Maternal Line – Page 3 – A Pennsylvania Dutch Genealogy

Lydia (Markley) Kline (1806-1890) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 21 Jan 2017

Lydia (Markley) Kline was born 22 October 1806 in Pennsylvania and died 8 April 1890 in Upper Hanover Township, Montgomery County, and was buried at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church in Pennsburg.¹ She married Philip Kline on 17 July 1825 in the New Hanover Lutheran Church in Gilbertsville.²

Philip Kline and Miss Markley marriage entry

According to the entry on Find A Grave for Lydia, her mother’s name was Hannah (Hartzell) Merkel (1777-1852). Hannah’s entry includes a transcription of the gravestone inscription naming her as the wife of Daniel Merkel.³

Who were Daniel and Hannah Merkel? Were they really Lydia’s parents? What evidence is there of the relationship? A connection between two entries in a database is not evidence. But it may be a lead.

Lydia died in 1890—too early for statewide or county death registration. Some counties recorded vital records before it became mandatory. However, I did not find death records for this period in Montgomery County listed on either FamilySearch’s list of vital records microfilms or the Pennsylvania State Archives’ list of microfilmed county records. So, that was out as a possible source for her parents’ names. The marriage listing didn’t even include her given name, referring to her as “Miss Markly,” let alone her parents’ names.

Since Hannah Merkel was buried in Bucks County, I decided to start with probate records in that county. I did not find an estate record for her around 1852 or so. There was a Daniel Markley who died intestate in 1823. Intestate means no will. However, since Lydia was born in 1806, she would have been only 17 in 1823. If Daniel was, in fact, her father, then there should have been Orphans Court records associated with his estate.

On 14 September 1830, Hannah Markley petitioned the Orphan’s Court to issue an inquest to partition Daniel’s property in Rockhill Township.⁴ This petition names Hannah and Daniel’s seven children as petitioners: Josiah Markly, Absalom Markly, John Markly, Benjamin Beaker [Baker] and his wife Catharine (late Markly), Philip Kline and his wife Lidia (late Markly), and Sano Markly and Hannah Markly, as represented by their guardian John Hartzel. The two lots were sold—one on 29 December 1830 to Abraham Housekeeper⁵ and the second 20 October 1831 to Daniel’s son Absalom.⁶ These Orphan’s Court records are consistent with what I know about Lydia. In 1830, she would have been 24 years-old and already married to Philip Kline.

An examination of census records for Daniel in 1810 and 1820 reveals the following households:

1810 US Census⁷

3 males, <10 [Josiah?, John?, & Absalom?, b. 1800-1810]
1 male, 26-45 [Daniel, b. 1765-1784]
2 females, <10 [Catharine?, Lydia?, b. 1800-1810]
1 female, 26-45 [Hannah, b. 1764-1784]

1820 US Census⁸

3 males, <10 [Sano?, ?, ?, b. 1810-1820]
1 male, 10-16 [Absalom?, b. 1804-1810]
1 male, 26-45 [Daniel, b. 1775-1794]
2 females, <10 [ Hannah, ?, b. 1810-1820]
1 female, 16-26 [ Catharine or Lydia?, b. 1794-1804]
1 female, 26-45 [Hannah, b. 1775-1794]

These census records are relatively consistent with what I know about Lydia, too. Given the fact that the household’s inhabitants are not named in these early census records, there is some guessing involved in identifying the inhabitants. We can’t really be sure of who is referred to by the numbers in each age group. The more we learn about the family members, the better our guessing becomes. But still…

At this point, it is plausible that Daniel and Hannah (Hartzell) Markley were Lydia’s parents. I haven’t done the due diligence to prove that there wasn’t another Philip and Lydia (Markley) Kline, but I’m reasonably sure I’ve got a possible match. I want to learn more about Daniel and Hannah’s other children. Family connections are the best way I’ve seen to locate additional evidence to prove or disprove a relationship.

So, we’ll have to see what more I can dig up. In the absence of contradictory evidence, I’m inclined to believe that I’ve found Lydia’s parents, though.

