Jurg Maurer Born 1720 - Died May 1776 Pioneer to Shenandoah, Co. VA. This book is a history of the descendants of ; Hans Jurg Maurer and wife Anna Maria ___________? who settled in Augusta Co., VA. in 1750 and later was renamed to Dunmore Co., VA. then in Oct. 1777 the said county was renamed again to Shenandoah Co., VA. as it is known today. The first known data to date on Jurg Maurer, age 23, is when he arrived in America. He is listed as a passenger on the ship Saint Andrew which arrived at the port of Philadelphia, PA., on 7 Oct. 1743. The ship was commanded by Captain Rob Brown and sailed from the port of Rotterdam, Holland, then to Cowes, England, and from there on to America. The ship caption’s passenger list posted his name as Hans Geo. Mower. The import qualification list posted his name as Hans Jerg Maurer. He signed his name on the oath of allegiance at the Philadelphia Court House as Hans Jurg Maurer in German. See signature sheet in front of this book and compare this Jurg Maurer’s signature with other Jurg Maurer signatures in court records. You will notice it is an exact match to the other signatures. Jurg Maurer always signed his name as JURG MAURER. His given name was recorded in court records as; Jurg, Jerg and George. George is an English conversion of Jurg. His surname was recorded in court records as Maurer, Mourer, Mower, Mowrer and Mowery. There were 93 males listed age 16 and above and a unknown number of women and children on the ship St. Andrew. An untold number who started the journey died en route. The following is abstracted from Gottlieb Mittelberger’s publication titled “Journey to Pennsylvania in the year 1750". A church in Philadelphia purchased a new organ from a manufacture in Germany. Mittleberger accomplices the organ to Philadelphia and signed on as a music teacher for the new organ. He also was a schoolmaster. He stayed until 1854 and returned to Germany. On his return he wrote a 102 page book on his travel to Philadelphia and his return to Germany. The book was translated to English and describes what a German immigrant would expect on his journey to and life in America. This author highly recommend those who had family that immigrated to America during the mid 1700s to read it. He was appalled at the Dutch man-dealers and traffickers of human soles. It will shock you on what they endured to come to America. Mittelberger writes the journey to America usually started about the month of May and may have lasted to the end of Oct. With good wind, the journey would take about 7 weeks. With poor wind and high seas, the journey could take as long as 12 weeks. The journey was in three basic parts. The first part was taking a boat down the Rhine River to the port of Rotterdam which would often last 4 to 6 weeks. The boat could pass as many as 20 customs houses. Each custom house would inspect the boat at their leisure to encourage the passengers to spend their money. When the boat arrived at Rodderdam they may be detained another 3 to 6 weeks, and the poor people would again spend more money. The second part of the journey was the trip from Rodderdam, Holland to Cowes, Isle of Wright, England. English regulations required all ships arriving in America first had to be dispatched from England. There would be another delay of 1 or 2 weeks while they cleared English customs and wait for favorable winds. Again the poor passengers were spending more of their money. The third part of the journey was the ocean voyage and the most enduring part. Mittelberger states, the passengers endured much suffering and hardships. The passengers were packed in like sardines which promoted diseases like typhoid, scurvy, dysentery and small pox. The ships may have had 4oo to 600 hundred passengers on board. Each adult was allotted a space of 2 ft.x 6ft. Children allotted less. If the voyage was prolonged due to poor wind, the food and water would become scarce, which resulted in rationing. Children were the first to die in large numbers. The ships would often endure severe storms with high seas that could last for days. Mittelberger also states that during the storms the passengers often feared the ship would go to the bottom of the sea. During these times the ship would toss violently from side to side. No one could walk or sit and passengers would cry and pray pitifully. Some of the ships captains and crews were cruel and inhuman to the passengers. Many deaths occurred on ship during the voyage and those that died were tossed overboard quickly to prevent spreading of disease . Many passengers never envisioned the suffering, hardships and misery they would endure during the 7- 12 week voyage. Many were left with horrid memories for the rest of their life. When they reached the mouth of the Delaware River below the port of Philadelphia, PA., they