The following has been condensed from Paul Swan's "Hartzell Chapter" (see INTRODUCTION above).

Hans George Hirtzel came to America with his 11-year old son Hans Jacob in 1727 on the ship William & Sarah. Hinke's interpretation of the "4" and "2" as persons seems to be incorrect. There is a Palatine Project web page, 1727 William & Sarah, http://www.palproject.org/pa/1727w&s.htm, which interprets these numbers as "freights", with an adult being one freight and a child counting as half. Thus the 4 for Hans Georg works out fairly well when interpreted as himself, his wife, and four children, but Johann Leonard, a babe in arms when they embarked, seems to have qualified for free passage. See the History section for the conditions of a trip like this.

Hans Georg Hirtzel was christened 30 May 1686 in Reihen, near Sinsheim, Baden, The Palatinate and died after 12 Nov 1747 in Lower Saucon, Bucks, now Northampton, Pennsylvania.

Hans Georg and Anna Margaretha married before 1714 in Reihen.

Anna Margaretha was born about 1690 in Reihen, Duchy of Baden, The Palatinate, the daughter of Jacob Conrad, and died after 1726.

Hans Georg emigrated from The Palatinate, arriving in Philadelphia by 14 Sep 1727 on the William and Sarah, William Hill, Master, from Rotterdam by way of Dover.

Patrick Gordon, Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, informed the Council on that date that "here is lately arrived from Holland a Ship with four hundred Palatines, as tis said", and said he had information they would very soon be followed "by a much greater Number, who design to settle in the back parts of this province". In order to prevent their continuing as "a distinct people from his Majesties Subjects", the Council decided that registration was necessary. They ordered that the masters of the ships provide a list of the names of those they imported, and that the male passengers sign a document declaring allegiance to the King, fidelity to the Proprietary of the province, and obedience to its laws and the laws of Pennsylvania. Thus this ship bears the distinction of being the first to arrive in Philadelphia for which records of passengers were taken.

Hans Georg settled first in an area some thirty miles north of Philadelphia. Soon afterward, by a decree of the court in 1728, this area was organized as Salford township, Philadelphia county. Some three years later, Hans Georg's name appears on a Petition for the establishment of part of that township as a new township, Franconia, the decree being entered in the Court of Philadelphia 31 Mar 1731. (Over fifty years later, Montgomery county was erected out of Philadelphia county to encompass these townships on the border of Bucks county.) This petition is the only record we have of Hans Georg in that location, but neither Price nor Roach examined deeds or other Philadelphia county records, and a search may identify just where he lived, and for how long. The location of this township, and others of the area where the immigrant Hertzel relatives located, is shown below.

Hertzel Immigrants in Southeastern Pennsylvania

On 23 Apr 1735 Hans Georg was granted a warrant for the survey of 300 acres, on the east branch of Saucon Creek, to which he gave the name "Partnership". This was located some twenty miles north in Bucks county. Very late in life he conveyed half of this property to his son-in-law Philip Schlauch, soon after he had conveyed the first half to Nicholas Transue. Nicholas was presumably the other man in the "Partnership", but we don't have any other records to indicate the relationship between the two men.

The actual survey of the land, by Nicholas Scull for "George Hatzell", was not made until 24 Dec 1737. Two weeks before, land to the west of his had been surveyed by Schull for his son Hans Georg, Jr., and in later years land just to the north was warranted and surveyed to his sons Jacob and Leonard, and his son-in-law Philip Schlauch. These must have been attractive farm lands then, but all are now covered by the slag dump of the Bethlehem Steel Company. The surveys of these lands south of the Lehigh River and north of the Hellertown road are shown on a map by Roach [1966].

By the end of May 1738 George and his neighbors needed a better way to get to the lower part of Bucks county. They submitted a petition to the County Court of Quarter Sessions, in which they "humbly begg the fawour you would please to take into Consideration that there might be a Road laid out ower Tohickon beginning at the Recorded Road att Thomas Morris fence in Hill Town & from thence to Nathaniel Irish mill att the mouth of Saugh Coung [Saucon]". This petition was accepted by the Court for what eventually became the Old Bethlehem Road, which turned out to need successive improvements over the years. Hans Georg and his sons signed most of the numerous petitions, and from one, dated March 1743, Roach reproduces his signature.

In June 1742 the settlers "on and near Sawcum being desirous to have a Township laid out" again wrote up a petition. In September a constable, George Marsteler was appointed, and in March 1743 a plan of Lower Saucum township was approved by the court. This was still Bucks county 12 Nov 1747 when Hans Georg, then aged 61, sold the southern half of his land to his son-in-law Phillip Schlauch, husband of Anna Margaretha. Since, as is mentioned in that deed, he had already conveyed the northern half to his original partner, and so divested himself of his entire estate, Hans Georg died without a will or any court recorded actions. Consequently, neither the date of his death nor his place of burial are known.

It should be mentioned here that there were others of this family name who immigrated to Pennsylvania over the next few years who are not known to be relatives of Hans Georg, but may well have been. George and Ludwig Hertzel were on the Thistle, qualifing 29 Aug 1730. Conradt, Jacob (Hans Georg had a brother Johann Jacob), and Jacob, Junr. Hertzel were on the Enterprise and qualified 8 Dec 1738. Matthias Hirtzel was on the Snow Betsey, qualifying 27 Aug 1739, and others came in 1750 and later. Coincidently, the Snow Betsey was the ship which brought over Hans Georg's nephew Hans Melchoir in 1742.

Roach [1966] says that Anna Margaretha's father Jacob was of Ittlingen. The Martin Conrad who bought half of the "Partnership" plantation of Hans Georg, after it had been purchased by Philip Schlaugh, might have been her cousin or nephew. As discussed above, it is uncertain as to whether Anna Margaretha died before or after the family came to America. The Hans Leonard Conrad who came in 1732 on the Pennsylvania with her future daughter-in-law Barbel Ritter might well, also, have been a relative, and research on the Conrads in this part of Pennsylvania might provide a lead to her ancestry in The Palatinate.

The five children of Hans Georg and Anna Margaretha (Conrad) Hirtzel were Hans Georg, Hans Jacob, Anna Margaretha, Johann Dietrich "Rudi?" and Johann Leonard.

Hans Georg Hertzel, b 8 Sep 1714 in Reihen and d 21 Jan 1762 in Easton, Northhampton, Pennsylvania. Hans Georg was married before 1737 in Pennsylvania to Catharina ____ b 3 Mar 1713, d in Lower Saucon, Bucks, Pennsylvania, and was buried in Lower Saucon}. He was married after 1751 to Brendel ____.

Hans Jacob Hertzel, our ancestor, was born 16 Apr 1716. (See below.)

Anna Margaretha Hertzel, chr 17 Apr 1719 in Reihen and d after 1781. Anna Margaretha was married about 1737 to Philip Schlauch (1) {d in 1755}. She was married 29 Jun 1756 in Lower Saucon, Northampton, Pennsylvania to Philip Daniel Gross (2) {b about 1727}.

Johann Dietrich "Rudi?" Hertzel, chr 31 Oct 1722 in Reihen and d before 16 Nov 1779. Johann Dietrich "Rudi?" m Catharina ____. In the communion record at St. Paul's Lutheran (Blue) Church in Upper Saucon township, in Nov 1753, it was noted that Johann Dietrich was blind.

Johann Leonard Hertzel, chr 29 Nov 1726 in Reihen. Johann Leonard was married 6 Apr 1747 to Anna Maria Frantz.

The following has been condensed from Paul Swan's "Hartzell Chapter" (see INTRODUCTION above).

Hans Jacob Hertzel came to America as an 11-year old with his father in 1727 on the ship William & Sarah. Hinke's interpretation of the "4" and "2" as persons seems to be incorrect. There is a Palatine Project web page, 1727 William & Sarah , which interprets these numbers as "freights", with an adult being one freight and a child counting as half. Thus the 4 for Hans Georg works out fairly well when interpreted as himself, his wife, and four children, but Johann Leonard, a babe in arms when they embarked, seems to have qualified for free passage. See the History section for the conditions of a trip like this.

