Mystery Monday: Searching for Mary Ann, part 3

Mystery Monday is a daily prompt at Geneabloggers encouraging bloggers to share mystery ancestors or mystery records – anything which is currently unsolved.  With any luck fellow genealogy bloggers will lend their eyes to what has been found so far and possibly help solve the mystery.

Searching, part 1

Searching, part 2

Armentrout researchers have identified seven main branches, representing each of the children who arrived in Pennsylvania aboard the Samuel in 1739 along with their widowed mother Anna Elizabeth Ermentraudt. 

Potential fathers for Mary Ann are in bold. 

Johannes Ermentraudt

Johannes was apparently the oldest of the seven Ermentraudt children.  He was born about 1717 in Palatinate (south-western region of Germany along the Rhine) and died about 1753 in what is now Rockingham County, Virginia.  While in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, he married Anna Elizabeth Hedderich in 1742.  The couple lived with her father Adam Hedderich and raised three children:  Anna Marharet (1745 - ), Johannes Emerich (1747 – 1831), and Johan Heinrich (1749 – 1827).  It was Johannes and his father-in-law who first decided to investigate the rumors of good land in Virginia and who convinced others in the family to sell their Pennsylvania farms and move south. 

Anna Elizabeth Ermentraudt

Anna Elizabeth was the only daughter of the widow Anna Elizabeth Ermentraudt.  She was born in Palatinate about 1718. She married her cousin Johan Frederick Hain, son of George and Veronica Hain with whom the Ermentraudts lived upon arrival in Pennsylvania.  They moved to Rockingham County, Virginia where they raised two sons, Johannes (1747 - ) and Johan Frederick (1749-1811). 

Johan Phillip Ermentraudt

Johan Phillip was born about 1720 in Palatinate and died about 1790 in Rockingham County, Virginia.  He was married to Elizabeth Reith (Reisch, Rish, Rush) of Pennsylvania.  He purchased around 700 acres of land in Virginia over the years, and probably lived near his brothers Georg and Friederich who purchased land from the same tract on the same day.  Phillip and his brother Stophel (Christopher) participated in the French and Indian War.  He and Elizabeth raised three children:  Phillip Jr. (1747 – 1836), Peter (1751 – 1824), and Heinrich (1755 – 1806). His mother lived with him after the Ermentraudts settled in Virginia, and he served as executor of her estate.  Apparently Phillip did quite well financially as he gave each of his sons a farm.

The Peaked Mountain Church in McGaheysville, Virginia
where the Armentrouts were active and devoted members.
This building has been torn down and replaced.
Photo scanned from Armentrout Family History
by Russell S. Armentrout
For a clearer photo, click HERE.

Johan Friederich Ermentraudt

Johan Friederich was born around 1722 or 23 in Palatinate, arrived in Pennsylvania with his mother and siblings about 1739, joined the Ermentraudt migration to Virginia around 1754 (based on a deed), and died in Rockingham County in 1789 or 90.  He married Maria Catrina Hedrick in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The two raised at least eight children:  Anna (1747 - ), George (1750 - ), John (1751 - ), Christopher (1761 - ), Charles (1763 – 1836), Augustine (1765 - ), Frederick (1767 – 1837), and Catherine (1769 - ).  Although no record exists, it is assumed Friederich served in the French and Indian War because all able-bodied men were required to do so.  He was over-age to be drafted during the Revolution, but he was nevertheless a patriot who provided supplies and services to the Continental Army. 

Christopher (Stophel) Ermentraudt

Christopher was born about 1724 in Palatinate.  He married Elizabeth Schmel in Pennsylvania.  They had two children:  Barbara and Christopher Jr. (1754 – 1825).  Apparently Elizabeth died shortly after the birth of the second child because Christopher then joined his family that had already migrated to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.  It is possible that Elizabeth’s parents raised the two children, but there is also some indication that they lived with Christopher’s sister Anna Elizabeth Hain in Virginia.  Soon after arriving in Virginia, Christopher joined the Militia and fought in the French and Indian Wars.  In 1760 he married a second time, to Susannah Gallet Power (or Bower), a widow.  He was captured by Indians in 1762 and spent six years in captivity before escaping and returning home.  Shortly afterwards he sold his land in Rockingham County and in 1771 moved his family to Hardy County, which today is in West Virginia, where he purchased 226 acres.  While Christopher was too old for service in the Revolution, he paid for supplies for the Continental Army.  He and Susannah raised six children: Elizabeth (1761 – 1800), Anna Maria (1762 – 1850), Henry (1763 – 1833), Johannes (1770 – 1810), Susanna (1772 – 1842), Christopher (1775 – 1857).  He remained in Hardy County the rest of his life and died in 1805.

 

Heinrich Ermentraudt

Heinrich was born about 1726 in Palatinate.  He married Mary Magdalena Bauer in Augusta County, Virginia (Rockingham County after 1778) in 1759.  Like his brothers, he served in the Militia during the French and Indian Wars and provided supplies to the Continental Army during the American Revolution.  He was a large land owner with roughly 1000 acres.  He must have died rather suddenly at age 56 in 1782 because he left no will.  He and Mary Magdalena had eight children:  George (1760 – 1805), Elizabeth (1763 - ), Mary Magdalena (1767 – 1858), Mary (1769 – 1861), Margaret (1772 - ), Philip (1776 – 1859), Henry (1779 – 1846), and Barbara (1781 - ).

Johan Georg Ermentraudt

Georg was the youngest of the Ermantraudts, born about 1729 in Palatinate.  He married Barbara Friedtel in 1759 in Augusta County, now Rockingham County, Virginia.  He amassed a large amount of land, roughly 850 acres.  As did his brothers, he joined the Militia and fought in the French and Indian Wars, which earned him a military warrant of 50 acres.  He also served in the Militia during the American Revolution and was present with his company at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781. He and Barbara had at least four children but possibly six:  George (1761 – 1787), Mary M (1763 - ), Johan Frederick (1764 – 1855), and Catherine B (1769 - ).  Georg died after 1805.

Next time I will eliminate the ones who could not be Mary Ann’s father.

© 2014, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.