Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Johann Adam Wuertemberger

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Descendants of Johann Adam Wuertemberger

Generation No. 1

1. JOHANN ADAM¹ WUERTEMBERGER was born Abt. 1735 in Ilbesheim Baden Wuertemberg Germany, and died 1785 in Reading, Berks County, Pennslyvania. He married ANNA MARIA STROHECKER Abt. 1756 in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. She was born Abt. 1737 in Germany, and died Bet. 1764 - 1782 in Pennsylvania.

Notes for JOHANN ADAM WUERTEMBERGER:
The Following Is Information from a summary written by Vanessa Stanton Butler regarding material collected by her Aunt Maudie Stanton Vaughn.

It is clear from my Aunt Doolie's (Maudie Stanton Vaughn) writings that she was not fully convinced that Johann Adam Wuertemberger was the head of the Wattenbarger line. Aunt Doolie was a very exacting researcher -- I have found very few mistakes in the volumes of data that she had accumulated. She recognized that Johann Wuertenberger may have been the first "Wattenbarger" to arrive in America, but also sited several other possibilities in her writings. However, her data correlates completely with the research of others (Carol Bradley Goodman, Lester R. Binnie, and data from the Mormon Church International Genealogical Database), and these establish clear connections between Johann Wuertenberger and our Wattenbargers.

The following is information from a research paper that was among Aunt Doolie's research writings, and is obviously early research data which led to confirmation of the Wattenbarger family origins. I do not know how Aunt Doolie came to have this copy, although I do recall that she was researching the Wattenbargers in a coordinated effort with Chris Wattenbarger (a descendent of Peter Wattenbarger, Micheal Wattenbarger's brother), and that they shared information. I suspect that she may have acquired this through him. This paper appears to have been written in the 1960's, as none of the author's sources are dated after that era. (Vanessa Stanton Butler, 2000)

THE WHITTENBERGER FAMILIES OF AKRON, INDIANNA AND SOME OF THEIR RELATIVES

by Lester A. Binnie, Rt. 4, Albion, Indianna 46701

Family origin and early history in America: The period from 1740 to 1763 was one of conflict and privation in what is now southern West Germany. The War of Austrian Succession and The Seven Year's War resulted in great hardship and oppressive military servitude. For this reason, many persons living in the area known as the Palatinate wished to leave their homeland. Pennsylvania offered one of the brightest prospects for resettlement because of the declared policy of freedom from religious persecution and the abundant resources for agricultural development. Permission to leave the homeland was very difficult to obtain, but many escaped by way of the Rhine River Valley and the port at Rotterdam. Here they secured passage, usually on a British ship, that took them to America. Family tradition infers that our ancestor fled the country to avoid military service or for some other reason that could have caused his persecution or death.

The date that our ancestor, Johann Adam Wuertemberger, came to American has not been established. It is known that he was living in or near Reading, Pennsylvania in 1758. Church records at Reading show that he and his wife, Anna Maria, presented a son, John Jacob, for baptism on 5 March 1758 (Records of the Trinity Lutheran Church, Vol. I, 1751-1812, Berks County Historical Society, Reading, Pennsylvania). This child became the father of William Whittenberger who settled near Akron, Indianna in 1836. The Wuertemberger name appears in several forms in the translated church records and elsewhere. More than twenty-five different spellings have been found by this author.

There are several clues about how and when Johann Adam Wuertemberger arrived in America. Some believe that he was the same person as Johan Adam Wirdeberger who arrived at Philadelphia in the Ship Neptune on 24 Sept 1751 ("Pennsylvania German Pioneers", Passenger Ship List, p. 5 51). It is noted that two men, believed by some to have been brothers of Johann Adam, arrived at Philadelphia on the Ship Shirley on 5 Sept 1751. They were H. Michael Wurtenberger and Hans George Wurtenberger. These are mentioned here in relation to a family tradition that three brothers came to America at the same time and that two returned to their homeland. Another clue is contained in a list of emigrants from Zweibrucken, 1750 - 1752 ("Pennsylvania Folklore Society", Vol. 16, 1953). For the year 1753, there is an entry stating that "Johan Adam Wuertemberger of Ilbesheim leaves for America". It seems likely that this man was our ancestor.