This post is part of a blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small in 2014. Participants were to write about one ancestor every week. I’m revisiting this challenge for 2017. This is my fourth 52 Ancestors post, part of week three.

Philip Kline (1799-1877) 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 14 Jan 2017

When Lydia Amanda (Kline) Witmer died, her son Horace named her parents on her death certificate as Philip Kline and Lydia Markley.¹ So, I went looking for Philip and Lydia in census records.

I found the couple together in Marlborough Township, Montgomery County in 1860² and 1870,³ and Lydia in 1880.⁴

It took a little more work to find them in 1850—the only census that could list Lydia (Kline) Witmer by name with her family prior to her marriage in 1854. For that census, I had to scroll page by page until I found the household. The census taker had written their surname as “Klaen.”⁵ The household included:

Philip, aged 51, Farmer
Lydia, aged 44
Cornelius, aged 24, Shoemaker
Ledea, aged 14
Maria, aged 9

Further research showed that Philip was born 6 March 1799 and died 30 January 1877 at 2 p.m.⁶ He was buried in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church cemetery in Red Hill, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. His wife Lydia (Markley) Kline was born 22 October 1806 and died 8 April 1890.⁷ She, too, was buried at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church cemetery. The couple was married at New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gilbertsville on 17 July 1825.⁸

Philip wrote his last will and testament on 24 December 1875.⁹ He named his “beloved wife Lydia” and five children: “son Cornelius Kline, Reuben M. Kline, Henry M. Kline… and my Daughter Eliza intermarried with Jonas Brey and Lydia intermarried with Edward Wetemer [Witmer].” He named his three sons as executors. The will was witnessed by George S. Mumbauer and William F. Reed and was proven on 7 February 1877.

Philip and Lydia (Markley) Kline had six children:

Cornelius Kline (3 Jul 1826-18 Feb 1914)
Elizabeth (Kline) Brey (15 Nov 1827-30 Oct 1917)
Reuben M. Kline (12 Dec 1832-12 Nov 1912)
Henry M. Kline (28 Apr 1834-17 Jun 1920)
Lydia Amanda (Kline) Witmer (26 Mar 1836-30 Mar 1926)
Susanna Maria Kline (15 Mar 1841-24 Dec 1853)

The Find A Grave entry for Philip Kline names his parents as Jacob Klein and Eva Heilig Klein, but that will be a post for another day.

The Early Life of Rev. Frederick Waage 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Kris Hocker on 7 Jan 2017

I’ve written before about my three times great grandfather Reverend Frederick Waage. However, I recently came across an article written about him by his son Reverend Oswin Frederick Waage (1845-1919). It was published in The Penn Germania in August 1912 and includes details regarding his early life.

Birthplace of Frederick Waage

Frederick, son of Claus Heinrich and Catharine Dorothea (Hoffmeister) Waage, was born on 17 August 1797 in Itzehoe in the Dukedom of Holstein, then part of Denmark and now Germany. He was baptized on 20 August 1797. According to his son, three of this sponsors were nobility: “General and Baron Cay von Ahlefeldt; Ernestine von Brokdorf, wife of the Private Counsellor; and the nobel lady Anna Sophia von Ranzau auf Güldenstein.”¹ His baptismal name as “Cay Frederic Sophus Waage.”

He started school early, attending a “Klipp Schule” when still a boy and learning to read. He greatly enjoyed reading and later in life accrued a large library that included not only theological literature, but also many of the great works of both fiction and non-fiction of his time in the original German or German translation.

A young Frederick Waage

From age eight, he went to the town school and was tutored “by the ‘Schreib und Rechnenmeister Nagel,’ who wore awhite powdered wig, and who was ever ready with the rod to punish misbehavior.” His next school was the Latin school in town where ear-boxing was the preferred punishment. While he applied himself eagerly to his lessons in class, he also learned from those around him in daily life. He became fluent in French due to interactions with those of Napoleon’s soldiers who were quartered in the town.

