John George Repplier, Sr.
John George Repplier, Sr. was born January 1, 1766 in the city of Strasbourg, in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. He emigrated to the city of Philadelphia sometime around 1790. During the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 he moved from Philadelphia to the town of Reading. In that year he was "granted license to follow the occupation of hawker and peddler upon recommendation of Philadelphia County". There he embarked upon the mercantile business and became one of the good and substantial residents of that town. John George Repplier, Sr. was a man of more than ordinary education for that day, and spoke fluently three languages - French, Italian and English. On May 10, 1801 he married Catharine Allgaier in the home of her parents, Sebastian Allgaier and Catharine Ruttner. They had four daughters and four sons who survived into adulthood.
Nothing is known of his life or family in France or why he left that country. The only clue I've come across so far is in the book by Emma Repplier Witmer, Agnes Repplier, a memoir (Dorrance & Company, Philadelphia, 1957), where it is stated that he "emigrated to this country from Lorraine to escape high taxes". We are not aware of any living Reppliers in France in the present day. Perhaps the name was altered when John George came to America. In 1789 Strasbourg was one of the chief centers of the French Revolution. Philadelphia was also embroiled in momentous events around the time of John George's arrival. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 resulted in the launching of the United States constitution in 1789, and George Washington became president in that same year.