Holbrook line: The family of John Lazell 1620 ish-1700

 I wish I could tell you the ancestry of John Lazell (or Lassell, or some other variant thereof).  I've seen Henry, Edward, William, and John all put forth.  These men seem to have one thing in common in that they all lived in Essex, England.  Based on the names of his children and grandchildren, I would guess that John is the most likely ancestor, since I find none of the other names used.  But of course, that is less than a hunch and is not really worthy of mentioning.  Still, there is a possible John, born 1595, in Essex, England.  We don't know his spouse's name, so we're stuck there, at the moment.  

We do know that John came to North America and settled in Hingham, Plymouth County, Massachusetts by 1647.  He married Elizabeth Gates, the daughter of Stephen and Ann Neave Gates there in November of 1647, so either it was a short courtship or John had been in the New World earlier than 1647.  It was apparently a happy marriage, or at least a productive one, as the couple had at least 11 children together, all born in Hingham.  John died in Hingham in 1700, and Elizabeth followed him in 1704.  

Their firstborn was a son, John, born in 1650 and died in 1665.  There may have been an earlier pregnancy, as his birth was nearly three years after his parents married.  

Thomas was born in 1652 and died in 1725 in Windham, Connecticut.  He married Mary Allen, the daughter of James and Elizabeth Partridge Allen. I have not been able to determine whether James Allen is connected to the Samuel Allen who is also our ancestor.  Their children are Joshua, Elizabeth, Thomas, Mary, Hannah, Sarah, John, James, Abigail, and Ruth.  

Joshua was born next, in 1654.  He served in King Phillip's War, and died in 1689 in Hingham, Massachusetts.  He married Mary, who may be Mary Trott, the daughter of Simon and Mary Baston Trott.  I have seen this in narrative form but not in an offical record.  Their children are Elizabeth, Martha, Joshua, and Simon.

Stephen was born next, in 1656.  He died in 1717 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  He married Sarah Stevens Stearn, or Woodward, whom, obviously, I have not been able to identify any further.  Their children are Sarah, Lydia, Phebe, Stephen, Lydia, Hannah, Mary, and a second Mary.  

By now, there was likely rejoicing, at least on Elizabeth's part, when a daughter, Elizabeth, was born in 1658.  She was likely a help to her mother, and perhaps spoiled a little by one or more of her big brothers, before she died in April of 1676 in Hingham.  (Hingham doesn't appear to have been attacked in King Phillip's War, so Elizabeth's death was likely from some other cause.)

Isaac was born in 1660 and died in 1690 in Hingham.  He married Abigail Leavitt, the daughter of John and Sarah Gilman Leavitt.  Their children are Abial and Isaac.  If you are keeping track, Isaac was the fourth of their children to pass on before the death of the parents, but the rest of the family at least outlived their parents.

Hannah was born in 1662 and died in 1717 in Andover, Essex, Massachusetts.  She married first James Turner, not yet further identified, and their children are Isaac, Hannah, Elizabeth, Mary, and Samuel.  Her second marriage was to William Johnson, also not further identified.  There were no children known to be born to this couple.

Mary was born in 1664 and died in 1729 (possibly 1742, but I think that is likely a "before" date) in Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts. She married Simon Burr, the son of Simon and Hester, possibly Sparhawk, Burr.  Simon and Hester are our ancestors through another line.  Mary and Simon's children are Hannah, Simon, Mary, Ruth, Rachel, Isaac, David and Samuel. 

Sarah was born in 1666 and died in 1736 in Hingham, Massachusetts.  She married Peter Ripley, the son of John and Elizabeth Hobart Ripley. Their children are Elizabeth, Peter, Nehemiah, Sarah, Ezra, and Lydia.

John was born in 1669 and died in 1755 in Windham, Connecticut.  He married Deborah Lincoln, the daughter of Joshua and Deborah Hobart Lincoln.  I think there is a connection here to our Lincoln ancestors but I'm not sure I have it figured out yet.  John and Deborah's known children are John, Joshua, and a second John.

Israel was the last of the children, born in 1671 and died in 1755 in Hingham.  He married Rachel Lincoln, the daughter of Daniel and Susanna Cushing Lincoln.  Their children are Isaac, Israel, Daniel, and Jonathan.  I will follow this family in my next blog post.