The eldest of three boys, he was the only one to survive to adulthood. By the age of fourteen, he had born the loss of his brothers and parents. An orphan, he became the ward of an uncle in Flensburg, in the north in Schleswig, in 1811. He was sent to a school there in town and boarded at an old monastery with the other students.

Flensburg 2015-08 img03 Evangelische Marienkirche.jpg

Evangelical St. Marien Church in Flensburg, Germany © A.Savin (Wikimedia Commons · WikiPhotoSpace)

On 7 April 1813, he was confirmed in the Lutheran faith at the Marienkirche (St. Mary’s Church) after receiving instruction from the Lutheran pastor Huesmann. This church is one of the main churches in Flensburg and was first mentioned in historical documents in 1284.² Today it is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

That August, at age sixteen, he went to study at the University of Kiel. The university was founded in 1665 by the Duke of Holstein-Gottorp as the Academia Holsatorum Chiloniensis.³ It was (and is) one of the oldest and most prestigious in Schleswig-Holstein.

Frederick was enrolled there for six years. “Here he applied himself strenuously to his studies, often working until two o’clock in the night. His close association with the professors of the university, and especially the influence of his pastor, the noble Claus Harms, greatly assisted him in acquiring a first class classical education, under these benign surroundings. The desire became strong to be active in some calling in which he might be a blessing to his day and generation.”⁴

A desire to see the world and avoid military service spurred him emigrate to America. In June 1819, he took leave of his homeland, booking passage on the ship Milo from Hamburg to Philadelphia. After his arrival in September, he met Rev. Jacob W. Dechant who introduced him to Rev. F.W. Geisenhainer. For two years, he studied with Geisenhainer until he could be admitted to the Lutheran Synod.

A elderly Frederick Waage

Frederick became a licentiate of the Lutheran Ministerium on 27 August 1822 and he was ordained 10 June 1828 at Reading. Between 1822 and 1829, he served in parishes in Bucks County, then Northumberland, Lycoming, and Columbia counties. In May 1829, he served the Lutheran parish that included New Goshenhoppen. Over the following years, he added churches and congregations, including a congregation at Charlestown, Scheetz’s church, Huber’s church in Montgomery County, and established at church at Ridge Valley.

He married Angelina Garber, daughter of Benjamin and Hannah (Reiner) Garber, in 1823 at Trappe Lutheran Church. They raised a family of ten children: Johanna, Charles Theodore, Angelina, Emma, Andora S., Theodora Rosalie, Franciska S., Oswin Frederick, Atha “Addie,” and Edwin Eugene, who died young.

Rev. Caius Frederic Sophus Waage (1797-1884)

Rev. Frederick Waage (1797-1884)

He retired in 1868, but continued assisting his successor, son Rev. O.F. Waage, for several years. Frederick died 23 August 1884 and was buried four days later at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Red Hill. His wife, Angelina (Garber) Waage, died 11 April 1897 and was buried with her husband. Both gravesites are marked by significant and unique gravestones.

“His independence of thought involved him in brisk controversies with leaders in his own denomination and with clergymen of other faiths, but he was held in high esteem by his congregations.“⁵

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.

How Many Interfamily Marriages Are in Your Database?

Kris Hocker on 8 Dec 2016

How many interfamily marriages do you have in your genealogy database? I currently have 79 couples. Just an interesting fun fact, right?

Not so fast. Interfamily marriage is defined as marriage between people with common ancestors, aka cousin marriage, and this is how pedigree collapse occurs.

Pedigree Collapse

What is pedigree collapse, you ask. If you count your ancestors, you should theoretically double the number for each generation you go back. Two parents. Four grandparents. Eight great-grandparents. And so on.

However, if you actually look at your family tree, the deeper you go, the less likely this calculation is to be valid.

Why?

Before too many generations, your number of many-times great-grandparents would exceed the number of all people living at that time.

So, what actually happened? Interfamily marriages.

One expert estimates that nearly 80 percent of all marriages in the past occurred between first or second cousins.¹ This means that the spouses’ ancestors appear in their descendants’ family trees multiple times. So, there are actually fewer ancestors than expected based on the simple calculation referenced above. Instead of an ever-expanding pedigree, you get points where the pedigree has collapsed.

