Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Johannes Schmeiss

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Descendants of Johannes Schmeiss

Generation No. 1

1. JOHANNES³ SCHMEISS (JOHANN MARTIN², PHILLIP¹)¹ was born January 20, 1753 in Schoneau, Schonstein, Germany (Hesse)¹, and died 1813 in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania¹. He married MARIA ELIZABETH FRENCH Abt. 1783 in York County, PA, daughter of JOHN FRENCH and MARIA ??. She was born September 10, 1765 in Chanceford Township, York County, PA, and died 1817 in Tell Township, Huntingdon County, PA.

Notes for JOHANNES SCHMEISS:
      Johannes Schmeiss was the father of Peter Smice. Johannes was born on January 20, 1753 in Schoneau, Schonstein, Hesse (Germany). Johannes Schmeiss was the son of Johann Martin Schmeiss.
Johannes Schmeiss was a Hessian soldier, recruited out of the Hesse-Cassel state, who came to America to fight for the British. He and his brother, Jorge, are listed in the books of Hessian soldiers. "Hessian" soldiers were German auxiliaries to the British Crown who fought in the Revolutionary War.

MILITARY SERVICE, Johannes Schwalm Historical Association, Inc: (edited by Layne A. Holley)
      Johannes Schmeiss was a private in Company 5 of the von Knyphausen Regiment, Hesse-
Cassel. The Regiment arrived at Staten Island, New York, in mid August, 1776. The Regiment participated in the battles for Chatterton's Hill in the Bronx, Fort Washington, and Trenton. At the battle of Trenton, Johannes Schmeiss was captured on 26 December, 1776, captured at the Battle of Trenton and held as a prisoner of war from 26 December 1776 to May of 1783. We find no record of his returning to his unit. As a P.O.W., Johannes was held at Lancaster, Pennsylvania and was put to work on public buildings. During the second quarter of 1777, Johannes was paid for "working on public buildings in Lancaster." The military record shows him born at Schoenau between 1752 and 1754. There is no record of Johannes Schmeiss having been exchanged and he is listed as a prisoner of war on the May 1783 muster.

MARRIAGE:
      Before July of 1785, Johannes Schmeiss married Maria Elizabeth French in York County, Pennsylvania. It is believed they were the parents of seven (7) children: Maria Barbara, John Jr., George, Rebecca, Elizabeth, William, and Peter.

TAXES:
Johan Schmeiss Anglicized his name, changing it to "John Smice". It is this "John Smice" that is found in census and tax records.

1798: John Smice does Not appear on the 1798 tax list.

1799 TAX ASSESSMENT: (Huntingdon County, PA)
John Smice is first found on this 1799 Tax Assessment of Shirley Township, Huntingdon County, PA. At this time he was paying taxes on a house and lot for his landlord, plus four cows. This indicates that he did not own the house or lot, but was renting it from the owner and consequently paying the taxes on behalf of the landlord.
Shirley Township:

1800: John Smice - 4 cows, 1 house and lot for landlord; John Smice (Sr.) and his family were living in
Shirleysburg Borough, Shirley Township, Huntingdon County, PA during the 1800 census.

1801: John Smice - 2 cows, mechanick, 1 house and lot for landlord
      Note: John Smice was not working as a farm laborer. The exact job is not specified here but       the term "mechanick" indicates a classification of non-farming jobs, a man with a skilled       occupation; for example - blacksmith.

1802: John Smice does not appear on the 1802 tax list.

1802-1804: John Smice - 3 cows

1805-1807: John Smice - 150 acres for landlord, 1 horse, 1 cow

1808: No list identified for the year 1808.

