JUNE 1997 NEWSLETTER
Report from Trudy Schenk:
Dear Jerry, How do I start explaining this extended Maurer research I have been doing?
1. Delaware was formed from Chester county in 1789.
2. From Chester County came Lancaster in 1728 and parts of Berks in 1751.
From the records I have searched, I have come to the conclusion that the Mowry family is following a wrong line. Their line does not come from Johann Philipp Maurer who is listed in 1738 on the ship with Johann Michael Maurer. I have found Philipp Maurer having children beginning in 1744, recorded in Stoevers records. He married on 27 May 1740, John Philipp Maurer and Catharina Rameler in Tulpehocken.
This same records show Kolb families and no doubt there may be a connection to Johann Michael Maurer who could have been in this area after his arrival in Pennsylvania. Most likely he was indentured for a few years. There is no marriage for him in Stoever's church records. Stoever served a large area including part of Chester Co. and Philadelphia County.
When you see the list of children of John Philipp Maurer you can see they are not the names listed by the Mowry family.
There are no records of German congregations or any congregation at New Castle. I'm sure most congregation were served out of Philadelphia by Stoever and Muehlenberg and if the German churches in Philadelphia (St. Michael and Zions) would have earlier records (before 1750) we would find Michael's marriage.
While searching every record I could get my hands on I came across a Moravian church record. Included there is a marriage in April 1744 of Philipp Maurer and Christina Kraft. I feel this is the Mowry ancestor.
In Strassburger & Hinke he is listed as John Philip Meurer coming with a group of Moravians on the ship "Snow Catharine". There is no connection of this man to y our Maurer family.
The Moravians were a different group of people. Most of them came from Moravia and Silesia.
Now back to your Johann Michael Maurer: Montgomery Co., was created in 1784 from parts of Philadelphia Co., thus it is logical that Johann Michael Maurer would have met the Kolbs there. If Johann Philipp Maurer is a brother (something we will never know) to Johann Michael it would make sense that he was in Philadelphia before. The Kolbs are also in Montgomery co. I copied the pages of a book called Pennsylvania Births of Montgomery County 1682- 1800, US/CAN 974.812 k2h.
Once again I looked in Annette Burger's book, "Eighteenth Century Emigrants from Northern Kraichgau", to see where she had found the Kolbs to see how my theory matches up with her findings.
Next I checked the book, "Memorandum of Henry Melchior Muehlenberg". This was not what I thought it would be, it only includes lists of confirmation children.
At the moment I don't know which way to turn. Let me know what you think. I have worked off $360. There is still $440 in this account. Sincerely yours, Trudy Schenk
We are now on the Internet with a Web Site thanks to Nathan Mower who has been building the site. The monthly newsletter is now on the site. Those of you with internet access, please e-mail me as we would like to eliminate sending you a newsletter through snail mail if you can access it for free on the net. All of the previous newsletters are on the site from 1990-1997. Family histories are on the site. E-mail me for the address of the Web Site on the net.
This last month I have completed a history of Mary Amick and a lot of it is the history of her father, John Amick. I shall send it out with the newsletter in installments for those interested.
HISTORY OF MARY AMICK 1803-1846
Daughter of John Amick and Anna Maria Brill
by Jerry Mower, 3rd great grandson
Mary Amick was born the 18th of October 1803 in Loudoun County, Virginia. She was the daughter of John Amick and Anna Maria Brill. Her life, though not long in duration, was of great significance in the history of the Mower family. She was of German heritage, as was her husband, Henry Mower Sr. In fact, she and her husband were second cousins as both were great grandchildren of Johann Michael Maurer, the first Maurer immigrant of this family to America in 1738.
We know that Mary Amick grew up in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. We learn that she was born in Virginia when Mary applied at the Nauvoo Temple to receive her endowment on the 7th of January 1846. We also have other evidence that the early children of John and Anna Maria (Brill) Amick were born in Virginia. The census of 1900 taken in West Providence, Bedford County, Pennsylvania lists information about Sarah E., daughter of David Amick (Mary's brother). Sarah's father is listed as born in Virginia. If David was born in Virginia, then it is likely Mary's record listing her birth in Loudoun County, Virginia is accurate. This means John Amick had ties in Virginia and might mean Amick relatives were still living in Virginia when David was born.
Anna Maria Brill, Mother of Mary Amick
The mother of Mary Amick was Anna Maria Brill, daughter of Christopher Brill and Anna Margareta Maurer making her a granddaughter of Martin Brill and also a granddaughter of Johann Michael Maurer. Evidence is strong that Martin Brill hailed from the Marburg, Germany area. Johann Michael Maurer hailed from Goggenbach, Jagst, Wuerttemberg, Germany.
