Johann Wilhelm Esch (Immigrant ca 1753)1

M, #13967, b. 26 December 1732, d. circa April 1796
Father*Johan Heinrick Mathias Esch b. 13 Feb 1703, d. 15 Nov 1782
Mother*Anna Maria Graw b. 29 Oct 1707, d. 24 Sep 1751
ChartsAsh (maternal side) - William Esch (farthest back ancestor coming forward 5 generations)
Reference192.3
Researcher An unknown place is researching the line of Johann Wilhelm Esch (Immigrant ca 1753): List of researchers of the "three brothers" who came to America
Birth*26 December 1732 He was born on 26 December 1732 at Blessenbach, Hessen, Germany, (more about Blessenbach), 50.411389,8.301667G, child name not given, father Johan Henrich Esch, mother Anna Maria, sponsors 1) Johan Adam Hautzel, chairman of the board[?] 2) Johan Wilh. Staud 3) Maria Cathrina (Hoffmann(in) of Blessenbach. Note: this unnamed child is assumed to be Johan Wilhelm because the estimated age fits and there is a sponsor named Johan Wilh. and he couldn't have been born much later and still been old enough to emmigrate in 1753.
(scanned image).2 
Immigration*circa 1753 He immigrated circa 1753 to Runckelischen Land The Pennsylvanische Geschichts-Schreiber newspaper, published by Christopher Sauer, mentions in an article the following advertisement:
     "April 1,1755. Johann Wilhelm Esch, from Runckelischen Land, arrived in America a year and a half ago. His brother Henrich arrived last autumn, and is serving with Georg Schmitt, opposite the printer, in Germantown. He seeks his brother." The author of "More Palatine Families" comments "The origins of the family, then, probably would be at or near 6251 Runckel, home of several 1709er emigrants. As Henrich Esch of Pennsylvania had been looking for his brother for over six months, there is the strong possibility that Johann Wilhelm Esch may have settled in another colony.
     Figuring backwords, "year and a half ago" from Apr 1755 would make John's arrival about Sep 1753.
     This info from Mary (Lowe) Ash's website. 
Religion*5 June 1757 He: 5 June 1757 Dutchess Co., New York, The Red Hook Lutheran Church book in Dutchess Co., N.Y., notes that a John Wilhelmus Esch joined the church there June 5, 1757. Wilhelm Esch and his wife Elisabetha Dopp are then found in other churches in the Hudson Valley, such as the New Hackensack Reformed, Schaghticok Reformed, and Poughkeepsie Reformed Churches.
     This info from Mary (Lowe) Ash's website. 
Marriage*circa 1760 He married Elizabeth Dop circa 1760 at Dutchess Co., New York, The Dop family was a Beekman Patent family, as was William Ash. 
Death*circa April 1796 Johann Wilhelm Esch (Immigrant ca 1753) died circa April 1796 at Half Moon, Saratoga Co., New York, Letters of administration were granted to wife Elizabeth on 7 May 1796. William died intestate. 
Researcher*December 1999  As of December 1999, Barry Wood Nathan44@aol.com, 4510 N 35th St, Arlington, VA, 22207, is researching the line of Johann Wilhelm Esch (Immigrant ca 1753): Nathan44@aol.com - Desc through son William, Barry provided information on this family.
     The key to William's family, is the inventory of the estate, taken 9 June 1796. When I first saw it, I thought it was good for nothing but local color (since it told how many beehives, "dunghill fowls," etc. the family owned). However, on closer examination I realized that the credits due the estate at the end of the inventory were not mere routine debts, but were advances that William had provided his children, probably at the time of their marriage. The sons are there, and one likely son in law, Francis Lattemore. I've not yet ascertained who his wife was, but with a name that unusual it shouldn't be hard. Peter was appointed adminstrator of the estate, an honor that would normally go to the eldest son unless he didn't live in the vicinity where the estate was to be administered.
     The other breakthrough on this family was when I realized that Ash would most often be rendered Esch in German records, including Dutch Reformed ones such as those of the New Hackensack congregation in Dutchess County.
     The children I have are:
Peter (born, I figure, about 1760) -- md Catharine _______
Henry -- md Maria Barrett
William Jr. - ch 25 Dec 1764 at New Hackensack; md Margaret Emery
Gertrude / "Geertruy" - b. 19 Jun 1766, chr. at Poughkeepsie (It is a guess that she may be the one who married Francis Lattemore.)
John, b. 22 Oct 1768, chr. at Poughkeepsie
Jacob, chr 10 Feb 1771, at Poughkeepsie
Mary (called "unfortunate" in the will of her mother), b. 25 Mar 1773; chr at New Hackensack; never married
Eve, b. 19 Aug 1776, chr. at Schagticoke D. Ref. Church
David, b. 19 May 1779, also chr. at Schagticoke.
     Unless I missed something in putting together my theory on this family, Bob Leishman and I are descended from both the oldest and youngest sons of this family....through the marriage of cousins Thomas T. Ash (son of Peter) and Margaret Bell (granddaughter of David through his first marriage to a woman whose name has been lost to posterity).
     My surmise is that David was married first about 1799 but his wife died in childbirth or shortly thereafter, leaving our ancestor Eve / Effie Ash to be raised by the second wife, Phebe Close. Phebe died 25 May 1821 at Halfmoon, Saratoga County, and David married (3) Nancy Knight, a widow, whose application for a widow's pension based on David's service in the war of 1812 furnished a lot of what I know about this family. 
Relationships4th great-granduncle of Kathryn Ann Rhinehart
2nd great-granduncle of Tillman E Ash

Family

Elizabeth Dop d. 8 Jun 1819
Marriage*circa 1760 He married Elizabeth Dop circa 1760 at Dutchess Co., New York, The Dop family was a Beekman Patent family, as was William Ash. 
Children
Last Edited8 Aug 2008

Citations

  1. William Ash.
  2. [S1455] Birth Record of unnamed child Evd #1455.