a description of the 1733 voyage of the Samuel
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marshae...@netscape.net
Mar 2, 2010, 10:08:46 PM3/2/10
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Our beloved captain found this during a google search; we thought it was interesting enough to share. It's found on a facebook page, with no sourcing. The "Mattstall" referred to is in the current French department of Bas-Rhin. If anyone cares to discuss, please cut everything but the relevant portion from your reply.
http://ja-jp.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=268435354991&topic=16085
ENSMINGERS OF ALSACE
(1520–1733)
[I have omitted several paragraphs concerning theories about early Ensmingers as irrelevant to the Samuel crew.]
In the late spring or early summer of 1733, a group of families from the Mattstall region prepared for a trip overland (about 30 km) to the Rhine. Their journey took them downstream to Rotterdam and the Atlantic, and to a ship bound for Pennsylvania. John Wolfersberger, brother-in-law of Peter Ensminger, had traveled to America in 1730. Church records at Mattstall record the baptism of friend Henry Haller’s daughter, with sponsors Peter Frey, Catharine Ensminger (wife of Peter), and Ursula Knobel. None of these family members appear in church records after April 15, 1733. These same four families—Ensminger, Frey, Haller, and Knobel—were on the ship “Samuel” when it landed at Philadelphia on August 17, 1733. Peter Ensminger’s mother-in-law Catharine Trautmann was also with them.
The mass migration of German-speaking folk to Pennsylvania began in the early 1700s and continued until the time of the American Revolution (1775). They were mostly Lutheran and Reformed. Most came from the Palantinate, however the Ensmingers came from Alsace, just south of the Palantinate. These persons settled in southeastern Pennsylvania and maintained themselves as a distinctive people. As farmers, they excelled. They were conservative, industrious, religious, and frugal. The German language prevailed for many years—today Pennsylvania Dutch—a written and spoken language. From 1727 to 1775, 324 ships arrived, with an average of 200 persons per ship or 64,800. In 1775 the population of Pennsylvania was about 300,000, one-third of German origin. Peter’s ship, the Samuel #29, landed on August 17, 1733.
An account of the voyage follows: “The eleven families (62 individuals) from the Mattstall area, including Peter Ensminger and family, had about twenty miles to go to reach the Rhine river. Here they got on a boat going to Rotterdam, Holland—about 350 miles. They left Mattstall about the end of April. Rotterdam would be reached by the middle of May.
“Stops at German customs houses slowed them down. Strange sights and new scenes caused comment. Koblenz and Koln seemed large. Stops were made to buy food and other supplies. Then windmills and canals appeared. They were in Holland. Signs and speech were in Dutch. They got off the boat and looked at the quaint, gabled houses, the market, and the churches.
“The first task was to locate the ship SAMUEL and its master. Hugh Percy. They checked in and stored their luggage in the hold. They bought butter, cheese, and smoked fish. The 291 passengers set sail for Deal, England, near Dover. Here they took on more provisions and crewmembers.
“The ship was about 140 x 30 x 15. Sleeping quarters were below deck—for families, for single men, for single women. Each person had a space about 6 x 2 feet, with 5 feet for headroom. There was little privacy. The crewmembers had their own quarters. There was a cabin for the captain. He had promised to supply water, flour, some dried meat and peas, as well as cheese. It took a lot of food to feed 291 people plus crew for three months. On the voyage there would be births, deaths, and illnesses. Likely Christina Ensminger and Ursula Haller were among the children who died.
“The trip was hardest on the very young. There was no milk or fruit or green vegetables. It was hard for the old folks, too. Catherine Trautmann was 62, Appolonia Frey 28, Elizabeth Carle 50. The captain reminded them that England was on the old calendar, eleven days behind Germany. There were all kinds of people on board.
“Daily prayers were held, with church services on Sundays. The men walked on deck. The women cooked and cleaned and tried to keep the little ones from falling overboard. The older children were a great help. The old told stories to the young. Soon they were out on the broad Atlantic. The captain said the 4000-mile trip to Philadelphia would take about three months, if the winds were favorable. The ship would go south about 1000 miles to the Canaries, then pick up trade winds to carry it across the Atlantic.
