1.  CHARLES1 KEYSER (#1) was born in Wurttemberg, Germany 1702.  near Stuttgart
Charles died 1778 in Shenandoah Co, Va, at 76 years of age.  His body was interred 1778 in Shenandoah Co, Va.  on his farm, now (1997) Lynn Strickler's, Route 648, Luray, VA
 He married ELIZABETH GROSSGLOSS in Wurttemberg, Germany.  (Elizabeth Grossgloss is #2.)  Elizabeth was born in Germany.
 Charles immigrated, 19 Sep 1749. Destination: Philladelphia, Pa.  He arrived on Sunday, 19 Sep 1749, aboard the ship PATIENCE in the Port of Philadelphia, Pa.  He took the Oath of Allegiance to Pennsylvania on the same day.
 Charles took an oath of allegiance in Philadelphia, Pa, 19 Sep 1749.  He bought property in Frederick Co, Va, 6 Apr 1765.  By deed of 6 Apr 1765, recorded in Frederick County, Va., Deed Book No. 10, page 248, Lewis Rhinehart and Mathias Rhinehart of Frederick County, Va., conveyed unto Charles Keyser, of the same place, a parcel of land on the South Fork of the Shenandoah, being the lower end of two tracts of land granted to Mathias Rhinehart by deed of 8 Feb 1764, from the Proprietor's Office of the Northern neck of Virginia.  (Mead Relations by A. M. Pritchard, 1933)
 Charles's will was probated in Shenandoah Co, Va, Will Book A-179, 28 Aug 1778.  inventory (509 lbs 15 shillings) 10 children, 50 lbs 19 sh 6 pence each
 In Mead Relations by Prichard, published in 1933, he states on page 178:  Isaac C. Dovel, son of No. 11, a great grandson of Charles Keyser, compiled some records of the family in 1876 from which the following is cop-ied:
 "Charles Keyser, father of Andrew Keyser, Sr., and John Keyser, was born in Germany in the year 1702, came to America while under the British Government.  He was a butcher by trade; had no relations in this coun-try; married a lady in Philadelphia by the name of Shelly.  He died in 1774 at the age of 72 years.  On the 9th of October 1876, the grave was opened by Peter and Henry Keyser, sons of Andrew Keyser, Jr., in the presence of Charles Keyser, one of the grandsons, and I. C. Dovel, Capt. Joseph Keyser, son of Noah Keyser, Joseph W. Key-ser, son of Peter Keyser, and Uphemia Richardson, daughter of Andrew Keyser, Jr. The skull, teeth and hair were found to be in a wonderful state of preservation after having been buried 102 years."
 (Note: The paragraph above makes reference to Thomas and Eli Kiser of Clark County, Ohio.  These would be the grandchildren of Charles Keyser, Jr. whose surviving children and his Widow later moved to Ohio.  It is not known at this time to which of Charles, Jr.’s sons these children belong.)
 "Peter J. Keyser, No. 57, who is now (1932) probably the oldest surviving member of the family, recollects when the grave was opened, as above related, and said that it was done purely through curiosity."
 "The following also is copied from the notes of Isaac C. Dovell:  "The grandfather of Joseph and David Kiser, and great grandfather of Thomas and Eli Kiser of Clark County, Ohio, was named Charles Kaiser.  He was a native of Wurtemburg, near Stuttgart, Germany.  His wife' name was Elizabeth Grossgloss, also a native of Germany.  He was a soldier in Braddock's unfortunate campaign in 1755, but returned unharmed."
 Note:  Isaac Dovel makes reference (above) to two wives.  Either he made a mistake, or he was quoting from the 1889 Kiser book that has been in dispute by Kiser genealogists for years and years. So far we have not been able to find any documentation to substantiate a second marriage, and seem to have enough proof the marriage of Charles Keyser and Miss Shelly is another line entirely.
