Andreas or Andrew Raub was actually an immigrant ancestor, having arrived with his parents in 1732. However, since he was two years old at the time, he likely had no memory of the "Old Country" or of the journey to America. He was the son of Philip and Maria Sarah Schoffel Raub and was born February 13, 1730 at Hagsfeld, Stadt Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemburg, now part of Germany. He was one of at least six children born to the couple, and Philip was almost 50 when Andreas was born.
Andreas was about 23 when his father died and he was fortunate enough to inherit the family farm in Springfield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. A few months before his father's death, he married Maria Charlotte Weber, daughter of Johan Jacob and Maria Charlotte Reichard Weber. Andrew, at the age of 23, had a wife and a farm and responsibilities. These may have kept him too busy to participate in either the French and Indian War or the Revolutionary War, or his work as a farmer may have made him too valuable to serve. There is also the slight possibility that he was a Loyalist. I haven't exhausted all the records I would need to search to determine whether he was a soldier, a farmer, or a Loyalist during the Revolutionary War, so that is on my to do list.
It appears that Andreas and family were in New Jersey by the time of the Revolution, and he had bought his first farm there, "about halfway between Walnut Valley and Jacksonville". It was located in Knowlton Township, Sussex (now Warren) County. This, incidentally, would have been a horrible place to be during the Revolutionary War, as many battles were fought in New Jersey and troops would have been marching, pillaging, and possibly worse at any of several different times during the war. I haven't yet located specific information regarding this particular area, as to whether there were actual battles here, but skirmishes, at least, seem likely.
Andreas acquired several other properties over his lifetime, all in the same general area. He needed land not only to support his family, but because he wanted to pass land along to each of his sons. In this, he was successful. The Raubs had at least three sons and seven daughters, living at the time Andreas wrote his will in 1806. The will was proved May 25, 1809, one day after the inventory was taken. The estate was modest, about $325, but that wouldn't have included the land and buildings. Two of his sons were responsible for making the payments he requested to his daughters. I sure would like to find that inventory!
Maria Charlotte had died in 1791. There is one reference that says he later married a Katherine, but if so, she must have died also as there is no mention of her in the will.
Andreas is more interesting than I thought he would be, simply because of the times he lived in and the choice he made to move from Bucks County to Sussex County. I would like to figure out why he made that change. Also, his children were baptized Lutherans; why is he buried in the Knowlton Presbyterian Cemetery? And what were his war experiences? Did any of his sons fight? There are always more questions than answers.
The line of descent is:
Andreas Raub-Maria Charlotte Weber
Charlotte Raub-Johan Jacob Weis (Wise)
Andrew Wire-Mary Serfass
David Wise-Matilda Martin
Elizabeth Wise-John Beeks
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Showing posts with label Raub. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Raub. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Beeks line: Felix Weiss, Immigrant
Much of this post will be speculation, especially regarding his early years. I am throwing this out for amy historians who may recognize Felix and say "I know this man!" and be able to help correct whatever inaccuracies are in this blog post. Some of it I am quite sure about but the early years are very murky indeed. There is at least one story that needs to be told now, and if we never get answers to our questions then at least we know this much.
First, entirelyl speculative, is the possibility that Felix came from Switzerland. There is a record of Felix Wyss, carpenter, and also Conrad Wyss, cooper, leaving the Parish of Affoltern, Mt. Albis (also seen as Affoltern arm Albis), which was about 8 miles southwest of Zurich. Felix came with his wife, Anna Huber and five little children, Anna, Hans Heinrich, Hans Jacob, Johannes, and Heinrich, and he was listed as a carpenter. Conrad, who may have been likely a relation of some sort, came on the same ship with his wife Barbara Dupa and four young children.
If this was our Felix, then more of his tree is available to us and we can likely go back several generations. .
I'll get the cart ahead of the horse here for a little bit and say that the records showing Felix as having died in 1779 in Monroe County, Pa are a bit misleading. Monroe County wasn't formed until 1836. At the time our Felix lived there, it was Northampton County, and it was very much frontier country. So most of our records are found in Northampton County, and as always, we wish for more.
