Martin Brill was born about 1710 in the German-speaking part of Europe. He is likely from the Marburg area of Germany, due to the fact that Herman Brill is a name used extensively in this area of Germany and not used in southern Germany. His death record in 1791 in Loudoun County, Virginia states that he was 81 years old.
Martin Briel would have been 44 years old when he arrived at Philadelphia on the ship Halifax on 20 October 1754. The Passenger Arrival List of 22 Oct 1754 for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania lists a Martin Brill, Herman and Heinrich on the ship Halifax. The captain of this ship was Capt. Thomas Coatam and the ship sailed from Rotterdam to Plymouth, England. Listed on the ship were 10 Roman Catholics, and 370 souls. The passengers were listed as from Wirtenberg, Hesse, Franconia, and the Palatinate. Name spelling for these three men were: Marttin Briel, Johann Henrich Briehll, Johann Herman Briell. (Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808. Vol. 1 pages 651-655.)
It is likely that Herman and Heinrich were close relatives, either sons, brothers, or cousins. These lists only include adult males and Martin was undoubtedly travelling with his wife and his son Christopher and perhaps other children.
The following spring of 1755, Martin purchased 20 acres of land which was surveyed 19 March 1755. A land warrant was issued to Martin Briel of the County of Bucks, Pennsylvania granting him the right to acquire a 20 acre tract of land in Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The price was at the rate of 15 pounds 10 shillings for a hundred acres. The warrant was issued by the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia. Later on 11 Jan 1759 in Nockamixon Township, he purchased an additional 25 acres. (Warrant Number 263, Division of Land Records, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pa)
The tract of 20 acres in Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania was surveyed for Michael Burger on 13 Apr 1768 in virtue of a warrant bearing the date of 19 Mar 1759 granted to Martin Briel. The tract of land was called Meanwell. The survey is marked on the reverse side as follows: Bucks-- Mich. Burger in right of Martin Briel-- 20 acres. Evidently Martin sold the land in 1768 or before. Subsequently the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania issued a patent to Henry Landes on 5 May 1790 for 20 acre tract of land called Meanwell in Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania which was surveyed pursuant to a warrant granted to Martin Briel dated 19 Mar 1755. (Survey Number C-6-148 Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pa)
Martin attended the Springfield Lutheran Church from 1755-1758. (Trinity Union Church, Springfield, Twp., Bucks, Pa, Records of the Lutheran Church, 1751-1795, by William J. Hinke.)
On the 29 Jun 1755 Martin Preil and Anna Maria his wife attended Communion.
On 18 January 1756 Martin Briel and Anna Maria, his wife, attend church with Herman Briel.
On 2 May 1756 Martin Priel and Anna Maria, his wife attended.
On 31 Oct 1756 Herman Briel, Catharine Barbara, his wife attended with Martin Briel and Anna Maria, his wife.
On 5 Jun 1757 again Martin Briel, Anna Maria, his wife.
And again on 22 Oct 1758: Martin Briel, Anna Maria. (Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pa, pages 446-449)
Martin also purchased a tract of 49 acres in Tenecum Twp., Bucks, Pa was surveyed for Martin Briel on 19 Jan 1759 pursuant to a warrant issued 13 Jan 1759. The tract was located on Tenecum Creek. The survey is marked on the reverse side as follows: Martin Briel--- 49 acres--- Nockamixon, Bucks County--- 19th 1 mo. 1759--- 263. Nockamixon Township is adjacent to Tinicum Township. The present spelling is Tinicum rather than Tenecum. It is not clear why the warrant was for 25 acres but the survey was for 45 acres. (Survey Number A-26-166 Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pa)
Martin Brill attended the Nockamixon Lutheran Church 1766-1771 as did his wife, and his sons--- Christopher and Andrew.
FHL #1020737: Church Record of the Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Nockamixon Twp., Bucks, Pa 1766-1820.
Communicants on 21 Dec 1766 page 222: Martin Briel, wife Anna Maria; Michael Maurer, wife Elizabeth, Margaret Maurer.
Communicants 3 May 1767 page 222: Michael Maurer, wife Elizabeth, daughter Elizabeth; Martin Briel, wife Anna Maria, Christopher Briel, Andrew Briel.
Communicants 13 Dec 1767 page 223: Martin Briel, wife Anna Maria; Michael Mauerer.
On 1 Mar 1768 in Nockamixon Twp., Bucks, Pa: Christopher Briel, a son of Martin and Anna Maria, was married to Anna Margaret Maurer, daughter of Michael and Elisabeth. (Pennsylvania German Marriages: Marriages and Marriage Evidence in Pennsylvania German Churches, page 326)
FHL #1020737: Church Record of the Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Nockamixon Twp., Bucks, Pa 1766-1820:
Communicants 22 May 1768 page 223: Martin Briel, wife Anna Maria, Christopher Briel, wife Anna Margaret;
Communicants 9 Oct 1768, page 224: Andrew Briel, Anna Maria Briel;
Communicants 25 Mar 1769: Martin Briel, wife Anna Maria, Christopher Briel, wife Margaret, Andrew Briel, Elizabeth Maurer;
Communicants 26 Nov 1769 page 225: Anna Maria Briel, Maria Magdalene Briel, John Briel;
Communicants 29 Apr 1770: Martin Briel, wife Anna Maria, Christopher Briel, wife Anna Margaret, John Briel, Maria Magdalene Briel;
Communicants 4 Nov 1770 page 227: Martin Briel and wife Anna Maria, Herman Brill and wife;
Communicants 8 Jun 1771: Elizabeth Maurer, John Brill, Martin Brill and wife Anna Maria and son John Brill, Christopher Brill and wife Margaret.
Admitted to communion 28 May 1772 at Springfield Lutheran Church: Conrad Trittebag and wife; Anna Pril; Catharine Moyer. (Trinity Union Church, Springfield, Twp., Bucks, Pa, Records of the Lutheran Church, 1751-1795, by William J. Hinke. page 462)
Transcript Tax of Bucks County., Pennsylvania 974,821R4w lists Martin Brill paying taxes in Bucks County.
Sometime prior to the Revolutionary War in 1775, the Brill family moved to Virginia from Pennsylvania. A pre-war record exists for Johannes Brill, son of Martin when he married Maria Elisabetha Russ:
2 Nov 1774, Frederick Co., MD Johannes Bruehl, son of Martin Bruehl, married Maria Elisabeth Russ, daughter of Michael Russ, both single and residing in Loudoun Co., Va. (Frederick Evangelical Lutheran Church, Frederick, MD, Parish Records Books I and II 1743-1811, page 50) Evangelical Lutheran Church Records : Frederick Co., Md. 1762-1811 FHL #13922
Martin and Stophel (Christopher) Prill are listed in the personal property tax lists of Loudoun Co., Va for year 1787. Martin had 1 horse and 1 cow, Christopher had 2 horses and 2 cows. Tax record made for Martin on 22 Mar 1787 and for Stophell on 27 Mar 1787. (The Personal Property Tax Lists for the Year 1787 for Loudoun Co., Virginia, pages 32, 70)
Martin Brill was buried on 1 May 1791 from the New Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Lovettsville, Loudoun County, Virginia, age 81. (Frederick S. Weiser, New Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lovettsville, Loudoun County, Virginia Parish Register 1784-1836, page 228 Death: Lovettsville, Loudoun Co., Va Parish Register film no 538120 and 0
Bucks Co., Associates: Soldiers of the American Revolution