Hans Jacob was christened 16 Apr 1716 in Reihen, Baden, The Palatinate. He died 11 Feb 1781 in Bethlehem Twp., Northampton, Pennsylvania, and was buried in Dryland Cemetery, Northampton, Pennsylvania.

Hans Jacob and Barbel "Barbara" married about 1743 in Northampton, Pennsylvania.

Barbel "Barbara" was born 26 Apr 1721 in The Palatinate, the daughter of ____ Ritter. She died 7 Dec 1807 in Pennsylvania, and was buried in Dryland Cemetery.

Hans Jacob and his wife apparently lived on his father's homestead, at least until it was sold to Philip Schlauch in 1747. On 13 May 1749 Jacob obtained a warrant for fifty acres to the north and east of his brother Goerge, Jr.'s land, and bounded on the east by that of his brother Johann Leonhard and Philip Schlauh.

Hans Jacob moved about 1755 to Bethlehem Township in the recently erected Northampton county with his brother-in-law Casper Ritter. His land lay on the west side of the road from Bethlehem to Nazareth where the road to Easton crossed it. In the fall of 1763 he, together with John Sandy (Santee), signed articles of association for defense against the Indians. John's son John Jr. married a niece of Hans Jacob, Maria Magdalena Gross, daughter of Anna Margaretha Hertzel.

Hans Jacob was assessed there 1766 as an innkeeper and farmer, with an estate of 50 acres cleared and 110 acres uncultivated rated at £20. By 1772 he had given the inn over to his son Jonas, and worked only as a farmer [Roach, 1966]. They were taxed that year £5 and £1, as a farmer and a laborer, so why the inn was not taxed explicity is unknown. His brother, Jonas, however, was taxed as an innkeeper that year, so the transfer to Jacob, Jr. is somewhat problematial.

There were also taxed that year in Bethlehem a George Hertzel and an Adam Hertzel, both farmers, whose relationships to the family have not been identified. Possibly that same Adam was taxed 1785, 86, and 88 in Forks township, Northampton county, on 180 acres of land, as our Adam, grandson of Hans Jacob, had by that time had moved with his father to York county. The FHL IGI has some badly garbled records which seem to identify an Adam Hartzell, son of George, whose will was written 21 Feb 1757, and a Johann Adam Hertzel and Anna Maria Clara Schlauch who had a son Adam Hertzel christened 24 Sep 1780 in Hecktown, Lower Nazareth, Northampton county, or 24 Sep 1789 in Dryland Reformed Lutheran in Bucks.

Hans Jacob's will, drawn 3 Jan 1781 and proved 6 Apr 1781, left his house and 260 acres to Barbara for life or widowhood. After that the estate was to be divided among his eight children.

Barbel emigrated Sep 1732 from The Palatinate with others of her family.

The names and birth dates of the children in this family are as given by Jonas in his 1816 letter (see below), and used in the "Hartzell Ancestral Line", except that Jonas names the second twin only as "Malley". His information is extended by Roach, who cites the original baptismal records for most of the children. She clearly did not have access to Jonas' letter, however, as she had no birth dates for a few of the children, and was in error for that of Jonas.

The eight children of Hans Jacob and Barbel "Barbara" (Ritter) Hertzel were Jonas, Johann Philip, Jacob, Regina, Christina, Elizabeth, Anna Maria "Malley" and John.

Jonas Hertzel (Hartzell), b 26 Feb 1741 and d 1824 in Allentown, Lehigh, Pennsylvania. Jonas was married about 1763 to Catharina Sendi (Santee) { was dtr of Valentin and Maria (____) Sendi. She d 9 May 1804}. He was married 22 Apr 1810 to Margaret Grube {b 20 Nov 1747 and d 22 Apr 1817}. Jonas m Susanna ____ { d after 1824}. Jonas was confirmed at "Lohr Sacconheim" on Pentacost, 1757, and eleven years later was treasurer of the church. In 1772 he was taxed £3 12sh in Bethlehem township as an innkeeper, and in 1786 as a tavernkeeper. He was probably the most public figure of the family, rising to political prominence as a member of the Committee of Correspondence in 1776, sheriff 1779, and Assemblyman 1781 through 1783. He was in 1789 elected to the Supreme Executive Council, served again as sheriff in 1790, and was a justice of peace in the county.
The 1816 letter: On 6 Oct 1816 Jonas wrote a letter to his brother Philip who was at that time in Rocky Mount, Franklin, Virginia. This letter, dated at Allentown, is two legal size pages long. The first page starts off by chiding Philip for not writing since "25 august 1813 - which Letter was delivered to our Brother John Hartzell By the same man that you gave it to". There was no organized postal delivery service which could be depended upon to take a letter from Virginia to Pennsylvania. It then goes on to provide a chatty account of various items of family news, and says that their brother John will send Philip's share due from their mother "as sun as the Bank notes of the united States will be in Circulation". JDH: The letter can be seen at www.jdhartsell.com.
The second page of Jonas' letter is almost entirely a genealogy of the family. Jonas mentions first the death dates of their parents, then gives the birth dates of all of the children of the family, with a calculation of the intervals between each birth. He then copies a "memorandom given By me Jonas Hartzell to my son Isaac & his Sons it Being from Jonas and philips grand father, down to our grand Children in the mail Blod down to the present fifth generation - to Jonas and philip Hartzels grand Children". He then lists "old george" and his son Jacob, both born in Germany, and gives the years of their birth and death. Then himself, "as god pleases yet Living in the year of our Lord 1816". Finally, he lists the dates of birth of his son Isaac and grandson Thomas.
At the end of the letter he says that he has sent this to Isaac to be "Entered in his Bible for our great grand Children", and requires that Philip must also send a copy "to your oldest son adam & then his sons if any". This provides the only documentary evidence we have that our ancestor Adam is the son of Johann Philip Hartzell.

Johann Philip Hertzel (Hartzell), our ancestor, b 20 Apr 1743. (See below.)

Jacob Hertzel, b 20 Aug 1745 and d Jun 1818. Jacob was married about 1770 to Maria Catharina Klein {was dtr of Gerlach Klein. She d after 1818}. Jacob was named in his father's will, and was surely the Jacob, Jr. assessed in Bethlehem townhip in 1772. He moved to York county where his brother Philip lived, but was in Unity township, Westmoreland county in western Pennsylvania, when he died intestate in June 1818.
Jacob was as a member of the third class of the inhabitants of Berwick township's federal army quota 30 Jan 1781. No record of actual service at that time has been found. However, Jacob did see service as a private in a detachment of the fourth class of the county militia that year. He spent the two months from 16 Jul to 16 Sep guarding prisoners of war at Camp Security, for which he received £5 pay and £5.10 bounty. He was also listed as a private in the eighth company of Captain Peter Ickes, Seventh Battalion of the York County Militia, in the spring of 1785.
Jacob Hartsell, wheelwright of Berwick township, had five inhabitants in his house in 1783. He had 1 house, 1 outhouse, 1 lot, and 1 horned cow worth a total of £36 on which he was taxed 15 shillings.

Regina Hertzel, b 17 Dec 1747 and d 5 Oct 1823. Regina was married about 1763 to Johannes "John" Sendi (Santee). John first appeared in Lower Saucon on the assessment roles of 1761, and by 1763 he was in that part of Bethlehem township which became Lower Nazareth. That year with Jacob Hertzel he was a member of the Easton militia along with Valentine Sandy, father of Catharine who married Jonas Hertzel. In September 1776 John was commissioned Captain in the Norhampton County Associators, and was ordered in December to march to the Flying Camp with his company. Under the Militia Act of 1777, he served as Captain in the Sixth Battalion, and later in the Second. The records show that Philip Schlauch was his sergeant in 1780, and his son Adam, along with Adam Ritter, were privates in his company. His final residence was on the west side of the Bethlehem-Nazareth Road on land adjoing Jonas Hertzel's.

Christina Hertzel, b 5 Sep 1750. Christina was confirmed at Tohickon Reformed in 1766.

Elizabeth Hertzel, b 9 Sep 1758. Elizabeth was baptised at Tohickon Reformed 10 Oct 1758, her uncle Henry Ritter and his wife Mary Elizabeth stood sponsors.