Felix apparently led a hard life as I have not yet found him on tax rolls for Northumberland County. He may have been devastated by the French and Indian War and subsequent harassment (a kind word) by native Americans. The one record I've found with his name on it is from September of 1763. In it, he was a petitioner to the government, asking for help against the native Americans. It was written from Brinker's Mill to Mr. Horsfield and the petiotioners were 18 men , "the neighbors that are now living or rather staying here at this present time". The petitioners asked for soldiers to be placed at Jacob Brinker's Mill, "the people have been driven from their houses, their livelihoods destroyed by savages; they gladly returned to their homes , their desolate habitations, so they coudl use the mill and almost forgot their woes but now, every day, they were 'exposed to the unmerciful hands of these savages just at our backs". Only half the men had even one chrge of powder or lead, God was their only protection, "Please place soldiers at the mill." We have no idea of the stresses and fears that our families lived under. These fears were very real, as several families from this area were massacred before the area was truly settled.
The mill is located on McMichaels creek in what is now Hamilton Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, so this gives us a general location of where Felix and his family lived. The current stone building was actually built about 1800, but there was a log mill there for 50 years prior to the "new" construction, and this would have been the location where Jacob, along with 17 others, signed the petition. Most of the names on the petition are either German or Swiss.
Felix died in 1779 in what is now Hamilton Township, Monroe County.
Here's another problem with this man. Our Felix is given an approximate birth date of 1720, but other records show a Felix born in 1703. Were there two Felix Weiss's? Were they related? Confounding the mystery is that our Felix's wife is shown as Anna Maria Van Buskirk, but...someone with the same purported birth date is shown on Find a Grave, which is somewhat unreliable or at least incomplete, as actually being a Weiss first and then a Van Buskirk. Was this Anna Huber, then Weiss, then van Buskirk? The dates are a problem, or were the names a pure coincidence? These Felixes, and Annas, have me confused, so don't take this as written in stone. It's written in sand, waiting for the complete facts to emerge.
The possible line of descent is:
Felix Weiss-Anna
Johan Jacob Wise-Charlotte Raub
Andrew Wise-Mary Serfass
David Wise-Matilda Martin
Elizabeth Wise-John Beeks
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
First, entirelyl speculative, is the possibility that Felix came from Switzerland. There is a record of Felix Wyss, carpenter, and also Conrad Wyss, cooper, leaving the Parish of Affoltern, Mt. Albis (also seen as Affoltern arm Albis), which was about 8 miles southwest of Zurich. Felix came with his wife, Anna Huber and five little children, Anna, Hans Heinrich, Hans Jacob, Johannes, and Heinrich, and he was listed as a carpenter. Conrad, who may have been likely a relation of some sort, came on the same ship with his wife Barbara Dupa and four young children.
If this was our Felix, then more of his tree is available to us and we can likely go back several generations. .
I'll get the cart ahead of the horse here for a little bit and say that the records showing Felix as having died in 1779 in Monroe County, Pa are a bit misleading. Monroe County wasn't formed until 1836. At the time our Felix lived there, it was Northampton County, and it was very much frontier country. So most of our records are found in Northampton County, and as always, we wish for more.
Felix apparently led a hard life as I have not yet found him on tax rolls for Northumberland County. He may have been devastated by the French and Indian War and subsequent harassment (a kind word) by native Americans. The one record I've found with his name on it is from September of 1763. In it, he was a petitioner to the government, asking for help against the native Americans. It was written from Brinker's Mill to Mr. Horsfield and the petiotioners were 18 men , "the neighbors that are now living or rather staying here at this present time". The petitioners asked for soldiers to be placed at Jacob Brinker's Mill, "the people have been driven from their houses, their livelihoods destroyed by savages; they gladly returned to their homes , their desolate habitations, so they coudl use the mill and almost forgot their woes but now, every day, they were 'exposed to the unmerciful hands of these savages just at our backs". Only half the men had even one chrge of powder or lead, God was their only protection, "Please place soldiers at the mill." We have no idea of the stresses and fears that our families lived under. These fears were very real, as several families from this area were massacred before the area was truly settled.
