Wilhelm Wurtz, I

• Immigration: Sep 23 1753 - Aboard the ship "Neptune"
• Residence: 1767 - Lounoun Co, VA
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Nov 12 2016, 20:40:11 UTC

Wilhelm’s journey appears to have originated in Tauberbischofsheim, Landkreis, Baden, Koenigsreich (Herzogsreich) Wuerttemberg (Deutschland). He would have taken a boat down The Tauber, The Main, and Rhine rivers to Rotterdam, where the ship Neptune would have set sail for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania arriving September 23, 1753. With him was his wife Anna Catharina, sons, Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr., Philip Peter Virtzs, Conrad Wirtz and daughter Maria Elisabeth Wurtz. Information on Wilhelm’s origins is based on the authors of the Palatine Pamphlet. According to their research those who arrived on the ship Neptune in September 1753 were from Tauberbischhofsheim, Baden, Germany. They are reported to have settled in Lehigh, Pennsylvania and to be of Lutheran faith.

Both Wilhelm and Peter Wurtz names appear on the Captains list and Wilhelm and Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr. appear on the Signers of the Oath of Abjuration list. It appears that Wilhelm may have spent the first few years in America in the Lancaster, Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania and/or Maryland, because he does not appear in the Loudoun County, Virginia (near Lovettsville) tax list until 1767, along with his son Conrad, and he was shown living in Lancaster when he was naturalized on April 10, 1761 in Philadelphia. Also Wilhelm and Wilhelm Jr. appear in the 1754 Pennsylvania Census as living in Philadelphia. By 1767 there was no trace of Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr. His daughter Maria had married Michael (Laufer) Runner and was living in Frederick, Maryland and would remain there until her death. Son, Peter, who was naturalized in 1775 in New Jersey, appears to have spent a few years in the Middletown, Maryland area for he does not appear in the Loudoun County tax list until 1787. In 1772 Wilhelm leased 100 acres from Lord George William Fairfax in Loudoun County.

Wilhelm and his sons would remain in Loudoun County until their deaths. Many of his descendants still live in Frederick County Maryland and Loudoun County area today. Many of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren moved to the Roanoke area of Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio. Over the years the spelling of the last name has taken on many variations such as Verts, Vertz, Virts, Virtz, Werts, Wertz, Wirtz and Wirts.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Dec 13 2016, 16:12:10 UTC

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Wilhelm Arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the boat the Neptune , John Mason, Master, on September 23, 1753 from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Wilhelm"s trip originated in Tauberbischofsheim, Baden Germany. The ships log shows Wilhelm Wurtz, Sr., Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr., and Peter Wurtz. Wilhelm arrived in Loudoun County, Virginia around 1767 according to Loudoun County, Virginia Tax List.

On November 27, 1772 Wilhelm leased 100 acres from George William Fairfax near Dutchmans Run called Piedmont in Shelburne Parish, Loudoun County, Virginia, Deed Book 71-73.

1782 Applied for relief from taxes and levies due to age and infirmities, Loudoun County, Virginia. Order Book G, page 397 - RDV RNOTES.

Buried in the Old Lutheran Cemetery also known as New Jerusalem Cemetery, Lovettsville, Virginia, Row KK4. He was buried at NJLC, Lovettsville, VA.1