Anna Maria "Malley" Hertzel, dtr., b 9 Sep 1758. Anna Maria "Malley" m ____ Kridler.

John Hertzel, b 21 Aug 1762 and d 6 Mar 1847. John was married in 1781 to Catharine Schneider. John had 160 acres in Bethlehem township across the road from the Santees. In 1816 he lived in Allentown, and was the administrator of his mother's estate.
JDH: Their son George Hartzell is very likely the one who lived eight names from Adam Hartzell in 1810 Franklin County, Virginia, and who married Susannah Toney in 1809 in Franklin County, Virginia, and who moved to Union County, Indiana around 1815, and who's daughter Catherine married James Alexander in 1827 in Union County, Indiana, and who died in Union County, Indiana in late 1830, and who in his estate had a lot of shoemaking tools. George named his first two children Catherine and John, presumably after his parents. George would have been the oldest son, thus getting first dibs at naming his children after the parents. George named his second son Adam, which is very significant. George probably lived in Adam's household in Franklin County Virginia before his marriage there in 1809. Cousin George was about 20 years younger than Adam, and was probably like a son to Adam - and like a brother to Adam's children. Along with several from the Blackwater River Valley of Franklin County, Virginia, George moved, before 1820, to what was to become Union County, Indiana. He is in the 1820 Indiana Census for Wayne County, apparently the part that became Union County later on. His last name is spelled "Harzell", but the ancestry.com index has it as "Harsell". Nearby is listed Paul, Philip, Philip, John, and Jacob Lybrook; Jacob Kingery, Edmund Moss, and Edmund Moss Jr., all from Franklin County, Virginia. In George's household were one male under 10, one male 26-45 (George), two females under 10, 1 female 10-16, and one female 26-45 (Susannah). In 1828, George Hartzell bought 160 acres in SW 1/4 Section 24 of Harrison Township, Union County, Indiana. He bought it from Micheal Snider. On an 1820 map, at www.union-county.lib.in.us/GenwebVA4mile/1820%20Map.htm, it shows Micheal Snider there on the map, and James Toney nearby on the west. This land was quitclaimed to Adam Hartsel (George's son) by George's heirs in 1850. The SW corner of his land was 1.5 miles east of Kitchell and 1/2 mile from the Ohio border. The Four Mile Church was at the southwest tip of George's land. He was most likely a member of the church.

The following has been condensed from Paul Swan's "Hartzell Chapter" (see INTRODUCTION above).

(For spelling of the surname, the 1816 letter from Jonas to his brother Phillip clearly shows it spelled "Hartzell".)

Johan Phillip Hartzell was the first generation our Hartzell ancestry born in America. He is the primary ancestor of the Franklin County Virginia Hartzells.

Johann Philip was born 20 Apr 1743 and was christened 1 May 1743 in Old Williams, Northampton, Pennsylvania. He died after 1815 in Rocky Mount, Franklin, Virginia.

Johann Philip and Christina Barbara married 30 Apr 1765 in Dryland, Bethlehem, Northampton, Pennsylvania.

Christina Barbara was born about 1745, the daughter of Eberhard and Catherine (____) Kreiling.

Johann Philip was confirmed 1760 at Sacconheim (Lower Saucon), Pennsylvania. He was in Bethlehem township, Northampton Co. by 1772, when hs was assessed £1 12sh as a farmer, and was warranted 100 acres there 10 May 1773 [McMahan, 1998]. McMahan also notes he took the Oath of Allegiance in that county in 1778.

By 1781 had moved to York (now Adams) County, Pennsylvania on the Maryland border [Roach, 1966]. On 30 Jan 1781 he was enrolled as a member of the sixth class of Cumberland, but there is no record at hand that he saw service during the War.

We don't know exactly when the family moved to York county, but two others of the family came about the same time. Johann Philip's brother Jacob and his wife Catherine Klein, and his cousin Johann Georg Hertzel with his wife Hannah Kreiling, sister of Christina, were also there by 30 Jan 1781, when class lists were drawn up in all of the townships. Whether he also came with them we don't know, it seems likely, but Catherine's father Gerlach Klein was in York county at the time of his death in 1785.

In 1781 a grant of two acres and twenty-seven perches was made by Jacob Arendt and Stophel Sentmire to Frederick Stanour and Philip Hartzell for the use of the Lutheran and Reformed Churches. A two story, log and weather-boarded structure was erected, with a barrel shaped pulpit and a railed in altar. This was known, informally at least, as Arendt's church. The first record book was purchased in 1785, and the two congregations worshiped in the same house, rebuilt in 1851, until 1878. This church was in Arendtsville, about five miles northwest of Cumberland Township.

Philip "Hartsel" was taxed £8 8sh in Cumberland 1783 for 300 acres of land, one house and one outhouse, one horned cow, two horses and two sheep, valued at £403 5sh. He had eight inhabitants in his household. This record and many others we cite for York county events were taken from the 22 page "Hartzell-Hartzler Report" [Anon., 1947-1949] in the library at Salt Lake City.

According to Susan McMahan, Philip was censused in York Co. in 1790 with one male over 16, one under, and five females.

The seven children of Johann Philip and Christina Barbara (Kreiling) Hartzell were Adam, Katrina, Abraham, Maria Margaret, Elizabeth, a daughter and Frederick.

Adam Hartzell, my ancestor, b about 1768. (See below.)

Katrina Hartzell, b about 1769 and d in Ellerton, Montgomery, Ohio. Katrina m Jacob Mulendore {b in 1759 and d in 1841}. Katarina and Jacob came to Ohio with Adam in 1815.
JDH: The 1882 History of Montgomery County, Ohio by W. H. Beers & Company has "Jacob Mullendore, a native of Virgina, settled on the present site of Gettersburg (later Ellerton) in 1802, and there lived for many years. During the war of 1812, he hauled flour to the soldiers at Greenville." Also "Jacob Mullendore carried on quite an extensive tannery in the days of the early pioneers, on Bear Creek, on the farm occupied in 1882 by John Snepp, Jr. Here, either this man or his father erected a log cabin, which still stands (1882) ... and is probably the oldest house in [Jefferson] township." JDH: The 1820 Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio Census shows Jacob Mullendore living in the vicinity of Moses Rentfro, Adam Hartzel, and John Hartzel, presumably near the site of Gettersburg (later Ellerton).

Abraham Hartzell, b 23 Jan 1771 in Northhampton, Pennsylvania, and d May 1842 in Ellerton. We know nothing about the life of this brother of Adam, but an Abraham Hartzel purchased federal land just north of Germantown, Montgomery, Ohio, 25 Mar 1805. It could well be that it was Adam's objective to join his younger brother that sent him off a decade later with his family. The Hartzell Ancestral Line says "We believe" that Abraham, as a very young man, was one of a group of about fifteen men who formed a fishing and hunting camp there, but left when the settlers came and formed the town of Germantown. He presumably roamed around and came back later to Ellerton to see the other John Hartzell family living there then, and he stayed on with them and was buried in Ellerton in May 1842. There is no record of a marriage or children.
JDH: Abraham is a person of interest for descendants of David Hartzell. In our family folklore there is a childhood memory of David's father being "Ferdenand", which sounds a little like "Abraham". This Abraham would have been David's uncle.
On May 23, 1796, an Abraham Hartzell married Eve Houtz in Franklin County, Virginia (from "Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia"). Surety was Christian Houtz. This Abraham was most likely Adam's brother. Adam's brother Abraham went to Ohio before 1804, so perhaps his wife Eve died. For the same reason he can't be David Hartzell's father.
The 1882 History of Montgomery County, Ohio by W. H. Beers & Company has "The first white settlers came to [German] township in the year 1798, from Kentucky, ... but some of these were of Virginia. The names are as follows ... Abraham Hartzel. These people were not actual settlers, but squatters only. As soon as the land was offered for sale, some purchased. On the west side of the [site of Gettersburg] were two tracts, each of sixty acres. ... the southern one was entered by Abraham Hartzel." Paul Swan used a phrase for Abraham that seems to fit: he was a bachelor frontiersman.