The Wuertemberger name has been thought by some to have been applied to members of the ruling family of the former principality of Wuertemberg. Recent correspondence from Germany indicates that this would only be true for those who emigrated after about 1820. It is more likely that the name simply designated one who came from that area.

According to the church records cited above, Johann Adam's children included at least the following:

John Jacob, born 28 March 1757 (ancestor of Whittenberger families)
John Adam, born 22 February 1760 (ancestor of Wattenbarger families)
John George, born 4 May 1762 (ancestor of Wertenberger families)
Anna Maria, born 20 November 1764
Mary Rosina (dates uncertain)

The Trinity Church records state: "Adam Wuertemberger, widower, and his daughter, Mary, partook of the Lord's Supper on 15 September 1782" indicating that his wife, Anna Maria, had died before that date. Records for Adam following this date are assumed to apply to John Adam , Jr. The Wuertemberger name does not appear in the Trinity Church records after 3 November 1790.

Tax Records for the year 1781, Cumru Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania show:

Adam Wortemberger, stocking weaver
Jacob Wertemberger, stocking weaver
Adam Wortemberger, single freeman

No Wuertembergers -- any of the various spellings -- were found in Berks County, Pennsylvania in the 1800 Federal Census.

JOHN ADAM WUERTEMBERGER, JR. may have been married in about 1783. (There are notes scribbled in red about this sentence: b. 22 Feb 1760 -- I believe he died in 1825 in Washington County, TN). The Trinity Church records show, "Elizabeth Wuertemberger, a married person, admitted to communion for the first time. Adam Wuertemberger also appeared at the Lord's Table" . Records from three churches establish the birth of three children of John Adam, Jr.:

"William Wurtenberger, born 8 April 1785, baptized 1 May 1785, Adam W. and wife, sponsors Henry Frentzler and Mary Wurtenberger". (History of St. John's (Hains) Reformed Church, by Kierchner and Lerch, 1916)

"John Adam Wuertemberger (who would also be known as our "Adam Wattenbarger"), born 20 June 1787, baptized 8 July 1787, John Adam Wurtemberger and wife, sponsor Johann Adam Wurtemberger" . (Ibid)

"Anna Maria Wuertemberger, born 1 July 1789, baptized 9 August 1789, Adam Wuertemberger, father, sponsor Catharine Breininger". (Records of the Schwartzwald Reformed Church, by John Wm . Boos, 1781 - 1810). Anna Marie died young as indicated by the following: "Adam Wuertemberger's daughter, Anna Maria, buried in Cumru Township, in cemetery not far from Reim's Tavern . Croup, 1 year and four months, 3 November 1790. (Records of the Trinity Lutheran Church , Vol. I, 1751 - 1812). It is very unusual for death records or burials to be recorded in church records and leads one to wonder why this one was recorded.

In 1781, Adam Wuertemberger, Jr. (aka Wattenbarger) was a private in George Reim's Company, First Regiment, Berk's County, Pennsylvania Militia. ("Pennsylvania Archives", Vol. V, Fifth Series, p. 285). On 13 May 1785, he was recorded in the class roll of Peter Gower's Company, First Berks County Militia. ("Pennsylvania Archives", Vol. III, Sixth Series, p. 58). In the 1790 Federal Census, Adam appears in the Cumru Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania with two male children under the age of 16, two male persons over the age of 16, and one female over the age of 16.

(transcribed by Vanessa Stanton Butler, 2000)

... and the story goes on. We now know that Adam Wattenbarger had a son born in 1790 in Rockingham County, Virginia, another born ca 1797 in Virginia, and then seven other children who were all born in Washington County, Tennessee where Adam died in 1825. It is evident that Adam left the Pennsylvania area in 1790 to migrate to Virginia, and from there on to Washington County, Tennessee where he settled for the remainder of his life.

