Rohrer Farm History

Our community is built on a farm that was owned by many generations of the Baughman-Rohrer Family.  This section provides an overview of the history and some of the interesting and important roles that the family played in the area.  

 

According to family history, the original owner of the farm was Michael Baughman (anglicized to Bachman) who started living here in 1717.  Michael Bachman traveled here from Switzerland, probably via the Palantine in Germany.  He warranted 410 acres here and built a house in 1718.  He eventually owned over 4,000 acres throughout the county.

 

The farm was handed down through 4 generations of Bachman's until Mary Bachman married Jacob Rohrer in the early 1800's.  Mary's parents, Peter and Eliza, built a house on the east side of the creek called the 1812 house.   In 1857, Mary Bachman's son, Peter B Rohrer and his wife, Mary Wissler, built the 1857 house where the current springhouse is.  Peter B Rohrer's son, P Bachman Rohrer married Elizabeth Hershey and they lived elsewhere but were still farming the property here.  Tenant farmers lived in the 1857 house.  They farmed both this farm, and the Hershey Farm.

Subsequent generations, T Hershey Rohrer and Ruth Hernley, and Tobias Hershey Rohrer and Nancy Shupp farmed both properties until they sold this farm in 2006.  Traditions of America started building on the land in 2020.  the house and outbuildings were demolished in 2007, but the springhouse still stands. 

 

 

 

An interesting story about a bell that was on the farm for many years: 1800s Bell

 

Here is some additional information about the bell.  Note that Jacob Rohrer was the deceased father, not brother.

 

 

Below is a map of East Petersburg that shows the property owned by P. B Rohrer.