Maria Margaret Hartzell, b 8 May 1773. Maria Margaret m David Penrose. Maria Margaret was baptised 23 May 1773 at Dryland Reformed, her sponsors being Martin Gross and his wife Margaret, Maria's great aunt. However, there are different theories as to whom Margaret the daughter of Philip married. I (Paul Swan) had, from some source now lost (Roach?) that she married David Penrose. Susan McMahan says that she married Isaac Hartzell, son of Jonas Hartzell (brother of Philip), and that they had nine children, most born in Northampton County.

Catherine Hartzell, b 1788
Elizabeth Hartzell, b 1789/1790
Thomas Hartzell
Polly Hartzell
Elizabeth Hartzell, b 1793, m Caleb Inman, of Rock Co., WI
... "descendant testified to Margaret/Isaac marriage"
Jonas Hartzell, b 1795
Hannah Hartzell, b 1797
Susanna Hartzell, b 1799
Daniel Hartzell

Elizabeth Hartzell, b 17 Aug 1778. Elizabeth was baptised 13 Sep 1778 at Dryland Lutheran, her sponsors Philip Faas and his wife Elizabeth.

Unnamed, dtr.. This last daughter, name unknown, is implied by the census of 1790 in which there were four daughters listed.

Frederick Hartzell, son, b. 1786 in Pennsylvania, and d. 1855 in Keokuk, Iowa. Frederick m. Sarah Houghman. From the census I (Paul) had this son, born after 1774. McMahan gives the name and data shown here. Her descent is from a son Peter b. 1812 in Ohio.
JDH: Frederick is a person of interest for descendants of David Hartzell. In our family folklore, David's daughter Elizabeth/Sarah Walden had a childhood memory of a brother of David named Frederick. Sarah was born about when Frederick died. Over the years, the telling of "Frederick brother of Adam" may have become "Frederick brother of David". Frederick lived about 65 miles west of David in Indiana. This Frederick would have been David's uncle, and was 19 years older than David. Frederick's children were David's cousins.
Frederick was in Butler County, Ohio before 1810, where at about age 24 he married Sarah Houghman November 10, 1810 (IGI record). Sarah died before the 1840 Census. Butler County is just south of Montgomery County. This means Frederick arrived in the area before his brother Adam (1815), and probably after the time of his brother Abraham (1798). Frederick's son Peter was born in Ohio, presumably Butler County, about 1811-12 (from 1860 Iowa Census, Keokuk County).
Sulgrove's "History of Indianapolis and Marion Co., IN, 1884" shows a Samson Houghman (p.653) b. VA 1795, moved to Butler Co., OH "in his youth" (~1810?); married "young" (~1812?) and had 5 daughters, and a son, Peter N., b. 1820; Samson moved to Marion Co., IN, 1829; d 1852. Maybe Samson was the brother of Frederick's wife. In the 1820 Butler County, OH Census, for St. Clair Twp., there is Aaron Hougham, over 44; 5 names down is Sampson Houghman, 26-44; then "next door" are John Houghman, over 44; Jacob Houghman, 26-44; and Isaac Houghman, 26-44. Perhaps Aaron or John was Sarah's father, and Jacob & Isaac (and Samson) were Sarah's brothers.
In 1820, Frederick was still in Butler County, Ohio, in Wayne Twp. In the Census he is listed as "Frederick Hartsell"; in his household were himself 26-44, wife Sarah 26-44, 5 males under 10, and 1 female under 10. The five males under 10 were born 1811-1820, presumably all in Ohio. One boy could be the George Hartzell who married Margaret Yaughey in 1834 in Montgomery Co., OH. George & Margaret and family moved to Darke Co., OH between 1840 & 1850. They were still there in 1880, living with their daughter Miranda Creminee. Two other boys were Peter and Squire. See list of children at the end of this paragraph.
Going northeast diagonally, there is Wayne Twp., German Twp., and Jefferson Twp., the latter two townships being in Montgomery County. Frederick wasn't far from the site of Germantown.
In 1828, Frederick purchased land in Marion Co., IN (Darlington, "Marion Co IN Records, Miscellanea", 1986). 28 Feb. 1828: Frederick Hartzell: 56.20 acres, Twp 15N Range 3E, E 1/2 SW 1/4 Sec 31 (Tract Book 18 Jul 1821-26 Apr 1836).
In 1830, Frederick was in Marion County, Decatur Township, Indiana, just SW of then Indianapolis. He would have passed through Union, Fayette, and Rush counties to get there. In the Census he is listed as "Frederick Hartsell"; in his household were himself, age 40-49, wife Sarah age 40-49, 1 male 5-9, 2 males 10-14, 3 males 15-19, 2 females under 5, and 2 females 10-14. Some of these 10 children must have been from another household.
In 1840, Frederick was in Wayne Township, Marion County. They either moved, or township boundaries changed. This is in the area of the current Indy 500 Speedway, but at the time he was in the country west of town. In 1840 Frederick was 55, his son Peter was 27. In the Census he is listed as "Frederick Hartzel". In the same township were Peter Hartzel (age 30-39) and Phillip Hartzel (age 20-29), relationship unknown. In 1840, no wife is listed, but in the household was 1 male 15-19 (Squire?), 1 male 20-29 (Peter?), 2 females 5-9 (Sarah? & Margaret?), 1 female 10-14, 1 female 15-19, and 1 female 20-29. Son Peter married a woman named Felista about 1842.
In 1850, Frederick was still in Wayne Twp., Marion Co., listed as "Fred Hartsell", and it says he was age 65 (born 1785-86) in Pennsylvania. In the household was Squire, age 27, b. OH, and Sarah, age 15, b. IN. In Indianapolis Twp., same county, was a Margaret Hartsell, age 18, in the household of Jno W. McCormac?
Going by birthstates of son Peter's children, Peter moved to Keokuk County, Iowa after the 1850 Census and before son Fredrick's birth in 1852. Frederick died in Keokuk County, Iowa in 1855. An LDS/Ancestral File says Frederick died April 23, 1855, in Mahaska County, Iowa, m. Sarah Houghman, b. about 1786 in Butler Co, OH.
In 1860, Keokuk County, Adams Twp., Iowa is Frederick's son Peter Hartzell, age 47, b. OH about 1813. Wife Felista, children Abram (17 b.IN), Susan(15 b.IN), William(12 b.1848 IN), Fredrick(8 b.1852 IA), Charlotte(5 b.IA), Joseph(4 mo. b.IA). This says Peter moved to Iowa about 1851.
The presumed children of Frederick and Sarah (Houghman) Hartzell are listed below. Note the 1820 Census showing 5 males under the age of 10. In 1830 there were 6 males under 20.
George? (b. about 1812, m. Margaret Yaughey 1834)
Peter b. about 1812
Sarah b. 1814
Squire L. b. 1823
Ann b. 1825
Delilah b. 1828

END CONDENSED INFORMATION FROM Paul Swan's "Hartzell Chapter".

In February, 1792, while George Washington was President, Philip Hartzell, at the age of 49, purchased 150 acres of land for 160 pounds near the present-day town of Boone's Mill, Franklin County, Virginia (see Settlement Map below). Philip bought it from Daniel Dillman. The land was within 4 miles south or southwest of Boone's Mill, between and touching/crossing both Mill Creek and Little Creek. It was an odd shape.

Here is the (now useless) metes & bounds land description:
One Certain(?) Tract or parcel of land containing one hundred fifty acres more or less lying and being on the Mill Creek, and bounded as follows to wit. Beginning at a poplar tree on a Branch which is called Fox Branch, thence down the same (branch) to a poplar Corner tree, thence to a Corner white oak then in bound by Spencer's old line on the south side of Little Creek to a corner Black Oak, from thence to a Corner Black Oak from thence continuing George Griffith's line thence bounded by Jacob Dilman's line & from thence William Spencer's new line agreement to Corner white oak from thence continuing the old line to a Chestnut tree on the east side of the Mill Creek from thence with the said line to a white Oak on the top of the hill North following the same Old line to pointer, from thence with it to a Black Oak on North side of (Fox?) Branch from there to first Station." ...