would go through another delay. After an infectious disease broke out in the city, the Pennsylvania government bought and maintained an island in the river leading to the port after 1743. The island was some distance from the port and converted to a medical hospital. All ships were required to stop for a medical inspection of the passengers & crew. All sick persons were quarantined to the island until they got well or died. The captain had the paperwork of the emigrants signed travel agreements, travel bills down the Rhine, ship bills for provisions while on ship and freight bills of each passenger. From these bills the captain would prepare a list of who could pay their bills. Also a list was prepared on those who could not pay their bills. This list was those who were to be sold as an indentured servant. He would turn this list over to his Merchant Ship Line office. This list was published in the newspapers. The emigrants were led to the City Hall where they were required to make & sign an oath of allegiance to the King of England and then returned to the ship. Those who had any money left to pay their bills, were released. Those who had relatives or friends enlisted their help for a loan to pay their passage and were released. The Merchant Ship Line office on a specific time and date would display the remaining passengers. The buyers would choose and bargain with each passenger for a number of years and days to serve as an indentured servant to the buyer. The buyer would take them to the Merchant Ship Line office and pay their passage and other debts. The buyer received a government document binding the emigrant to the buyer on the agreed terms. After the servitude time period was satisfied, the emigrant was released from his agreement and went on his own. The time period was often 3-7 years. Records from the early Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster, PA., list that George and Anna Marie Maurer were the parents of a daughter, Anna Maria Maurer, born 25 Oct. 1748 and baptized 30 Oct. 1748. To date this is the only record found on Jurg and Mary Maurer from the time he left the ship in PA. and arriving in Virginia in 1750. This 7 year time frame (1743-1750) would indicate he was most likely in an indentured servant agreement. This author has spent many man hours researching Jurg Maurer’s life during this 7 year period. To date no other data has surfaced. The search will go on. The first data found on Jurg Maurer’s presence in what is now known as Shenandoah Co., VA., is in 1750. He is listed as a chain carrier on survey of his neighbors land grants in 1750. Jurg Maurer received a Land Grant from Lord Fairfax’s Northern Neck of Virginia Land Proprietary Office on 20 June 1754. He most likely, like others before him, applied for a warrant and survey in 1750, paid rent and lived on the land until he received the grant in 1754. The land grant was issued in the name, George Mowery. Here the English community anglicized the surname from Maurer to Mowery on this document. The Land Grant is recorded in Book “H” page 448 in the Northern Neck Land Grants, records. It can be viewed and copied through the internet at Virginia State Library land records site. It is recorded in the name of George Mowery. Also see copy of grant in front of this book. Jurg Maurer’s neighbors on the land grant were: Jacob Gohenour-Gochenour (on the south & east), George Lantz (on the north), and George Mavis (Maphis) on the west. The grant was located in what was originally Augusta Co., VA. in 1750. Then was renamed Dunmore, Co. for a short time then renamed to Shenandoah Co., VA, as it is known today. The grant was located about 3 miles west of Woodstock, VA. near the SW side of the village of Alonzaville and at the base of Sheffer Gap. Alonzaville road runs past the lower east side of the grant. (See Map). The grant list “Stovers Run” running through the property which was an earlier name for one of the headwaters of Pughs Run. The term “Land Grant” is somewhat misleading to those not familiar with the term. It is erroneously thought by many, the land was granted free of charge to persons who were part of the English Royalty, served in the Royal Court or was part of was a war bounty. The grantees paid a fee to the Proprietary Office at the time the grant was issued. The grantee then paid what was termed; “Quit Rent”. The Quit Rent was 1 shilling per 50 acres and was to be paid every year on the Feast Day of St. Michaels the Archangel, which was an English holiday. Mr. Cunningham, Mrs B.B. Bly and Mr. Chester Lambert were property owners in the 1990s. In 1753, George Maurer was one of the founding members of the “Society of Dutch Protestants”, a Lutheran group that started the first Dutch Chapel at the Stoney Creek community. More can be found on this