 We have received e-mail from Edward Barnes, (5 Jul 1998), a descendant of the Dutch Keyser / Kiser line, not at this time affilliated with our line.  He says:  "I do have a reference to Charles Keyser who married a Miss Shelly.  My information is that she was the daughter of a Dr. Shelly of Philadelphia.
 "The information says that after they married, they moved to Page County, Virginia.  I don’t have specific dates, except that I show that Charles was the son of Johannes Keyser (who was born July 25, 1721 in German-town) and Barbara (Funk) Keyser.  I don’t have a birth or marriage date for Charles.
 "HOWEVER -- although the family line from Johannes (showing Charles and __ Shelly) is documented in the 1889 Keyser Family History, more recent research by William Hires of Penn Valley, PA, casts considerable doubt on the whole line beginning with Johannes’ children.  As I recall, there were two different lines that some folks claim descended from Johannes.  He says that the 1889 history is incorrect based on data that he has found in Pennsylvania.  He was, by the way, the official genealogist for the most recent Keyser Family Reunion (300th anniversary) in Philadelphia in 1988."
 SO, IN SUMMATION, we do seem to have enough information to determine that the Charles Keyser who married a Miss Shelly is NOT in our line. That Charles father, Johannes, was born 1721.  Our Charles was born in 1702.

 Several books have been written on "Kisers", "HURSTS IN SHENANDOAH COUNTY VIRGINIA", author Mrs. June Hurst Childers, 949 Mason Headley, Lexington, KY 40504, phone (606)252-6271, cost $50 in 1998;  "FORERUNNERS" by STRICKLER; "MEAD RELATIONS" by A. M. PRICHARD, published by The McClure Co., Printers, Staunton, Virginia in 1933; KISER FAMILY DESCENDANTS by CHARLES S. KISER.  The most information was provided by E. J. SUTHERLAND, Judge in Dickenson County, VA, in his book "SOME DESCENDANTS OF JOHN COUNTS OF GLADE HOLLOW (Southwest Virginia) 1722-1977". (E. J. was a great-great-grandson of ABEDNEGO KISER).  He states in his book:
 "Charles Keyser purchased a tract, 198 acres, from Lewis and Mathias Rinehart of Frederick County, Vir-ginia, near the mouth of Hawksbill in Frederick County, VA by deed dated 6 Apr 1765 where he lived until his death (Charles Keyser, Jr., Shenandoah County Deed Book 1-265 where they conveyed unto Andrew Keyser a parcel of 57 acres of land, etc.).  On 28 May 1778, the Shenandoah County Court appointed Bryant Breeding, Martin Comer, Matthew Mattocks, and Peter Ruffner to appraise the estate of 'Charles Kizer, Dec'd,' and Charles Kizer was granted administration of this estate, and posted a bond of 1,000 pounds (Kizer and Comer signed the bond in German) (Shenandoah County Will Book A-179).  On 28 August 1778, Martin Comer, Matthew Mat-tocks and Peter Ruffner returned the appraisement to the court, large inventory, his estate being valued at 509 pounds 15 shilling 0 pence.  Attached to this appraisement is the statement:  'There is Ten Children, 50 pounds 19 shillings 6 pence Each share'."
 "The old Keyser house, built of logs, still stands (1923) slightly above a point opposite the mouth of the Hawksbill, near the mansion house on the old Keyser farm, now owned by Raymond Strickler, son of McKendra Strickler.  The old house is used for an out-house.  Someone told Harry M. Strickler, author of Forerunners, there was a large staple driven into one of the logs on the inside to which two prisoners were chained until they could be conveyed to Woodstock.  This was before Page County was formed.  Here Charles Keyser lived, according to Adam Strickler (son of Andrew Keyser's second wife), and I understand that Major Andrew Keyser, of Revolu-tionary fame, lived here, as well as his son, Col. Andrew Keyser, of the Civil War.  Charles Keyser, brother of Col. Keyser, lived several hundred yards south of the Major's home.  The old graveyard is south of the latter home and about midway between the two.   See Forerunners pg 121."
