Documents – A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy

Will: Conrad Schneider of Upper Salford, Translation

Kris Hocker on 10 Nov 2018

I’ve been researching the ancestry of Jacob Schneider for some time now. Just about every advance I’ve made has been through genetic genealogy research. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been working to find genealogical evidence—the so-called paper trail, too.

Conrad Schneider of Upper Salford Township is a possible grandfather for Jacob Schneider. He owned property near the Upper Salford and Marlborough township line, I believe, just south of present-day Sumneytown.¹ On 12 July 1759, Conrad wrote his last will and testament in German. It was translated and proven about a month later on 10 August.

It reads:

“In the Name of God the Father, the Son and the Holly Gost Amen.

I Conrad Schneider of Old Coshenhoppen Upper Salford Township in the County of Philadelphia being blessed be God, of sound mind memory and understanding but knowing that it is appointed for all Men once to dye which cant be avoided, Have made my Last Will and Testament which is to be put in Execution according to my Desire having myself subscribed the same, that is to say, Firstly my son Leonard Schneider shall have as following at first he shall have the forty acres of Land whereon he dwells and on which the House stands and these forty acres he is to have with a free Deed. These forty acres are bounded by Killian Gaughlers land and with them he is to have seventy acres more without a Deed it lies at the side of Daniel Hiesters land and it runs and is bounded by Francis Hardmans land For which the said Leonard Schneider is to pay at the Rate of one Pound for ever acres and which will amount to the sum of one hundred and ten Pounds in the Whole and he is to pay in ready Cash next Fall Fair that is to say on the twenty seventh Day of November 1759 the sum of forty Pounds and as for the remaining sumt that is to say as for Forty Pounds more thereof he is to give a Bond without any Interest payable in three years hence And the remaining fifty Pounds it shall go towards his Heritage. This is to give notice that the sum of money which was paid for the said Forty acres being twenty pounds is included in the above sum. Secondly, All my remaining Children are to share equally the Daughter as well as the sons and neither of them shall have any Advantage let it come as high as it will And if anyone of my sons will undertake the management of my Plantation then he is to pay his Sister and Brothers such sums of money as they amongst themselves shall or may agree upon and all my Children shall fair alike and

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one shall have no more than the others, that is to say, The first is named Leonard, the second Catherine the third Elias the fourth Michael the fifth Balthasar and the sixth Henry.

Thirdly my dear wife shall have for her maintenance as follows The one who gets the Plantation let him be any of my Children or a stranger, is to pay her every year during her natural live as follows, that is to say eight Bushells of Wheat eight Bushells of Rye on Quarter of Flax, which he who gets the Plantation must sow, pull, thrash and brake and she is to have one fourth art of the garden And in Place of Meat he who gets the said Plantation shall pay her yearly twenty shillings in Money, He shall also give her one half Bushel of fin Salt and every Week as longs as she lives one Pound of Butter if she desires it and if it serves her And the one who gets the said Plantation shall also pay her yearly the sum of five Pounds lawful Money of Pennsylvania and shes shall have a Place of abode in my House during her life clear of all cost as well in the Parlour, Kitchen and Cellar as at any other Part of the said House, But is she wishes to live some where else then she shall have Liberty to live wherever she likes best and in that case she shall also have all what is above mentioned yearly for her maintenance notwithstanding And if she shall happen to get sick and to keep her Bed so that she will not be able to help herself then the Person whoever keeps her shall not be troubled with her for nothing but the Person shall have such Reward as the said Sister & Brothers amongst themselves shall judge reasonable and this is my sincer Wil land the same shall be put in execution so as it is writ down And she shall more over have the sum of twelve Pounds out of my personal Estate.

Fourthly, I chuse to this my Estate or Riches my Good neighbour and Freinds John Kantz and Killian Gaugler Guardians/or * Executors/ And I do hope they will take Care of my dear Children and wife and act so as the my safely answer before god almighty and that they will not occasion the widows and orphans to cry to Heavens nor draw Vengenan[?] on themselves. The above instrument I do subscribe with my

* The German word vormunder, is properly Guardian, but by the construction of the will it seems to me that the Testator meant Executors. P Miller

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my own Hand before Evidence as and for my Last Will and Testament and as such it shall remain Done at Upper Salford July 12th 1759•1•

Conrad Schneider

George his W mark Wyand

I the subscriber so certify the foregoing Writing to be a true and genuine Translation of a German [?] Writing said to be the Last Will and Testament ^ of Conrad Schneider. The same sa[y] me having been translated from the said original by me this 10 Augt 1759

P Miller”²

Conrad, unlike some of my ancestors, was kind enough to name his children in his will. He also listed them in order: “The first is named Leonard, the second Catherine the third Elias the fourth Michael the fifth Balthasar and the sixth Henry.”³

So far, my genetic research has found descendants of Catherine and Balthasar with whom my Mom shares DNA. There are other members of the cluster I found on AncestryDNA, as well as others on GEDmatch and MyHeritage who triangulate with known descendants, who I have not yet been able to trace. All told, I think I’ve found about 14 individuals who share descent from Conrad Schneider.