The mill is located on McMichaels creek in what is now Hamilton Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, so this gives us a general location of where Felix and his family lived. The current stone building was actually built about 1800, but there was a log mill there for 50 years prior to the "new" construction, and this would have been the location where Jacob, along with 17 others, signed the petition. Most of the names on the petition are either German or Swiss.
Felix died in 1779 in what is now Hamilton Township, Monroe County.
Here's another problem with this man. Our Felix is given an approximate birth date of 1720, but other records show a Felix born in 1703. Were there two Felix Weiss's? Were they related? Confounding the mystery is that our Felix's wife is shown as Anna Maria Van Buskirk, but...someone with the same purported birth date is shown on Find a Grave, which is somewhat unreliable or at least incomplete, as actually being a Weiss first and then a Van Buskirk. Was this Anna Huber, then Weiss, then van Buskirk? The dates are a problem, or were the names a pure coincidence? These Felixes, and Annas, have me confused, so don't take this as written in stone. It's written in sand, waiting for the complete facts to emerge.
The possible line of descent is:
Felix Weiss-Anna
Johan Jacob Wise-Charlotte Raub
Andrew Wise-Mary Serfass
David Wise-Matilda Martin
Elizabeth Wise-John Beeks
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Beeks line: Johann Jacob Weber 1694-1744 Immigrant
Here's another Beeks ancestor who came from Germany. I don't know much about him yet but his is the start of another American success story, if raising a family in colonial Pennsylvania, with descendants down to this day is a success story.
Jacob was born December 27, 1694 in Hinzweiler, Rhine-Pfalz, of what became Germany. His parents were Hans Jacob Weber and Maria Margaretha Ring, and he had at least four sisters and one brother. The only other clue I have about his early life is that when he married in 1720, it was in the Reformed Church in Hinzweiler, meaning it was neither Catholic nor Lutheran, but more Calvinistic in its beliefs. The area had suffered during the Thirty Years War but had always been a very small village, with population never going above 400. It must have been a hard life, but perhaps it was also a good life, in the little settlement.
Jacob's wife was Anna Cecelia Reichard, also from Hinzweiler. Her parents were Dieterich Reichard and Maria Saloma last name unknown. It isn't known when the family emigrated to America. Jacob died here in 1744, so the date would have been earlier than that. Apparently the children were all born in Germany, with the last of at least three (I suspect there are more) born in 1735. So immigration would have come between those two dates, except that I haven't found a Johann Jacob or a Jacob Weber listed in the immigration or naturalization records for that time period.
And that is as much as I know about Jacob at this point. He reportedly died in Springfield Township, Bucks or Delaware County, in 1744. We need to determine which area he lived in, for the two townships are a considerable distance apart. One was relatively close to Philadelphia and one was on the frontier, which would mean families in the two areas would have had different concerns. I tend to think it was in Bucks county, due to family marriages, but that is just a guess at this point.
So here is the bare beginnings of the story of Jacob Weber. I'd like to find out more in order to give the man the recognition he deserves, but this is a start. If someone reading this knows just one little bit of information that I haven't yet located, I'd love it if you would share it with me!
The line of descent is:
Jacob Weber-Anna Cecelia Reichard
Maria Charlotta Weber-Andreas Raub
Charlotte Raub-Johan Jacob Weiss
Andrew Wise-Mary Serfass
David Wise-Matilda Martin
Elizabeth Wise-John W Beeks
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Jacob was born December 27, 1694 in Hinzweiler, Rhine-Pfalz, of what became Germany. His parents were Hans Jacob Weber and Maria Margaretha Ring, and he had at least four sisters and one brother. The only other clue I have about his early life is that when he married in 1720, it was in the Reformed Church in Hinzweiler, meaning it was neither Catholic nor Lutheran, but more Calvinistic in its beliefs. The area had suffered during the Thirty Years War but had always been a very small village, with population never going above 400. It must have been a hard life, but perhaps it was also a good life, in the little settlement.