John is a minor success story, I think.  He came to Massachusetts as a young man, married, and raised a large family.  Most of his children stayed in or near Hingham, which could mean they were able to make a living there as the town grew.  At least one of his sons served in King Phillip's War, and others would have been in the town militia.  Of course I would like to know more about this family and their individual lives, but I'm happy to think of them as productive citizens.   

 

 

 

The family of Joseph Lakin 1729-1790

 This family should be easy to trace.  There are several genealogies in print and on line, and how hard can it be?  (Hint from years of experience: Don't ask that question!)  When I started researching for this post, I had 3 children noted and I knew the story of one of them, so I was looking forward to locating information about the two siblings and an easy week of research/writing.  Ha!

Joseph Lakin was born in 1729 in Prince Georges County, Maryland, the son of Abraham and Martha Lee Lakin.  He married Elizabeth Fee, the daughter of George and Parnell (widow Snowden, but maiden name not clear to me) Fee.  The couple seems to have had three children, but one tree I found lists an additional seven, with no documentation so I'm not sure how much faith to put in them.  I will write of the three children I am reasonably sure about, and then simply list the others with their supposed birth and death dates.  If/when I learn where the records are for these proposed additional family members, I will update this post.

I am reasonably sure there was a son, John, born first.  His birth date is usually given as 1750, although I have seen a more definite date of December 28, 1754.  There was a John Lakin who died in Frederick County, Maryland in 1801.  His wife's name is Margaret, and he seems to have had one daughter, Elizabeth.  However, more than one Lakin family is claiming him, and I think the John Lakin with the 1801 date is likely not our John.  The search continues.

We are on firmer ground with Samuel, born "about" 1755, and died in May, 1816 in Brown, Carroll County, Ohio.  He married Sarah Musgrove, the daughter of John and Sarah Putham (could be Putnam?) Musgrove.  Their children are John, Eleanor, Amy, Cyrene, Samuel, Greenbury, William, Elizabeth, Joseph, Sarah, and Thomas.  

Mary was born in 1760 and died in 1843 in Rush County, Indiana.  She married John Simpson Aldridge, the son of Jacob and Elizabeth Soper (most likely but not proven) Aldridge.  Their children are Erasmus, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah, John, Delilah, and Nathan.  

Those are the names of the children that appear in most genealogies of the connected families.  The list that I found on one tree appears reasonable, but there are obvious errors in some of the details, and I have not been able to find further information about any of them.  I would love to hear from someone who knows more about any of these people, and whether or not they belong to this family.

William lived from 1761 to 1780.  Thomas lived from 1762-1836. Benjamin lived from 1767 to 1849. Joseph was born in 1769 and died in 1838 in Hamilton County, Indiana.  James was born in 1771 and died in 1804.  Elizabeth was born in 1773 and died in 1785. Rachel was also born in 1773 (twin to Elizabeth?) and no further information was offered.  As mentioned, these all appear to be possible children of the couple, based on dates and first names that we can mostly trace to other family members, but that is all I have to go on.  To me, they remain "possibles" but not entered on my tree.  

This is the last Lakin post, as Mary is the connection to the Beeks line.  Or maybe it's not the last, if someone has additional information they are willing to share! 

 

Beeks line: The family of Abraham Lakin of Prince Georges County, Maryland

 I didn't use dates in the title of this blog post, because I'm not certain of them.  I'm fairly confident that I know Abraham's story after he married Martha Lee, but I am not sure of his birth date, or even his year, nor am I sure of his parents.  They may be Joseph and Anna (maiden name not yet known) Lakin, or they may be William and Elizabeth Symons Lakin.  One would indicate a birth date of 1695, the other of 1675.  So the first thing we know for sure is that he married Martha Lee in October of 1717 in Prince Georges County, Maryland.  I'm also unsure of the identity of Martha's parents.  Long tradition says she is the daughter of William and Ann or Anna Lee, and had ties to Cold Spring Manor, but I've not found anything to support that statement.  

Regardless, these two people, Abraham and Martha, found each other, married, and made a life together in Prince Georges County, Maryland.  They had at least ten children together, and we have at least names for them, but not always detailed birth or death dates.   Abraham died in 1744.  In this time and place, it is always a question "Was he a slaveholder?" and I don't know yet know the answer to that question.  There is no mention of slaves in his will, but slaves, especially field slaves, were considered personal property and were not necessarily regarded as worthy of note.  

