Born in 1711, Johann came to America in 1749, arriving September 19th in the port of Philadelphia on the ship “Patience” at the age of 38 and settled in Greenwich Township, Berks Count, Pennsylvania. (Daniel and David Kamp arrived with him and settled in Windsor and Richmond Townships.)
George Kamp was recognized by the pastors at the anfanger (beginner) and supporter of the Lutheran Congregation in Greenwich, and throughout his life was usually accorded honorary first place in the Council and at the Alter. He purchased the Church Record book (in reading, p.8), was the first signer of its Opening in 1763 and the Articles of Government in 1764. He also signed the Interdenominational Agreement in 1778.
The two tracts of land one of two acres, and one of 50 acres, were part of a Penn warrant granted October 17,1753 to Michael Schmeidt (Smith) for 200 acres adjoining lands of George Kamp and Christian Ungerer, and were titled to Kamp and Ungerer, trustees of the Lutheran Congregation, in 1763 according to Court records. However, the Congregation broke ground for the church in the spring of 1761 and probably had the use of the school land and building much earlier, or conducted their religious functions elsewhere.
George Kamp owned 150 acres of land, forty of it cleared, and was a wheelwright by trade according to the tax list of 1765. He lived to see his son Andreas (1755 – 1847) elected to the Church Council in 1794, his son-in-law Christopher Kremer on a committee of two for the erection of the second schoolhouse in 1796, and his son Andreas one of four “Bau-meister” appointed for the construction of the second church in 1803. On the 2nd of July in 1803 when the second Church was being “auf-geschlagen”, Georg Kamp attended the celebration thereof at the grand age of 92 years, according to the Church records.
In 1798 he made his will. He then had living five sons, Andreas, Georg Henrich, Johannes, Friedrich (1761 – 1834) and Georg Adam and a daughter, Catherina, wife of Christoph Kremer. He bequeathed his large bible to his daughter. Letters testamentary were granted to his son Andreas on January 14, 1805. This would indicate that George Kakmp died early in 1805 or late in 1804 at the age of 93 years. His wife , Anna Maria (Koriner) died in 1795.
On January 4, 1807 Andreas Kamp accounted to the Church for a bequest from his father’s estate. There is no trace of any tombstone for George Kamp or his wife. These pioneer Americans now rest in unmarked graves.