I’m still trying to figure out how Jacob descends from Conrad. Based on the list in Conrad’s will and his desire that all “my remaining Children are to share equally,” it’s hard to argue that Jacob could have been his youngest son. My working hypothesis is that Elias and his wife Anna Maria Nuss were Jacob’s parents. However, I still have no evidence—and I mean zip, zilch, nada—other than proximity and the genetic link to prove this theory.

I can only hope to find descendants of Conrad’s sons Leonard, Elias, Michael, and Henry who are matches to Mom. Maybe there’ll be enough of a difference in the shared amount of DNA to point the way to one of them. But, since Conrad would be her 6 times great grandfather, it’s a bit of a long shot.

If you’re a descendant, please test. If you already have, please drop me a line. Maybe we could work together to solve this puzzle.

Conrad Schneider Last Will at krishocker.com

George Hocker’s Verbal LWT

Kris Hocker on 9 Feb 2018

On Monday, October 20th, 1845, Elizabeth Shearer and Elizabeth Bodine went to the office of the Register of Wills for Philadelphia County and swore that they witnessed George Hocker’s verbal will.

“We the subscribers declare that George Hocker of the Northern Liberties who died on the 5th Inst. by a verbal will left to his mother Sarah Hocker thirty dollars in consideration of services rendered during his illness; and to Deborah Hocker his wife twenty dollars and that he appointed Joseph Fisher No. 58 Chestnut Street to take charge of his money and after paying all expenses and legacies he desired the said Joseph Fisher to invest or deposit in the Saving fund what sum remained together with the accruing interest for his children Jacob and Emma until they come of age. Philad^a Oct^r 11^th 1845
Elizabeth her X mark Shearer
Elizabeth her X mark Bodine

City and County of Philadelphia ss Register’s Office October 20th 1845 Then personally appeared Elizabeth Shearer and Elizabeth Bodine who upon their solemn oaths did say that on the 5th day of October 1845 they were present in the room of George Hocker now deceased and they heard him declare the following words as his last will and Testament viz. “After my expenses are paid the money is to be placed in Mr. Fisher’s hands and to be placed at Interest by him until the children are of age. My wife is to have twenty dollars and my mother is to have thirty dollars for her trouble in taking care of me[“] and they did further say that at the time of the delivery of the above he was of sound disposing memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge and belief and that he was prevented from executing a written will in consequence of the extremity of his last illness.

Sworn and subscribed before me on the date above.

Robert F. Christy | Elizabeth her x mark Shearer
Deputy Register | Elizabeth her x mark Bodine”¹

George Hocker

George Hocker, son of Jacob and Sarah (___) Hocker, was born 4 January 1805 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and baptized at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Germantown on 12 August 1805, sponsored by his grandfather Johann George Hocker. He married Deborah (___) sometime prior to 1825, probably in Philadelphia. George died 5 October 1845 of tuberculosis (phthisis pulmonalis).

George was, I believe, an innkeeper in Franklin Place, Philadelphia.

George and Deborah likely had children, as follows:

Jacob Hocker, born 1825-1830 and died 12 June 1847 at his grandmother Sarah’s house on Market Street
Emma Hocker, born October 1832 and died 12 December 1913 in Philadelphia
Charles Lambert Hocker[?], born November 1833 and died 13 February 1834
Daughter Hocker, born 1830-1835 and died prior to 1845

Jacob and Emma are the only two mentioned in his probate file.

Joseph Fisher

Joseph Fisher was born about 1796 in Philadelphia and died 19 February 1864. George’s mother, Sarah (___) Hocker, was Joseph’s aunt. Joseph made and sold mathematical and optical instruments in Philadelphia and inherited a considerable amount of money from his father.

When he wrote his last will and testament in 1862, Joseph made bequests to his cousins, including “Elizabeth Bodine daughter of my aunt Mrs. Sarah Hocker… and to Emma Hocker and Margaret Miller grand daughters of Mrs. Sarah Hocker.”² He was also generous to the Philadelphia Library Company and the Pennsylvania Hospital for the insane, leaving them bequests in his will.

Elizabeth (Hocker) Bodine, wife of Daniel Bodine, was George’s youngest sister—and witness to his dying testament. Unfortunately, Sarah had two granddaughters named Emma—George’s daughter, of course, and his brother William’s daughter. I believe the money was eventually awarded to George’s daughter. Margaret Miller was the daughter of George’s sister Anna Maria (Hocker) Miller, wife of William Miller.

Elizabeth (Hocker) Bodine

Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Sarah, was born 26 November 1812 and baptized 27 September 1813 at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church.³ Her grandparents served as her sponsors. She died 17 November 1896 and was buried on the 21st at Laurel Hill Cemetery.⁴ She married Daniel S. Bodine by 1832 and had a daughter Sarah Ann Bodine in 1833. Daniel died young and Elizabeth spent most of her living living with family in Philadelphia.