Aunt Doolie expounded on the story in her own special style:

The city of Philadelphia became crowded with immigrants during the Palantine immigration. Though they brought many skills with them and did much to improve the lives of the early settlers, their main interest was in the land. They moved out of the city to the rich limestone valleys of Pennsylvania. They built sturdy barns and houses, and did well with their stock and crops. Since they spoke a strange dialect and on being asked who they were by the English and Scotch-Irish settlers, they would reply "Deutsch", so they settlers called them Dutch . The ones who remained in Pennsylvania became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Our family came into Virginia. My great, great grandfather (Micheal Wattenbarger) was probably born in Washington County, at least we know he was there in 1820 and was married there . His brother, Peter, came first (to McMinn County) after the Indians ceded their land to the government, then Micheal came down to settle near Peter.

We know our people, the Wattenbargers, were hard workers and thrifty. They have been called stingy, but that is not true. They helped their neighbors and took good care of their children. They thought to waste was a sin. As far as I know, none of them ever accepted charity or lived off of another man's toil.

Maudie Stanton Vaughn
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It was customary in that area and at that time to give children the names of saints, thus every male child would be named after the patron saint of the family. Sometimes every girl child will also be found with the same common first name, but not so often as the boys. Then every child would have a distinct middle name by which he would be known. Thus it was common for a German family to have all of its sons named some form of John with all but one of them having middle names. Some family traditions say that this way when the devil came for a child , he would become confused as to which John was which.

(http://www.zekes.com/~dspidell/famresearch/palatine.html#Source)

ca 1756 when Johann Adam was 21, he married Anna Maria STROHECKER1,3, in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania.1 Born ca 1738 in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

They had the following children:
      2      i.      John Jacob (1757-1829)
      3      ii.      John Adam (1760-1825)
      4      iii.      John George (1762-1843)
      5      iv.      Anna Marie (1764-)
            v.      Mary Rosina1. Born ca 1776 in Berks County, Pennsylvania.1

More About JOHANN ADAM WUERTEMBERGER:
Emigration: 24 September 1751, appears on the ship "Neptune" as a passenger
Occupation: stocking weaver

More About JOHANN WUERTEMBERGER and ANNA STROHECKER:
Marriage: Abt. 1756, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Children of JOHANN WUERTEMBERGER and ANNA STROHECKER are:

2.	i.	JOHN JACOB² WUERTEMBERGER, b. 28 March 1757, Berks County, Pennslyvania; d. Bef. 27 April 1829, New Middletown, Ohio.
3.	ii.	JOHN ADAM WUERTEMBERGER, b. 22 February 1760, Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania; d. July 1825, Washington County, Tennessee.
4.	iii.	JOHN GEORGE WUERTEMBERGER, b. 04 May 1762, Berks County, Pennslyvania; d. 1843, Starks County, Ohio.
5.	iv.	ANNA MARIE WUERTEMBERGER, b. 20 November 1764, Berks County Pennslyvania or Virginia.
	v.	MARY ROSINA WUERTEMBERGER, b. Abt. 1766, Berks County, Pennslyvania.

Notes for MARY ROSINA WUERTEMBERGER:
She was admitted to Communion for the first time on Easter 1779. Mary and her father partook of the Lord's Supper on 15 Sept. 1782. Mary Wurtenberger and Henry Frentzler were sponsors at the baptism of Wilhelm Wurtenberger 1 May 1785 at St. John's Ref. Church in Heidelberg Twn., PA. Wilhelm was the son of Adam Wurtenberger and wife. Judged to be Adam, Jr. A Frederick Fensler was one of the executors of Adam Wattenberger's will, 1825, Washington County, Tennessee.

More About MARY ROSINA WUERTEMBERGER:
Date born 2: Abt. 1766, Berks County, Pennsylvania

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