subject in the book; Lutherans of the Stoney Creek Community, by Klaus Wust. In Feb. 1771, Anthony Nicely ( Knisley) received a 278 acre land grant from Lord Fairfax’s office. The property was located about 1 mile west of Woodstock, VA. Patmos Road runs through the east side of the grant today. Anthony Nicely married Jurg Maurer’s daughter, Barbara Maurer. In Nov. 1772, Anthony & Barbara Maurer Nicely sold the said property, (278 acres) to his father-in- law, George Mour-Mourer. It is very likely Jurg Maurer funded the original purchase and Anthony & Barbara struggled financially and sold the said property to satisfy their debt. On 27 Jan. 1773 George Mour-Mourer & Mary his wife sold 100 acres of said property to Phillip Wisman. Signed as Jurg Maurer and in German. See signature sheet in front of this book. On 17 May 1775 George Mour-Mourer & Mary his wife sold the remaining 178 acres to Jeremiah Caffery. Signed as Jurg Maurer and in German. On 23 April 1783 Jeremiah Keffer & Madalane his wife sold the same 178 acres to William Kiblar (Kibler). This area is known as Spring Hollar area today. William Kibler’s descendants remained in possession of this property until the 1990s. On 15 Nov. 1775 Jurg Maurer made his will. It is recorded in Will Book “A” page 100 at the Shenandoah Co., VA. court house. His name is written as George Mowerer and his wife as Ann Mary in the will. It is signed in German as Jurg Maurer. He listed his trusty friends Martin Folts (Foltz) and John Hos-Hoy (Hass) and wife Ann Mary to be executors. See copy of will in front. About 6 months later on 28 May 1776 the last will and testament of George Mourer was proved in court by his executors. This indicates Jurg Maurer was terminally ill and made a will about age 55. His exact date of death is unknown. It is safe to assume he died the month of May 1776. His estate was not settled until 1788. See estate settlement papers in front of this book. In the will Jurg Maurer directs that his son Leonard is to receive the “upper place where the spring house now stands, when he comes of age”. See copy of will. The spring house still stands today. (See Photo in front). Above the main door the phrase “ ANNO 1769" is carved into the wooden lintel. Latin translation means; “In The Year Of The Lord 1769". During this time frame there were several Indian raids on the settlers. The spring house is a 3 story structure built of stone with a fire place, running water in the basement and port holes to fire on aggressors. Jurg Maurer and family built this structure for use in case of attack and most likely a family member lived in it. The spring house is about 400 ft. from Alonzaville Road and can be viewed from said road without obstruction. The spring house is in the process of being recorded in, Historical Places In Virginia. The property the stone house stands on today is owned by Dr. Jeff & Ali Carithers. They are two outstanding persons who believe in preserving things of historical nature. They have spent much time and money restoring the spring house to an immaculate condition. It should stand for another 100 years. They also have started restoration on a nearby barn. They need to be commended for their work. See photos of spring house in front of this book. Jurg Maurer’s will states, his children are to supply their mother with 1/4 acre of flack (flax) yearly. The flax plant is used for making linen fabric and linseed oil is extracted from the seed. There is flat marshy area near the spring house where the Maurer family most likely used for soaking the flax plants to extract the linen fibers. Children of Jurg & Anna Marie Maurer 1. John Mourer — ( abt. 1749 - 1834) Lived and died in Shenandoah Co., VA. His son George Mowrer settled in Harrison Co., IN. and son Jacob Mowrer-Mowery settled in Gibson Co., IN. His other children remained in Virginia. The Woodstock, VA. Mowerys descend from this line. See section 1 of this book. The index of John’s line is at rear of section 1. 2. George Mourer —(abt. 1750 - after 1810) Lived in Shenandoah Co., VA. Married in Frederick Co., MD. Settled in Pendleton Co., WV. about 1789 with his sister Barbara wife of Anthony Knisely Jr.. George’s line and index is in rear of section 2 3. Philip Maurer —(abt. 1752- died unknown) To date very little is known on Philip Maurer. Philip is found listed in his father’s will in 1775. He purchased items at his fathers moveable estate sale in 1776. He joined the 8th Virginia Continental Lines, a German speaking regiment during the Rev. War led by Col. Peter Muhlenberg. His military payroll records list his name as Philip Mour. He was listed as “Deserted” during the march to Charleston, SC. and his military record stops here. In his fathers estate settlement in 1788, he is thought by family members to be dead. They later learned he was alive in the Carolinas. This author has researched the Carolinas records without success. Research has been going on Philip for years without any results and it will continue. Philip is assigned section 3 in this book. 4. Michael Mourer —( Abt. 1754- Jan.1785) Michael lived in Forestville area of Shenandoah Co., VA. Died there young from injuries received from a fall while on a horse. Michael’s line and index is in section 4. 