Sarah seems to be the first born child, about 1720.  She married Robert Lyeth (also seen as Leith), the daughter of Abraham and Mary Lyeth, although again, there are alternate parents for Robert.  Their children are Samuel, Mary, and Sarah.   Sarah died about 1761.

Abraham was born in October of 1722 and died in January of 1796, sill in Prince Georges County, Maryland.  He was a veteran of the French and Indian War.  He married Sarah Hook, the daughter of James and Margaret Hawker Hook.  Their children are Abraham, Basil, Daniel, John, William, Nancy, Sarah, and Eleanor. 

Martha was probably born about 1725 and died after 1744, because she is mentioned in her father's will.    She married Isaac Plummer, who may have been the son of a Thomas Plummer.  I have found no further information regarding Martha, so I don't know whether she had children, or when she died.  

Joseph was born in 1729 and died in 1790 in Marlboro, Prince Georges County, Maryland.  He married Elizabeth Fee, the daughter of George and Parnell (maiden name unknown; she may have been the widow Snowden) Fee.  Their children are John, Samuel, Mary, William, Thomas, Benjamin, Joseph, James, Elizabeth, and Rachel.   I will follow this family in my next blog post.

Deborah Lakin was born in 1732 and that is all that I know of her.  She may have died young, or she may have made a life for herself away from her family, for one reason or another.  

Rachel was born in 1734.  She may have married a Samuel Martin or Merkens, but I have no further information.   

Elizabeth was born in 1735 and died in or before 1811.  She may have married John Ankrom, although I found a later Elizabeth Lakin who did marry a John Ankrom, so the jury is still out on this one.  

Ruth was born in 1736 and died in 1738. 

Mary was born in 1737 and died either that year or the following year.  There is so much sadness in that sentence, since Ruth died about the same time, and especially if Deborah had also died very young.  It was very hard to keep children healthy in the Maryland climate, where illnesses caused by germs and bacteria, or carried by insects, or caused by poor nutrition or sanitation, were a part of life.  Measles, smallpox, diphtheria, and other now "conquered" diseases caused many deaths during that time period.

Finally, there was Benjamin.  He was born in 1739 and died on April 6, 1776.  He was a mariner, and was trying to get goods to the French West Indies when his ship was fired on, and sunk, by the British.  He married Rachel Fee, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Margaret Hook Fee.  Their children are Thomas, John, Benjamin, Joseph, William, James, Elizabeth, and Rachel.  I wish I knew what happened to his widow, Rachel, with so many young children left at Benjamin's death.  And how and when did she receive word of the ship being lost?  She may have been a widow for some time before she learned of Benjamin's death.

We will never know or understand all that families like the Lakins endured.  We know Abraham Junior served in the French and Indian War, and it is quite possible that Joseph did, also.  Benjamin may have also been part of that war, or in the battles with the indigenous people that preceded and succeeded it.  Prince Georges was not the hot spot that other areas were, but they may have been called, or volunteered, to go "where the action was".  I would love to know more.   

 

The family of Anthony Geiger 1776-1836

 My final post on the Geiger families is for that of Anthony Geiger, who was born in 1776 in Frederick, Maryland, and died in Churubusco, Whitley County, Indiana. He is the son of Jacob and Elizabeth Schultz Geiger, who had moved to Berkeley County, (West) Virginia.  There he married Mary Kirk, the daughter of Joseph and Sarah (maiden name still a mystery) Kirk in 1797.  The couple spent the first years of their marriage near Martinsburg, West Virginia, but went to Licking County, Ohio, by 1807, where they spent most of their married life.  Mary died there in 1832 and Anthony went to Whitley County, Indiana, along with several of his children.  In Ohio, Anthony had been a soldier of the War of 1812, so he would have had stories to tell.  (Mary would have had other stories, as she would have been at home with young children when Anthony was away.)

Anthony and Mary had at least 11 children, and all but one of them lived to adulthood, so there are a lot of grandchildren.  It's likely that at least some of the grandchildren served in the Civil War, but I have not researched their military histories.  That's a task for another year or another researcher.  