We have documentation proving Anna Maria Brill Christopher Brill found in Guernsey County, Ohio in a land deed found in FHL # 0893755 pp 348 + 349. A James Fouracre land deed made in 1835 in Guernsey Co. Ohio lists the married names of Christopher Brill's daughters. A careful examination of his family group sheet when compared to the deed will show that Anna Maria Brill was known as "Mary" and was married to John Amick. This is also found in Guernsey Co. Ohio Deed Records, Volume J, pp 348-349
Anna Maria Brill was christened on 4 Dec 1774. This baptism was sponsored by John Fluck and Magdalena Schick and is found in the Nockamixon Lutheran Church Records, Bucks County, Pennsylvania and is recorded on microfilmed Church records FHL # 940,444.
In the will of her father, Christopher Brill, (as found in FHL 894,954 pp 15-17) Anna Maria Brill's name as the daughter of Christopher Brill is Mary. Also in the Will of John Amick her name is listed as Mary as found in FHL #331,358 pp 298-299.
Following the death of John Amick, Anna Maria (Mary) is listed in the 1850 Census of Monroe Twp. Bedford, Penn taken 30 Oct 1850 age 76 living with Juliann Amick age 21 and Lydia Amick age 1/12. She had just recently had a birthday turning age 76. She was still alive when the 1860 Census of Monroe Twp., Bedford Co., Pa lists her living with Margaret Truax age 88. Home #126, family # 127 FHL #805072 PG. 392
Origin of the Amick Family
Where did the Amick family originate? The answer is two fold: we know and we don't know. We know the Amick family is German in origin. We know that John Amick lived in Virginia prior to coming to Pennsylvania to reside. We suspect, but do not know as of this writing (1997) if he stems from the West Virginia branch of the family, the North Carolina branch of the family or the York County, Pennsylvania branch of the family. Undoubtedly, this family originated in Germany, but branches of the family went different directions upon arrival in the new world. It is very difficult tracing a John Amick as this name is very common among Amick families.
There were other Amick families in Bedford, Pennsylvania however and we do have the origins of Peter Amick identified. Before we investigate John's family let us briefly mention we have learned that Peter Amick came from the York County, Pennsylvania Amick family. (See the history of Peter Amick.)
John Amick, Father of Mary Amick
I would like to include in the history of Mary Amick, what we do know about her father, as this sheds light upon her. A study of census record ages for this individual leads one to conclude that he must have been born in 1770 to correspond to the ages shown on multiple census listings.
1800 Census of Bedford Co. Pa, lists John EMICH: 1 male under 10, 2 females under 10, 1 male 26-45, 1 female 26-45. (Means John was born from 1755-1774.)
1810 Census of Bedford, Bedford Co., Pa for John EMICH, 3 males under 10, 1 male 26-45, 2 females under 10, 2 females 10-16, 1 female 26-45. (Means John was born from 1765-1774 figuring the latest age possible of the 1800 Census)
1820 Census shows 1 son under 10, 1 son 10-16, 1 son 16-18, 2 sons 16-26, 1 dau under 10, 2 dau 10-16, him 45 and over, and wife, 45 and over. (Means John was born before 1775.)
1830 Census for Providence Twp., Bedford Co., lists John Amick head of household of 6: 1 male 15-20, 1 male 50-60, 1 female under 5, 1 female 15-20, 1 female 20-30, 1 female 50-60. (Means John was born 1770-1780)
1840 Census for West Providence Twp. lists John as a head of a household of 3: 1 male 70-80, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 60-70. (Means John was born 1765-1770)
Based on the evidence I would say he was born between 1765 and 1770. His death date is located in FHL #331357 Bedford County Wills and Probate Index.
John Amick first appears on the tax records of Bedford, Pennsylvania in 1798 listed as a blacksmith. His father-in-law, Christopher Brill also appears on the tax records for the first time the same year. A Joseph Eamick appears a year earlier, and has probate as Joseph Ehmik in April 1802. How this Joseph fits into the family is not known, but John Amick names a son, Joseph. It might be Joseph is the father of John Amick, or an Uncle, or no relative at all, but probably is a relative.
John Amick was living in Bedford, Pennsylvania in 1800 and appears on the census of that year: John EMICH: 1 male under 10 years of age (John Jr.) , 2 females under 10 years of age (unidentified--- or they could be Mary and Susannah), 1 male 26-45 (this would be John) , 1 female 26-45 (this would be Anna Maria (Brill) Amick. If the two unidentified daughters turn out to be Mary and Susannah, then of course, Mary was not born in 1803. It could be these were daughters who died in youth. More evidence will have to come forth.
Thanks for your support. More next month on histories. JM