 >From "A Short History of Page County, Virginia" by Harry M. Strickler, page 61:  "In each bend of the river (Shenandoah River) on this original Massanutten patent is at least one combination fort and dwelling.  Be-ginning on the west side of the river opposite the mouth of the Hawksbill where Raymond Strickler now (1952) lives; here we may visit an old log house once the home of Major Andrew Keyser, of the Revolution, and just a short distance farther up the river is the old home of Charles Keyser, now occupied by the venerable David A. Kibler (etc.).  Proceeding farther up the river we come to Fort Rhodes where John Rhodes and members of his family were killed by the Indians. (See Andrew Keyser, Jr's wife - Ann Rhodes).  This is a log house built over a fortified cellar from which flows a spring.  In the next bend is Fort Egypt.  In the next bend is Fort Massanutten, and in upper Massanutten is an old Long home built of stone which we will call Fort Paul Long to distinguish it from Fort Long on the rightbank of the river.  (Charles Keyser's son Joseph's son John married a Long).  Cross-ing the river to the right bank we first come to Fort Long where the pioneers Paul and Philip Long located, now (1952) owned by Charles D. Price.
 "All these old homesteads or forts have fortified cellars and are built in much the same manner, constructed of stone with arched ceilings.  Some have an outer cellar also strongly constructed through which one must pass before entering the vault.  Several of them have running water.  These old homes are all built on the Massanutten patent and a number of them are still occupied as dwellings.  They were all substantially built and together form the most interesting group of old homes in Northern Virginia, and in fact, in all Virginia.  These homes were built, probably from 1750 to 1790."
 The first settlement in the Shenandoah Valley was made at Massanutten in 1726 or 1727 in Page County long before Page County was established.  The Massanutten patent extended for ten miles up and down both sides of the river from the mouth of the Hawksbill to the mouth of Stony Run, near Alma, the White House Bridge and the pioneer monument (erected in 1929) being near the center of the patent.  Canada's Peak in the Massanutten Mountains marks the northern limits.
 The Massanutten settlers had land troubles.  Lord Fairfax (Scotchman) had a grant of all the land between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers the western line to be run from the head waters of the Potomac to the head waters of the Rappahannock. This line was supposed to begin at the head waters of the present Rappahannock River opposite Front Royal, crossing the valley in the neighborhood of Toms Brook.  But Fairfax claimed the head waters to be at the head of the south branch, Rapidan. This would require the line to run twenty-five or more miles further south.  If the northern line were accepted, then the Massanutten settlers would find their title good as their grant was from King George II, while if the southern line were established, as it finally was, they would find themselves living on the domain of Lord Fairfax from whom they had no grant.  So these settlers had to obtain two deeds, one from King George II, and one from the legal owner, Lord Fairfax.
 The French and Indian War (1754-1763) changed the way of life for the early Shenandoah Valley settlers.  Until this time the settlers in the Massanutten (Shenandoah) Valley had lived in peace with the Indians.  Many evidently had lived in close proximity with the whites.  At the beginning of this war, western Indians induced the Valley tribes to join them in this war, so that in the Spring of 1754 the Indians suddenly and unexpectedly moved off, and entirely left the Valley.  As a result of their strife many settlers in the Shenandoah Valley went east of the Ridge, others to Pennsylvania, but many remained and prepared forts.  For ten years or more the frontier set-tlements were harassed by Indians often led by French officers.  Bounties were offered for scalps.  It was ten years of bloodshed, massacre, of plunder, violence and burning all along the frontier.  There were two massacres on the Massanutten Patent:  The Stone family in 1758 and the Roads Massacre in 1764. The Roads (Rhodes) had 13 children, 6were massacred.  Of the seven who survived, Joseph Roads married Mary Strickler and one of their grandchildren, Ann Roads, b. 1790, married in 1808 to Noah Keyser, born 1786.  Noah Keyser was the son of Major Andrew Keyser who served in the American Revolution in the Virginia Troup.  See Andrew Keyser, Indi-vidual 6.
