The founder of the branch of the family established in Lehigh county was Joseph Biery, a native of Oberland, in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. The old form of the name was "Bieri" and is so written at the present day in Switzerland. The family is probably of French origin, a branch of which, however, was located in Bern as early as 1511. Joseph Biery, the emigrant, was born in the year 1703. He was a man of position and property in his native land, and came to America, arriving at Philadelphia, in the ship, "Samuel", commanded by Hugh Percy, taking the oath of allegiance at the Colonial Court House, soon after landing on Aug 27, 1739. Among his fellow passengers were Sebastian, Christopher, Phillip, and Casper Doll, and their sisters, Catharine, Barbara, Margaretha, and Elizabeth. The friendship formed during the long voyage, ripened into a closer tie, when Elizabeth Doll became soon after their arrival, the wife of Joseph Biery. Accompanied by the members of his wife's family, Joseph Biery proceeded to Oley, in Berks county, where they sojourned for a brief period, removing subsequently to Ruscombmanor, on the Little Lehigh Creek, in what is now known as Longswamp, in Berks County. Here he acquired, nearly a thousand acres of land. In addition to being a large land-ownder, he built and operated a saw-mill, grist-mill and an iron forge. His enterprises became known as "Biery's Mills" and are so named on Surveyor-General Nicholas Scull's map of eastern Pennsylvania in 1759. He was a prominent member of the Reformed Church at Longswamp, which was organized long before 1750. In the records of the church his name appears as the largest contributor for the building of a church in 1748. He was also the treasurer of the congregation as well as one of the two members composing the "building committee". His brother-in-law, Christopher Doll, in a will dated the 24th day of June, 1751, bequeaths to him his estate of two hundred acres in consideration of which he is to maintain "his sister, Catharina Doll during her life" and to pay certain legacies to his brother Phillip and "Other sisters." Caspar Doll became a resident of Plainfield township, Northampton county, and served as a captain of the Revolution. Joseph Biery entered into a certain agreement with his two sons, Henry and Philip, dated the 21st day of May, 1766, that "they should have all his lands and part of his personal estate, on condition that each of them should pay to their sister, Anna Margareta, the sum of seventy-five pounds and also maintain him and his wife during their natural lives." He died in the early part of February, 1768, leaving no will. Letters of administration were granted to his widow, Feb. 10, 1768. He left three children: Henry, Philip, and Anna Margareta, the wife of Peter Keyser, of Macungie.