Mystery Monday: Christopher Hocker (1772—?)

Kris Hocker on 17 Sep 2012

Another family mystery, yet another man named Christopher (or Christian)!

Christopher Hocker was born about 1772 at Erdenheim, Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania to Johan Georg and Anna Margaretha (Weidman) Hocker.1 He most likely had a fairly privileged upbringing as his father owned a sizable estate just outside Germantown. George Hocker was a trustee at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Germantown and was involved in the creation of the Union Church in Whitemarsh Township.

Christopher married well, selecting as his bride Catherine Daub, daughter of Henry Daub Sr. of Montgomery County. They were married at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church on 10 Apr 1792.2 Henry Daub Sr. built the Sandy Run hotel, later known as the Clifton House, in 1801 and owned and operated the mill just opposite the hotel.3

Christopher appears in the tax lists of Whitemarsh Township from 1793 through 1800 when his name was crossed out.4 He likely had at least two children born during this time period. Samuel and Elizabeth Hocker, of Christoph Hocker and wife, were baptized on 31 Mar 1809.5 Samuel was 16 years old (born circa 1793) and Elizabeth was 17 years old (born circa 1792).

In 1805, Daub sold the tavern and 25 acres of his Sandy Run property to his son-in-law Christopher Hocker.6 According to deed records, Christopher (Innkeeper) purchased a lot in Whitemarsh Township from the daughters of Jacob Edge on 1 Apr 1807.7 On 5 Apr 1808, Christopher (Farmer) and Catharine Hocker sold this land to Daniel Hitner.8

Apparently, Christopher was not successful as a tavern-keeper. In 1808, he also gave up the property he’d purchased from his father-in-law to assignees John Wentz, George Price, and Samuel Maulsby. According to family legend, Christopher found himself in debt and fled to Ohio.9 There, Christopher Hocker supposedly had a child, George Washington Hocker, born on 16 Aug 1814, supposedly with a second wife.10 I have yet to find record of Christopher in Ohio or the name of his second wife.

If Christopher did remarry, it was apparently done without a divorce from or the death of his first wife Catharine. Henry Daub’s will, written 19 Jun 1813 and proved 3 Aug 1816, refers to his daughter Catharine as the wife of Christopher Hocker.11 I believe she was alive and quite possibly living with her mother in Whitemarsh Township in 1830.12 She is still referred to as the wife of Christian Hocker as of Aug 1836 when John Hocker, her nephew, was appointed as her trustee in her father’s estate proceedings.13 I have not found her in the 1850 census, nor have I found a death date or place, but it is quite possible that she died prior to 1855 when the estate was finalized.14

Christopher was named as one of the surviving children in his father’s estate files in 1821.15 The 1823 auditor’s report mentions a bond to Christopher Hocker that was “more than his share.”16 There is no location given for Christopher in these files, nor is there any indication that he appeared in court in person during the proceedings.

So, while I may not know where Christopher was in 1821 and 1823, at least I know he was still alive. I’ve still got a lot to find before I can solve this mystery. If you’ve any suggestions or clues, please, please, please send them my way!

Update: Catharine (Daub) Hocker died 13 April 1841 and was buried in the Union Church graveyard in Whitemarsh Township.