I’ve seen this in action on both sides of my family tree. On my father’s side, I’m descended from Andrew Walker Sr. and his wife Catharine Margaret Fetzer three times through their children: John and his wife Mary Lucas, Catherine and her husband George Walker, and Mary Ann and her husband John Mayes. I am allegedly descended from Johann Michael Haudesheldt and his wife Maria Dorothea Seitel through two of their sons: Lawrence and Michael.

On my mother’s side of the family, I’m descended from Johann Michael Klein Sr. and his second wife Maria Catharina Kuntz twice through their daughter Maria Magdalena and her husband Conrad Brey, and their son Johann Jacob and his wife Eva Elisabetha Heilig. I’m descended from David Yeakel and his wife Susanna Heydrick through sons Johannes Henrich and his wife Susanna Heydrick,² and Jeremias and his wife who was a Wolf. In fact, Jeremias serves as a point of collapse, too, because I descend through two of his daughters: Charlotte who married Andrew Schultz, and Catharine who married Conrad Wolf.

Maternal line pedigree points of collapse

Yeakel and Heydrick (Heidrig) appear elsewhere in my pedigree with Rosina Yeakel, daughter of Balthasar and Regina (John) Yeakel, wife of Rev. Christopher Schultz, and Anna Heidrig who was the wife of Melchior Krauss, whose grandson Balthasar Krauss married Susanna Yeakel, daughter of Johannes Henrich and his wife Susanna Heydrick. It’s likely that if I were to trace these families back through Germany, I’d find additional points of collapse.

These are just the families I’ve found in my direct ancestry. Collateral lines have additional cousin marriages. And then there are those relations who are yet unproven. For instance, I have “Hartzel” and “Hertzel” ancestors who were said to be brothers. How many more points of collapse will I find as I go further back?

Why is This Important?

That interesting fun fact is actually useful in your research. Related families often moved and settled together. Cousin marriages one or two generations on were not uncommon. From our perspective, working backward through our family lines, these marriages may not appear to be cousin marriages. Our ancestors may or may not have known they were cousins, but we don’t. It’s only after we get back another generation or two that we finally make the connection and see the relationships.

It may not even be your line that reveals the relationship. So, if you’re stuck, researching those around your brickwall—friends, siblings, neighbors, associates—may be more help than you think. Check out the in-laws, too. Who knows, they may just be family.

Jacob Snyder of Upper Hanover Township In Search of Henry Snyder's (1792-1860) Family

Kris Hocker on 28 Nov 2016

Way back in October of 2015, I wrote a post about the search for Henry Schneider of Upper Hanover Township’s parents. Based on census research, I hypothesized that Henry was possibly the son of Jacob and Catharine (___) Snyder of Upper Hanover Township and may have had a brother named Jacob and sisters named Catharine and Elizabeth.

There were entries with a Jacob Snyder as the head of household in the 1800 through 1820 United States Federal Census enumerations. In 1830, Catharine Snyder was the head of the household, indicating that Jacob likely died sometime in between 1820 and 1830.

Searching the Orphan’s Court records for this period yielded the petition of Catharine Snyder and Henry Snyder, administrators of Jacob Snyder of Upper Hanover Township.¹ According to the petition, Jacob died intestate and left children, as follows: Henry, Jacob, Elizabeth, Catharine, Samuel, Daniel, Michael, John, Sarah, and Jonas. The youngest, Sarah and Jonas, were yet minors. The record states that Jacob’s personal estate was not enough to pay his debts and the family wanted to sell his 85 acres of land. Peter Gery and Jacob Griessemer were the sureties for the bond.

The widow Catharine went to Court to petition for a guardian for her son Jonas on 16 November 1829.² The Court appointed Michael Gery of Hereford Township, Berks County. Her daughter Sarah Snyder, who was over the age of 14, petitioned the Court to allow her to choose her guardian. She chose Conrad Brey and the Court approved him.