Witnesses: Moses Greer, Chattin? Pollard?, Moses Greer Jr.

From Settlement Map, NW Franklin County, Virginia, 1786-1886
Made for the Franklin County Historical Society; Mrs. Gertrude C. Mann, Historian-Researcher, 1/1/1976

On the map above, the area of Philip Hartzell's 1792 land purchase is between Mill Creek & Little Creek (red "X" or more south), just southwest of Boone Mill. Width of map is 18 miles. It is 5 miles from Boone Mill to Toney's land, and to Googinsville, as the crow flies. Abraham Hartzell's 1796 land purchase was immediately south of Moses Greer's land below center of map. For more information on this map, click on my home page link "Hartzell Land in Virginia".

150 acres is about 1/3 the size of the rectangle for Boone Mill in the map above, and if square, almost 1/2 mile on a side (almost a quarter section). Since the land touched or crossed both Little Creek and Mill Creek, it had to be where the creeks were about half a mile to a mile apart at that time. It was on a branch of Mill Creek, and adjoining George Griffith's land. There is a William Griffith on the map. According to a USGS map, the branch of creek south of Bunker Hill was part of Little Creek. The land was probably just southwest of Boone Mill, and 8 or 9 miles NNW of Rocky Mount.

Abraham Sink, a likely brother of Adam's wife Christina Sink, went from Pennsylvania to Virginia at the same time as Philip Hartzell, and settled near Philip on a branch of Mill Creek.

On January 25, 1793, Philip Hartzell was a surety for the marriage of his daughter Margaret to Andrew Roland, in Franklin County, Virginia (from "Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia"). Since Margaret was in Virginia, Phillip must have been there. Therefore, it is presumed that Philip moved his family from York (now Adams) County, Pennsylvania, to Franklin County, Virginia sometime in 1792. The route they took may have been along where Interstate 81 is now located. The distance is about 300 miles.

On October 20, 1794, Adam Hartzell was surety for the marriage of his sister Catherine (Katrina) to Jacob Mulenden (Mullendore), in Franklin County, Virginia (from "Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia").

In February, 1797, Philip Hartzell sold 18 acres of his land to George Harter for 40 pounds. Some parts of the metes & bounds land description is hard to read, but by checking letters and numbers against other parts of the document, and making sure it comes out to about 18 acres, my estimation is below. Not knowing the path of the stream, I used basic geometry to work backward from the Harter Corner Stump to the upstream Poplar tree.

... a parcel of land lying and being in Franklin County on Fox Branch a Branch of Mill Creek and bounded thus beginning at the said Harter Corner Stump,
South 18 poles to a Hickory,
South 54 West 18 poles to a Dogwood on the branch (54 degrees west of south),
thence up the same as it meanders to a Poplar,
North 24 West 14 poles to a Black Oak,
North 69 East 79 poles to a White Oak,
South 40 East 24 poles to the beginning,
containing 18 acres.
I drew the creek last. In metes and bounds descriptions, the beginning and end rarely meet due to variations in measuring and compass direction. The creek could have been at more of an angle, but this is close enough for a rough idea.

1 pole = 1 rod = 16.5 feet 1 acre = 160 square poles 1 mile = 320 poles

Notice that Fox Branch flows east (to the right). Being a branch of Mill Creek, it presumably flows into Mill Creek on the right (east).
This land sale should give some clues on the location of Philip's 1792 land purchase.
Philip's 1792 land description BEGAN at a Poplar tree on Fox Branch, then went DOWN the branch. It ended at a Black Oak on the north side of Fox Branch, and from there to the first station (the Poplar on Fox Branch). These two points are on the left in the drawing above for the 1797 sale. The 1792 land description, agonizingly devoid of any compass bearings or distances, goes counter-clockwise. It goes along Spencer's old line on the south side of Little Creek, along George Griffith's line, then Jacob Dilman's line, then William Spencer's new line, then to the east side of Mill Creek, to the top of a hill north, and back to the beginning.

This implies that Philip's 1792 land included a stretch of Fox Branch, Little Creek, and Mill Creek.

As of this writing, you can go to www.mapquest.com, request a map of Boones Mill, Virginia, click aerial view, and look at the area just south of Boone's Mill.

As mentioned above, on May 23, 1796, Adam's presumed brother Abraham Hartzell married Eve Houtz in Franklin County, Virginia.

On September 11, 1798, Phillip Hartzell was surety for the marriage of his daughter (Adam's sister) Elizabeth to Jacob Kinzie, in Franklin County, Virginia (from "Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia"). Notice on the Settlement Map, Henry Kinsey just west of Boone Mill. This is not far from Phillip Hartzell's 1792 land purchase.

There is more on Phillip Hartzell in the 1800-1829 section below.

we thought David's father's name was Ferdinand. William Webster Hartsell, a lawyer, made some notations around 1920, which are currently in the possession of Bertha Juanita Risley. He had made a trip to Connersville, Indiana with his aunt Sade (Sarah) Walden (David's daughter). His notes were "Ferdenand Hartzell (was father of David Hartzell and Grandfather of James A. Hartsell), born in Germany (E. Prussian), lived and died in Virginia. Fredrick Hartzell, son of Ferdenand Hartzell." It could be that Sarah may have been recalling her maternal grandfather, who could have been a Ferdinand Sink. It has been found that Sink/Zink families did come from East Prussia. There was also a Ferdinand Sink in 1860 Pittsburgh, PA, along with a Frederick Sink. These are not early enough to be "ours", and we're checking on an earlier Ferdinand Sink.

Another version had David's father possibly named Daniel. As of 2007, Raymond Bunyard, Jr., son of Mary (Hart) Bunyard, had an old leather-bound Bible with two leather fasteners which passed down through his grandmother Minnie Alberta (Hartsell) Hart. In Minnie A. Hart's handwriting it says "Property of Great Grand Father Hartsell". In someone else's handwriting it says "From Daniel Hartsell to David Hartsell to James Hartsell to Minnie A. Hart" (written after she married in 1902). She may have gotten the Bible after her father James A. Hartsell died in 1910. William surely knew of his sister's Bible, and knew that Daniel was not David's father.

Minnie surely meant HER great grandfather, which would be Adam Hartzell. It seems she did not know his given name, the same as everyone else. Adam is presumed to have died around 1832, thus David Hartzell's children, born after that, never knew their grandfather. So, we need a closely-related Daniel Hartsell somewhere in here who would likely have given the Bible to David. In the 1830 household of Adam Hartzell, the two males were most likely David and his next older brother. If this brother was Daniel, it all makes sense. Daniel being the oldest of the two, took possession of the Bible when their father died. Nothing was written in the Bible as customary, so it may not have been a "coveted" family heirloom. Since Daniel appears to have never married, and having no heirs, gave the Bible to David. See also www.jdhartsell.com/Daniel.

There is more information on Adam Hartzell and his family at jdhartsell.com at the links "Evidence for Ancestry of David Hartzell" and "Life of David Hartzell". Adam's son Jonas has since been determined to be the son of Adam and Sara Hartzell, a different couple. Some accounts incorrectly say that Christina also went by the name Sarah. Adam Hartzell did not marry a second time to Mary Spikard/Spiekard. It was an Adam Hutzel.

Most of the following account of Adam and his children has been condensed from Paul Swan's "Hartzell Chapter" (see INTRODUCTION above). I (JDH) have made changes for his sons Jonas, George, Leonard, "Daniel?", and David - in italics preceeded with "JDH".

Adam Hartzell was born about 1768 in Bethlehem, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. JDH: Several ancestry.com "Ancestry World Tree" entries say Adam was born March 12, 1768 in Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County (same as his wife Christina). Adam was about thirteen years old when his father Phillip moved the family around 1780 from Northampton County to York (now Adam) County, Pennsylvania, on the Maryland border.

Adam Hartzell married Christina Sink in 1786 in Pennsylvania.