Jacob's wife was Anna Cecelia Reichard, also from Hinzweiler. Her parents were Dieterich Reichard and Maria Saloma last name unknown. It isn't known when the family emigrated to America. Jacob died here in 1744, so the date would have been earlier than that. Apparently the children were all born in Germany, with the last of at least three (I suspect there are more) born in 1735. So immigration would have come between those two dates, except that I haven't found a Johann Jacob or a Jacob Weber listed in the immigration or naturalization records for that time period.
And that is as much as I know about Jacob at this point. He reportedly died in Springfield Township, Bucks or Delaware County, in 1744. We need to determine which area he lived in, for the two townships are a considerable distance apart. One was relatively close to Philadelphia and one was on the frontier, which would mean families in the two areas would have had different concerns. I tend to think it was in Bucks county, due to family marriages, but that is just a guess at this point.
So here is the bare beginnings of the story of Jacob Weber. I'd like to find out more in order to give the man the recognition he deserves, but this is a start. If someone reading this knows just one little bit of information that I haven't yet located, I'd love it if you would share it with me!
The line of descent is:
Jacob Weber-Anna Cecelia Reichard
Maria Charlotta Weber-Andreas Raub
Charlotte Raub-Johan Jacob Weiss
Andrew Wise-Mary Serfass
David Wise-Matilda Martin
Elizabeth Wise-John W Beeks
Wilbur Beeks-Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Their descendants
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Beeks Line: Philip Raub, Immigrant
I admit it. I am fascinated with the immigrants in our families. Why did they come when they did? How did they finance their move across the ocean? Once they were here, did they feel they had made a good choice, or were they incredibly homesick? And how did those poor women survive the whole ordeal?
The origin of Philip Raub is something of a mystery, although the best guesses I have seen put his birth date at 1681 and the location as Hagsfeld, Stadt Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemberg, in what would become Germany. There is a church there called Laurenskirche, and it may have been in operation at the time of Philip's birth. If so, they may have records of Philip's birth. If not, then perhaps the other stories are true, that this was a Mennonite family that possibly came from Switzerland. Further research needs to be done to pin down this information.
We know nothing of Philip's life, but we do know that Hagsfeld was a very small village, of less than 100 homes, when Philip was born and raised. It is likely, then, that Philip's family had a garden they could tend for themselves, and farm land they would have tilled for the lord of the area. It would have been a hard life, with weather uncertainties, and with the uncertainty of what the lord would be doing next in terms of requiring taxes. Fortunately, there would have been a council to intercede between the peasants and the lord, and they may have been able to have some mitigating influence if the taxes were to be raised too much.
Philip married Maria Sarah Schoffel, daughter of Heinrich Schoffel and Maria Zwillinge, in 1719. There was probably an earlier marriage, as Philip is credited with having three sons born from 1705-1710, and then there is a gap of 10 years. The known children that he had with Maria Sarah were Maria Barbara, Ann Margaretha, and Andreas. There is a gap between 1720 and 1727 so it is possible that other children were born and died young, or there were miscarriages.
In 1732, probably for economic reasons but perhaps for religious reasons, Philip and his family came to Philadelphia on the ship "Loyal Judith". This was in about the middle of the German immigration influx. The immigrants on this ship were mostly Mennonite, but there were a few others that were from different areas than the Baden-Durlach Mennonites.
Philip was fortunate enough to buy land in what became Springfield Twp, Bucks County, Pa in 1738. This may indicate that he served an indentureship before being able to buy land, or perhaps he was simply a tenant farmer who made good. The land that he purchased was 130 acres near Durham Creek. If he had been Mennonite, he soon began worshiping at Trinity Lutheran Church, as there are records there (apparently a list of communicants) in 1751.
Philip died in December of 1753, after conveying his 130 acres of land to his youngest son, Andreas, in February of that year. I have not located a will for him. His wife, Maria Sarah, died in 1764 in Upper Sucon Township, Bucks County, Pa. She is buried at St Paul's Blue Church near Coopersburg, Lehigh County, Pa, and that is his place of burial as indicated on Find-a-Grave.