On 21 November 1829, Henry sold Jacob’s land to Michael Gery of Berks County for $30 per acre, totaling $2,550. Catharine and Henry presented their administration of the estate to the Court on 13 April 1831.³

Thus, in these records we not only have Jacob and Catharine Snyder, Henry’s possible parents, as members of one family, but also Jacob, Elizabeth, and Catharine, Henry’s possible siblings as named in the New Goshenhoppen Church register.⁴ In this one family, we find all the hypothesized connections found previously in other records.

There are also clues to other possible relatives in the bond sureties and guardians appointed for her two youngest children: Peter Gery, Jacob Griessemer, Conrad Brey and Michael Gery. When you consider that there was an Elizabeth Snyder the correct age to be Henry’s sister living in the Joseph Gery household in Upper Hanover Township in 1850,⁵ it is not unreasonable to conclude that there may have been a connection between this Schneider family and the Gery family of Hereford Township, Berks County. Especially, when Joseph Gery and his wife Anna sponsored a daughter of Daniel Schneider at New Goshenhoppen Church in 1834.⁶ It’s entirely possible that this Daniel was the son of Jacob and Catharine Snyder.

Furthermore, Gertraut Griesemer of Hereford Township married Jacob Gery and had children, including sons named Jacob, Peter and Michael.⁷ So, there is a connection between the Gery and Griesemer families, as well.

So, does this prove that Jacob and Catherine were Henry’s parents? I think it shows that it is a workable hypothesis, but I’d want more information before calling it “proof.” What I need to know now: Who exactly were Peter Gery, Michael Gery, Jacob Griesemer, and Conrad Brey? How were they related—if they were—to Jacob and/or Catharine? To have these men appear in these records, certainly raises a flag, indicating more research on them and their families is required. Any additional connections I find or don’t find between the families will help to prove or disprove the possibility of a familial relationship.

Henry Schneider (1792-1860) In Search of His Family

Kris Hocker on 14 Oct 2015

Based on research that I wrote about in Joseph Snyder (1826-1895)—Who’s Your Daddy?, The Greulich Farm, and Part II: The Greulich Farm, I’ve determined that Heinrich Snyder was the father of Joseph Snyder, my 3x great grandfather. Henry died intestate, but deed records state directly that Henry was the father of Joel, Joseph, Lucianna, and Sophia.¹ The farm research also showed that Henry’s wife Sarah was the daughter of Godfrey and Eva Wissler.²

But who were Henry’s parents?

Henry Snyder was enumerated in Upper Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in the 1830³ and 1840⁴ census. The only other Snyder head of household I found in Upper Hanover in those census records was Catharine Snyder in 1830.⁵ Her household was comprised of:

1 male, 10-15 (b. ca 1815-1820)
1 female, 15-20 (b. ca 1810-1815)
1 female, 30-40 (b. ca 1790-1800)
1 female, 50-60 (b. ca 1770-1780)

Since Henry was born in 1792, it’s possible that Catharine Snyder was his mother and the others his siblings—if Catharine was born in the early 1770s.

Henry’s eldest child (that I know of), Joel, was born in 1823. It’s therefore possible that Henry, aged 28, was living with his parents in 1820. Were there any Snyder families in Upper Hanover in 1820?

Yes. There were Adam Snyder⁶, Jacob Snyder⁷, and Peter Snyder.⁸ The only household with a member in the 26-44 age group is Adam, but that individual is the eldest male, indicating that it’s likely Adam himself. So, I did not find a likely candidate in a Snyder household for Henry in Upper Hanover in 1820.

However, Henry was most likely in Upper Hanover Township or the general area by 1814. A Henry and Elizabeth Schneider took communion at New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church on Easter Sunday, 10 April 1814.⁹ They also attended services on the 1st and 2nd of April in 1815. Additionally, Jacob Schneider, aged 17, Catharine Schneider, aged 16, and Sara Wisler, aged 15 1/2 were confirmed on that weekend.¹⁰ Sara Wisler, of course, was Henry’s future wife.

Do Jacob (about 22) and/or Catharine (about 21) fit as members of Adam, Jacob, or Peter’s households in 1820? Let’s look closely at each.