The nine children of Adam and Christina (Sink) Hartzell were Phillip, Catherine "Kate", Jacob, John, George?, Elizabeth "Betsey", Leonard, Daniel?, and David. JDH: George and David came from "The Hartzell Ancestral Line" which was carelessly done. The wrong George (m. Margaret Yaughey) and David (Hetzel) were taken from marriage records in Montgomery County, Ohio, and because they were in that location, were presumed to be Adam's children. It still seems there was a George, and I think I've proved that they in fact did have a son named David (and Daniel).

Phillip Hartzell. Phillip was born about 1787 in Pennsylvania, and died Dec 1855 in Covington, Miami, Ohio. Phillip and Mary Elizabeth married in Montgomery, Ohio. Mary Elizabeth was born about 1795 in Darke County, Ohio, the daughter of John and Susannah (Studebaker) Miller. She died 10 Feb 1837 in Covington and was buried in Greenville Cem., Covington, Miami, Ohio. Philip and Elizabeth moved, sometime after their marriage, from Montgomery county to a farm on Greenville Creek in Miami county. Their 160 acre place, on which they spent most of the rest of their lives, was located in Section 36 about two miles west of Covington. Philip and Elizabeth are mentioned in the General Index of Miami Valley Pioneers. In Section 36, on the Covington-Gettysburg Road about two miles west of Covington, is the Hartzell Cemetery, also known as the Sampson Cemeter [Bosserman, 197?] In 1911, according to a nearby resident, the cemetery had been fenced but not cared for. Then, in the 1930's, a storm blew down two large pines, breaking many stones. More damage was done by people sawing up the trees for firewood. The eleven children of Phillip and Mary Elizabeth (Miller) Hartzell were John, Levi, Elias, Delila, Christine "Tennie", Susannah "Susan", Philip, Elizabeth, Adam Leonard, Sarah and Malinda.

Catherine "Kate" Hartzell. Catherine "Kate" was married in Virginia to ____ Murlachers. See JDH note below. JDH: Kate and Betsy (m. Moses Rentfrow) had moved to Koscuisko County, Indiana, between Fort Wayne and South Bend, near Knightstown. They are buried near each other in Syracuse Cemetery.

Jacob Hartzell, b 21 Mar 1790 in York, Pennsylvania, and chr 11 Apr 1790 in York. Jacob m Hannah Capper.
Jacob's birth and baptism, as the son of Adam and Christina Herzel, are recorded at the Lutheran & Reformed Congregations of Arendtsville. Sponsors were Georg Leng (Lang? "George Lenz; Mar." in another record.) and Margreth. Baptised on the same day was Christina Barbara Herzel, daughter of Jacob and Maria Catharina Herzel, who was born 6 Mar 1790. Sponsors were Philip Herzel (Jacob's grandfather) and Christina.
When his father took the family to Ohio in 1815, Jacob remained behind in Virginia, as did his grandfather, Johann Philip.

John Hartzell, b 25 Sep 1793 in Pennsylvania. John was married 19 Oct 1819 in Montgomery County Ohio to Susanna Heck {b about 1802, dtr of Abraham Heck}. John and Susanna are the great-great-grandparents of Glenn Ray Hartzell of Dayton, Ohio, who provided us [Hartzell, 1990] with a copy of the 1816 letter to our ancestor Johann Philip Hartzell in Virginia from his brother Jonas [Hartzell, 1816]. Glenn also sent the eight page document entitled "Hartzell Ancestral Line" [Anon-09] which recounted several branches of the descendants of the immigrant Johann George Hirtzel. This he received "from a cousin long ago", and he also sent a copy to Charles Price, who cited it in the material he sent to Paul Middleton in 1980. He notes that there are "some discrepancies" which have to be resolved, but this appears to be the original source of our knowledge of the York County, Pennsylvania, and Franklin County, Virginia generations of our lineage.
John and Susanna had eight chidren, according to the General Index to Miami Valley Pioneers, but the "Hartzell Ancestral Line" lists seventeen, including two consecutive sets of twins! These were Jacob, Joseph, Eliza, Levina, Allen, Clinton, John, David, Sarah, Abraham, Lewis, twins Susannah and Leonard, twins George and Mary, Elizabeth, and Henry. They were born between 1820 and 1845. JDH: It seems John stayed in Ohio, because in later years, John's uncle Abraham lived with him (Hartzell Ancestral Line).

JDH: the son Jonas was actually a son of Adam and Sarah Hartzell, another couple.

George? Hartzell, b in Pennsylvania. JDH: Erroneous accounts say this George married 14 Sep 1834 in Montgomery County Ohio to Margaret Yaughey. But that George was born in Ohio in 1812 before Adam's family went to Ohio. It could be the George Hartzell who married Nancy Goode in 1823 in Franklin County, VA. This George seemed to be living next to Jacob in Virginia in 1818 (see www.jdhartsell.com/hartsell/FranklinCoNW.html).

Elizabeth "Betsey" Hartzell. Elizabeth "Betsey" was married 15 Oct 1818 in Montgomery County, Ohio to Moses Rentfro. JDH: Photo was taken in 1849 when she was about 51 years old, and presumably living in Kosciusko County, Indiana, between South Bend and Fort Wayne. She died in 1881. Her husband, Moses Rentfrow, died April 20, 1849 and is buried in Syracuse Cemetery, Kosciusko County, Indiana. Moses and Betsy lived next to Adam Hartzell in 1820 in Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio.

Leonard Hartzell, b. 1799 PA? JDH: Leonard is a person of interest for descendants of David Hartzell. Leonard moved to Rush County, Indiana about 1832, where about that time David met Barbara Nipp. Leonard married Delilah Weiss around 1825 in Montgomery County, Ohio. In 1830 he lived near his father Adam Hartzell. Leonard was in Rush County, Indiana after daughter Susanna was born in 1831 and before daughter Nancy was born in 1832. He bought land in Center Township, Rush County, Indiana in 1832, and in Ripley Township in 1840, about 2.5 miles east of Carthage. He sold it in 1844. Between 1844 and 1850, he moved to Wabash County, Noble Twp., Indiana. His wife Delilah apparently died before 1850. Leonard is believed to have died in Keokuk Co., Iowa. I have that he died in 1878. Leonard's children are listed in the 1850's Hartsell section. NOTE: The 1880 Census for Toledo Twp., Tama Co., IA shows a Leonard Hartsell, age 83, no spouse listed, born about 1797 PA, in the Tama County Poor House, Abel Childs manager, Pauper, parents born PA.

Note here that no birth records have been found for Adam's children born in Virginia.

Daniel Hartzell? JDH: Daniel is a person of interest for descendants of David Hartzell. An old leather-bound Bible in the family has in it written "From Daniel Hartsell to David Hartsell...". More detail was given above, in italics, at the introduction for Adam and Christina Hartzell.

David Hartzell, my ancestor. b 20 Nov 1805 in Virginia.

JDH recap of children of Adam and Christina Hartzell: See home page at www.jdhartsell.com for the latest list.

Phillip Hartzell	b.1787 Penn.	m.	to Elizabeth Miller	d. 1855
Catharine Hartzell	b. bef. 1794	m.	to ___ Mulachers	d.
Jacob Hartzell	b. 1790 Penn.	m. 1816 Vir.	to Hannah Capper	d. 1836
John Hartzell	b. 1793 Penn.	m. 1819	to Susannah Heck	d.
George? Hartzell	b. 1794-1800	m. 1823?	to Nancy Goode?	d.
Elizabeth Hartzell	b. abt. 1798	m. 1818	to Moses Rentfrow	d. 1881
Leonard Hartzell	b. 1799 Penn.	m. abt 1828	to Delilah Weiss	d. 1878 Iowa
Daniel? Hartzell	b. 1802 Vir.	m.		d. after 1860
David Hartzell	b. 1805 Vir.	m. 1836 Ind.	to Barbara Nipp	d. 1865 Ill.

There is more on Adam Hartzell in the 1800 sections below.

SINK - 1700's

We have Christina Sink marrying Adam Hartzell about 1786. In 1780, Adam's father Philip moved the family from Northampton County, PA, to York (now Adams) County, PA. Adam was about 12 years old. When Adam and Christina married, Adam was about 18 years old, if the dates are correct. Either Adam and Christina already knew each other from Northampton County, or they met in York (now Adams) County. However, they must have married in York (now Adams) County, PA.

