Part of the Revolution
I may not have been blogging lately (I've been pretty busy with my business) but I have been working on my tree. Recently a distant cousin from Kansas (who still spells his name Hiegert) contacted me and we spent weeks trying to connect our trees. I have connected two other branches...not his yet, but it's there!! Today, though, I'm going to talk a little about my Maternal side.
I work really hard on the paternal side of my tree, because it's a challenge. They're the immigrants, only being in the US for a few generations of several surnames. But my maternal side, the Wellers, have been here for a very long time.
Recently I've been watching the show "Who Do You Think You Are" on TLC, and last night's episode was mainly based on the Revolutionary War. Which got me thinking, I have MANY Revolutionary War Veterans on the Weller side of the tree. In fact, one was almost fresh off the boat....so we're going to look at some of them today. Just for fun.
Johann "John" Jacob Weller SR was born in the municipality of Dietenhausen, in the state of Baden, Germany September 16, 1704 to Johannes Daniel Weller and Anna Maria Speissen. He married Anna Margaret Kohn in Dietenhausen, in 1726. Anna Margaret died March 10, 1737 in Graceham, Frederick county, Maryland, so at some point in the nine years they were married they'd emigrated together. He married Maria Barbara Wilhide just one year later. She then died in 1754, leaving John to marry one more time, Anna Elizabeth Krieger in 1755. This time though, it was a necessity, he had children to take care of. Five of them, in fact; John Jacob JR, Phillip, Elizabeth Juliana, John, and Maria Magdalena. He then had one more with Anna; Anna Elizabeth.
Then, when John Jacob was 70 years old, the Revolutionary War begins. Neither the DAR not Graceham Moravian Church (of which the Wellers will have a very long relationship) mention when he enlisted, but at some point he must have, as he is listed as "Patriotic Service" on the DAR registry. It may have been something simple, and as old as he would have been, he most certainly would not have seen battle. But nonetheless, here is a 70 year old immigrant from Germany, stepping up when his new country asked him to.
Of his life and death on May 8th, 1794 the Moravian Church says this:
"WELLER, Jacob, son of Daniel Weller, was born September 16, 1704 at Dietenshausen in Berleburg; he married in 1726 (sic) Anna Margaret Koehn who died at Skippack, of the dropsy; he came to America 1737, arriving at Philadelphia in the fall of that year; thence they went to look up his friends, particulary John Peitzel, which led him into the Crice (Kreutz) Creek settlement. Thence the family came here in 1742, and he was present at our first communion. He married secondly in March (sic), 1738 at Crice Creek to Maria Barbara Wilhide (called 'a blessed vessel'); she had previously been the wife of (Leonhart) Vieruhr; she died July 17, 1754. He married thirdly on August 13, 1755 Anna Elizabeth Krieger, whose father was a citizen at Bettelhausen; she was born in 1719 at Bettelhausen in Wittgenstein; she died April 2, 1800. As his years advanced, he retired and spent most of his time reading the Holy Scriptures and other edifying books, praying for the welfare of his children and grandchildren, and was a beloved and venerable patriarch, of exemplary career. He was healthy all his life until the 27th of April, when he became completely helpless. He died May 8, 1794 and was buried May 10 in the burial ground in his orchard. His wife, who was very ill this spring, was able to take care of him, for which he was very happy and grateful." -- Record also states that a son and a daughter died before the father.
John Jacob's nephew. Johannes R "John" Weller JR also served, enlisting August 3rd, 1776 under Captain Jacob Ambrose, 3rd Cpmpany Maryland Division. He swore an Oath of Fidelity in Frederick County March 5, 1778. His Captains name is a little bit ironic, being as John's mother Catherine Salome's surname was Ambrose. Connection? That's maybe something to research on a rainy day. John Jacob died May 4th, 1819 in Rusell County Kentucky, but not before having nine children. John Jacob JR is my sixth great grandfather.
Is that it? Not hardly. Actually there are 18 men listed with the DAR with the surname Weller. I can all but promise I'd be related to most if not all of them. But again, these things take time. What I can tell you is how incredibly proud I am to have these men in my history, and the part they played in the history of the United States.
I work really hard on the paternal side of my tree, because it's a challenge. They're the immigrants, only being in the US for a few generations of several surnames. But my maternal side, the Wellers, have been here for a very long time.
Recently I've been watching the show "Who Do You Think You Are" on TLC, and last night's episode was mainly based on the Revolutionary War. Which got me thinking, I have MANY Revolutionary War Veterans on the Weller side of the tree. In fact, one was almost fresh off the boat....so we're going to look at some of them today. Just for fun.
Johann "John" Jacob Weller SR was born in the municipality of Dietenhausen, in the state of Baden, Germany September 16, 1704 to Johannes Daniel Weller and Anna Maria Speissen. He married Anna Margaret Kohn in Dietenhausen, in 1726. Anna Margaret died March 10, 1737 in Graceham, Frederick county, Maryland, so at some point in the nine years they were married they'd emigrated together. He married Maria Barbara Wilhide just one year later. She then died in 1754, leaving John to marry one more time, Anna Elizabeth Krieger in 1755. This time though, it was a necessity, he had children to take care of. Five of them, in fact; John Jacob JR, Phillip, Elizabeth Juliana, John, and Maria Magdalena. He then had one more with Anna; Anna Elizabeth.
Then, when John Jacob was 70 years old, the Revolutionary War begins. Neither the DAR not Graceham Moravian Church (of which the Wellers will have a very long relationship) mention when he enlisted, but at some point he must have, as he is listed as "Patriotic Service" on the DAR registry. It may have been something simple, and as old as he would have been, he most certainly would not have seen battle. But nonetheless, here is a 70 year old immigrant from Germany, stepping up when his new country asked him to.
Of his life and death on May 8th, 1794 the Moravian Church says this:
"WELLER, Jacob, son of Daniel Weller, was born September 16, 1704 at Dietenshausen in Berleburg; he married in 1726 (sic) Anna Margaret Koehn who died at Skippack, of the dropsy; he came to America 1737, arriving at Philadelphia in the fall of that year; thence they went to look up his friends, particulary John Peitzel, which led him into the Crice (Kreutz) Creek settlement. Thence the family came here in 1742, and he was present at our first communion. He married secondly in March (sic), 1738 at Crice Creek to Maria Barbara Wilhide (called 'a blessed vessel'); she had previously been the wife of (Leonhart) Vieruhr; she died July 17, 1754. He married thirdly on August 13, 1755 Anna Elizabeth Krieger, whose father was a citizen at Bettelhausen; she was born in 1719 at Bettelhausen in Wittgenstein; she died April 2, 1800. As his years advanced, he retired and spent most of his time reading the Holy Scriptures and other edifying books, praying for the welfare of his children and grandchildren, and was a beloved and venerable patriarch, of exemplary career. He was healthy all his life until the 27th of April, when he became completely helpless. He died May 8, 1794 and was buried May 10 in the burial ground in his orchard. His wife, who was very ill this spring, was able to take care of him, for which he was very happy and grateful." -- Record also states that a son and a daughter died before the father.
John Jacob's nephew. Johannes R "John" Weller JR also served, enlisting August 3rd, 1776 under Captain Jacob Ambrose, 3rd Cpmpany Maryland Division. He swore an Oath of Fidelity in Frederick County March 5, 1778. His Captains name is a little bit ironic, being as John's mother Catherine Salome's surname was Ambrose. Connection? That's maybe something to research on a rainy day. John Jacob died May 4th, 1819 in Rusell County Kentucky, but not before having nine children. John Jacob JR is my sixth great grandfather.
Is that it? Not hardly. Actually there are 18 men listed with the DAR with the surname Weller. I can all but promise I'd be related to most if not all of them. But again, these things take time. What I can tell you is how incredibly proud I am to have these men in my history, and the part they played in the history of the United States.
Comments
Post a Comment