5. Leonard Mourer —( Abt. 1760 - Abt.Nov. 1823) Lived in Shenandoah Co., VA. Leonard and all of his family settled in Highland Co., OH. in 1810. Leonard died there in Nov. 1823. Leonard’s line and index is in rear section 5 6. Valentine Mowery —( abt. 1759- Abt. Jan. 1835) Valentine lived in Shenandoah Co., VA. then to Anderson, Co. TN. then to Franklin Co., IN.. Died in Rush Co., IN. Valentine’s line and index is in rear of section 5 7. Barbara Maurer—( born abt. 1747- died unknown) married Anthony Knisely Jr. son of, Christopher Anthony Knisely and Anna Doer. He was born 10 Dec. 1740 and died about 1805 in Pendleton, Co. WV. Barbara & family lived in Shenandoah Co., VA. and settled in Pendleton Co., WV. nearby her brother Gerorge Mourer about 1789. Barbara’s line and index is in the rear of section 7 8. Anna Maria Maurer—( 25 Oct. 1748 - Dec. 1824) known as Mary Rodeheffer. She married Samuel Simon Rodeheffer, son of David & Catherina Rodeheffer. They lived and died in Shenandoah Co., VA. Samuel was born abt. 1740 and died May 1823. Mary’s line and index is in the rear of section 8 It is very likely Jurg & Anna Marie Maurer had children who died young. Anna Maria Maurer Born unknown- Died Oct. 1785 ( Wife of Jurg Maurer) To date Anna Maria’s maiden name is unknown. Anna Maria’s given name is listed in Jurg Maurer’s will as Ann Mary. Other court records list her given name as Mary and Ann Mary. She made a will on 22 Aug. 1775 in Shenandoah Co., VA. The will is recorded in Will Book “B’ page 181. The will was written in German and signed in German as Anna Maria Maurer. (See copy of German will in front of this book). Trinity Lutheran Church, Lancaster, PA. list their daughter Anna Maria Maurer born 25 Oct 1748 and the parents were Anna Maria & George Maurer. In Oct. 1778, Shenandoah Co., VA. court records list Mary Mowrer charged with refusing to pay taxes. During the years 1782-1783 Ann Mary Mourer-Mowrer-Mower is involved in a lawsuit with John Crookshanks that is recorded in Shenandoah Co., VA. court records. The case was about Mary Mower who was to supply on a special contract, 50 bushels of oats at __? per bushel to John Crookshanks which he had already paid for. He claimed he was only delivered 42 bushels. Contract was in Nov. 1776. The case was continued several times over the years. Mary Mower was acquitted of the charges and awarded damages to be paid by John Crookshanks. Anna Maria’s will was proved in Shenandoah Co., VA. court records by her executors on 28 Oct. 1785. It is assumed Anna Marie Maurer died October 1775. Surname Spelling variations The surname “Maurer” in German has the meaning, “A person who works with stone and brick walls, a stone mason”. It is interesting to note the stone spring house this family built in 1769 was very well built. This Maurer family surely lived up to their surname. English conversion of the name is, “MASON”. This author has found in other Maurer families research, that the surname Maurer was converted to Mason some where in the line. To date no conversion from Maurer to Mason has been found on Jurg Maurer and his descendants, subjects of this book. 15 surname variations have been found to date on Jurg Maurer and descendants. The list to date: MAURER, MOURER, MOWERER, MOUERER, MOWRE, MOWER, MOWRAH, MOWRA, MOUR, MARR, MORIE, MOURY, MOWRY, MOWREY and MOWERY. The most used spelling variations were Mourer & Mowrer up till the 1850s &1880s then the surname slowly became anglicized to Mowry -Mowery. A few lines go by the surname Mourer & Mowrer today. This author has listed the surname spelling in this publication as he found it in research records and signatures. The English speaking community had much difficulty in pronouncing German surnames that ended with a hard “R”. They tended to sound out the surname Maurer to “Morry” that rhymed with “sorry”. The village of Maurertown, VA. located in Shenandoah Co, VA. is pronounced locally as “Morry town”. The village was founded by Charles Carl Maurer in 1828. Charles C. Maurer was born in Germany on 10 Dec. 1794. His father was Johann Christopher Maurer and his mother was Catharine A. Miller. Charles C. Maurer was from a place in Germany called Princedom of Waldec. To date no relationship between Charles C. Maurer and Jurg Maurer has been verified. The two families arrived in America about 60 years apart. Charles C. Maurer