1809: John Smice - 1 horse, 1 cow

1810: John Smice does not appear on the 1810 tax list.
1802: John Smice is not found on the tax assessment list

1800 U.S. CENSUS:
Huntingdon County, Shirley Township, Shirleysburg Borough, page 135

Males Under 10: two       (George, Peter)
Males 10-15: one             (John, Jr)
Males 16-25 one             (unknown)
Males 45 & up: one       (Johan Schmeiss)

Females Under 10: two       (Mary, unknown)
Females 10-15: one       (Maria Barbara)
Females 26-44: one       (Maria Elizabeth French)

DEATH:

      Johannes Schmeiss (John Smice) died between 1813 and 1814 in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. His exact date of death, nor his place of burial, have been located. He died intestate, having owned no real estate. There are no known court records.

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ARTICLE, "SCHMEISS" - prepared by M.A. Schwalm, Journal of the Johannes Schwalm Historical Association, Inc., Volume 4, Number 4, 1992, page 49 & 50:

      SCHMEISS, Johannes - baptized 20 January 1752 and confirmed in 1765, both in the village of D3579 Schoenau, Germany. His father was Johann Martin Schmeiss, a shepherd. His grandfather was Phillip Schmeiss. Phillip Schmeiss died before 1767. Phillip's widow (and grandmother of Johannes Schmeiss) was Maria Christina (maiden name not given). Maria Christina died and was buried in Schoenau on 21 June 1767 at the age of 92 years, 3 months. Johannes Schmeiss was known to have had a brother and two sisters, all three which died under age five, and possibly another twin brother and sister:
      a) Joerge (George) Henrich Schmeiss, buried 11 march 1753 at the age of 4 years and 4       weeks.
      b) Elisabeth Schmeiss, born 4 July 1775, baptized 6 July 1775. Her sponsor was Elisabeth       Schmeiss Klippert, the sister of Johann Martin Schmeiss (an aunt). Elisabeth Schmeiss was       buried 11 December 1756 at the age of 1 year and 5 months.
      c) Anna Elisabeth Schmeiss, born 23 April 1758, baptized 30 April 1758. Her sponsor was       Anna Elisabeth (no surname given) from Gemuenden. An "Anna Martha Schmeiss" was buried       12 May 1762, at the age of 4 years and 10 days.
      d) Johann George Schmeiss, a twin, was baptized in Schoenau on 21 November 1748. He was       confirmed there in 1753. Anna Elisabeth Schmeiss, a twin, was baptized in Schoenau on 21       November 1748. A "Catharina Elisabeth Schmeiss" was confirmed in 1753.