Adam Snyder:

1 male, <10
1 male, 10-16
1 male 26-45 [Adam]
3 female, <10
1 female, 10-16
1 female, 26-45 [Adam’s wife]

Jacob Snyder:

1 male, <10
2 males, 10-16
1 male 16-18
2 males, 16-26
1 male, 45+ [Jacob]
1 female, <10
2 females, 16-26
1 female, 45+ [Jacob’s wife]

Peter Snyder:

1 male 16-26 [Peter]
1 female, <10
1 female, 16-26 [Peter’s wife]

Both Jacob—as one of the males aged 16-26—and Catharine—as one of the females aged 16-26—fit nicely into Jacob Snyder’s household based on this census.¹¹ There aren’t any members of Adam or Peter’s households that match in age, except Adam, Peter and their wives. While that might work for Catharine—if she married a Snyder, it definitely doesn’t for Jacob.

What about previous census enumerations? In 1810 there are two Jacob Schneider households in Upper Hanover, but only one matches the 1820 household.

Jacob Schneider:¹²

4 males, <10
1 male, 10-15
1 male 16-25
1 male, 45+ [Jacob]
1 female, <10
1 female, 10-15
1 female, 26-45 [Jacob’s wife]

Jacob would have been about 12 years old in 1810 and Catharine about 11. Again, both fit—both Jacob and Catharine in the 10-15 age group. Henry would have been about 18 years old—and there is a male in Jacob’s household, aged 16-25, who fits him, too.

Jacob can also be found in Upper Hanover in 1800.¹³

3 males, <10
1 male, 26-44 [Jacob]
2 females, <10
1 female, 45+ [Jacob’s wife]

Once again, Henry (aged 8), Jacob (aged 2), and Catharine (aged 1) would all fit as members of this household.

Godfrey Wissler is found in Upper Hanover Township starting in 1790 when he purchased land through 1829 when his estate was probated. So we know his daughter, born in 1799, lived in the township her whole life. Given these census records, it’s possible that Henry did, too.

So, what does this mean? Does it prove that Jacob was Henry’s father and Catharine his mother?

No. The census records are suggestive of a possible relationship, but do not prove one. This is one of the difficulties with working with census records. Even if the record names all of the household members, it wasn’t until 1880 that each person’s relationship to the head of household was noted in the enumeration.

In this case, working with pre-1850 census records, only the head of household is named. We need to guesstimate who the household members could have been using the number of people in each age range. When we don’t know who the members of the family were, this means we have a number of holes to fill in.

Check back to see what I can find.

Part II: The Greulich Farm Connecting Five Generations with Deeds & Probate Records

Kris Hocker on 5 Oct 2015

In my last post about the Greulich farm, I compared the metes and bounds from two documents—Henry Snyder’s 1830 mortgage and Henry D. Snyder’s 1899 deed—and determined that there was a significant overlap between the two. While searching for a photo to use for the post, I found additional deeds to examine.

Having now looked through these deeds, I’ve been able to put together a timeline for the property, as follows:

Godfried Wissler wrote his last will and testament 3 April 1825 and it was proven on 21 October 1829.¹ He wrote: “It is my will and I do order that my real estate shall be sold by my Executors on public sale…”
On 2 April 1830, Jacob Stoyer, administrator of Godfried Wissler’s will sold Henry Snyder 62 acres 40 perches.²
On 1 April 1857, Henry Snyder sold 59 acres 128 perches to his son Joseph Schneyder.³
On 3 April 1861, Joseph Schneyder and his wife Judith sold this same tract to her first cousin Nathaniel Deischer of Hereford Township, Berks County.⁴ Henry Snyder’s mortgage on the original property was paid off on 3 April 1861, so it appears Joseph and Judith sold the land in order to pay the debt.⁵
On 24 March 1866, Nathaniel Deischer and Lydia his wife sold the 59 acres 89 perches to John Rooks of Warren County, New Jersey.⁶
On 20 February 1869, John Rook and his wife Cheretta sold 59 acres 89 perches to Addy Ziegler of Marlborough Township, Montgomery County.⁷
On 8 April 1869, Henry Hartman and Caroline his wife sold 16 acres 128 perches to Addy Ziegler.⁸ This was formerly part of the land of Thomas Lynch.
On 8 April 1875, Addy Ziegler and Elizabeth his wife sold 59 acres 89 perches and 16 acres 128 perches to Elias H. Hoch of Upper Hanover Township.⁹
On 29 March 1877, Elias H. Hoch and his wife Lavinia sold 59 acres 84 perches (part of the two adjoining tract purchased from Ziegler) to Joseph Schneider of Upper Hanover Township.¹⁰
Joseph Snyder wrote his last will and testament on 10 July 1894, which states “All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real, personal and mixed, whatever and wherever, I order and direct to be converted into money as soon as the same can conveniently be done after my decease.”¹¹ He died 4 November 1895 and his will was proven on 7 December 1895.
Joseph Snyder’s executors, Henry D. Snyder and Amandus Snyder, sold 55 acres and 84 perches (except 40 square perches) to their brother Mahlon Snyder on 1 April 1899.¹²
On 1 July 1899, Mahlon Snyder sold 55 acres 84 perches (except 40 square perches) to Henry D. Snyder.¹³
On 22 August 1928, Henry and Saraphine Snyder sold 55 acres 84 perches to their son-in-law and daughter, Elmer and Lillian Greulich.¹⁴

Thus, I can prove—thank you, Snyder and Greulich ancestors for holding onto all those deeds!—the land descended from Godfried Wissler to his son-in-law Henry Schneider to his son Joseph Schneider, then through other hands until most of it was bought back by Joseph Schneider in 1877, then eventually to his son Henry Deischer Snyder.

Can we go back further? Let’s find out.

The Greulich Farm Using Deeds to Prove Henry Snyder Was Joseph Snyder's Father

Kris Hocker on 28 Sep 2015

When I last wrote about Joseph Snyder, I was on the trail of his father and believed he was the same Henry Snyder whose mortgage indenture I had in my possession. The 1850 census for Henry Snyder of Upper Hanover Township included Henry, Sarah, Joel, Joseph, Louisa Anna, and Sophie Schnider.¹ Although I can infer a relationship between the household members, it is not directly indicated in this record.

I also postulated that Joseph Snyder received his father’s farm sometime before Henry’s death. Based on the metes and bounds as outlined in Henry Snyder’s mortgage, it sounded like the location of the farm that I’ve always known as the “Greulich farm” which was located just outside East Greenville in Upper Hanover Township, diagonally opposite the New Goshenhoppen Church. Since I have two deeds—one for Henry Snyder’s farm and one for the farm my great great grandfather Henry Deischer Snyder purchased from his father’s estate—I figured I would compare the metes and bounds to determine once and for all if they were the same farm.

Henry Snyder farm Upper Hanover Township

Henry Snyder’s farm

Henry Snyder (1830)

Henry Snyder purchased 62 acres from Jacob Stoyer, the administrator of Godfrey Wissler’s estate.² Godfrey Wissler was Henry’s father-in-law.³

Henry and Sarah Snyder sold pieces of this land in 1839 (to Peter Strunk⁴) and 1850 (to George Gery⁵ and George Seasholtz⁶). These sales totaled about 7 acres.

Henry D. Snyder (1899)

Henry D. Snyder (aka Greulich) farm

Joseph Snyder died in 1895. His sons Henry D. and Amandus D. Snyder served as executors of his last will and testament, proven 7 December 1895, which required that his land be sold and the proceeds divided into seven equal shares and divided amongst: Henry, Irwin, Clement, Amandus, Mary, Sally, and Ida.⁷ On 1 April 1899, Henry and Amandus sold 55 acres to Mahlon Snyder.⁸ On 1 July 1899, Mahlon and his wife Clara sold 55 acres to Henry D. Snyder, except 40 square perches that Henry and Amandus sold to the Upper Hanover school district.⁹

The northwest sections of these maps, I believe, are a very close match—likely with miscellaneous additions to and subtractions from the original tract between 1839 and 1899.