arrived in Shenandoah Co., VA. about 1820 with his older brother Frederick Willham Maurer. Charles C. Maurer married Susanna Doll-Dull daughter of Johann Nicholas Dull of Northampton Co., PA. in 1822. Susanna was 35 yrs.old and Charles was 27 yrs. old. Susanna’s father John Nicholas Dull bought 430 acres from Peter Spengler in 1782. The said land was granted to Peter Spengler by Lord Fairfax’s office 24 June 1771. Johann Nicholas Dull made a will in 1817 and willed 57 acres to his daughter Susanna Dull. Maurertown, VA. was developed from the said 57 acres by Charles C. & Susanna Dull Maurer in 1828. Frederick W. Maurer was married to Marie Henrieta __________? and in 1835 married Elizabeth Huff. Frederick’s known children, daughter Caroline, who married Gilliad Racy and daughter Marie who married Daniel Swartz. Charles & Susanna Dull Maurer had no known children. This author has heard the following phrases spoken to him many times during research over the years. “We are not related to that bunch of Mowerys because they spell their name differently” and “ Why did he change his name?”. This family, like many others, were German speaking people. For decades most could not read or write the English language. The teachers, court clerks, and ministers etc. would record names as they were pronounced phonically. Sometimes brothers & sisters would pronounce their name phonically different and the recorder would write it down as it sounded . Teachers would also write the childs name down as it sounded phonically. As the child learned to write, the child would take on that spelling variation for the rest of their life. This author researched his father’s ( William H. Mowery) 1910 school records. It was noted the teacher had grades 1-4 in the same room. My father and his Mowery cousins were listed with the same teacher, in the same room. The teacher listed different spelling variations. Also found a country store credit ledger where the storekeeper recorded brothers surnames differently. This author’s grandfather, Solomon Mowery, the surname was listed as Maurer on his marriage license. On bank checks, court records and his son’s report cards he signed Mowry. Newspapers articles, and obituary, his surname spelling was, Mowery. Other Mowery Families There are four (4) colonial Mowery families that were the original settlers in Virginia in the 1750-1800 time frame. The first family was Jurg Maurer, the subject of this publication that settled about 3 miles west of Woodstock VA,. in 1754 The second family was Ludwig (Lewis) Maurer (b. abt 1741 in Germany- d. abt. 1824) who settled in Augusta Co., VA. in 1775 near the area known today as Quicks Mill. Along with Ludwig Maurer came his two brothers Peter & Henry and a sister Sarah. Ludwig’s full name became anglicized to, Lewis Mowry-Mowery soon after his arrival to Augusta Co., VA. Lewis’s line has been researched by several persons and listed in several publications and on the internet. The third family was Frederick Mowry-Mowery (b.abt. 1752- d. abt. 1849) who settled in Berkeley Co., WV. about 1787. Sometime later he moved to Mulberry Run area, near the Shenandoah & Frederick Cos. line about 2 miles west of Strasburg, VA. This line always used the surname spelling variations Mowry-Mowrey-Mowery. It is thought by this author that this line is from English descent. The said Frederick left money to the very early Christian Church at Walnut Springs, Strasburg, VA. This line has been researched and a book has been printed by Miss Elaine C. Mowery & Mr. Paul T. Mowrey. Mr. Don Silvius is also involved in research on this line. The fourth family was, George Mowry who settled in Greenbrier Co., WV.. George appears to have arrived there about the late 1700s. He is listed on the 1830 Greenbrier Co., WV. census in the 80-90 year old column. Born about 1740-1750. His son George was born about 1793 in PA. as listed on the 1850 census. This family is being researched by Mrs. Marchington, Clyde Mowery, Chris Mowery and others. Some of their data is posted on the internet. Mistakes The majority of genealogy books written have some degree of mistakes in them. I am sure this book will have mistakes also. Please forgive me if you find mistakes. It is very difficult to gather a large amount of data for a book this size without mistakes or missing data. Quite often data was collected over the phone which can be difficult to record with persons who has a hearing problem. Some data was collected from publications, which may be in error itself. Sometimes family give information on other family members by just guessing. This author request that those who find errors or have missing data to add, to contact him at: Robert S. Mowery, Woodstock, VA. The exact address & phone No. can be accessed through the internet or local phone book. ENJOY