The Beaver family name has been traced back several centuries. From the History and Genealogy of the Bieber, Beaver, Biever, Beeber Family, by the Reverend Irvin M. Beaver (Reading, Pennsylvania; 1939), page 9:

In Le Grande Encylopedia, Vols. 5 and 10, we learn that the original family name for Bieber (Beaver) was de Beauvoir. This was the original family of Huguenots. The little village of Beauvoir in France on the Yonne river, Canton of Tucy, formed, formerly, a feudal estate, which gave its name to a family from Burgundy, known since the beginning of the 16th century, at which time it acquired, through marriage, the feudal estate of Beauvoir... After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, the Huguenots were obliged to leave the country and with other French Protestants the family went to Deux Ponts, Alsace, and there to take a German equivalent of their names. Alsace was then German; the change was easy and desirable. The original French family name was de Beauvoir. This was changed into Bieber, German, Beaver, English... The Huguenot refuges settled in different parts of Alsace and other parts of Germany, and later part of the Huguenots, going down the Rhine, went to England and part came to America. Those that came to America went to Rotterdam to take ship, that being then the principle port of departure for people from all parts of Europe who were going to America.

On pages 512 to 513 from the same text:

JOHANNES BIEBER

(Born about 1695, died October, 1748)

Of Rockland and Richmond Townships, Berks Co., Pa.

The will of Johannes Bieber, dated October 3, 1748, was written in German and is recorded in the Berks Co. Court House at Reading, Pa. The will was translated into the English language by Adam Witman, of Reading, Pa., and reads as follows:

"A Testament of Johannes bebert and his House Wife how she is to do after his Decease. She shall stay on the Place so long as she continues a Widow with her four children. But when the two Sons are both come to their Age then the Place shall belong to them.

But if one of the two sons should draw the place to himself that he shall owe his Mother the Third Part.

Balser Gerlach

Michael Smith

Mathias Loy."

 Sein

JOHANNES  X  BEBERT

 Merck

Done 3 October, 1748   

Johannes Bieber evidently died the same day he made his will and was too weak to sign his name, hence his X mark; for the witnesses state that he was deceased since the making of it and that Balser Gerlack worte the will.---(I. M. B.)

The forgoing will was probated January 25, 1754, as the following shows: " At Reading in Berks county January the Twenty fifth in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Fifty four; Personally appeared Michel Smith of a Place called Allamingle yeoman and Mathias Loy of the same Place yeoman two of the witnesses to the Writing above purporting to be the Testament or last Will of Johannes Bebert (who is deceased since the making thereof) and on their oath on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God did severally solemnly declare that they saw and heard the said John Bebert therein named sign publish and decalre the same Writing to be his last Will and Testament and that at the Doing thereof he was of sound mind and memory, etc. * * * that Balser Gerlach the other Witness to the same Writing or Will, did subscribe his name thereto, together with these Deponents, in the Presence and at the Request of the said Testator John Bebert."

"January the 25th 1754 Adam Witman of Reading in Berks County Innholder upon his solemn oath on the Holy Evangelists doth decalre that the foregoing Writing (the will) contains a just Translation of a Writing shown to him by the Deputy Register for the County aforesaid for an original Wrighting in the German Language purporting to be the Testament of Johannes Beberts, done according to the Best of his knowledge.

(Signed) ADAM WITMAN

Sworn at Reading the said 25th Jan. 1754."

"January 25, 1754.

This brought to me a copy of John Bebert's Will by Annadelia (the wife of Jacob Grenoble of a tract of land not erected into a Township, near Maxatawny, yeoman) who was the widow of Jno Bebert, who lived at the same Place. The Witnesses Michael Smith and Mathias Loy came with her and the Will was proved.---- The witnesses say that Gerlach wrote it.

"Catherine who marryd Adam Staug is a child by a former Seuter there are 3 others by a former Seuter. Annadelia says that the said John Bebert gave them all their Portions before marrying her."

...The children by a former Seuter (i. e. the children of Johannes Bieber by his first wife, name not given),Catharina, John, Sarah, Mary...

Annadelia's children with Johannes Bieber as his second wife are named: Elizabeth Margaret, about 18 years old; Conrad, about 16; Magdalena, about 11; Henry, 7.

On another sheet of paper the following: "John Bevert near Maxatawny died about 5 years ago possessed an esta. of about L40 or L50.

