Harshbarger line: The family of Wendell Essig

This will be a very short post, as little is known about Wendell, nor of his wife, Anna Eva Matte.  He is given a life span of about 1700 to about 1770, although there seems to be no documentation for either date.  He was from Bern Canton, Switzerland, and settled near Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he is thought to have raised at least four sons.  He , along with his wife and three of his sons, are said to have been killed by natives during the run-up to the Revolutionary War.  This is a family story that has yet to be proven.  

We don't know whether the three sons-Adam, Jacob, and George, who did not survive the believed attack are older or younger than Simon, the surviving son.  He had been sent away from the homestead on an errand, and when he returned, found his family killed and the cabin burned to the ground.  Was he sent on the errand because he was the oldest son and could be trusted to travel for miles in the countryside?  Or was he sent as the youngest son, the least useful around the farm? We don't know.  

None of those killed are known to have married or have had children, but it's possible that someday records will be found that will help fill in the picture of this family.  

For now, we know that Simon, born in 1754, married Julia Margaret Schneer, the daughter of Johann Caspar and Magdalena Kunkel/Kunkle Schneer.  They raised a large family together, and I will follow this family in my next post.  Their children are Adam, Magdalena, Elizabeth, John,  Jacob, George, Sarah, Julie, David, Samuel, William, Catherine, and Rebecca.  Julia died in 1844 in Canton, Stark County, Ohio, and Simon died there in 1851.  The family had lived in Ohio since 1808.  

I told you this would be a short post!  If anyone has further information about Wendell, I'd love to hear it!