The Revolutionary pension papers of Abraham Sink state that he was born in 1762 in Northampton County, PA. Adam Hartzell was also born in Northampton County, PA, around 1768. Both Abraham Sink and Adam's father Philip Hartzell settled in Franklin County, VA, in 1792, near each other on a branch of Mill Creek. Adam & Christina Hartzell followed a short time later. Abraham Sink's brother Stephen settled in Franklin County, VA by 1793. Abraham Sink's brother Paul settled in Rowan County, North Carolina about 1778. This was about 4 counties south of Franklin County, VA. Finally, in 1815, when Adam Hartzell's family moved to Montgomery County, Ohio, they headed first to George Sink's land at the north edge of the county. George Sink was from Randolph County, North Carolina, just east of Rowan County.

All this tells me that Adam's wife Christina Sink was closely related to Abraham, Stephen, and Paul Sink. Probably their sister.

Abraham, Stephen, and Paul Sink were the sons of Micheal and Mary (Ryel) Zink. Micheal Zink was the son of Henry Zinck, born 1698 in Germany, immigrated to America in 1725, and settled in Northampton County, PA. Micheal Zink was born in 1722 in Germany, lived in Northampton County, PA, and later settled in Chester County, PA, just east of York County.

The known children of Micheal Zink were born from before 1753 to 1762. An IGI Record on Christine Sink shows her as being born about 1763 in Northampton County, PA (Record ID in 87903702), after the youngest of the known children. I don't think anyone knows the original source, but several ancestry.com "Ancestry World Tree" entries say Christina Sink was born about 1772 in Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County, PA. Other entries say Micheal Zink had a daughter named Mary, but nothing is known about her. I wonder if her name could have been Mary Christina, or that her nickname was Christina.

Since Micheal Zink was born in Germany in 1698, and migrated to America in 1725 at the age of 27, he must have had a strong German accent, assuming he learned to speak English. If Micheal Sink was Christina's father, it would answer a piece of family folklore in my family that either David Hartzell or a close ancestor spoke very broken English. We also have it that David's grandfather was from East Prussia. Micheal Sink, born in Germany, would have been David's grandfather.

For the time being, I think Christina Sink's father was Micheal Zink (b. 1722 in Germany), and her grandfather was Henry Zinck (b. 1698 in Germany).

In 1790 here are some of the Sink/Zink families:
Abram (Abraham) Sink, Coventry Twp., Chester County, PA
Stephen Sink, Coventry Twp., Chester County, PA
Henry Sink, Coventry Twp., Chester County, PA
John Sink, Rowan County, North Carolina
Michael Sink, Rowan County, North Carolina
Phillip Sink, Rowan County, North Carolina
George Zink, Randolph County, North Carolina
plus others in Berks, Montgomery, & Philadelphia counties, PA

NIPP - 1700's

The search for our Nipp ancestors centered in Wythe County, Virginia, where Barbara (Nipp) Hartzell was born in 1815. Wythe County is in western Virginia and 75 miles west of Roanoake.

We had a major breakthrough in May 1999 when TJP "found" Mary B. Kegley, author and expert in early Wythe County Virginia. Mary had evidence that Barbara’s parents were Phillip and Catherine Knipp, and this ended a search of many years. Mary’s information is given in the 1800-1829 and 1830’s sections. At first, JDH did not think these were Barbara's parents because they seemingly stayed in Virginia while Barbara had gone at the age of 15 to Indiana, and in the same county where George Nipp was.

We can now safely say that our ancestor Phillip Knipp was born in 1775 in Pennsylvania. He married Catherine Lindemuth before 1815 in Wythe County, Virginia.

One genform.familytreemaker.com contributor (Maddie) feels that Adam Knipp of Wythe County Virginia was the father of Phillip and George Knipp, but there is as yet no proof.

For a long time we thought Barbara’s parents were George and Rebecca (Townsend) Nipp, who were in all the right places at the right time in both Wythe County Virginia and Fayette County Indiana. George was born in 1773-74 in Pennsylvania, was married and had children in Wythe County Virginia, moved to Indiana in 1815, and died in 1858 in Indiana. Now we think George may well have been Barbara's uncle, which Maddie's information supports. Rebecca was still living in 1850 (Indiana). This account will, for the time being, refer to this George as "Uncle" George. Since he and Phillip were born in Pennsylvania a year or two apart, and apparently were in Wythe County Virginia as children, it is highly likely they were brothers. An illuminating biographical sketch of George’s son, John Nipp, is in the Appendix.

Verner Knipp was a strong candidate for Phillip’s father, but now it seems he must have been a brother or cousin. Verner is thought to have been born in 1765 and his wife's name was Christeener. Verner seems to have had many brothers.

There is another George Knip listed in the 1790 Pennsylvania census, Northumberland County. There was one male age 16 or over (George?), 4 males under age 16 (born after 1774), and 3 females in the household. This George is also in the 1800 census, same county, and JDH’s notes say "Penns" township.

Verner Knipp is not listed in the 1790 Pennsylvania Census. If he was born in 1765, he would have been about 25 years old.

From the web page of Neale and Kathy Clifton as of this writing, at members.wbs.net/homepages/l/n/k/lnkwclifton/knipp.htm there is, quoting verbatim but with slight clarification:

"Verner Knipp was born in Germany. The Knipp name originated from the German word "Butcher". Last names in ancient times were taken from the family's occupation. When Verner and his two brothers William and John came to the United States he was already married to Christeener. Verner and Christeener were married about 1783. Verner died May 7, 1839 in Sinking Springs, Green County, Tennessee. He and Christeener are buried there. Verner was supposedly born 30 miles northwest of Frankfurt, Germany, Palatine region.
Verner Knipp was listed in the April 23, 1796 Wythe County Virginia tax records as having no slaves, three horses, and two males over age 16. He was also listed in the 1810 Wythe County Census. Christeener disappeared after the 1830 census.
Christeener and Verner Knipp had ten children: George, Phillip, Samuel, Christianana, Daniel, Mary Frances, John, Jane and Adam.
Phillip Knipp our ancestor was born about 1775 in Pennsylvania. He married Catharine Lindemuth in Wythe County, Virginia. His second wife was Nancy. Verner Knipp, Phillip and John Lindemuth lived in Rural Retreat, Virginia.
Phillip and Catherine Lindemuth Knipp, had as far as we can determine at this time, two daughters, Rachel Knipp and Rebecca."
... end of quote.

The above quote says George and Phillip were sons of Verner, but looking at their birth years, they must have been brothers or cousins of Verner.

LINDEMUTH - 1700's

From the web page of Neale and Kathy Clifton as of this writing, at members.wbs.net/homepages/l/n/k/lnkwclifton/lindamd.htm there is, quoting verbatim but with order of events reorganized and slight clarification:

"Johannes (Lindemuth), our ancestor, was born approximately 1764 in Shenandoah County, Virginia. He married Mary Magdalene on June 10, 1781 in Shenandoah County. Johannes and Mary Magdalene had eight children: Andrew, Georg, Catharina (our ancestor), Johannes Jr., Elizabeth, Christina, Mary and Mary Magdalena.
Daughter Catherine Lindemuth (future wife of Phillip Knipp), was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, April 14, 1786. Catharina married Phillip the son of Verner Knipp and Christeener. Phillip and Catharina had two daughters, Rachel and Rebecca.
Johannes and Mary Magdalene moved to Wythe County, Virginia about 1788. Johannes and his brother Georg Heinrich inherited 400 acres of land from their father George, prior to 1788. On July 13, 1788 they sold two hundred acres to Michael Decker. Johannes was already in Wythe County, Virginia. Georg Heinrich stayed in Shenandoah County, Virginia. On August 4, 1788 it is recorded that Johannes and Mary Magdalena conveyed all of their rights and title of said land to George Henry Lindamude containing 200 acres of land lying on the drains of Mill Creek in Shenandoah County, Virginia.
Johannes died about 1831 in Wythe County, Virginia."
... end of quote.

See 1830 Nipp section for evidence of the names of all of Phillip's children, including our ancestor Barbara, and Phillip's second wife Nancy.