This farm was in Henry’s possession until his death in 1931 when it passed to his only child Lillian Witmer (Snyder) Greulich. It passed to her only child, Russ, after her death in 1949. The remains of the house and farm buildings can be seen on Google Maps’ satellite image along School House road, up to the corner with Third Street and Church Road.

Joel and Joseph Snyder

On 13 May 1861, the spring following Henry Snyder’s death, Joel Snyder and his wife Catharine and Joseph Snyder and his wife Judith sold a piece of land in East Greenville to Lucianna Mock, widow, and Sophia Schneider, spinster.¹⁰ This deed states that Henry Schneider died intestate with four children: Joel, Joseph, Lucianna intermarried with Peter Mock (now deceased), and Sophia, and that Joel and Joseph had agreed to sell the plot to their sisters.

Evidence doesn’t get much clearer than this. Joel, Joseph, Lucianna, and Sophia were the children of Henry Schneider of Upper Hanover Township. Thus, the 1850 census entry for Henry shows him, his wife, and their children.

Either Henry sold his farm to Joseph prior to his death or Joseph’s siblings sold it to him after his death. I haven’t found a deed or other reference to this transfer, but the deed maps show that the land Joseph’s sons sold after his death contain at least part of the original land that Henry Snyder purchased in 1830 from his father-in-law’s estate. In 1860, Joseph owned $5000 worth of real estate¹¹, his father only $1500¹², and brother only $1,000.¹³ Joseph was a farmer in 1860, and this—with the value of his real estate—indicates to me that he already owned a farm by 1860. It seems probable that it was his father’s farm.

Addendum

In looking for the photo I’ve used as the feature image for this post, I found a treasure trove of family deeds. Check in next time to see what they tell me.

52 Ancestors: Lillian (Snyder) Greulich (1879-1947)

Kris Hocker on 3 Sep 2014

Lillian Witmer Snyder

Lillian Witmer Snyder, daughter of Henry D. and Saraphine K. (Witmer) Snyder, was born 26 October 1879 in Marlborough Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. In 1880, her family was living adjacent Saraphine’s parents Edward and Lydia (Kline) Witmer.¹ Both Henry and Saraphine were working as tailors, as was Saraphine’s mother, Lydia.

Lillian’s grandfather, Joseph Snyder, died on 4 November 1895. Her father and uncle Amandus were the executors of Joseph’s will. They sold Joseph’s farm to their brother Mahlon for $2700. He and his wife Clara, then, sold the farm to Henry, minus 40 square perches for himself.² The family was likely living there in 1900 with Henry’s mother, Judith.³ Henry was listed as a farmer. Lillian was aged 20, working as a dressmaker.

Elmer and Lillian (Snyder) Greulich (c 1901)

Lillian married Elmer Calvin Greulich on 21 September 1901 in East Greenville.⁴ At the time, they were both 21 years of age. Lillian was working as a teacher and Elmer was a cigarmaker. The school building where she taught was located across from the New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church and adjacent to her father’s farm.

Lillian and Elmer’s only child—Russell Roy Greulich—was born Saturday, 23 July 1910 when the couple was living in Upper Hanover Township, just outside East Greenville.⁵ In 1922 when he was 12, the family moved to Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where they stayed.

Elmer Greulich (1880-1947) and Lillie W. (Snyder) Greulich (1879-1949)

Elmer died Friday, 10 January 1947 in Lansdale of a coronary occlusion.⁶ He’d been blind and bedridden due to diabetes for several years before he died. He was buried on Thursday, 16 January 1947 at New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church cemetery. He was survived by his widow, a son, three grandchildren, three sisters, and a brother.

Lillian died Sunday, 13 February 1947 in Sellersville Hospital of acute left ventricular heart failure.⁷ She was buried with her husband on Thursday, 17 February.

This post is part of an ongoing, blogging challenge entitled 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, created by Amy Crow of No Story Too Small. Participants must write about one ancestor every week. This is my twenty-first 52 Ancestors post and part of week thirty-five.

Tag: Maternal Line