Stewards of the Land: Siegfried vs Rodale

Johannes and Elizabeth Siegfried were my maternal sixth great grandparents

I recall my father speaking from time to time of Rodale Insitute. I vaguely knew that they had something to do with new gardening methods, and that Dad would sometimes buy their seeds or try a new technique; sometimes he was pleased, sometimes not.

I didn’t realize that Rodale was a local institution until I changed the route I took between Maryland and Catasauqua and regularly drove Route 222. Near Maxatawny, PA, I saw signs pointing to Rodale.

Decorative wrought iron gate bears the name John Siegfried, a descendant of the original settler.

Imagine my surprise when I was researching the Siegfrieds, a new-found set of ancestors, and saw a reference to Rodale! Last spring, my brother Bill and I stopped in on a whim, before I was even quite sure what our connection was. We were warmly welcomed and offered the opportunity to take a self-guided tour.

Bill inspects the spring house, which dates to 1790.

It turns out that my first Siegfried immigrants were Johannes and Elizabeth Siegfried. They were reportedly Mennonites and may have been from either Germany or Switzerland. Arriving in Philadelphia in 1719, they initially settled in Oley, Philadelphia County (now Berks). About 1724, (1) Johannes purchased large tracts of land in “Mach-set-Hanne” (Maxatawny), accumulating 600 acres before his death in 1747. At that time he split the land between his two sons, John and Joseph. Siegfrieds remained on the “Siegfried’s Dale” property for over 200 years. In 1971 it was purchased by the Rodales. (2)

J. I. Rodale was the father of organic farming in this country. It was said he had an almost missionary zeal. In 1971, when J.I. Rodale died, his son Robert took over and expanded the agriculture/health-related business with the purchase of the Siegfried farm. After more than 200 years of the Siegfried’s stewardship, the farm was worn out. The Rodales have since used the property for large-scale research using organic and self-sustaining farming methods. Today the farm has been rejuvenated and is the site of the “Rodale Institute.”

The plaque on this home is dated 1827.

What is wonderful is that the Rodale spirit of rejuvenation and preservation has extended to the Siegfried farm. The buildings on the property-- homes, barns, a springhouse, and a schoolhouse--have been maintained and the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “Siegfried’s Dale Farm.” Visitors are welcome to the property for a planned or self-guided tour. As Siegfried descendants we received a warm greeting.

One of the homes in this grouping also dates to 1790.

As to my direct ancestors, Johannes died on the farm in 1747 after living on his land for over 20 years. His wife Elizabeth lived another 20 years, with her death coming in 1767. Although no markers remain, they were buried in the Siegfried family cemetery, which is located on the property and can be visited.

The Siegfried Family Cemetery is on the property and can be visited. It definitely needed a mowing when we visited in May 2013!

Their oldest child (and my fifth great grandmother), Catherine Siegfried, was born in Oley in 1719 shortly after their arrival in this country. On Christmas Day, 1737, she married Johann Frederick Romich (Romig) and left the family farm. My family follows this line of descent.

The oldest buildings remaining on the property date from 1790, which means that none of my ancestors actually lived in them. However, homes were rebuilt on the same sites, located over springs so that fresh water was protected from possible raids and easily accessible during the winter.  So when you walk the grounds, you are walking where my family's ancestors walked and enjoying the same rolling landscape.

One of the whimsical touches on the Rodale Institute property

(1) William Penn had been given title to the land by the English crown, but he didn’t actually purchase it from the Lenni Lenape until 1732. Therefore some records date the first Siegfried deed to 1732, about eight years after he took possession.

(2) Descendants of Johannes and Elizabeth Siegfried are indebted to Leon Borst, who published The Siegfrieds of Siegfried's Bridge.