Joseph was the first born, in 1798. He married Mary Albery or Alberry, the daughter of John and Mary Myer Albery.  Their large family includes Eliza, William, Joseph, Noah, Peter, Martha, George, Thomas, Dora, Harvey, Richard, Nancy, Margaret, Anthony, Elizabeth, and John.  (It's possible that this list is a bit overenthusiastic, as only some of these names are found on census records.)  Joseph died in 1869 in Franklin County, Ohio, where he had lived most of his married life.

Sarah was born in 1799 and died in 1876 in Licking County, Ohio.  She married William Rhodes, the son of John and Anne Catherine Pitzer Rhodes.  Their children are Anthony, John, Joseph, Willim, Philip, Sarah, Pitzer, Rachel, Henry, Mary Ann, and George.  

Elizabeth was born in 1801 and died in 1874 in Smith Township, Whitley County, Indiana.  She married George Harter, Jr., the son of George and (possibly) Elizabeth Harter.  Their children are John, Mary, Henry, Anthony, Elizabeth, and Sarah Jane. 

John was born in 1803 and died in 1881 in Jay County, Indiana.  He married Ruth Kelso, the daughter of Joseph and Mary Davisson Kelso.  Their children are Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, John, Abraham and William.  

Jacob was the last child born in West Virginia, in 1805.  He died in Licking County, Ohio in 1872.  His wife is Elizabeth Albery or Alberry, the sister of the Mary Albery who married Joseph Geiger (above), and the daughter of John and Mary Myer Alberry.   Their children are James, Perry, Alvah, Minerva, Sarah, Stephen, and an infant who lived just a short time.  He is buried at the Jersey Universalist Church cemetery, but I don't know whether this was also his religious affiliation. 

Ann was the first child born in Licking County, Ohio, in May of 1807.  Sometime between 1805 and Ann's birth, the family had made the move but sadly, Ann lived for only a little over 2 years, dying in 1809.  The good news is that this appears to be the only child of Anthony and Mary who did not live to adulthood.

Margaret was born next, in 1809.  She died in 1875 at Jacksontown, Licking County, Ohio.  She married Reuben Gilliland, the son of David and Anna Bailey Gilliland.  Their children are Mary Ann, Martha, Harriet, Rebecca, Ambrose, Valentine, and John.  

Mary Ann was born in 1811 and died in 1883 in Churubusco, Whitley County, Indiana.  She first married John Parks, the son of James and Sarah (possibly Hanes but not proven) Parks.  Their children are Sarah, Joseph, Adaline, and another Sarah.  After John's death, she married Abraham Maxwell, the son of William and Laura (maiden name not found) Maxwell.  Their children are John, William, Adam, Pauline, Jacob, George, and Addison.  

Anthony was born next, in 1813.  By this time, there are several Anthony Geigers to try to sort out, and some trees on line make no sense.  I believe he was married twice, both times in Whitley County, Indiana.  The Anthony Geiger who married in 1855 in Franklin County, Ohio is a different person, possibly the son of Joseph (above) but definitely not our guy who stayed in one place, until he didn't.  Our Anthony died in 1883 in Derby, Sedgwick County, Kansas.  He gets the prize in this family for having traveled the farthest from "home" of any of this generation.  His first wife is Mary Miller, the daughter of John and Susannah Berlett Miller.  Their children are Jacob, Malinda, Nathan, Mariah, Daniel (some show David but I think it's Daniel), Addison, Clarissa, and Hannah.  After Mary's Death, he married Sarah McNeal, the daughter of John and Sarah Childs McNeal.  They had at least two children, George and Hannah.  

Thomas was born in 1814 and died in 1886 in Noble County, Indiana.  It appears that his residence was not far from the Whitley County Geigers, just across the county line.  He married Mary Jane McGuire, the daughter of John and Mary O'Brien McGuire.  Their children are Henry, Mary, George, Ann, John, Thomas, Alfred, Carissa, and William.  

And finally (or not?) Daniel was born in 1816 and died in 1870 in Whitley County, Indiana.  He married Julia Ann Darnell (also seen as Dornell), who is not yet further identified.  Their children are Mary, Naarcissus, Elizabeth (twice), William, James, Edward, John, Huldah, and Abraham.  

The Geigers appear to be a close family, with their main locations in this generation in either Licking County, Ohio, or Whitley County, Indiana, with a couple of outliers.  The males were mostly a little old for the Civil War, but some of the grandsons were likely involved.  Anthony was born during the Revolutionary War and may well have seen or at least been aware of some of the fights with natives during his early childhood.  He was a veteran of the War of 1812, and this family would have been aware of, if not involved in, the Mexican-American conflicts of the 1840s.  A lot happened during Anthony's lifetime, and particularly with this generation.  We honor them.   

