Johann Jacob Winterheimer(W31)
Johann Jacob was born Oct. 8, 1702. He married Anna Margarethe Friesen Feb.8, 1728. She was a daughter of Heinrich F. Friesen of Essenheim. They emigrated to America from Rotterdam in 1742 and arrived in Philadephia with their 6 children Sep.3, 1742. Jacob, as he was known, took out a warrant for 115 acres of land in Martick township along the Beber(Beaver creek) near the present town of New Providence. A year later Jacob and wife had their seventh child, the only one born in America, named Christopher.
Jacob died in 1785 and was survived by his wife and all of his children. He is possibly buried in the Eckman-Kunkle graveyard, not far from the Pequa Reformed(now Zion) church.
Excerpted from Palatine Emigrants to America from the Oppenheim Area, 1742-1749
Emigrants from the year 1742.....
(2) with a rescript dated April 17, 1742, Friedrich Pfeil, Johann Lehn, and Jacob Winterheimer, from Grosswinternheim, received permission to emigrate and landed at philadelphia on the ship Loyal Judith, Sep.1742(Strassburger-Hinke, List 93 A-C). In list A Pfeil is described as 5 years of age, Lehn as 40, and Winterheimer as 40.(Jacob's name was spelled Winderhamer on ship list)
Will
Poor copy of Translation
Transcription
Anno 1781 The 21st day of January
I Jacob Winterheimer, together with my wife have thought proper that after both our decease, our daughter's child, Jacob May shall receive six pounds in good gold or silver money extraordinary out of our money or estate which we may leave and our son Peter Winterheimer shall also receive ten pounds in good money as a foresaid extraordinary And our son Christopher Winterheimer shall deliver to his brother Peter Winterheimer my stove which is in the old house, which he shall also have extraordinary, but if he should refuse to do it then he shall not receive anything out of our estate. This I have signed in the presence of two witnesses. John Jacob Brubacher(note: JJB was a neighbor and important Fraktur artist)
George Feit
Jacob Winterheimer
A true translation from the Original German
To James Fuchs? Esquire Register for the Probate of wills and Granting Letters of Administration for the County of Lancaster.
I Margaretta Winter widow and relict Jacob Winter late of Martick Township in the County of Lancaster Yeoman deceased, do hereby relinquish all my right and title of administration on the estate of my said husband deceased, and i do appoint my eldest son John Winter to administer the estate of my said husband.
Witness my hand & seal 22 day of April AD 1785.
Test
(illegible)(Jacob)(illegible)
Margaretta X Winterheimer(mark and seal)
1785 Mark and signatures
Christopher Winters, Sr.(W317)
Christopher Sr. was the last of seven children and was the only one born in America, Nov.15, 1749. He grew up on his father's 115 acre farm along Beber(Beaver Creek) in Martick township near the present town of New Providence. Chris married Elizabeth Sides(Seitz) March 8, 1779. He likely is a DAR veteran. confirmation required but file believed to be of record at DAR headquarters in Wash.DC.
Chris Sr. was an extensive landowner and also owned two fulling mills for processing flax. During his lifetime, he and his wife made the following conveyances:
- Jan.30, 1790, 50 acres to Jacob Traiger(Traeger)
- 1821, 99 acres, 138 perches to son-in-law? John Gochenour, (witnesssed by Henry Rush. Henry bought the Reese farm(Tract C in abstract) in 1824)
- March 25, 1823, 180 acres, 80 perches to son Simon Winter(witnessed by James Black(the same surveyor who in 1750 surveyed Tract Badjoining the Reese family farm) and son-in-law John Gochenour.This farm or a portion thereof was later sold to Elias Winters and then to Francis Schroeder. The Groff-Stoneroad-Reese Graveyard is located on this farm near the intersection of Pennsy and Sawmill Roads on the west side of New Providence. Francis Shroeder sold to Thomas Groff according to the chapter on Providence township in Eliis and Evans, "History of Lancaster County".
- March 25, 1823, 265 acres, 146 perches to son-in-law George Smith(Schmidt)
- Oct. 15, 1794, Winters(Chris Sr.) to Rudisill(Phillip), unrecorded deed #4316
- April 19, 1794?, to Peter Reese, unrecorded deed?
- to Brenneman, unrecorded deed #3512
- to Herr?, unrecorded deed #3512
- unrecorded deed #4306
- unrecorded deed #4312
- unrecorded deed #4316?
Chris Sr. gave each of his eight children a farm and among his first purchases was a farm from Jacob Myer in 1784.(Chris had purchased a neighboring farm from his father in April 18, 1777) That farm included the acreage which was later sold to Jacob Trager. It was on a portion of that acreage that the Reese family cemeterycame to be located.
Chris Sr. is buried next to his wife at Zion Reformed church cemetery in New Providence. The church and cemetery front Winter Hill Road named for the Winters family.
Orphans Court Records
Appointment as Guardian
Philip Winter, deceased
John Winter, Frana Winter and Christian Winter minor children of Philip Winter deceased, come into Court and choose Stophel(Chris Sr.) Winter of Martick township, guardian over their estates during their minority, in the room and stead of John Bare their former guardian and the Court approves of and appoints him their guardian accordingly.