Emma Hocker

Emma Hocker, daughter of George and Deborah, was born in October 1832 and died 12 December 1913 in Philadelphia.⁵ She remained single and worked as a tailor and housekeeper.

Margaret Miller

Maria Anna Hocker was born 25 July 1806 in Philadelphia and baptized at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Germantown on 27 September 1813, sponsored by her grandparents Johann George and Margaretha (Weidman) Hocker,⁶ and died 24 August 1850 in Philadelphia.⁷ She married William Miller and had a daughter Margaret, born 7 October 1835 in Philadelphia.⁸

Friday Find: Karl Greulich’s Birth Record

Kris Hocker on 12 Jan 2018

While putting together a picture book for my cousin’s daughter, I found records from the church book at Haag, Germany in the online collection of the State Archive of Baden-Württemberg. My Greulich ancestors were from this village.

1838 Karl Philip Greulich birth record from the Baden-Wuerttemberg Landesarchiv

1838 Haag church book entries from the Baden-Wuerttemberg Landesarchiv online records

Here’s a close-up of the actual entry for Karl Philip Greulich’s birth record from the Haag church book.

Close-up of 1838 Karl Philip Greulich birth record

The handwriting is difficult, but I can clearly make out his parents—Georg Philipp Greulich and wife Anna Margaretha (née Würzel). The document also names his baptismal sponsors but I’m not sure of all the names. I believe I see “Johannes Philipp Würzel” and maybe Hans Georg Würzel, too.

Karl Philipp Greulich, my 2x great grandfather, was born 13 February 1838 in Haag, Mosbach, Baden. He was the son of Georg Philipp Greulich and Anna Margaretha Würzel. Johann Georg Würzel and Anna Elisabetha Zimmerman were his maternal grandparents and Johann Adam Greulich and Maria Katharina Wilhelm, his paternal grandparents.

1856 Passenger list for the barque Dorette

1856 Passenger list (partial) for the barque Dorette from Bremen to New York City

He immigrated to the United States in 1856 on board the barque Dorette with his sister Eva Catharina Greulich (aged 21) and half-brother Georg Jacob (aged 33). Karl was only 17 years-old. The ship arrived at New York harbor on 21 January 1856. Catharina remained in New York (state) and married. Georg continued his journey on to South America. At least that’s the family lore.

Karl anglicized his name to Charles Philip Greulich and settled in East Greenville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. On 30 November 1861, he married Susanna Krauss Wolf. After her death in 1863, he married her sister, Caroline Krauss Wolf, on 7 August 1864. In all he had fourteen children, twelve who survived to adulthood, including my great grandfather Elmer Calvin Greulich.

Charles died in East Greenville on 2 February 1904 and was buried at the New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church cemetery.

Sites like Ancestry are great, but more and more archives are putting their holdings online. They can be a goldmine for locating records on your family. If they don’t have what you need today, keep checking. You just might find a treasure.

Godfrey Wißler (c1757-1829) 1829 Last Will and Testament

Kris Hocker on 12 Dec 2016

Godfrey Wisler 1829 last will and testament

Godfrey Wißler wrote his last will and testament on 23 April 1825. It was proven on 21 October 1829.¹ He died before 21 October 1829.² Based on this will, his wife Eva Catharine (Weiß) Wißler had died previously. At the time of his death, he had three living daughters, as well as the four surviving grandchildren of his deceased daughter Elizabeth (Wißler) Reiter.

Will of Godfrey Wisler

In the Name of God Amen I Godfrey Wisler of Upper Hanover Hanover township Montgomery County and State of Pennsylvania Yeoman being in perfect health of body and of sound mind memory and understanding blessed by God for the same but considering the uncertainty of this transitory life Do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following to wit Principally and first of all I commend my Immortal Soul into the hands of God who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named and as to such wordless estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and dispose of the same in the following manner to wit First it is my will and I do order that all my just debts and funeral expenses be duly paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently can be after my decease Item I give unto my youngest daughter and do order my executors to get the same and pay for the same out of my estate unto my youngest daughter Susanna one good and sufficient bed and bedstead and all belonging to the same one cow Spinning weel and drawre and one kittle two iron potts a washtub two buckets a half dozen Knifes and forks one dozen table spoons one dozen tea spoons one dozen plates one dozen cups and sarcers a half doz chairs one table all new and the greater pewter dish Item it is my will that all my personal estate shall be sold by Public Vendue by my Executors hereafter named and the money arriving thereof after due expenses be paid off equally divided share and share alike amongst all my children and grandchildren or to their respective Heirs to wit one fourth to my Grand children born by my daughter Elizabeth deceased (the wife of George Reiter) one fourth to my daughter Catharine (the wife of Jacob Stoyer) one fourth to my daughter Sarah (the wife of Henry Snyder) and one fourth to my daughter Susanna Item it is my will and I do order that my real estate shall be sold by my Executors on Public Sale for the best price may be gotten for the same and the money arriving there from after all expenses be duly paid then it is my will and I do order that first fifty dollars shall be paid unto Jacob Stoyer the husband of my daughter Catharine or to their heirs which said sum and the land I have given already unto them shall be in full of their share and dividents whatever Item it is my will that all the remaining money over the real estate shall be divided equally into three parts that is to say one third unto my four Grand Children by twenty dollars more than her share unto my Grand daughter Eve Reiter and one third unto my daughter Sarah and one third unto my daughter Susanna unto them or to their respective heirs or assigns And Lastly I nominate Constitute and appoint my trusty frands George Hillegas Sr. and George Maurer to be the sole Executors of this my last will and testament and give them full power and authority or the Surveyeor of them to Sign Seal and deliver a good and Suficient title deed to purchaser or purchasers of the same hereby revoking all other will legacies and bequests by me heretofore made and declaring this and no other to be my last will and testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my had and Seal the twenty third day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight Hundred and twenty five