The still not found family of Jacob Geiger 1748-1791

Oh my goodness!  This is a difficult family to write about, because everyone has a different opinion on this and everyone seems to have one document that points in their own opinion.  But we know we need to have at least two, and optimally many more, documents to allow us to form a belief based on facts.  That is mostly lacking at this point with this family.  

Jacob Geiger was born in 1748 in New Hanover, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the son of Valentine and Sarah (maiden name not known, she was the widow of someone named Vetato or another spelling) Geiger.  He died February 24, 1791 in what is now Berkeley County, West Virginia.  He married Elizabeth Shutz or Schultz, the daughter of Daniel and Catherine Walter Schultz in 1776 in Frederick County, Maryland, so he was already on the move.  Two short months after the marriage, the first of their children was born.

Anthony Geiger was born in 1776 in Frederick County, Maryland and died in 1836 in or near Churubusco, Whitley County, Indiana.  He also was not a "stay in one place" kind of person.  He married Mary Kirk, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (maiden name not known) in 1797 in Berkeley County, West Virginia.  Their children are Joseph, Sarah, Elizabeth, John, Jacob, Ann, Margaret, Mary Ann, Anthony, Thomas, and Daniel.  I will follow this family in my next blog post.  

After that family, the story gets pretty murky.  Jacob was born in 1778 and reportedly (I have found no records) died in 1821 in Preble County, Ohio.  He may or may not have married an Elizabeth Houdyshell, and he may or may not have married an Anna Katharina Auwaeter. Those names are on Ancestry trees, with no supporting documents.  I am not locating a Jacob Geiger in the 1820 census in Ohio, so the mystery is deep.  There are several Jacob Geigers in Pennsylvania but I can't say that any of them appear to fit directly into this family.

There is even less information regarding the rest of their children, but I will list them here for whatever it's worth.  Catherine was born in 1780, Johannes or possibly John in 1781, Elizabeth in 1785, Anne in 1786, and Daniel in 1787.  I have hints of possible first names for some of the spouses, but I am not going to share them here as they all appear questionable to me.  

Update: A strong possibility for Anne Geiger's (1786) spouse would be Henry Nisley or Neisley, the son of Abraham and Elizabeth Spitler Nisley.  They lived in Fairfield County, Ohio, and may have had the following children-Catherine, Elizabeth, Detwiler, and George Washington.  There may be others, and of course I'm lacking in the documents that would give me some degree of confidence.  

Clearly, this is one of the least researched families I've written about.  Perhaps other family researchers are as confused and unconvinced as I am.  I would be especially interested in learning about Jacob and any military service he might have been connected with.  Lord Dunmore's War, the Revolutionary War, ongoing strife with the native tribes that continued after "peace"?  Perhaps it was all of the above, but I just don't know.  Regardless, we know he lived in interesting times, in a dangerous place.  He's one family ancestor I would really like to talk to! 

 

 

 

The family of Valentine Geiger 1718-1777

 Johann Valentine (Valentin) Geiger, the son of Johann Valentine and Frederica Henckel Geiger, was born in 1718, perhaps in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, shortly after his parents had arrived in the New World.  He spent much of his life in New Hanover, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and died in 1777 in Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.  His burial site is listed as Rockland Cemetery, Venango County, Pennsylvania, but I have not yet figured out how he ended up there.  The two locations are 80 miles apart, and there are no other Geigers in that cemetery.  

Valentine married twice.  His first wife is still a mystery.  Her name was Sarah, the widow of a man named Vetato, Vetatoo, or Wedato, among other spellings I have seen.   They married in 1747, with Sarah having two children by her first husband.  Valentine and Sarah had at least six children together, but sadly, at least three were apparently dead by the time Valentine died in 1777, because they aren't mentioned in his will, and neither are any potential grandchildren.  