He left a widow Annadelia, who intermarried with Jacob Greanoble abot 4 years ago. this memorandum I made the 9th day of Jan. 1754."

...The above Johannes Bieber, born about 1695, died Oct., 1748, is no doubt buried at the Dryville Church, Rockland township, Berks Co., Pa., or at the Bieber Church, as originally known. Today known as Christ (Mertz) Lutheran Church. During the building of the fourth church in 1915, a number of tombstones (mostly read sand stones) were removed form the graves for the convenience of the builders, and which were not replaced or reset, because the inscriptions on them were defaced by the elements to such an extent that no one could read anything on them. Hence there are a number of graves without the customary markers. The above Johannes Bieber is evidently one of them. That he must have been a member of said church at the time and quite naturally we should find the names of a few of his descendants in the records of this church, and to prove it, we copy from the church records as follows:

II. John Bieber, b. about 1720, and wife Ana Magdalene had issue:

III. A son Bernhard, b. Sept. 6, 1751, bap. Sept. 9; sponsors, Bernhard Kline and wife Elizabertha.

IV. Johannes, b. Aug. 11, 1754, bap. July 1; sponsors, John Michael Schoefer and wife Johana Maria, nee Marillin.

V. Christoph, b. Feb. 23, 1756, bap. Feb. 29; sponsors, Paules Charetin, Elizabeth Baderin.

In connection with the above we find corresponding names on the Lehigh Co., Pa., Muster Roll of April 5, 1776, as "privates," in Col. Miles' Regiment, Capt. Shade cashiered and succeeded by Capt. John McGowen. We also find the name of Henry Bever as a substitute on the Lehigh Co., Pa., Muster Roll of July 9, 1781, Col. Stephen Balliet. This Henry Beaver was the youngest child of Johannes Bieber and Annadelia, b. in 1747.

We are not able to locate this Johannes Bieber on any ship lists, and it is the belief that he came through the port at New York like some ancestors of other than the Bieber families did and settled in Pennsylvania. We cannot tell through what port he entered America. But he was here. He owned a tract of land containing 132 acres and 52 perches located on the northern slope of the "Oley Hills," now (in 1938) known as Rockland twp., Berks Co., Pa. The farm is located about one mile west of Lyons, Berks Co., Pa. The land warrant reads as follows:"In pusuance of a warrant dated the 13th day of May, 1746, and surveyed unto John Bieber the above described tract of land situated in Philadelphia Co., Pa. (now Rockland twp., Berks Co., Pa.) containing 132 acres and 52 p. and 6% for roads. Patients issued to Anthony Heffner."

This Johannes Bieber farm in 1938 is now known as the Samuel R. Braucher farm along the highway between Lyons and Fleetwood, Pa. This makes it clear that John Bieber and wife Annadelia and Dewalt Bieber and wife Sara Ludman resided in the extreme southeast corner of Richmond twp., while Lorentz, the eldest son of Dewalt and Sara resided in the northwestern part of the same township, near Moselem, Pa., where Lorentz Bieber was one of the organizers in 1742 of the Moselem Lutheran Church.

Johannes Bieber was married twice and there were four children by each union. His son John Bieber, b. about 1720, m. Magdalene Hegel... Another son, the 6th child, named Conrad Bieber, b. 1738, m. Mary Kniessly, a daughter of John Kniessly, of Cocalico twp., Lancaster Co., Pa... The other son, Henry Bieber, b. 1747, the 8th and youngest child, is shown on the Northampton county (now Lehigh Co.) Muster Roll, dated July 9, as a "substitute"... and located in Somerset and Westmoreland counties. Catharine, b. about 1718, the first child, m. John Staub. We are unable to locate this family, neither do we know anything about the four other daughters.

I. M. Beaver's genealogy for Johannes Beaver is somewhat unproven and speculative, however contrary linages are also lacking.

Recent research elaborating on I. M. Beaver's work can be found in the extensive essay, JOHANNES BIEBER, by Janice (J. L.) Patterson. This essay is hosted on the BIEBER HISTORY AND GENEALOGY website by John William Bieber, which also contains a lot of useful information. Of particular note here, is that I. M. Beaver's information for Conrad Beaver confuses two different individuals. The Conrad Beaver lineage which leads to Henry Beaver of Sonoma County, has no direct connection to the Johannes Beaver which I. M. Beaver describes above nor his son, Conrad Beaver, who was born about 1738, in the Oley Hills.