The Court appoints Stophel Winter of martick township guardian over the estates of Emmanuel Winter, Benjamin Winter, Abraham Winter, Daniel Winter and Susannah Winter minor children of Philip Winter deceased, they being severally under the age of fourteen years, during their minority in the Room and stead of John Bare their former guardian.
AT AN ORPHAN's COURT held at Lancaster the twenty-fifth day of March Anno Domini 1782. Before Michael Hubley, Henry Slaymaker and John craig, Esquires, justices of the same Court
Excerpted from History of Lancaster County by Ellis and Evans(annotated by researcher)
p.1016
Farther westward in the township(Martick), among the early settlers was Chridtopher Winters. Of his
nativity we have no positive data(now exists), but it is altogether probable
that he was of German descent. He owned a large scope of land now owned by
John Shultz, Albert Smith, George Mowrer, John Wiggins, and others. He died about 1830(Feb. 23, 1829). he was the father of John, Simon, Joseph, Christopher, Susan, Mary and Betsey Winters. John the oldest son married
Elizabeth
Christopher Winters, Jr.(W3175)
Excerpted from
History of Lancaster County by Ellis and Evans(annotated by researcher)
p.1073
Christopher Winters was located in his early manhood on a farm near Providence(New Providence, Providence twp, Martick twp. prior to 1853), which he cleared from the woods. There his wife(Esther Gochenour) died(1823), and he then moved to the West(Ohio), where he died, leaving two sons and one daughter:(1)Augustus who settled in Providence township, and died a single man; Hetty, who married William Gontner, and settled in Lancaster, where they both died, leaving two daughters, (3)Catherine, deceased, and Mary:(2)Silas Winters (who married)Mrs.(Miss)Catherine Marks.(She) belonged to one of the very old families of the this county.
After the death of wife Esther it appears Chris Jr, put his affairs in the hands of his brothers, John, Joseph, and Simon, by deed of voluntary assignment Sep. 16, 1833, then left for Ohio where some time later he married Prudence. His brothers as assignees made the following conveyances:
- April 9, 1834-42 acres and improvements to Jacob Neff and John Lefever
- May 12, 1834-80 acres to George Andress?
- April 1, 1834-4 acres, 102 perches to John Peoples
- April 7, 1834-deed to assignees from Samuel Onick? and wife
- March 29, 1833?-Christopher Winters to John Hersh, 48 acres in Drumore twp.
Chris Jr. died about 1845 in Ohio, his estate passed in part to his children in Pennsylvania and to his widow Prudence. His burial place is unknown at present. In the Indenture from Prudence to Silas et.al., an unsual statement is made revealing that for some reason Chris Jr. was sometimes also known as C. Heimer? This alias is difficult to read as its appearance in the document is barely legible. He apparently for some reason adopted the last portion of his fathers birth name Winterheimer as an alias. His wife Prudence and possible children used the name Heymer or Heimer.
At the time of his death Chris Jr. was a resident of Muskingum County, Ohio(which is located about 40 miles Northeast of Lancaster, Ohio). He may have previously lived in the westerly portion of the state as evidenced by the item below.
Excerpt
Putnam Past Times
Vol.X, Oct.1988 by Putnam County Historical Society
Mt. Palatine will celebrate 150 years in 1989-80 acres of land given by Christopher winters in 1839 to found an academy...the area gave early promise of being a center of learning. Mt. Palatine was located on part of this land....beacme known as Judson College..."
Silas Winters(W31752)
Silas was born July 5, 1821.
His mother Esther Gochenour died Feb.1, 1823 after the birth of the third child, the namesake of Esther. The death occured either during childbirth or within 30 days of it. Very soon thereafter Silas' father Chris went west to Ohio formally assigning his various properties to his brothers to dispose of. At this time it is unknown what happened to the children and who they were raised by, but it is apparent they stayed behind in Martick twp.
Excerpted from History of Lancaster County by Ellis and Evans(annotated by researcher)
p.1073
Silas Winters lived on his farm in Providence(twp), where he had settled after his marriage, working as a cooper, until a few
years prior to his death. In June 1900, he moved to Lancaster, where he lived retired. His wife died on the old homestead in providence township, in 1895; leaving a family of seven children:Ella M., born 1844, is a seamstress in Lancaster. Mary A., born in 1845, married Martin LeFevre of Drumore township and is the mother of seven children:Ida B., Minnie B.,Charles A., William B., Walter C., Ella B., and Laura C., who died early in womanhood. Augustus, born in 1849, married Anna Esbenshade, and lives on his farm in east Drumore, where they have four children:Curtis G.,Lulu M., Roxie A., and Robert C. Catherine, born in 1850, married Martin Reese and resides in Lancaster:they have a large family of children:Ward, Harvey, Minnie, John, Clarence, Clements, Edna(deceased), Stella(also deceased), Clayton, Gordon, Ray and Mary.
On June 8, 1846, the second wife of Silas' father Chris Jr., now widowed conveyed by Indenture thirds interest subject to dower to Silas and his sister Esther and her husband William Gontner. There appears to be no mention Augustus, the eldest of the three children born to Chris Jr. and first wife Esther. There is also no mention of any children of any issue by Chris Jr., and second wife Prudence.
"Kate" Reese