      Johannes Schmeiss married Maria Elizabeth French, probably in York County, PA prior to July 1785. A daughter, Maria Barbara Schmeiss, was born 22 June 1785 and baptized 17 July 1785 at St. Luke's Church, Chanceford Township, York County, PA. Parents were listed as Johan Schmeiss and Maria Elizabeth. Maria Barbara Schmeiss was possibly named after her mother and grandmother (Barbara French).
      The will of Johannes Schmeiss' father-in-law, John French, was probated on 5 April 1788 in Washington County, MD. Maria French was cut from the will by her father (John French) and her share was given to John Smice Jr., her oldest son.
      The 1790 census reported a "John Smice" (Johannes Schmeiss) living in Washington County, MD with his wife. This 1790 census indicates a daughter (Maria Barbara, born 1785); a son (John, born circa 1786); and a second son (George, born circa 1790).
      In 1799, Johannes Schmeiss (John Smice) paid taxes in Shirley Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Johannes Schmeiss (John Smice) was credited with owning four cows and paid taxes on a house and lot belonging to his landlord. Johann Schmeiss' occupation was listed as a "mechanic". He continued living there for a total of three years under the same stipulation.
      On the 1800 census, Johannes Schmeiss was listed as living with his wife in Shirley Township, Huntingdon County, PA. The census listing is reconstructed as follows: 1 male under 10 (William, born 1799), 1 male under 10 (Peter?, born circa 1800), 1 male 10-16 (George, born circa 1790), 1 male 16-26 (John, born circa 1786?), 2 females under 10 (who may have died as small children, or were not subsequently identified), 1 female 10-16 (Maria Barbara, born 1785).
      In 1802, Johannes Schmeiss (John Smice) appeared in Dublin Township, Huntingdon County, PA and was taxed for owning three cows.
      However, there is a second son "under age 10" on the 1800 census. Between 1841 and 1845, Peter Smice migrated to Belmont County, Ohio and in 1848 migrated to Grand Detour, Pine Creek Township, Ogle County, Illinois. On the 1850 census, Peter Smice is shown as being 47. In the 1860 census, Peter is shown as being 55 years old. Peter Smice was married to Elizabeth Parker (born 1801, died 24 May, 1849 in Ogle County, IL). Peter Smice died 30 January, 1884 in Pine Creek Township, Ogle County, IL.
      In 1805, Johannes Schmeiss (John Smice) was taxed for owning one horse and one cow. Johannes paid taxes for a landlord on 150 acres of land on which he apparently lived. Johannes Schmeiss continued under the same stipulation for the next two years.
      In 1808 and 1809, Johannes Schmeiss (John Smice) was taxed for owning one horse and one cow. In April 1810, Tell Township was formed from a part of Dublin Township and the Smice family resided in that part which became Tell Township, Huntingdon County, PA. In 1810, Johannes paid taxes on one horse, one cow, and taxes on 80 acres of land for his landlord. Beginning in 1812, Johannes paid taxes on one cow and on 100 acres of "Traxler land", apparently his landlord. In 1813, Johannes Schmeiss paid taxes on two cows and Traxler's land. In 1814 and 1815, "Widow Smice" paid taxes on one horse, one cow, and Traxler's land. In 1816, it appears that this "Widow Smice" paid the taxes on Traxler's land but her name was crossed off the list and did not appear again.

More About MARIA ELIZABETH FRENCH:
Baptism: The New Hanover Lutheran Church, Montgomery County, PA; parents - Johannes & Maria Barbara Frantz; sponsors - Daniel Neier & Maria Elisabeth; from Pennsylvania German Church Records, Volume II, page 182

Children of JOHANNES SCHMEISS and MARIA FRENCH are:

MARIA BARBARA⁴ SMICE, b. June 22, 1785, Chanceford Township, York County, PA.

More About MARIA BARBARA SMICE:
Baptism: July 17, 1785 at St. Luke's Church, Chanceford Township, York County, PA

2.	ii.	JOHN SMICE, JR., b. Abt. 1786, Chanceford Township, York County, PA; d. Abt. 1830, Washington County, MD.
3.	iii.	GEORGE SMICE, b. Abt. 1790, Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland; d. 1853, Grandview, Louisa County, Iowa.
	iv.	REBECCA SMICE¹, b. Abt. 1793, Washington County, MD¹.
	v.	ELIZABETH SMICE^2,³, b. Abt. 1795, Washington County, MD ^4,⁵.
	vi.	WILLIAM SMICE⁵, b. Abt. 1799, Tell Township, Huntingdon County, PA⁵.

Notes for WILLIAM SMICE:
William Smice was the son of Johannes and Maria Schmeiss and the brother of Peter Smice. William Smice was born about 1799 in Tell Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. William Smice was shown on the 1800 census as being "under age 10". There was no listing found for William's father, John Smice (Johannes Schmeiss) the Hessian, on the 1810 census. William Smice appears on the "single freeman" tax list for Tell Township, Huntingdon County, PA in 1820. The 1850 census for Quincy Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania listed an "Elizabeth Smice", aged 45 (born in PA circa 1805) and a Margaret A. Smice, age 24 (born in PA circa 1826). It is presumed that William Smice died prior to 1850, although no 1820, 1830, or 1840 census records have yet been found on him.

vii.

PETER SMICE, b. March 21, 1801, Tell Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania; d. January 30, 1884, Grand Detour, Township, Ogle County, IL.

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