WALKER - 1700's

The farthest back Walker ancestor that we know for sure is Charles Walker. His wife may have been Jane Short. We have fairly certain information on him from an 1885 history of Fayette County Indiana biographical sketch of his grandson John Walker (brother of Joseph Walker). Charles Walker was born around 1747. In 1777 he was living in the colony of Virginia because that is where his son William Walker was born, during the American Revolution.

William Walker was born in Virginia in 1777.

After 1777, and before 1802 (when son William married at age 25) Charles Walker settled in Ohio among the Indians at a very early day in its settlement, in Ross County, near Chillicothe (south of Columbus). This could very well have been in 1796, as explained in the following information.

Charles Walker died near Chillicothe.

TJP has much information on the Walkers in Ohio but there are so many Walkers (and many Charles Walkers) that it is difficult to sort out which ones are "ours". The next two paragraphs are a paraphrasing of some of her findings:

Charles Walker would have been the right age (about 31) to serve in the Revolutionary War in 1776. No clear records have been found, but there are 3 Charles Walkers listed. This is important because the area to which Charles moved in Ohio was Virginia Military Lands, given in grants to those with service in the Revolution. However, most land granted for military service was not settled by the recipient, but sold to others. The Virginia Military District lay between the Scioto and the Little Miami Rivers. See map in 1800-1829 section. Two thirds of Ross County lies west of the Scioto. Tax records show a Charles Walker in Union Township, which is west of the Scioto.

The earliest group of settlers from Virginia arrived in 1796; they laid out Chillicothe in 1796, and Ross County was officially formed in 1798. If Charles and William were with the 1796 group, Charles would have been 51 and William 21. Charles' age at this time is important, because it doesn't seem likely he would move any older than this. Ross County was originally very large, and was created out of Washington County which was established in 1788.

CORBET - 1700's

Jane Corbet, future wife of William Walker, was born in 1783, in Virginia.

Since William Walker and Jane Corbet married in Ohio around 1802, this indicates that Jane's father was in the same area as Charles Walker - Ross County, Ohio. If the Corbetts came to Ross County the same time as Charles Walker, and if it was 1796, Jane would have been 13 years old. The Walkers and Corbetts may have migrated together, maybe from the same place in Virginia.

DORSEY - 1700's

So far it appears that our ancestor was Thomas Dorsey, who was living in Maryland in 1824 where daughter Sarah W. Dorsey was born. According to various clues to be covered later in this document, Thomas was born about 1797 and married around 1820. Sarah was the future wife of Joseph Walker.

HISTORY - 1700's

We had several ancestors who came to America in the 1700's. We can get some idea what the ocean trip was like from an account written in 1750 that appears in the book "Pennsylvania German Pioneers" by Strassburger-Hinke. My comments are in italics and parentheses.

BEGIN QUOTE
The journey to America fell into three parts. The first part, and by no means the easiest, was the journey down the Rhine to Rotterdam or some other port. Gottlieb Mittelberger in his "Journey to Pennsylvania in the Year 1750", writes:

This journey lasts from the beginning of May to the end of October, fully half a year, amid such hardships as no one is able to describe adequately with their misery. The cause is because the Rhine boats from Heilbronn to Holland have to pass by 26 custom houses, at all of which the ships are examined, which is done when it suits the convenience of the custom-house officials. In the meantime the ships with the people are detained long, so that the passengers have to spend much money. The trip down the Rhine lasts therefore four, five and even six weeks. When the ships come to Holland, they are detained there likewise five to six weeks. Because things are very dear there, the poor people have to spend nearly all they have during that time".

The second stage of the journey was from Rotterdam to one of the English ports. Most of the ships called at Cowes, on the Isle of Wight (remember these are the old sailing ships). Here there was another delay of one to two weeks, when the ships were waiting either to be passed through the custom house or waiting for favorable winds. When the ships had for the last time weighed their anchors at Cowes or some other port in England, then, writes Mittelberger: "The real misery begain with the long voyage. For from there the ships, unless they have good wind, must often sail eight, nine, ten to twelve weeks before they reach Philadelphia. But even with the best wind the voyage lasts seven weeks".

The third stage of the journey, or the ocean voyage proper, was marked by much suffering and hardship. The passengers being packed densely, like herrings, as Mittelberger describes it, without proper food and water, were soon subject to all sorts of diseases, such as dysentery, scurvy, typhoid and smallpox. Children were the first to be attacked and died in large numbers. Mittelberger reports the deaths of thirty-two children on his ship alone. Of the heartless cruelty practiced he gives the following example: "One day, just as we had a heavy gale, a woman in our ship, who was to give birth and could not under the circumstances of the storm, was pushed through the porthole and dropped into the sea, because she was far in the rear of the ship and could not be brought forward".

The terrors of disease, brought about to a large extent by poor food and lack of good drinking water, were much aggravated by frequent storms through which ships and passengers had to pass. "The misery reaches the climax when a gale rages for two or three nights and days, so that every one believes that the ship will go to the bottom with all human beings on board. In such a visitation the people cry and pray most piteously. When in such a gale the sea rages and surges, so that the waves rise often like mountains one above the other, and often tumble over the ship, so that one fears to go down with the ship. When the ship is constantly tossed from side to side by the storm and waves, so that no one can either walk or sit or lie, and the closely packed people in the berths are thereby tumbled over each other, both the sick and the well - it will be readily understood that many of these people, none of whom had been prepared for hardships, suffer so terribly from them that they do not survive".

When at last the Delaware river was reached and the city of brotherly love hove in sight, where all their miseries were to end, another delay occurred. A health officer visited the ship and, if any persons with infectious diseases were discovered on the ship, it was ordered to remove one mile from the city.

A vivid account of the arrival of these passenger ships in the harbor of Philadelphia, is given by the Rev. Henry M. Muehlenberg, in a report, which he prepared in 1769. He writes:

"After much delay, one ship after another arrives in the harbor of Philadelphia, when the rough and severe winter is before the door. One or more merchants receive the lists of the freights and the agreement which the emigrants have signed with their own hand in Holland, together with the bills for their travel down the Rhine and the advances of the 'newlanders' for provisions, which they received on the ships on account. Formerly the freight for a single person was $27.00 to $45.00, but now it amounts to $65.00 to $75.00 (remember purchasing power was much greater at that time). Before the ship is allowed to cast anchor at the harbor front, the passengers are all examined, according to the law in force, by a physician, as to whether any contagious disease exists among them. Then the new arrivals are led in procession to the city hall and there they must render the Oath of Allegiance to the King of Great Britian. After that they are brought back to the ship. Then the announcements are printed in the newspapers, stating how many of the new arrivals are to be sold. Those who have money (to pay for the trip) are released. Whoever has well-to-do friends seeks a loan from them to pay the passage, but there are only a few who succeed. The ship becomes the market-place. The buyers make their choice among the arrivals and bargain with them for a certain number of years and days (they become indentured servants for a period of time). They then take them to the merchant, pay their passage and their other debts and receive from the government authorities a written document, which makes the newcomers their property for a definite period."

But, in spite of all difficulties and hardships, new settlers continued to come. The wonder is not that so many succumbed, but that so many faced all hardships uncomplainingly and after a few years of service emerged from all difficulties as successful farmers.
END OF QUOTE

The Cumberland Road played a role in the lives of our ancestors, and we will follow its development in this account. Long before the white man came to America, the buffalo in their seasonal migrations followed the line of least resistance, and beat out traces. The first followers of these paths were the Indian hunters and warriors. One of these traces became Braddock's Road, which was begun in 1755 and was named after General Edward Braddock. It went from the Potomac River at Will's Creek (Cumberland, Maryland) to the Youghioghany River past present-day Uniontown to the vicinity of Pittsburg. This road became an important route from Philadelphia to the Ohio River.

After the French and Indian War in 1763, the Indiana region was part of the land parcel taken over by Great Britian. British troops settled in during the Revolutionary War period but were defeated in 1779 by George Rogers Clark. In 1787 Indiana became part of the Northwest Territory.

To do ... show Revolutionary War dates.