Their first child was Jacob, born in 1748.  He married Elizabeth Shultz or Schutz, the daugher of Daniel and Catherine Walter Schultz.  Their children are Anthony, Jacob, John Charles, Elizabeth, Anna Maria, and Elizabeth Margaretha.  Some sites claim that he served in the Revolutionary War, which is certainly possible, but I don't believe he is the Jacob Geiger whose pension records relate to South Carolina.  There is a Captain Jacob Geiger who in 1777 was serving with the Philadelphia City Militia, but I don't know whether or not this is our Jacob.  Jacob died in 1792 in Greenbrier, Berkeley County, (West) Virginia.  I will follow this family in my next blog post.

Catherine Elizabeth, sometimes seen as Maria Catherine or Catherine Marie Elizabeth, was born in 1750 and died in either 1784 or 1792 in Berks County, Pennsylvania.  She married Abraham Betz, the son of Johann George and Anna Maria Duffield Betz.  Their children are Mary Elizabeth and Jonathan.  There very likely are more children, but these are the two I can identify.  

John Anthony was born in 1753 and died before his father.  I have been unable to find whether this was an infant or childhood death, or whether it could be related to a military action, before or during the Revolutionary War.  

Johann Valentine was born in 1755 and died in 1821 in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.  (I should say that many of these counties I am mentioning may actually indicate simply the division of the original county, and it is possible that most of the children actually lived very close to their father, but the names of the counties changed as the population increased and more counties were formed.)  He married Elizabeth Eppley, who was possibly the daughter of Martin and Eva Barbara (maiden name not known to me) Eppely.  Their children are Catherine, John, Valentine, William, George, Elizabeth, Marin, Sarah Elizabeth, Lydia, another John, and Peter.  

Valentine's final children with Sarah were daughters Sarah, born in 1758, and Susanna Catherine, born the following year.  No further information is found about either of them, so they may have had an early death.   

After Sarah's death, Valentine married Anna Margaretha Nagel, the daughter of Joachim and Anna Catherine Geiss Nagel in 1766.  They had at least two children together.

Catherine Elizabeth was born in 1770 and must have died young, since she is not mentioned in her father's will.  

Johann George was born in 1771 and that is all I am sure of.  He doesn't appear to be the man who married an Anna Artz or Ortz, nor does he seem to be the one who married Margaret Creel.  Until I find further records, I'm declaring George a mystery.

This is the information I've found so far about Valentine Geiger and his family.  They lived through turbulent times in unsettled lands, and those who were still alive would have been greatly impacted by the Revolutionary War.  It is possible that the family left their home and went to a place of greater safety as the danger increased, and it's also possible that at least Jacob and Valentine actually fought.  Their farm goods and animals could have been sold to, or taken by, either side in that conflict.  And after the war officially ended, there were possibly still alarms and conflicts with native peoples.  We can be grateful for the courage these ancestors showed. 

  

Harshbarger line: The family of Valentine Geiger 1685-1762

Today's post is about Johann Valentine Geiger, who was born in 1685 in Germany and died in 1762 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  He most likely came to Pennsylvania in 1717 with his wife and in-laws, and bought land, 250 acres, in 1718, so we know he wasn't as impoverished as many of his countrymen were.  He married Johanna Frederica Henckel (various spellings, just as Geiger is sometimes seen as Kyger or another variation) in 1715. and their first son was born in 1717. It appears that Antonius, probably called Antony, was born in 1718, after his parents arrived in this country.  Frederica died in  1739 and Valentine married again, to Maria Elizabeth, probably Maria Elizabeth Schmidt, the daughter of John George and Anna Maria (maiden name not yet found) Schmidt. Valentine had several children by each of his wives, so this will be a long post.  

Anthony, or Antonius was born in 1717 and died in April 1753 in Douglas, Berks County, Pennsylvania.  He married Mary Barbara Geiger, the daughter of Jacob and Anna Marie Mais Geiger.  Jacob and Valentine were brothers, so Anthony married his first cousin.  Marrying a cousin wasn't unheard of, but was less common in Lutheran churches, where the Geigers were quite active, than in other denominations and cultures.  One record that I found said this couple had no children, and other sources seem to indicate at least two children.  It's quite possible, given the number of Valentine and Jacob Geigers living in the same area, the the families have become conflated or otherwise confused.  