Godfrey Wisler {seal}

Signed Sealed and declared by the said testator as his last will and testament in the presents of us

John Welker George Hillegas

Montgomery County Ss Personally appeared the witnesses to the foregoing will who being duly sworn according to Law did on their solemn Oath respectively say that they Saw and heard Godfrey Wisler the testator therein named sign and seal publish and declare the same will for and as his last will and testament and at the doing of it he was of sound mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge and belief Sworn October 21st 1829

Geo M. Potts DR

Be it remembered that on the 21st day of October AD 1829 the foregoing will was proved in due form of Law and Letters of administration with the will annexed Granted unto Jacob Stoyer he having first be duly qualified to execute the same and to render and account thereof according to Law and to comply with the provisions of an Act of Assembly relative to Collateral Inheritances Given under my hand and Seal of office ~

I’ve been able to identify five daughters of Godfrey Wißler and Eva Catharine Weiß:

Susanna Wißler (1776—1785)
Elizabeth Wißler (1785-1794—bef Apr 1825) married George Reiter
Catharine Wißler (1789—1879) married Jacob Stoyer (aka Steier)
Sarah Wißler (1799—1852) married Henry Snyder (aka Schneider)
Susanna Wißler (aft 1799—?)

Henry Snyder purchased 62 acres from Godfrey’s estate in 1830 and got a mortgage from George Hillegas Sr. This became the Snyder and later the Greulich farm across from the New Goshenhoppen Church in Upper Hanover Township.

Godfrey and Eva Catharine are my 5x great-grandparents.

What Was the Cause of Death?

Kris Hocker on 2 Jan 2015

I’ve been data mining the Pennsylvania Death Certificates, 1906-1963 on Ancestry.com for records for Hockers (and Hackers). So far, I’ve compiled a collection of 691 death certificates for Hockers (male and female) and their children.

Since genetic disease has been on my mind a lot lately, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to see what these family members died from. Here’s how the results tallied up:

Adherent pericardium: 1 death
Alcoholism: 2 deaths
Amytrophic lateral sclerosis: 1 death
Angina Pectoris: 3 deaths
Anoxia: 1 death
Apoplexy: 72 deaths
Appendicitis: 1 death
Arterio Thrombosis: 1 death
Arteriosclerosis: 31 deaths
Asphyxia: 3 deaths
Atelectasis: 2 deaths
Auricular fibrillation: 1 death
Bright’s Disease/Nephritis: 18 deaths
Bronchitis: 4 deaths
Cancer: 71 deaths
- Abdomen: 2 deaths
- Adenocarinoma: 1 death
- Bladder: 3 deaths
- Brain: 1 death
- Breast: 11 deaths
- Bone: 1 death
- Cervix: 1 death
- Colon: 9 deaths
- Intestines: 2 deaths
- Kidney: 2 deaths
- Liver: 8 deaths
- Mouth/Tongue: 1 death
- Ovarian: 5 deaths
- Peritoneus: 1 death
- Prostate: 4 deaths
- Rectum: 1 death
- Skin: 2 deaths
- Stomach: 10 deaths
- Throat: 1 death
- Unknown type: 2 deaths
- Uterine: 4 deaths
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: 1 death
Cardiovascular Disease: 5 deaths
Cardio-Renal Disease: 9 deaths
Cardio-Repiratory Failure: 1 death
Cerebral Arteriosclerosis: 2 deaths
Cerebral Embolism: 1 death
Cerebral Hemorrhage (not as apoplexy): 3 deaths
Cerebral Meningitis: 2 deaths
Cerebral Thrombosis: 7 deaths
Cerebral Vascular Occlusion: 1 death
Chicken Pox: 1 death
Cholera Infantum: 3 deaths
Cirrhosis: 1 death
Congestive Heart Failure: 6 deaths
Congenital Debility: 2 deaths
Convulsions: 2 deaths
Coronary Arteriosclerosis: 3 deaths
Coronary Embolism: 4 deaths
Coronary Infarction: 1 death
Coronary Occlusion: 26 deaths
Coronary Thrombosis: 14 deaths
Dementia: 3 deaths
Diabetes: 5 deaths
Diptheria: 1 death
Dropsy (Edema): 1 death
Dysentery: 3 deaths
Electrocution: 1 death (work accident)
Encephalitis Lethargica (Sleepy Sickness): 2 deaths
Endocarditis: 4 deaths
Dilation (Dilatation) of Heart: 13 deaths
Epiglotal Spasm: 1 death
Fractured Skull: 6 deaths (4 from auto accidents)
Gangrene: 2 deaths
Gastric Ulcers: 2 deaths
Gastritis: 1 death
Gastro Enteritis: 4 deaths
Gastro-Intestinal Rupture: 2 deaths
Gun Shot Wound: 4 deaths
Heart Arrhythmia: 1 death
Heart Disease: 10 deaths
Heart Failure: 14 deaths
Heat Exhaustion: 1 death
Hemorrhage: 3 deaths — not associated with vehicular accident
Hyperemesis Gravidarum: 1 death
Hypertension: 1 death
Hypostasis: 1 death
Illio Collitis: 2 deaths
Inanition: 3 deaths
Indigestion: 1 death
Intestinal Obstruction: 2 deaths
Left heart failure: 2 deaths
Liver Atrophy: 1 death
Lymphosarcoma: 1 death
Marasmus: 2 deaths
Meningitis: 2 deaths
Mesenteric Occlusion: 1 death
Mitral Disease (including Mitral Stenosis): 8 deaths
Multiplesclerosis: 1 death
Myelogeneous Luekemia: 1 death
Myocarditis: 37 deaths
Myocardial Infarction: 11 deaths
Nephritis (Acute): 1 death (see Bright’s Disease for Chronic Nephritis)
Old Age: 1 death
Paralysis: 3 deaths (Apoplexy?)
Paralyis Agitans (Parkinson’s Disease): 1 death
Paresis: 1 death (late state Neurosyphilus)
Patent Foramen Ovale: 2 deaths
Pelvic Abscess: 1 death
Peritonitis: 2 deaths
Pernicious Anaemia: 2 deaths
Phlegmonous Erysipelas (Abscesses): 1 death
Pneumonia:
- Bronchial pneumonia: 12 deaths
- Catarrhal pneumonia: 1 death
- Croupous pneumonia: 1 death
- Hypostatic pneumonia: 7 deaths
- Lobar pneumonia: 9 deaths
- Pneumonia: 14 deaths
Pneumonia & Influenza: 4 deaths
Premature Births: 11 deaths
Protracted Labor: 2 deaths
Pulmonary Edema: 5 deaths
Pulmonary Embolism: 5 deaths
Pulmonary Infarction: 1 death
Pulmonary Thrombosis: 3 deaths
Renal Embolism: 1 death
Renal Occlusion: 1 death
Rheumatic Heart Disease: 2 deaths
Septicemia: 5 deaths
Shock: 1 death (fell in ice cold lake)
Stillborn: 23 deaths
Strangulated Inguinal Hernia: 2 deaths
Strangulation: 1 death (accidental, due to Epilepsy)
Streptoccocal Meningitis: 1 death
Suffocation: 1 death
Surgical Complications:
- Caesarian: 1 death
- Hysterectomy: 1 death
- Prostate surgery: 1 death
- Shock: 1 death
Syphilus: 1 death
Tertiary Luetic Aortic Aneurysm: 1 death
Toxemia-Eclampsia: 1 death
Tuberculosis: 25 deaths
Typhoid Fever: 5 deaths
Unknown: 2 deaths
Unknown, pending inquest: 5 deaths
Uremia: 18 deaths
Valvular Disease: 11 deaths
Valvular Insufficiency: 1 death
Vehicular Accident (Auto, Motorcycle, etc): 6 deaths
Whooping Cough: 1 death

Some of the causes of death were sad and some of the causes were surprising in that I’d never heard of them.

For instance, one of my great great uncles died of Encephalitis Lethargica. Apparently, between 1915 and 1926 there was a worldwide epidemic of the disease which attacks the brain and leaves the person in a statue-like position, speechless and motionless.¹ In both instances the Hockers died in the 1930s after having the disease for four and eleven years, respectively.

My heart hurt seeing the number of premature and stillborn babies that were born to Hocker families, including one pair of Siamese twins. Some of these children would have likely survived in neonatal wards today though they had little chance of survival in the early 20^th century.

Heart disease, renal disease, cancer and strokes seem to be the top killers amongst this group of Hockers. And heart disease and stroke are still common causes of death today.

19th Century Newspaper Death Notices

Kris Hocker on 28 Aug 2014

Newspapers can be an invaluable source of historical information to put our ancestors’ lives in context. But they can also provide direct content, such as BDM—birth, death, marriage—dates, about our ancestors, too. I have found casual, social news about family, marriage announcements, death announcements, and obituaries in newspapers where they lived during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The information provided in a newspaper can vary greatly—from the limited data of a death notice:

Died—On Tuesday last, in this borough [Harrisburg], Miss Amelia, daughter of the last Judge Henry dec’d.¹

to a short article:

During the storm of Thursday afternoon, Samuel Hocker was killed, in the vicinity of Spring Mills, Montgomery county, by lightning, while standing under a tree, with three other men. His companions were all stunned, but escaped without much injury.²

to a longer obituary:

Died—On Thursday the 3d instant, Thomas Girty, in the 90th year of his age.