There is more of Philip's story to be found. I'd like to know whether there were Indian incursions in Bucks County after Philip's arrival, and after he bought his land. I'd like to know whether he was in fact Mennonite, or whether he had always been Lutheran. I'd like to know why he came to America, and whether he felt his decision was a good one. And of course, I'd love to know who his parents are!
The line of descent is:
Philip Raub-Maria Sarah Schoffel
Andreas Raub-Maria Charlotta Weber
Charlotte Raub-Johan Jacob Weiss
Andrew Wise-Mary Serfass
David Wise-Matilda Martin
Elizabeth Wise-John Beeks
Wilbur Beeks-Greta Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Harshbarger children, grand children, and great grandchildren
The origin of Philip Raub is something of a mystery, although the best guesses I have seen put his birth date at 1681 and the location as Hagsfeld, Stadt Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemberg, in what would become Germany. There is a church there called Laurenskirche, and it may have been in operation at the time of Philip's birth. If so, they may have records of Philip's birth. If not, then perhaps the other stories are true, that this was a Mennonite family that possibly came from Switzerland. Further research needs to be done to pin down this information.
We know nothing of Philip's life, but we do know that Hagsfeld was a very small village, of less than 100 homes, when Philip was born and raised. It is likely, then, that Philip's family had a garden they could tend for themselves, and farm land they would have tilled for the lord of the area. It would have been a hard life, with weather uncertainties, and with the uncertainty of what the lord would be doing next in terms of requiring taxes. Fortunately, there would have been a council to intercede between the peasants and the lord, and they may have been able to have some mitigating influence if the taxes were to be raised too much.
Philip married Maria Sarah Schoffel, daughter of Heinrich Schoffel and Maria Zwillinge, in 1719. There was probably an earlier marriage, as Philip is credited with having three sons born from 1705-1710, and then there is a gap of 10 years. The known children that he had with Maria Sarah were Maria Barbara, Ann Margaretha, and Andreas. There is a gap between 1720 and 1727 so it is possible that other children were born and died young, or there were miscarriages.
In 1732, probably for economic reasons but perhaps for religious reasons, Philip and his family came to Philadelphia on the ship "Loyal Judith". This was in about the middle of the German immigration influx. The immigrants on this ship were mostly Mennonite, but there were a few others that were from different areas than the Baden-Durlach Mennonites.
Philip was fortunate enough to buy land in what became Springfield Twp, Bucks County, Pa in 1738. This may indicate that he served an indentureship before being able to buy land, or perhaps he was simply a tenant farmer who made good. The land that he purchased was 130 acres near Durham Creek. If he had been Mennonite, he soon began worshiping at Trinity Lutheran Church, as there are records there (apparently a list of communicants) in 1751.
Philip died in December of 1753, after conveying his 130 acres of land to his youngest son, Andreas, in February of that year. I have not located a will for him. His wife, Maria Sarah, died in 1764 in Upper Sucon Township, Bucks County, Pa. She is buried at St Paul's Blue Church near Coopersburg, Lehigh County, Pa, and that is his place of burial as indicated on Find-a-Grave.
There is more of Philip's story to be found. I'd like to know whether there were Indian incursions in Bucks County after Philip's arrival, and after he bought his land. I'd like to know whether he was in fact Mennonite, or whether he had always been Lutheran. I'd like to know why he came to America, and whether he felt his decision was a good one. And of course, I'd love to know who his parents are!
The line of descent is:
Philip Raub-Maria Sarah Schoffel
Andreas Raub-Maria Charlotta Weber
Charlotte Raub-Johan Jacob Weiss
Andrew Wise-Mary Serfass
David Wise-Matilda Martin
Elizabeth Wise-John Beeks
Wilbur Beeks-Greta Cleo Aldridge
Mary Margaret Beeks-Cleveland Harshbarger
Harshbarger children, grand children, and great grandchildren
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