Footnotes

  1. Christopher Hocker entries, “Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County Tax Lists 1785-1847,” microfilm; Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of County Governments, Records Group 47, Roll 2527; The fact that he appears in the 1793 tax list means that he was aged 21 years or over. That places his birth by 1772. ↩
  2. John Linn and W.H. Egle, editors, “Marriage Records of St. Michael’s and Zion Church, Philadelphia, 1745-1800,” Pennsylvania Archives, 2nd Series, Volume IX (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: E.K. Meyers, 1890), page 442, digital image, Fold3, (http://www.fold3.com/image/#246|3074818 : viewed Jul 2012). ↩
  3. William A. Yeakle, “Whitemarsh,” Historical Sketches: A Collection of Papers, page 44, online, Google (http://www.google.com : accessed 10 Sep 2012); citing Historical Society of Montgomery County, Historical Sketches: A Collection of Papers prepared for the Historical Society of Montgomery County (Norristown, PA: Herald Printing and Binding Rooms, 1895), Volume 1. ↩
  4. Christopher Hocker entries, “Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County Tax Lists 1785-1847,” microfilm; Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of County Governments, Records Group 47, Roll 2527. ↩
  5. Frederick S. Weiser and Debra D. Smith, Compiler and Editor, St. Michael’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Germantown, Pennsylvania (Rockport, Maine: Picton Press, 1998), page 226. ↩
  6. Montgomery County Historical Society, History of Hatfield township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, Chapter XXXV (location unknown: publisher unknown, date unknown), page 87. ↩
  7. Ann Tompkins et al to Chrisn Hocker (1814), Montgomery County Deed Book 30:100, microfilm, Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of County Governments, Records Group 47, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. ↩
  8. Chris Hocker to Daniel Hitner (1814), Montgomery County Deed Book 30:94, microfilm, Pennsylvania State Archives, Records of County Governments, Records Group 47, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. ↩
  9. Montgomery County Historical Society, History of Hatfield township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, Chapter XXXV (location unknown: publisher unknown, date unknown), page unknown. ↩
  10. “George Washington Hocker Family Bible,” owned by Rahn G. Brackin. ↩
  11. Thera Schwenk-Hammond, contributor, “Wills: Abstracts 1813-1817: Will Book 4: Montgomery Co, PA”, Montgomery County USGenWeb Archives, (http://files.usgwarchives.org/pa/montgomery/wills/willbk4.txt : accessed 10 Sep 2012). ↩
  12. Christianna Daub household, 1830 United States Federal Census, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Whitemarsh Township, page 387, line 10, digital image; Internet Archive, “Population schedule of the fifth census of the United States, 1830, Pennsylvania” (http://archive.org/stream/populationsc18300154unit#page/n737/mode/1up : accessed 9 Jan 2012); citing National Archives micropublication M19, roll 154; There are two females in Christina Daub’s household in 1830: one aged 60-70 and one aged 80-90. Catherine would have been 59 years old. ↩
  13. Pennsylvania County Probate Clerks, “Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994,” County Clerks, Pennsylvania, digital images; FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 6 Jul 2012), Guardians for Catharine Hocker, Molly Everhart and Christian Cress, Aug 1836 term; citing Montgomery County Orphans Court Book: 7:2. ↩
  14. Pennsylvania County Probate Clerks, “Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994,” County Clerks, Pennsylvania, digital images; FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 6 Jul 2012), Abraham Heydrick Trustee for Molly Everhart for discharge, May 1855 term; citing Montgomery County Orphans Court Book: 12:329-331. ↩
  15. Pennsylvania County Probate Clerks, “Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994,” County Clerks, Pennsylvania, digital image; FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 5 Jul 2012), George Hocker, citing Montgomery County Administration Record Index. ↩
  16. Pennsylvania County Probate Clerks, “Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994,” County Clerks, Pennsylvania, digital image; FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 27 Aug 2012), George Hocker, April 1823 term, citing Montgomery County Orphans Court Book 4:336. ↩

Cite This Page:

, "Mystery Monday: Christopher Hocker (1772—?)," A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy, the genealogy & family research site of Kris Hocker, modified 24 Mar 2018 (https://www.krishocker.com/mystery-monday-christopher-hocker-1775/ : accessed 2 Nov 2024).

Content copyright © 2018 Kris Hocker. Please do not copy without prior permission, attribution, and link back to this page.

2 Replies to “Mystery Monday: Christopher Hocker (1772—?)”

  1. Kris 16 Aug 2013 at 10:52 am

    Marilyn, to the best of my knowledge, George Hocker sold all of his Lancaster County land prior to settling on Erdenheim in Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania where he died on 14 Oct 1821.

    He and his wife had 10 children:
    1. Johan George Hocker Jr. m. Mary Killenger/Kittenger
    2. Johannes Hocker m. Elizabeth Mason
    3. Martin Hocker m. Ann Mason
    4. Johan Adam Hocker m. Ann Dillet
    5. Elizabeth Hocker m. Henry Scheetz
    6. Jacob Hocker, d. at age 7
    7. Christopher Hocker m. Catharina Daub
    8. Jacob Hocker m. Sarah (___)
    9. Sarah Hocker, d. at age 17

  2. marilyn ford 28 Jul 2013 at 7:09 pm

    I am trying to locate who Johan GEORGE Hocker died c 1821/22 sold his land to in Clay Township, Lancaster Co., Penn. He owned 301 1/4 acres plus allowances. His land was next to his brother’s, Johan Adam Hocker. I have the land draft deed for both. and have located the land in Penn today.
    I have these children for George. Martin, Adam, Christopher, Elizabeth, Margaret who were living when George died. He also had children: George Jr., John and Jacob who had died.
    I have a marraige for Elizabeth Hocker (1769-1822) who married Henry Scheetz/Sheets Jr. (1761/1764 to 1848. Henry had DAR records and other family info. Eliz. married 2nd to William Acuff after Henry and had a daughter by him named Margaret Acuff. I have 2 children for Henry and Eliz.
    I have that George Hocker Jr. had a daughter, Anna who married Henry Daub. George Hocker Jr. married Mary ??. A Martin Kindig sold land to George Hocker Jr. in 1797 in Clay township.
    I am hoping to find out if any of George Hocker’s children got his land when he died or who did. Henry Sheetz was born and died in Montgomery Co, Penn as well.

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