I am  6th generation immigrant on my dads mothers side, the immigrant being a man name John H. Hansberger. He was a Mennonite, which is a Protestant sect of Christianity that typically lives in very old-fashioned, traditional ways. He immigrated to Lincoln, Ontario from Pennsylvania in 1815. 

The Immigrant

Lincoln, Ontario located in between Hamilton and Niagara under Lake Ontario

Mennonites 

Throughout the 1500s and 1600s the Swiss Mennonites were forced to move all over Europe in search of safety because they were so heavily discriminated especially during the religious revolution. Thousands of Mennonites were stoned, burned and buries alive during these times across Europe. A Quaker (another peaceful sect of Christianity) called William Penn founded Pennsylvania and offered safety, freedom and free farming land to desperate Mennonites. 

William Penn in 1682 bring settlers ready to migrate to the new land, meeting with indigenous people who he was known to have good relations with. He was said to have strongly advocated for their rights to land and believed the should be treat fairly. 

Great, great, great, great grandfather John's ancestors were also Mennonites and had fled from Germany in the early 1600s for many reasons. They were in danger living where they were because of the violence against Mennonites at the time, they were being discriminated against in every way that one could be. They wouldn't be hired, were killed, hated and overall being treated horribly where they were and needed to move to safety because of attacks. My ancestors are German/Swiss Mennonites and they had all of those push factors pushing them away from their homeland. 

Pushed out of Europe

The European Free Church Family was a group of different sects of Anabaptist Christians who based their beliefs in peace and were generally pacifists, which made it all the much easier to successfully attack and kill, but they looked out for each other even if not in the same church. 

The German Mennonites were attracted to Pennsylvania because William Penn offered free farmland along with religious freedom and a sort of democracy that wasn't currently in Europe. They would be able to freely practice their religion and live their lifestyle as they pleased in Pennsylvania. My Ancestors moved from Germany to Pennsylvania in 1706 because they were being pulled towards Pennsylvania for these reason. 

My ancestors lived in Pennsylvania for a few generations, around a century until they moved to Lincoln, Ontario in 1815 along with approximately 2000 other Mennonites. This immigration was caused by more turmoil and threats to their safety. After the American revolution the newly patriotic and riled up Americans were angry with the Mennonites residing in Pennsylvania because they refused to fight or contribute to the war in any way, for it conflicted with their beliefs. So the Americans were mad and once again they faced threats of their safety, discrimination and were no longer in safety to freely be Mennonites. They migrated to Lincoln, leaving their family farm for hope of finally being safe.  

My Family