The name of this veteran, and of some of his family, is associated with some of the most interesting events in the history of the first settlement of this country. Could the incidents of his life be collected they would form a valuable work, and give a proper idea of the intrepidity, enterprise, and heavy sufferings of that class of early settlers, who were formerly called Indian Hunters. Girty was born in 1731, in Shennan’s valley. He was taken prisoner with his whole family in ’55 by the Indians, and brought to Fort Kittaning, where his step father was burnt in his presence, at the stake. After this hellish transaction the four brothers and mother were sent off among the different tribes of the Northwestern Indians. Thomas Girty made his escape and fell in with General Armstrong. The rest of the family were exchanged in the year ’58 at General Forbes’ treaty.³

So, don’t discount newspapers because your ancestor wasn’t famous or a person of great importance. You might not find anything. But you might just hit the genealogy jackpot.

Will: Daniel Bobb Jr. of Washington Twp, 1866

Kris Hocker on 6 Aug 2014

Will of Daniel Bobb of Washington Township Daniel Bobb Jr., of Washington Township, Berks County, wrote his last will and testament Friday, 16 February 1866.¹ It was proven a month later, on Thursday, 15 March 1866. His wife, Ann Margaret (Herb) Bobb had predeceased him, dieing on 21 December 1865. They are both buried in Hill Church Union cemetery in Boyertown, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

In the name of God, Amen: I Daniel Bobb of Washington township in the County of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, Miller, being in feeble health, but of sound mind memory and understanding and considering the uncertainty of this transitory life do make and publish this my last will and testament in the following manner to wit:

First: It is my will and I do order that all my just debts and funeral expence by duly paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently may be after my decease.

Second: It is my will and I do order that my daughter Elizabeth shall have an advancement in money so as to be equal to the advancements heretofore made by me to all my other children.

Third: It is my will and I do order that the bond due me by Henry M Eshbach late husband of my deceased daughter Lydia if the same is not paid at my decease, shall with all interest due thereon, be deducted from the share or legacy I herein after give and bequeath to the children of said Lydia, and the Bond shall then be transferred to said children by my executors.

Fourth: I give and bequeath all my estate (not herein before otherwise disposed of) in nine equal shares to my nine children, or their heirs or legal representatives, to wit: one ninth to my son Henry, one ninth to my son Daniel, one ninth to my son John, one ninth to my son Abraham, one ninth to the children of my deceased son William, one ninth to the children of my deceased daughter Lydia, one ninth to my daughter Mary the wife of Henry Reitnauer, one ninth to my daughter Sally the wife of Jacob Christman, and one ninth to my daughter Elizabeth.

Fifth: It is my will and I do order that one ninth of my estate herein before given to the children of my deceased son William shall remain in the hands of my son Henry Bobb one of my herein after named Executors during the minority of said children, and shall by him be paid to them with interest as they respectively, arrive at the age of twenty one years.

And, Lastly: I nominate, constitute and appoint my sons Henry Bobb and Abraham Bobb to be the Executors of this my will, hereby revoking all other wills by me heretofore made & declaring this and no other to be my last will & testament. In witness whereof I have herein set my hand and seal this sixteenth day of February Anno Domini eighteen hundred & sixty six.

Daniel Bob {seal}

Signed sealed & declared by the said testator as his last will & testament in the presence of us.
Richard F Smith Dan. S. Shultz

Registers Office Berks County Ss.
On the 15th day of March A.D. 1866 appeared Richard F. Smith and Daniel S. Schultz the subscribing witnesses to the aforegoing will and being duly affirmed did depose and say that they were present and did see and hear Daniel Bob, the testator, sign, seal, publish and declare the aforegoing instrument of writing to be his last will and testament, and that at the time of so doing he was of sound mind, memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge, observation and belief.

M. S. Thirwechter, Regr.

Daniel and Anna Margaret (Herb) Bobb are my 4x great grandparents.

Will: John Frantz (Manor), 1787

Kris Hocker on 30 Jul 2014

John Frantz of Manor Township wrote his last will and testament on 3 March 1786 when he was “old but of sound understanding & memory.” It was proven on 10 February 1787 when letters testamentary were issued to his “friend” Jacob Brubaker and “son” Jacob Frantz, his executors.