“Wind and rainstorms made the going rough. The families took turns cooking on the iron grates. At night the cries of the young, the moans of the ill, the groans of the old could be heard. When the wind roared, the boat creaked, the waves splashed. Then one day land was sighted – America – green fields and houses.
“Friday morning, August 17th, the ship anchored at Philadelphia. This was the first of seven ships to arrive in 1733. The captain turned in his list of 90 names—men over 16. The men had to go to the courthouse and take the oath of allegiance and the oath of abjuration—denying the right of a Pretender.”
[several more paragraphs about the Ensmingers in Lancaster County, PA.]
http://ja-jp.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=268435354991&topic=16085
ENSMINGERS OF ALSACE
(1520–1733)
[I have omitted several paragraphs concerning theories about early Ensmingers as irrelevant to the Samuel crew.]
In the late spring or early summer of 1733, a group of families from the Mattstall region prepared for a trip overland (about 30 km) to the Rhine. Their journey took them downstream to Rotterdam and the Atlantic, and to a ship bound for Pennsylvania. John Wolfersberger, brother-in-law of Peter Ensminger, had traveled to America in 1730. Church records at Mattstall record the baptism of friend Henry Haller’s daughter, with sponsors Peter Frey, Catharine Ensminger (wife of Peter), and Ursula Knobel. None of these family members appear in church records after April 15, 1733. These same four families—Ensminger, Frey, Haller, and Knobel—were on the ship “Samuel” when it landed at Philadelphia on August 17, 1733. Peter Ensminger’s mother-in-law Catharine Trautmann was also with them.
The mass migration of German-speaking folk to Pennsylvania began in the early 1700s and continued until the time of the American Revolution (1775). They were mostly Lutheran and Reformed. Most came from the Palantinate, however the Ensmingers came from Alsace, just south of the Palantinate. These persons settled in southeastern Pennsylvania and maintained themselves as a distinctive people. As farmers, they excelled. They were conservative, industrious, religious, and frugal. The German language prevailed for many years—today Pennsylvania Dutch—a written and spoken language. From 1727 to 1775, 324 ships arrived, with an average of 200 persons per ship or 64,800. In 1775 the population of Pennsylvania was about 300,000, one-third of German origin. Peter’s ship, the Samuel #29, landed on August 17, 1733.
An account of the voyage follows: “The eleven families (62 individuals) from the Mattstall area, including Peter Ensminger and family, had about twenty miles to go to reach the Rhine river. Here they got on a boat going to Rotterdam, Holland—about 350 miles. They left Mattstall about the end of April. Rotterdam would be reached by the middle of May.
“Stops at German customs houses slowed them down. Strange sights and new scenes caused comment. Koblenz and Koln seemed large. Stops were made to buy food and other supplies. Then windmills and canals appeared. They were in Holland. Signs and speech were in Dutch. They got off the boat and looked at the quaint, gabled houses, the market, and the churches.
“The first task was to locate the ship SAMUEL and its master. Hugh Percy. They checked in and stored their luggage in the hold. They bought butter, cheese, and smoked fish. The 291 passengers set sail for Deal, England, near Dover. Here they took on more provisions and crewmembers.
“The ship was about 140 x 30 x 15. Sleeping quarters were below deck—for families, for single men, for single women. Each person had a space about 6 x 2 feet, with 5 feet for headroom. There was little privacy. The crewmembers had their own quarters. There was a cabin for the captain. He had promised to supply water, flour, some dried meat and peas, as well as cheese. It took a lot of food to feed 291 people plus crew for three months. On the voyage there would be births, deaths, and illnesses. Likely Christina Ensminger and Ursula Haller were among the children who died.
“The trip was hardest on the very young. There was no milk or fruit or green vegetables. It was hard for the old folks, too. Catherine Trautmann was 62, Appolonia Frey 28, Elizabeth Carle 50. The captain reminded them that England was on the old calendar, eleven days behind Germany. There were all kinds of people on board.