 Shenandoah County was organized on March 24, 1772, and called Dunmore in honor of John Murray, Earl of Dunmore, Governor-in-Chief, 1771-1776, who was a popular Governor until the approach of the Revolution, when he not only remained loyal to the King, but committed under-handed acts to cripple the Colony in the on-coming storm.  He appeased the Indians in Dunmore's War, seized the gun powder at Williamsburg, aroused the slaves against their masters, and finally burned Norfolk before fleeing aboard ship.  The people of Shenandoah County registered their indignation by changing the name of their county to Shenandoah.
 The new county of Page was established by an Act of the General Assembly March 30, 1831, named for John Page, member of the first U. S. Congress in which position he continued until 1797 and Governor of Vir-ginia, from 1802 to 1805, and Lieutenant Governor during the Revolution.  The county seat was soon thereafter fixed at Luray which had been formed by an Act August 21, 1812, in Shenandoah County.  Most of Page County was taken from Shenandoah County.  It lies wholly between the Massanutten Mountain on the west and the Blue Ridge on the east.
 Page County, while one of the younger counties, has the distinction of having within its borders a spot whereon the first settlement west of the Blue Ridge in Virginia was made.  This settlement was made at Mas-sanutten, an Indian Village, surrounded by Indian Old Fields, on the Shenandoah River, in 1726 or 1727, six miles west of Luray, by settlers from William Penn's Colony.  A pioneer monument was erected by the Mas-sanutten Society in 1927 in honor of these settlers on the hill at the famous White House Bridge.
 Extract from a letter dated 5 February 1988 from Vivian Bales:  "Long ago in the Pennsylvania archives I found the Keysers whom I descend from, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (which also you descend from).  I read the deposition ANDREW made about an Indian who came to their house and asked for food, etc., and about JOSEPH being accused of stealing a sheep.  The Keyser - Kiser's were German Deutsche.  My grandmother told me this. They clung to their language right down to my grandmother."
 Kercheval's "History of the Valley", 4th Ed., page 37, relates an incident in relation to which "Major An-drew Keyser also informed the author that an Indian once called at his father's in Lancaster County, Pennsylva-nia, appeared to be much agitated, and asked for something to eat.  After refreshing himself he was asked what disturbed him.  He replied, 'The Southern Indians have killed my whole nation.'"  (per A.M. Pritchard in his Mead Relations "This indicates clearly that Charles Keyser lived in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, before he settled in what is now Page County, Virginia.")
 E. J. Sutherland says in his Some Descendants of John Counts of Glade Hollow, that Charles had an old German Bible, which went to his son Charles upon his death.  When his son, Charles, Jr. died his sons took the bible with them when they moved to Ohio.
 In Esther Kiser's Sandy Ridge Kiser-Powers Kin, she states:  "It is believed that Charles had two brothers who also came to America.  Jacob Keyser arrived in Philadelphia on 16 September 1751 aboard the Edinburgh from Rotterdam, Holland. Andreas Keyser arrived in Philadelphia on 29 September 1753 aboard the British ship Brothers.

      Charles Keyser and Elizabeth Grossgloss had the following family:

      2  i.  CHARLES2 was born 1752
        ii.  KATE (#5733) was born in Lancaster County, Pa about 1753.  Kate never married and nothing is known about her other than what we have, provided by A. M. Prichard in his book Mead Rela-tions.
      3  iii.  JOHN was born 1754
      4  iv.  ANNA was born 1756
      5  v.  JOSEPH KEYSER was born about 1756
      6  vi.  ANDREW was born 16 December 1758
      7  vii.  MARY was born 5 Aug 1760
      8  viii.  ELIZABETH was born 1762
      9  ix.  ESTHER was born about 1764
        x.  DAVID (#5734) was born about 1764.