John Frantz, Dec’d
In the Name of God Amen.
I John Frantz of Mannor Township in the County of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania Farmer being old but of sound understanding & memory (God by thanked) and calling to mind the mortality of my Body and Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die I therefore do hereby make my last will and Testament
First I recommend my soul into the Hands of the Almighty God who gave it and my Body to be interred in hopes of a glorious resurrection through the merits of my Redeemer Jesus Christ and as to my Worldly Estate I give and bequeath the same in manner following
First It is my Will that all my just Debts shall be paid out of my Estate
Item I bequeath unto my four sons viz John Christian Jacob and Michael their Heirs & assigns to each of their Heirs & assigns the same of Five hundred Pounds of Good money which each of them has received already in the lands which they have got of me
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth her heirs and assigns the sum of five hundred and seventy Pounds in good money in gold or silver coin which my hereafter named Executors shall pay to her as soon as it can be made up out of my estate as her own property and that on account of my having given to my sons their lands something under price
Item I further order that if when my said Daughter Elizabeth has received her sum of money then the remainder of my estate shall be divided into equal shares to my children which I hereby name viz John Christian Jacob Michael and Elizabeth and each of them shall have as much as the other and none more than the other
Item I make constitute and appoint my Friend Jacob Brubacker and my son Jacob Frantz to be my whole & sole Executors of this my Last will and Testament making hereby null and void all my former wills & Testaments declaring this and no other to be my Last will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand & seal the third day of March in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty six
sealed signed & pronounced by the said John Frantz as his last will
& testament in the presence of us Jacob Kilheffer John Kilheffer

John Frantz (seal)

Lancaster County to wit On the tenth Day of February Anno Domini 1787 Before me the subscriber Personally appeared Jacob Killhefer and John Killhefer the two subscribing witnesses to the within Instrument of writing and on their solemn affirmation according to Law did Declare affirm and say that they were present and saw and heard John Frantz the Testator within named sign seal Publish pronounce and Declare the within writing as and for his Last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he was of sound and well disposing mind memory and understanding to the best of their Knowledge observation and Belief James Jacks Regr.
Be it remembered that on the Tenth day of February Anno 1787 the Last will and Testament of John Frantz late of Mannor Township Yeoman Deceased was proved in Due form of Law and Letters Testamentary thereon were granted unto Jacob Brubaker and Jacob Frantz the Executors in the said will named they having first been duly qualified well and truly to administer the estate of the said deceased and especially to exhibit a true and perfect Inventory thereof into the Registers Office at Lancaster within one month from the Date and to to render a just and true account of their administration on said Estate within one year or when thereof Lawfully required given under the seal of said office P me James Jacks Regr.¹

Based on this last will & testament and the deeds mentioned in previous Frantz articles, Hans and Catharine Frantz of Manor Township had five surviving children (in order listed in will):

John Frantz (of Warwick), married Elizabeth Hostetter[?]
Christian Frantz (of Manheim), married Mary (___)
Jacob Frantz (of Manor & Lampeter), married Barbara Hostetter [?], married 2nd Maria (___)
Michael Frantz (of Londonderry and Lower Paxton), married Fannie Nissley
Elizabeth Frantz

Hans and Catharine Frantz of Manor Township

Kris Hocker on 18 Jul 2014

The Sons of Hans & Catharina Frantz

In my last post, I reported that based on deed research Michael Frantz of Londonderry and Lower Paxton townships was the son of Hans and Catharina Frantz of Manor Township. When Michael died two men—Jacob Frantz of Manor and Christian Frantz of Manheim—were the administrators of his estate and guardians of his underage children. Were they Michael’s brothers?

The last will and testament of John Frantz of Manor Township was proven 10 February 1787. It was a German will, recorded in Will Book Y2, so it is not available online at FamilySearch. Is there any other way to determine the names of Hans’ children?

On 18 April 1785, Hans and his wife sold 224 acres in Derry Township to his son Michael.¹ This could be part of a pattern I’ve seen fairly often in researching Lancaster County families and their land transactions—aged parents selling their land to their children in the years before their deaths. Land was wealth. So, selling to his children was a means for a father (most often) to disperse his estate exactly as he wanted while he was still alive. It also allowed him to generate an income to support himself, his wife, and possibly younger children who hadn’t yet moved out into the world.

It’s a pattern that I believe held true for Hans Frantz of Manor Township. In the years just prior to writing his will, Hans and Catharine sold several tracts of land to Christian, John, Michael and Jacob Frantz. At least three of the tracts were outside Manor Township, possibly indicating that they had been purchased specifically for their children.

Christian Frantz

On 27 December 1783, Hans and Catharine sold Christian Frantz 296 acres in Donegal Township, adjoining that of Ephraim Moore, Robert Allison, John Allison, Elizabeth Mitchell, William Bryan, and Samuel Fulton.² Hans had purchased this land from Simon Snyder on 23 August 1769.³ Christian and Mary Frantz, of Manheim Township, sold the land in Donegal on 14 May 1785 to Christian Nisle.⁴

John Frantz Jr.

