Mary Spangler (Ensley)

Anna Maria Ensli was baptized on 8 May 1737 at New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church in Hanover Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania (present-day New Goshenhoppen United Church of Christ in Upper Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania), a daughter of Nicolaus Ensli and his wife Anna ______.

She was confirmed on 12 November 1751 at Saint Luke's Lutheran Church in Northampton County, Pennsylvania.

She married Georg Christian Spängler in 1754 (before 18 August 1754) in Northampton County, Pennsylvania.

"Mary" spent the first 43 years of her married life in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, where she became the mother of eleven children, all of whom were raised to maturity. She relocated with her husband and her youngest daughter to central Pennsylvania in 1797.

Mrs. Mary Spangler, widow of Christian Spangler, died in April 1802 in Miles Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. The inventory of her estate, taken on 3 May 1802, included petticoats, shortgowns, jackets, a cloak, gloves, a hat, shoes, shoe buckles, spectacles, yarn, wool cards, linen, books and an almanac.

She was buried in Saint Peter's Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery, but the marker was lost over time. After 1906, a new marker was placed at her husband's grave, but her grave remains unmarked.

Georg Christian Spängler (Christian Spangler) and his wife Anna Maria Ensli (Mary Ensley) were the parents of eleven children, all born in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Most of the children were known by their middle names.

1. George Christian Spangler, b. 2 November 1755. "Christian" married Anna Catharine Blank on 27 December 1781.

2. Anna Margaret Spangler, b. 15 May 1758. "Margaret" married John Francis Gramly on 12 November 1776.

3. John Michael Spangler, b. 7 December 1760. "Michael" married Anna Catharine Braun on 5 April 1784.

4. John Henry Spangler, b. 15 January 1763. "Henry" married Mary Magdalena Haupt in 1785.

5. John Christopher Spangler, b. 11 May 1766. "Christopher" married Anna Margaret Kreider in 1793.

6. John Spangler, b. 15 April 1768. John married Mary Magdalena Strawbridge in 1795.

7. Susanna Spangler, b. 16 March 1770. Susanna married Jacob Abel in 1790.

8. Jacob Spangler, b. 25 July 1772. Jacob died before 27 June 1800.

9. John George Spangler, b. 18 January 1774. "George" married Barbara ______ in 1799.

10. George Peter Spangler, b. 24 March 1776. "Peter" married Barbara ______ in 1799, and Susannah Knisely on 22 June 1830.

11. Anna Maria Spangler, b. 1780. "Mary" married John Daniel Kratzer on 3 April 1803.

Previously, she has been called "Anna Maria Kreider" (also spelled Krider and Kryder), confusion which undoubtedly arose from the maiden name of the wife of her son Christopher (Anna Margaret Kreider), who was buried directly to the left of Georg Christian Spängler (the immigrant) in Saint Peter's Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery. The marker for Anna Margaret Kreider reads in German (with spellings preserved): Anna Margaretta, wife of Christophe Spangler, born Kreider". The confusion was compounded by several passages in John Blair Linn's publications on central Pennsylvania which mistakenly refer to Georg Christian Spängler as "George Christopher Spangler".

Over time, the name of "Anna Maria Kreider" as the spouse of Georg Christian Spängler has been reproduced countless times, and it was even included in the DAR registry at an early date, before standards of proof were put in place.

Although there is no direct primary evidence of the maiden name of the wife of Georg Christian Spängler, careful examination of records from Saint Luke’s (Old Williams) Lutheran Church in Hellertown, Northampton County, Pennsylvania indicates that she was very likely Anna Maria Ensli.

Georg Christian Spängler and Anna Maria Ensli presumably were married during a gap in the marriage register in 1754, at which point Anna Maria ceased to be listed by her maiden name ("Anna Maria Ensele") and instead was listed from thereon by her married name ("Anna Maria Spengler") elsewhere in the register.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: May 28 2020, 17:09:46 UTC