“Daily prayers were held, with church services on Sundays. The men walked on deck. The women cooked and cleaned and tried to keep the little ones from falling overboard. The older children were a great help. The old told stories to the young. Soon they were out on the broad Atlantic. The captain said the 4000-mile trip to Philadelphia would take about three months, if the winds were favorable. The ship would go south about 1000 miles to the Canaries, then pick up trade winds to carry it across the Atlantic.
“Wind and rainstorms made the going rough. The families took turns cooking on the iron grates. At night the cries of the young, the moans of the ill, the groans of the old could be heard. When the wind roared, the boat creaked, the waves splashed. Then one day land was sighted – America – green fields and houses.
“Friday morning, August 17th, the ship anchored at Philadelphia. This was the first of seven ships to arrive in 1733. The captain turned in his list of 90 names—men over 16. The men had to go to the courthouse and take the oath of allegiance and the oath of abjuration—denying the right of a Pretender.”
[several more paragraphs about the Ensmingers in Lancaster County, PA.]
*Marsha L. Ensminger
jerryw...@gmail.com
Jan 26, 2017, 10:46:30 PM1/26/17
to Ship Samuel, ShipS...@googlegroups.com
Hello Marsha;
I would like to include your description of the voyage of the Ship Samuel and the Ensmingers in the memorial of Johannes Philip Ensminger, who is buried in Monroe County, West Virginia. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=175599560 as it would make a wonderful addition to his memorial. I am not related to the Ensminger family, per se, but do have have some connection. Johannes Philip Ensminger, wife was Catharine Margaret Kessinger, and one of their daughers was Susannah Ensminger. First, Catharine Margaret Kessinger, had a brother Mathias Kessinger, who sold land to George Wikle and Mary Madgelena Michael and also Philip Wikle and Anna Catharine Michael. George Wikle is a paternal ancestor. Second, Susannah Ensminger, was married to Valentine Felton Miller. After her death, he remarried a Jane Dick, and then shortly thereafter a son was born, Isaac Miller. Isaac Miller married Cynthia E Foard/Ford, which are ancestors on my maternal lineages.
Old families of Monroe County, (West) Virginia
Thank you;
Jerry M. Weikle
P.O. Box 253
Lynn, Massachusetts, 01903
marshaensminger
Jan 26, 2017, 11:08:58 PM1/26/17
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Jerry,
I see the Facebook link in my original post is now broken. Let me poke around tonight and see if I can find the original post again. I'm pretty sure I know where it came from; am not sure why it doesn't work.
I'm familiar with the Ensminger/Kessinger connection, but haven't spent much time on that as it's not my husband's line.
I'll be back...
Marsha
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jerryweikle97
Jan 27, 2017, 9:42:16 AM1/27/17
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Good morning,
Marsha, I am fascinated by the account of the voyage of the Ship Samuel, and would love to know more, if possible. At a later date, August 1737, there is a Geor Weigel, 20 yrs old, and probably the same as the Johannes George Weischel, age 20, assuming phonetic spelling of the last name that arrived in America. Also, on the Samuel. There is family debate on when our ancestors arrived as well.
I know a George Weigol, married in 1767, a Elizabeth Schatten, at St James Lutheran Church in Lancaster County. So the families may have been neighbors, early on. They moved to Augusta County, near Sangersville. Then around 1796, into Monroe County.
If you know more on the ship Samuel, I would appreciate it too.
Thank you,
Jerry M. Weikle
Sent from my Boost Mobile Phone.
Marsha Ensminger
Jan 27, 2017, 3:04:13 PM1/27/17
to ships...@googlegroups.com
Jerry,
So far I haven't managed to find the original posting from 2010 or earlier. Have asked a question on the list I think the post should have been on. Will let you know if I get a response.
In any event, I'll get back to this next week - I'm busy the rest of the weekend.
So far I haven't managed to find the original posting from 2010 or earlier. Have asked a question on the list I think the post should have been on. Will let you know if I get a response.
In any event, I'll get back to this next week - I'm busy the rest of the weekend.
Marsha Ensminger
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