Research on the Stahler family and related names began in 1990 simultaneously with researching information on the Thomas (paternal) and Murphy (maternal) books, which took us from New England to Colorado. The Stahler book took place in the southwest counties of Pennsylvania. All but two surnames in this volume are from Germany and many names repeated in family stories. Because of this, a superscript was used in discussion to clarify generations (also used for footnotes). Stories are remembered. One is Jacob Christman was killed on his farm, and another Jacob Christmen was also killed on the same farm. Or that Gloria’s father was the first athlete playing high school football. They played at Pottsville and won 19–13. “The newspaper account pointed out Pottsville hit a pass receiver in the crowd and he scored two touchdowns through this deception.”

Christian Hirschberger I (ca. 1720/1725-1808/1809) immigrated from Germany to Philadelphia in 1749, settled in Shenandoah County, Virginia, and married Caroline (Funk?) before 1776. Descendants (chiefly spelling the surname Harshbarger) lived in Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Texas and elsewhere.

This is a collection of articles pertaining to the European origins of Pennsylvania German immigrants which originally appeared in the magazine "Pennsylvania Folklife," successor to "The Pennsylvania Dutchman." Virtually all the emigrants mentioned in this work are cited with reference to church, parish, and provincial records and other records located in the archival repositories of the old Palatinate and adjoining provinces in southwest Germany; and these emigrants are cited again, where possible, with reference to a corresponding range of Pennsylvania source materials, notably church records, wills, and tax lists. In addition, names of emigrants are collated with Strassburger and Hinke's celebrated "Pennsylvania German Pioneers," from which are drawn dates of arrival, names of ships, and other evidence of immigration.

Johann David Wildermuth, born in Germany, immigrated to America in 1752. His descendants lived in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and elsewhere. This book also includes Greenough, Newkirk, Putz, Wagner, Woodworth, and other families related to Wildermuth.

Johann Jacob Dispionit was born about 1715 in the Palatine region along the Rhine River, probably Alsace-Lorraine, France. He immigrated in 1739 to Philadelphia, and settled in the lower Shenandoah valley, Virginia. He died abut 1756 near Mountain Falls, southwest of Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia.