John Heinrich "Henry" Zeller

Birth name Johann Henrich/Heinrich; monument name John Henry.

Born in Etzbach, Landkreis Altenkirchen, Rheinland-Pfalz [Rhineland-Palatinate (German: Rheinland-Pfalz], Germany in "Tulpehocken Zellers and their Zeller Descendants" by John Franklin Vallentine (b. 1931), publisher FamilySearch International, pg 23, 2012, perhaps most likely to Johan Georg Zeller, Sr. Birth also previously recorded as Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France, per Revised Genealogy (1977, see source below).

Also note: Germany did not exist until August 1871 when 27 different "Kingdoms, Palantate's and Dutcy's" joined together to form Germany as it is today. In 1684 the Palatinate was briefly ruled by Catholic Maximilian I of Bavaria and then claimed by France during the 30 years war. For geography sake, this location is in present day Germany.

The myth/romanticized story was that he, and his brother, were sons of JACQUES "James" ZELLER (in French de SELLAIRE from their life there, later Germanized back to ZELLER) 1660 – abt 1710 and Lady CLOTHILDE de VALOIS 1660 – 1749; born of alternately French or Palatinate German parents, named Jean Henri de Sellaire at birth in France and supposedly descendants of royalty - none of which has ever been documented, including the existence of Lady Clothilde. (2012)

Married ANNA MARIA (prob.) PERIGAL/BERIGAL/BRIEGAL 1690 – 1765; parents of:

   Hartman "Martin" ZELLER 1711 – 1790

   Anna Maria ZELLER 1715 – 1776 [m. Saltzgeber]

  Johan Henrich ZELLER Jr 1717- (never married)

  Johan David ZELLER 1719- (never married)

   Barbara "Elizabeth"  ZELLER 1720 – [m. Larew/Larue]

   ANNA CATHERINE ZELLER  1722 – 1794 [m. Pontius]

   Johannes ZELLER 1723 – 1805 [m. Becker, then Lauer]

   John George ZELLER abt 1725 – 1792    [m. Haas]

   Anna Elizabeth ZELLER abt 1727 – 1803 [m. Batdorf, then Schwartz]

SOURCE: Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families from the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine. Volume III: Stauffer-Zerbe, article entitled "Zeller Family Revision" by John F. Valentine, Pg 447 to 452. 1977 Sept. issue of The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, 2012 update published by FamilySearch International, digital.

Will 20 Jan 1756 • Berks County, Pennsylvania USA
Will accepted for probate; 34 Berks County Will Book 1, pp. 13, Will of Heinrich Zeller.

Buried at Reeds cemetery according to Herbert P. Reed's book "The Tulpehocken Reeds" and according to the memorial placed at Reeds.

There is a memorial to him and his family at HERE Tulpehocken Trinity UCC Cemetery
Millardsville
Lebanon County
Pennsylvania, USA

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Oct 3 2023, 17:40:31 UTC
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial memorial

https://heathersgen.blogspot.com/2017/03/heinrich-henry-zeller-1684...

Biography

//Son of JACQUES "James" ZELLER (de SELLAIRE in French) 1660 - 1710(c) and Lady CLOTHILDE de VALOIS 1660 – 1749 (she is undocumented at present); born of French parents. He was named Jean Henri de Sellaire at birth in France. It was later changed to John Henry or John Heinrich Zeller.// This paragraph is controversial - see above.

Married ANNA MARIA PERIGAL/BERIGAL/BRIEGAL 1690 – 1765; parents of:

• Hartman "Martin" ZELLER 1711 –
• Anna Maria ZELLER 1715 – 1776
• Barbara "Elizabeth" ZELLER 1720 –
• ANNA CATHERINE ZELLER 1722 – 1794
• Johannes ZELLER 1723 – 1805
• Anna Elizabeth ZELLER abt 1725 – 1803
• John George ZELLER abt 1725 – 1792
• David ZELLER ? – 1771
• Henry ZELLER ? – 1771

SOURCE: Genealogies of Pennsylvania Families from the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine. Volume III: Stauffer-Zerbe, article entitled "Zeller Family Revision" by John F. Valentine, Pg 447 to 452

Will 20 Jan 1756 • Berks County, Pennsylvania USA Will accepted for probate; 34 Berks County Will Book 1, pp. 13, Will of Heinrich Zeller.

Buried at Reeds cemetery according to Herbert P. Reed's book "The Tulpehocken Reeds" and according to the memorial placed at Reeds.There is also a memorial to him and his family at theTulpehocken Trinity UCC Cemetery Millardsville, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania,

They <this John and his family> came from the Palatine in 1710 and settled on the Schoharie in New York; served, Campaign of 1711/Prov of New York; and moved to the Valley in 1723.

Inscription on memorial

"To honor the first Zeller Family in America/

Mother/ Clothilde de Valois Zeller/Born 1660 Died Jan 2 1749/ was a member of the Reformed Church of Tulpehocken/

Husband/Jacques Zeller/Died at sea on the way over/

Son/John Henry Zeller/who built Fort Zeller in 1745/ was a member of the Reformed Church of Tulpehocken/

Son/John George Zeller/ Born 1685 Died 1737/

Mother and both sons buried in this cemetery/

They came from the Palatine in 1710 and settled on the Schoharie in New York.

They moved to the Valley in 1723./ The Zeller Family and Association has loyally and gratefully erected this memorial in 1948"