidents. Christian resided in Hublersburg, Walker Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Christian died in 1869. Christian's son Harrison Clevenstine and wife Lettice Williams eventually settled in Stephenson County, Illinois, son Jackson Clevenstine and wife Sarah Riegle remained in Hublersburg, while daughter Elizabeth Clevenstine married Joseph Emrick and settled in Green County, Wisconsin.
Auglaize County, Ohio - The immigrant Henry's daughter Elizabeth Clevenstine married Daniel Bitler in Berks County in 1806. Daniel and Elizabeth relocated with the entire extended Bitler family to the area around Ringtown, Union Township, Schuylkill County. In 1832, Daniel Bitler and Elizabeth Clevenstine relocated to Franklin County, Ohio, and in 1834 they again relocated, this time to Auglaize County, Ohio, founding St. Johns in Clay Township.
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