The family of Simon Essig 1754-1852

 Simon Essig, the sole survivor of a family wiped out by indigenous men, carried the family surname forward rather well.  He was born in 1754, probably near Hagerstown, Maryland, to Wendell and Anna Eva Matte Essig, and was on an errand away from the family farm when the attack took place.  His parents and three brothers were killed and the cabin burned. Simon served in the Revolutionary War as a blacksmith, a trade much needed to keep equipment working and horses shod.

Simon married Julianna Schneer or Schnerr, the daughter of Johann Caspar and Magdalena Kunkle Schneer, and they had a large family, as was somewhat typical of Lutheran families at the time.  When a family reunion was held in 1883, they supposedly had 164 living descendants, including children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.   I don't know whether I've found all the grandchildren or not, but I've found a good number, anyway.  Simon and Julianna both died in Plain Township, Stark County, Ohio, as did many of their children.

There may have been a son Adam born in 1781.  If this is so, he likely did not live long because there was another Adam born in 1788.

Their first daughter, and possibly first child, was Magdalena, born in 1782 and died in 1862 in Barry, Pike County, Illinoise.  She married George Wike, the son of Christopher and Susanna Bear Wike.  Their children are Joseph, Sara, Eliza, William, Mary, Rebecca, and David.  

Elizabeth was born in 1784 and died in 1860 in Plain City, Stark County, Ohio.  She married Jacob Becher, the son of John and Elizabeth Keplinger Beecher.  Their children are Elizabeth, Solomon, Julia, Sarah, J.J., Henry, and Joseph. 

John was born in 1786 and died in 1857 in Elkhart, Indiana.  He married Susan Holtz, the daughter of Michael and Susan (possibly Keyser but not verified) Holtz.  Their children are Elizabeth, Julia Ann, Catherine, Susan, Simon, Sarah, John, Magdalena and Polly.  

Adam was born in 1788 and died in 1866 in Canton, Ohio.  He married Catherine Lichtenwalter, the daughter of Abrahan and Eva Saeger Lichtenwalter.  Their children are Daniel, Barbara, Jacob, George, Julia, Catherine, Solomon, Sarah, Elias, Rachel and Harriet.  

Jacob was born in 1791 and died in 1874 in Plain Township, Stark County, Ohio.  He married Elizabeth Weaver, the daughter of Valentine and Elizabeth Welty Weaver.  Their children are Elizabeth, Annie, Salome, Joseph, William, Christian, Lewis, Valentin, and Harriet.   

George was born in 1794 and died in 1856 in Whitley County, Indiana.  He married Catherine Schollenberger/Shollenberger, the daughter of Peter (and peobably Susanna, maiden name not yet known) Shollenberger.  Their children are Harriet, John, Lydia, George, Adam, Sarah, Joseph, David, Julia, Peter, Margaret, and Simon.  I will follow this family in my next blog post.

Sarah or Sally was born in 1797 and died in 1858 in Canton, Ohio.  She married John Trump, the son of John and Elizabeth Jacobs Trump.  Their children are John, Samuel, Maria, and Juliana.  There may well be addition children, but as of yet I have been unable to locate them.  Four children was a low number for this family, and both parents lived long enough to potentially have a large family as their siblings all did.

On a sad note, David was born in 1798 and died in 1799.  The Essig family was actually blessed to have only the one (possibly two) infant deaths, but I'm sure it hurt to lose even one.  

Samuel was born next, in 1801.  He died in 1873 in Canton, Ohio.  He married Salome Rank, the daughter of Abraham and Sarah Wertenberger Rank.  Again, there may well be more children but I've found only Isaiah, Malinda, and Susan.  

William was born in 1804 and died in 1872 in Allen County, Indiana.  He married Anna Hahn, the daughter of Mathias and Elizabeth (maiden name not yet known) Hahn.  Their children are Solomon, Lydia, Zacharias, Sarah, Adam, Lucinda, Susannah, Harriet, and John.  

Catherine was also born in 1804, and died in 1887 in Stark County, Ohio.  She married Peter Pontius, the son of Frederick and Anna Margaret Ready Pontius.  (Yes, Peter was a distant cousin to Mary Pontius, who married Conrad Reber in another branch of this family.)  Their children are Mary Ann, Emmanuel, Adam, Anna, Rebecca, Andrew, Anton and Martin.

Rebecca was born in 1806 and died in 1896 in Plain Township, Stark County, Ohio.  She married Jacob Pontius, a brother to Peter mentioned above, and so the son of Frederick and Anna Margaret Ready Pontius.  Their children are John, Andrew, and Anna Margaretha.  Jacob died in 1832 and Rebecca never remarried, which would be somewhat unusual for that time and place. 

At least three of the sons-Adam, Jacob, and George-are known to have served in the War of 1812, with George being wounded at Put-in-Bay, Ohio.  John likely served in the militia, in one fashion or another, since all able-bodied men did so, but I've not found records that say so.  The family that stayed in Stark County, or at least most of them, are buried at the Henry Warstler cemetery in Plain Township, Stark County, Ohio.  We can be proud to have them as part of the Harshbarger lineage.