Mathias Nehs

A NESS FAMILY HISTORY ppg 1-23 Matthias Ness, Sr., the patriarch of the Ness clan in eastern Pennsylvania, lived in the village of Mitschdorf in the Bas-Rhin region of northeastern Alsace in what was the territory of the Counts of Hanau Lichtenberg, just about 12 miles south of Wissembourg, which is on the German border.. He was born about 1673, worked as a blacksmith and also served as a lay assessor, magistrate, or lay court official.

He emigrated from Alsace, age 58, and arrived at the port of Philadelphia with his family on September 21, 1731, Maria Barbara Ness (Nehs), age 60, who accompanied him is believed to have been his wife.

According to the passenger list of the ship Britannia [a], here are the names of the Ness family members who landed, as recorded by the captain, Michael Franklyn: Mathias Ness, Sr., and his wife Maria Barbara; Jacob, Michael and his wife Dorothea (Pfeifer), Mathias, Jr., and his wife Anna Katharina (Motz), Johan, Dewald, and Hans Georg; and four grandchildren, Michael (son of Michael and Dorothea), Magdalena, Jacob and Katharina (children of Mathias, Jr., and Anna Katharina).

Also on the Britannia were Anna Katharina's brother Hans Michael Motz and his wife Anna Maria (Klein).

Shortly after their arrival at Philadelphia, it is presumed that Mathias' wife Maria Barbara died, because on November 28, 1733, Mathias married Maria Barbara whose surname was Hoerdter, at Skippack, now in Montgomery County, PA . They were married by the Rev. John Casper Stoever, a young Lutheran minister who himself had arrived just five years earlier from Germany. See published records of "Rev. John Casper Stoever, page 54, Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1896 uploaded in Media.

Mathias had two more sons, John Henry and Johan Owldrick (or Ulrich), named in his will, by his second wife Maria Barbara.

Mathias, identified in his will as a blacksmith, must have been a man of some wealth.

After only three years in Pennsylvania, he obtained a warrant for 114 acres of land in Upper Salford Township, Philadelphia County (now in Montgomery County).

A survey for this land was recorded on February 11, 1735 [PA Archives, 3rd Series, Volume 24, p.36]. It was situated on Rich Willery [Ridge Valley] Creek in Salford Township, where he settled the previous April, and was between Jacob Wilhelmy and Ulrick Hatzell [Hartzell]. Ulrich Hartzell obtained a Warrant for 200 acres on 20 Feb 1734. Jacob Wilhelmy obtained 150 acres between Ulrick Hartzell and Christian Stauver, on 06 Mar 1734. Unfortunately, the Warrant Register Index (uploaded to MEDIA), lists the property as VACATED. He never became a patentee and no more information is available. It is unknown how long his wife and two sons remained on the property after his death, nor where they subsequently went beyond Ulrich eventually moving to Virginia. See the Patent documents uploaded to MEDIA for his son George.

He was naturalized in 1740. He died in early February 1741.

His will, probated on February 13, 1741 [gg] reads as follows:

I, Mathias Nasse of Salford Township in the County of Philadelphia, blacksmith, being sick and weak in body but of perfect understanding and memory, thanks be given unto God, therefore remembering my latter end, do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say first of all I recommend my soul into the hands of God my merciful Creator and Saviour and my body to be buried decently at the discretion of mine executors whom I also desire for to pay and satisfy all my just debts dutys as I owe in right on Conuement(?) funeral expences and legacies hereafter mentioned and now as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased the Lord to bless mine endeavours, I devise and dispose of the same as followeth - Imprimis I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Mary Barbery all my estate both real and personal during her widowhood or till my youngest child arrives at the age of fifteen years and further my will is that my said wife shall bring my children up out of my estate till my youngest child arrives at the age of fifteen years and then to have one third part of my estate both real and personal and the other two parts to be divided between my two children John Henry Nasse and Johan Owldrick Nasse, share and share alike and after my decease my will is that my executors shall make a pub lick sale of my goods both real and personal as well as if I were personabel there my self and after my debts are payed or answered then my will is that my executors shall put the over pluck out on interest untill my youngest child arrives at the age of fifteen years and then my will is that it should be divided share and share alike as aforementioned. And lastly I do ordain my well beloved wife Mary Barbery and my well beloved son Dewalt Nasse sole executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoaking all former wills and testaments.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirty first day of January anno Domini 1741/2 in the presence of us 3. John Isaac Klein (signed) Mathias Nasse Heinrich Lanig William Nash

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Philadephia Wills F: 276, 1741, Estate #252

Matthias Nasse (Nees on estate file folder) of Sulford (Salford) twp., Philadelphia co., blacksmith, will dated 31 Jan 1741. Wife Mary Barbary to have all est. during widowhood or until youngest child is 15 years old. Then she is to have 1/3 part of all est. The other 2/3 to be divided between two children: John Henery Nasse and Johan Owldrick (?Ulrich) Nasse.

Exrs: wife Mary Barbery and son Dewalt Nasse.

Wit: John Isaac Klein, Henrich Dänig, William Nash

Inventory of Mattes Nees, dated 27 Feb 1741, includes among other items, improvement on 150 acres of land and five books. Improvements on land were required to become a patentee. His estate totaled £138.10.2. The inventory was taken by Jan Jansen and Jacob Reiff.

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Sources:

Note: Fourteen passengers bearing the name NEHS arrived at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the ship "BRITTANIA", with ship master, Michael Franklyn, on September 21, 1731, along with 200 other persons, almost all of whom were of German origin. According to an article by the Historical Society of York County, Pennsylvania, in the July 15, 1933 issue of the York Dispatch, entitled "Early Families in York County". The patriarch was MATTHIAS NEHS SR. He came with six sons and the wives of two of them, and four small grandchildren.

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"Eighteenth Century Emigrants from Northern Alsace to America" by Annette K. Burgert. He was a blacksmith. He immigrated on the ship "Britannia, Sept. 21, 1731, ship master, Michael Franklyn. Port was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Palatine region. He came with six sons and the wives of two of them and four small grandchildren.

On emigration three men signed Noss and four, Johan, Dewald, Mathias Jr, and Jacob, signed "H", presumably for Hans. The English speaking clerks recorded "Nehs".

Nehs comes from the German work. "nasse", meaning nose. They boarded at Rotterdam, went to London and then to the states.

• Mathias Nehs, Senr 58
• Johan Nehs 26
• Dewaid Nehs 24
• Hans Georg Nehs 21
• Matthias Nehs, Junr 27
• Michl Nehs 30
• Jacob Nehs 31 |P49|p
• Maria Barbara Nehs 60
• Anna Katherina Nehs 28
• Dorothea Neahs 27
• Magdalena 7
• Hans Jacob 5
• Katherina 2
• Michel 1

There were 104 males above 16, 37 under 16; 21 females over 16, 45 under 16; in all 269 passengers.

On the same ship were other ancestors that settled York co., Pa. Sahans, Schmeisers, Eberts and Holtsapples.

While the synod of S. Holland was in session in Dort, 1731, 800 exiled Palatines passed through the place, to take ship at Rotterdam for America. They were visited by the whole synod in a body and were furnished by them with provisions and medicines. After christian exhortation, prayer and singing they were dismissed with the assurance that they might rely upon the Church of Holland for support in their new abode.

Manifest attached in MEDIA

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