Pedigree of:
Peter Fike
1794-1871

Emmen
ZURICH
___?-___? 		= Peter
LIVENGOOD
1730-1826 		Barbara
NAFTZINGER
___?-___? 		= Christian
FIKE
1725-c1766

Christena
LIVENGOOD
1763-1857 		= Christian
FIKE II
1760-1850

Peter
FIKE
1794-1871

Notes and Links

See the Peter and Magdalene (Arnold) Fike Memorial

Peter Fike*; b. Nov. 3, 1794, Somerset, Bedford County PA; d. Nov. 28, 1871, Eglon WV.

Brief Biography:

Peter Fike* (1794-1871) , son of Christian Fike II* (1760-1850), and Christena Livengood* (1763-1857). Peter Fike* married Magdalena Arnold of Burlington WV on Mar 12, 1818 in Somerset County, PA They originally settled in Somerset County, PA then moved to Maple Grove MD, then to New Germany MD, and to Indian Creek PA in 1838, then to Sang Run MD in 1850, then finally in May of 1854, Peter and his family moved into the developing community of Eglon (now WV). He was brought up in PA in a family following the traditions of the German Baptist Church, known as the Church of the Brethren. Members of this Church were known as Dunkers or Dunkards following their baptismal practices. Peter envisioned the formation of a German Baptist Church for his community of Eglon, so he invited circuit ranging ministers of this faith to meet at his home on Sundays. He thus organized a congregation and it grew and it built one of the finest churches in the area. Peter was farmer all his life.

Christena Livengood* (1763-1857) is the daughter of Peter Livingood* (1730-1826) and his first wife, Emmen Zurich*. Peter was a German-Swiss emigree who (some records say) arrived with his father, Hans Jacob Leibengut*, from Rotterdam, Holland, on the ship Phoenix, which arrived at Philadelphia in 1750.

If Peter's father is Hans Jacob Leibengut*, then Peter's mother is Barbara Waber*, who also either stayed in Europe or died soon after arriving in America. Hans Jacob Leibundgut*, remarried to a woman named Margaret, and both she and Hans Jacob were killed by Indians during a raid in 1758 which was part of the French and Indian War. The Gingerich and Kreider genealogy (see references below) states, in a footnote on page 233, that Hans Jacob Leibengut was "probably not" the father of Peter Livingood. Their argument is based only on the fact that Hans Jacob Leibengut had "two first names", contrary to the tenets of the religious order to which Peter and his family belonged.

Peter's first wife was Emmen Zurich*, who died c. 1765. Christena was only 2 years old when Emmen died, so she was raised by Peters's second wife, Barbara Naftzinger, widow of Christian Fike I* (1725-c1766), who had 9 children by Christian Fike and had 8 children by Peter Livingood, adding to a total of 12 children for Peter and 17 children for Barbara.

Peter used the anglicized name of Livengood as an alternative to Leibengut, and had the following children:

References:

Go to the Index of ancestral surnames
Go to the Index of Names: which includes names of in-laws, half-relations, aliases, and adopters.
Go to the How to use this genealogy page.
Contact the author: e-mail link: Phillips Verner Bradford
Note: Ancestors of Phillips Verner Bradford are denoted in the text lists with an asterisk (*) following the names.