Valentine was born in 1718, perhaps in Philadelphia or perhaps in Montgomery County.  He died in Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pa in 1777, which may or may not have been his place of residence.  I don't know whether he served in the Revolutionary War, nor do I know his cause of death.  Valentine married twice.  His first wife was a widow, Mrs. Sarah Vetato (various spellings, of course), who has not been further identified.  She had two children of her own, and together they had several children-Catherine Elizabeth, Jacob, Antonius, Valentine, Sarah, Susanna and possibly Maria Elizabeth.  After Sarah's death, Valentine married Anna Margaretha Nagel, the daughter of Johann Jacob and Anna Catherina Geiss Nagel.  Their children are Johann, George, Catherine, and Elizabeth, so it became a rather large family.  (I would certainly like to know whether Anna Catherina Geiss Nagel was related to the Anna Maraia Geiss who married Daniel Kramer!!)

Mary Barbara was born in 1719 and died in 1777.  She married Nicholas Seidle or Seidel, the son of Nicholas and Anna Elizabeth Marststeller Seidel.  The children are Anna Elizabeth, Antonius, Frederica, Dortha, Nicholas, Maria Barbara, Johan Phillip, and Anna Catherine.

Christopher, or Stoffel as he is sometimes found, was born in either 1720 or 1722 and died in 1805.  He is identified as a lieutenant in the third PA regiment, Continental Army, during the Revolutionary War.  He married twice.  His first wife is Mary Barbara Geiger Geiger, the widow of his brother Antonius and daughter of Jacob and Anna Elizabeth Mais Geiger.  Their children are Anthony, Jacob, Henry, Catherine, Elizabeth, Mary Magdalene, Margaret, John, and possible Sarah.  After Barbar's death, he married Married Robeson, the daughter of Moses and Christiana Lane Robeson.  Their children are Elish, Barbara, Christina, Sarah, Charles, John, and perhaps another Christina.  

Margaretha (both Anna and Mary have been seen as her first name) was botn in 1721 and died in 1794.  Again, I'm confused.  She married John Stapleton, the son of Robert Stapleton.  She may have also married Benjamin Lindler, or that may be a different Margaretha.  At any rate, she had at least one son, John Stapleton.

Susanna Catherine was born in 1724.  She married John Stoneburner (may be Steinbrenner?) and had Michael, and Elizabeth.  I don't know her death date, but if she was still living in 1810 then there is a strong likelihood she was the mother of at least four more children.  I have seen Jonathan, Robert, Susanna, Sampson, Margaret, Catherine, George and Henry suggested as children for this couple, but I can't really state hat with any conviction.  Records for this family are hard to locate.

There is a gap of 13 years between Catherine and Anna Barbara, who was born in 1737 and died in 1766.  I don't know whether we are missing children or whether this little caboose was a total surprise.  She married George Kast or Caust. Their children are Anna, Maria Margaretha, George, and Catherine.  This is the last child of Valentine and Frederica, because she died in or before 1739.

I have not found a marriage date for Valentine and his second wife, Maria Elizabeth Schmidt, that I trust, and information for their children is limited.  There may be a son John, and other children are Johann Dietrich, John Henry, Benjamin, Charles, and Jacob, and Valentine, all born between 1738 and 1751. Some of these men married Elizabeth.  Dietrich's wife may be the daughter of Paul Linenbiegler, and they are thought to have had 2 sons and four daughter. Benjamin is credited with two children before he died in 1777, Benjamin and Carl.  I don't know whether his death was war-related.  Charles was born in 1750 and died in 1828,  He married Anna Maria "Dilbon" which may be Duliban or Tullepan in other records.  We do know that they had at least one child, Maria Elizabeth.

The Geigers lived in a time and place that was under stress more than once.  The French and Indian War may well have called Valentine and perhaps some of the sons into service, or at least into the militia.  There were consistent attacks by indigenous people in the interim between that war and the Revolutionary War.  Again, there may be more Revolutionary War veterans here than I have been able to identify.  Lutherans were not averse to serving in times of war.  

It's important to go back every now and then and revisit the information you thought you had.  I didn't find any obvious errors in my data for this man, but I sure found a lot of children I didn't know about, and second wives for several of the men.  I'm sure I have missed or misinterpreted some of the facts for this family, but I'm closer to completion than I was before I started.  Much of the information in this post comes from "Records of the Geiger Family" found on Ancestry, and also from a blog post at the Wilson Family Tree Album Blog.  I've stumbled across a few things myself, also.   There are probably still errors and omissions here, but this is a more complete picture than I had when I started researching this family.