On 12 March 1785, Hans and Catharina sold 175 acres in Donegal to John Frantz (the younger), of Donegal.⁵ They had purchased it from David and Grace Caldwell on 18 May 1761. This land had been patented to Patrick Allison, Grace’s father, on 20 May 1737.⁶ The following spring, on 3 May 1786, John and Elizabeth Frantz, of Warwick Township, sold this tract of land in Donegal to John Longenecker.⁷

Jacob Frantz

On 7 November 1785, Hans Frantz sold 166 acres of land in Manor Township to Jacob Frantz. This tract adjoined that of Rudy Herr, Henry Kilhover, and George Ziegler.⁸ Hans bought this land from Christian and Barbara Frantz in 1746/7.⁹ It was originally part of the Andrew Hamilton tract. It passed from Hamilton to Michael Baughman, then part of it to Christian Frantz. I believe this was likely the “mansion tract” or Manor land where Hans and Catharine resided.

While these land sales follow a pattern that seems to indicate a familial relationship between the parties, these deeds—unlike Michael’s land sale of 1790—do not specifically name Christian, John, or Jacob as the children of Hans Frantz.

However, when Jacob wrote his will on 16 April 1799, he directed that his “wife and children shall keep house together on my Plantation in Mannor township for the use of my Estate until my Eldest son John shall arrive to the age of twenty one years…”¹⁰ Furthermore, he nominated his brothers John and Christian to be his executors. On 22 January 1803, John Frantz and Christian Frantz, executors, and John Frantz, the eldest son of Jacob Frantz of Lampeter, appointed appraisers for the Manor Township property on Little Conestoga Creek, adjoining land of John Kilheffer and Rudy Herr.¹¹

In his will, Jacob left his Lampeter Township land, where he lived, to his sons Jacob and Christian. This land adjoined that of “Andrew Heller, Jacob Kreder, George Bards, Conestogo Creek and others.”¹² On 7 February 1807, Jacob Frantz of Lampeter received a mortgage on the Lampeter property from “John Frantz of Warwick Township and Christian Frantz of Manheim Township both of the county and state aforesaid,” executors of the last will and testament of Jacob Frantz, deceased.¹³

Jacob’s will and the related deeds indicate that his brothers John and Christian were of the same locations as the men who purchased land from Hans and Catharina Frantz. Additionally, Christian Frantz of Manheim was both the administrator of Michael Frantz’s estate and guardian of his daughters Mary and Elizabeth, and executor of Jacob Frantz’s will.

While there could have been multiple men of the same names in these locations, bit-by-bit I am building a case that Michael Frantz of Lower Paxton, Jacob Frantz of Manor and Lampeter, Christian Frantz of Manheim, and John Frantz of Warwick were the sons of Hans and Catharina Frantz of Manor Township.

A Father for Michael Frantz

Kris Hocker on 11 Jul 2014

I wrote about Michael Frantz of Lower Paxton Township in an earlier post, regarding his estate in 1797. Based on that research, I posited that Michael possibly had two brothers—Jacob Frantz of Manor Township and Christian Frantz of Manheim Township. They were the administrators of his estate and guardians of his minor children. So, I set out to learn more about Michael, Jacob and Christian to see if I could prove a family connection.

Michael Frantz

When he died, Michael was of Paxton Township. Working backward, I found a number of deed transactions for him. On 23 June 1793, Michael and Franey his wife sold seven acres and sixty-seven perches of land to Susanna Eaglea.¹ This was part of two tracts of land purchased by Michael Frantz and John Nissley on 15 April 1790 from Samuel and Joseph Hutchinson.² On 19 August 1790, Michael and John Nissley had divided the land they’d purchased from the Hutchinsons into two tracts of 187 acres.³ All of these deeds place Michael in Paxton Township.⁴

After Feronica’s father, John Nissly, died in 1789, the couple acknowledged the receipt of £300—£185 during his lifetime and £115 from his executor, Michael Nissley.⁵ At the time, the couple was recorded as being “of Londonderry in the County of dauphin.” Michael was taxed at Londonderry in 1787, 1786⁶, 1780⁷, and 1779.⁸

Deed records show that Michael Frantz purchased “Chestnut Hall,” a tract of 224 acres then located in Derry Township, on 18 April 1785 from Hans and Catharina Frantz of Manor Township.⁹ The deed does not specify any relationship between Michael and Hans and his wife.

However, when Michael and his wife Feronica sold this land on 6 May 1790 to George Myer, the deed named Michael as “one of his [Hans’] sons and one of the parties hereto belonging.”¹⁰ Hans had purchased this tract from John and Catharine Chestnut on 8 May 1775.¹¹ The fact that Michael was taxed in Londonderry in 1779 and 1780—before he bought it—may indicate that he was living and working this land by then, even though his father still owned it.

According to a biography of Michael A. Frantz, Michael’s grandson, Michael was “born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and in early manhood removed to Dauphin County, where he purchased a tract of land… He was highly esteemed in the community and spent the remainder of his life there.”¹² This is consistent with the deed research.

Based on this deed research, Michael Frantz was most likely the son of Hans Frantz of Manor Township. Did Hans have sons named Jacob and Christian? Check in next week as the research continues.

Category: Documents