Johannes Balthasar Anspach

• Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Jun 27 2017, 23:25:52 UTC

Biography

He traveled from Germany to England and from there to New York, where he arrived in 1710. By 1711, he had settled in the Schoharie Valley at Hunterstown, NY, in the German settlements started by Governor Hunter. During Queen Anne's War, he volunteered on 16 Jul 1711, and served as a private in Capt. John Peter Kneskern's Company in the battles against the French Canadians. He was naturalized 3 Jan 1715/6, and was on the roll of the inde¬pendent company of the Manor of Livingston, 30 Nov 1715. Suffering hardships in New York State, he and other Palatinates decided to move to central Penn¬sylvania. These pioneers built log rafts and floated their possessions down the Susquehanna River, through Indian territory to what is now Harrisburg, PA. Here they turned up the Swatara Creek, arriving finally in the Tulpehocken section of Berks Co. He was one of the original 33 settlers in this area, and was living there with his family before Jun 1723. The area was completely wooded, so he had to clear the land before he could farm it. He received Warrant Number 11, dated 2 Nov 1734 for 150 acres on Gevan Creek. This land was surveyed on 23 Jun 1737, after which he sold his rights, and did not receive a patent. He lived almost due north of Stouchsburg on a 402 acre farm which he purchased on 11 Dec 1741 from Casper and Catherine Wistar. This was prob¬ably the largest farm in the area. He attended Rieth's Church until the Moravian split. On 19 Mar 1734, he was sponsor of Johann Baltzer Loesch there. Later, he helped found Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, which still stands near Stouchsburg, PA, where he was buried. On 5 Jan 1748 he was elected to the Christ Church Council, serving with Conrad Weiser, the famous Indian scout and diplomat.

It is known from the Kocherthal Diaries, published by the Lutheran Church, that two of Balthasar's children were born at Hunterstown, in the German Settlements of New York. It is likely that the others were also born there, but one or more may have been born before he arrived in America.

will

His will, written in German, was probated in Philadelphia, Will Book 1, page 34. Translated by Donald R. Anspach in the 1950's, this will reads:

IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. I Balthasar Anspach having considered the Mortality of Mankind, and the uncertainty of Death, I will now, by these present, set my house in order, as I am yet in good health and of perfect Understanding, and Memory. So that those who belong to me may after my decease know what is my last Will in respect to them.

FIRST AND PRINCIPALLY, I recommend my soul to God, Almighty who has given it. And I desire that my ex-animated Body after it shall be abandoned by its Immortal Spirit may be in a decent and Christian-like manner committed to the earth in the undoubted Confidence that by the Almighty Hand of God, it will be raised up again on the Day of Judgment to eternal Life. Concerning my worldly effects, I give and devise the same in manner following.

	FIRST I GIVE to the children of my deceased son John George, that plantation which their deceased father had in possession, and one-hundred and twenty-five acres of land with the same to them and their heirs and assigns for ever. The names of these children are John Jacob, John George and Ann Margaret, they paying the sum of Nineteen pounds unto my daughter Maria Barbara.

SECONDLY, I DO GIVE and bequeath unto my son Peter, the Plantation whereon he now liveth, and one hundred and twenty five acres of land with the same to him and his heirs and assigns for ever, he paying to my said daughter Maria Barbara, the like sum of Nineteen pounds.
THIRDLY, I GIVE and bequeath unto my son John the plantation whereon I now live, and one hundred and fifty acres with the same to him and his heirs, and assigns, giving my dear wife Anna Maria, her Widow's Seat, and subsistence and whatever be her daily sufferance during her lifetime. And moreover he shall pay unto my daughter Catherine the sum of Nineteen Pounds.

FOURTHLY, I GIVE and bequeath unto my son Leonard that one hundred and fifty acres of land which I purchased of the Executor and Attorney of Mr. Thomas Treame, together with the improvements thereon, made to him and his heirs and assigns forever, he paying unto my said daughter Catherine the sum of Nineteen Pounds.

FIFTHLY, I DO GIVE unto my aforesaid wife over and above the Widow's Seat, and Substance for Life, herein before recited, the third part of all my personal effects, whatsoever, and I do appoint her to be my sole Executrix, to execute this my last Will, agreeable to the true and plain meaning, and intent therein contained.

SIXTHLY, MY TWO sons, John and Leonard, shall have each one Cow before division is made, and my daughter Catherine shall have the best of the Mares, and two of the Cows, before division is made. The others having received as much of me, this bequest is to make them equal. The residue shall be divided among all my aforesaid children and my above

named three grand-children, shall have the portion of their deceased father, and divide the same equally among them.

SEVENTHLY, I WILL that the sum or sums of money herein before given to my aforesaid daughters Maria Barbara and Catherine, shall unto or after their decease to their Heirs or Assigns, be paid as soon as conveniently can, by my sons aforesaid.

	THIS IS MY LAST WILL, and I do hereby revoke all former Wills, or Testaments, by me made be they written or nuncupative. And I do order and declare these presents only to contain my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal, dated this fifth day of September in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1744. 

Signed Balthasar Anspach.

notes

apparent uncle of his wife

links

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56957256/johannes-balthasar-ans...

  ---

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Dec 5 2020, 3:28:10 UTC