a collection of research about the zeller family in berks ... · a collection of research about the...

A Collection of Research about the

Zeller Family in Berks County Pennsylvania

During the 17th & 18th Centuries

Compiled by Dan Zeller

Zeller Family 2 of 41

Preface

This compilation of research and discovery is a living document to catalog the products of my investigation of the early Zeller family in Berks County, Pennsylvania, including the elusive Jacques and Chlotilde (DeValois) Zeller, their more readily found sons Johann Heinrich and Johannes, and the very confusing web of their immediate descendants.

From what I have been able to gather, I believe that a poorly researched family tree structure was conjectured in the early 20th century. Unfortunately, it appears that the architects of that family tree made a few bad assumptions about the identity of Johannes, second son of Jacques and Chlotilde.

I found an article entitled “Zeller Family Revision” by JF Valentine which appeared in the 1977 Sept. issue of The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine and addressed the problems with the earlier family tree. His work seems to be supported by many sources and diligent research.

Valentine’s document was organized in long paragraphs which rendered it a very tedious work. The very first section of this document is a reorganization of his work in which I have imposed a hierarchical outline format on his otherwise unaltered text.

The family names and relationships found in Valentine’s work have been the bases of my other research efforts regarding the early Zellers of Berks County, Pennsylvania.


Table of Contents Revision Table ................................................................................................................ 4

ZELLER FAMILY REVISION By John F. Valentine, reorganized by Dan Zeller .............. 5

JOHANN ZELLER* ...................................................................................................... 6

CHILDREN OF JOHN ZELLER AND ANNA CATHARINA HIS WIFE* ........................ 8

JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER* .................................................................................. 13

CHILDREN OF JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER AND ANNA MARIA BRIEGAL* ........ 15

Note 1 ........................................................................................................................ 24

Note 2 ........................................................................................................................ 25

Note 3 ........................................................................................................................ 26

Original Facsimile of Zeller Family Revision .............................................................. 27

Andrew Saltzgeber Grave Marker ................................................................................. 28

Early Zeller Family Outline ............................................................................................ 29

Descendants of Johannes and Anna Catherina Zeller ............................................... 29

Descendants of Johann Heinrich and Anna Maria (Briegal) ...................................... 30

Lady Chlotilde de Valois de Reni .................................................................................. 34

Fort Zeller Memorial Plaque .......................................................................................... 35

Shikellamy ................................................................................................................. 36

Meisser Family Notes .................................................................................................... 37

Zellers among the Huguenots in America ..................................................................... 39

Berks County Wills – Excepts ....................................................................................... 40

ZELLER, GEORGE, Tulpehocken. ............................................................................ 40

RIETH, JOHN GEORG, Tulpehocken. ...................................................................... 41


Revision Table

01 Mar 3, 2016 Initial release for public access


ZELLER FAMILY REVISION By John F. Valentine, reorganized by Dan Zeller

Long accepted tradition has it that JACQUES ZELLER (CELLIERE, SELLAIRE) and his wife CLOTHILDE DE VALOIS were French Huguenots who resided for a time in the Palatinate but were in England in 1709.

Members of this family soon migrated to America, arriving in New York on 14 JUN 1710. Since there is no record of Jacques having lived in America, he is presumed to have died either in England or during the voyage across the Atlantic.1

From New York the Zellers were sent up the Hudson to Livingston Manor; New York Subsistence Lists for June 1710, show

JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER with two adults but no children, and

JOHANNES ZELLER with four adults.

Two years later in September 1712, the Lists indicate that

JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER had three adults and one child under ten years in his family, while

JOHANNES ZELLER now had five adults in his family.

Both men were on the list of volunteers for the Canadian Expedition of 1711: HANS HEINRICH ZELLER, Annsberg, and JOHANNES ZELLER (East Camp).2

In 1713 these men moved to the Schoharie Valley of New York. The Simmendinger Register includes

HANS HEINRICH ZOLLER and wife and three children, and

JOHANNES ZOLLER, his wife ANNA CATHARINA, and two children.3

Both families were of New Annsberg.

Then, sometime between 1723 and 1730, the Zellers removed once again, this time to Pennsylvania where they settled near the junction of Mill Creek and Tulpehocken Creek between the present villages of Stouchsburg, Berks County, and Richland, Lebanon County.4

1 "Huguenot Pioneers," Proceeding of the Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania, XXV 1954, pp. 176-177. This account obviously is based on application papers submitted by members to the Society.

2 Walter Allen Knittle, Early Eighteenth Century Palatine Emigration --Philadelphia, 1937, pp. 291, "The New York Subsistance List;" Lou D. MacWethy, The book of Names Especially Relating to the early Palatines and the First Settlers in the Mohawk Valley, St. Johnsville, N.Y. 1933, pp. 126, "Volunteers for the Canadian Expedition, 1711;" ibid., 72, "Palatine heads of the families from Governor Hunter's Ration Lists."

3 Knittle, cited above, 299, "The Simmendinger Register."

4 Margaret Stoudt, Genealogy of the Zeller family, Stouchsburg, PA., 1949, pp. 3.


During the nearly 250 years that have passed since then, it is not surprising that tradition and fancy have colored and in some cases obscured facts pertaining to these early Zeller families. It is hoped here to clarify and correct some of these misconceptions.

That JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER and JOHANN ZELLER were brothers is probable, but apparently cannot be proven from primary, original records available today.

The proposal that JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER was the father of JOHANN ZELLER5 seems implausible.

JOHANN ZELLER and JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER are demonstrably of the same generation, and their children had corresponding ages.

That JOHANN was really JOHANN GEORGE ZELLER as suggested in one report6 seems improbable; the custom of the time was to call a man by his second name when it was preceded by JOHANN, anglicized to JOHN.

JOHANN ZELLER*

Certainly in church and courthouse records he was referred to only as JOHN, JOHANN or HANS. JOHN or JOHANN ZELLER, "son of Jacques and Clothilde de Valois Zeller" according to one account "was born in France 1686." 7

The first mention of him in documents is on the Third List at St. Catherine's in London, of Palatinates in England. Thereon he is stated on 2 JUN 1709 to be age 23, was single, a cooper and brewer, and of the Lutheran faith.8

When he married is not known, but his wife's name was ANNA CATHARINA, according to the Simmendinger Register. The earliest record of him in Pennsylvania is a survey made 27 OCT 1730, of 125 acres "on a Branch of Tulpehocken Creek in Lancaster County," which, as HANS SELLER," he had purchased from James Logan.9

5 See A. Stapleton, Memorials of the Huguenots in America, Carlisle, PA., 1901, pp. 119, for this statement.

6 Stoudt, Zeller family, pp. 3, cited above.

7 Ibid., 11. The National origin of the Zellers is debatable because of frequent boundary changes between France and Germany during the seventeenth and eighteenth century, as well as the frequent migration and intermarriages of nationalities along the Rhine.

8 MacWethy cited in Note 2, pp. 101, "Third List of Palatines taken at St. Catherine's 2 JUN 1709.

9 The purchase is recieved in Warrants and Surveys of the Providence of Pennsylvania, VII, pp. 66, Philadelphia City Archives, City Hall, hereafter cited as Warrants and Surveys. The tract was recorded into the Secretary's office until 1738/39. According to the survey, the only abutting landholders were Georg Graff and Michael Mizer.


He next took up 132 acres by a warrant dated 25 OCT 1734. This tract was surveyed the following 10 NOV, but he made no improvements upon it as required by the condition of the warrant.10

In his Will, written in German and dated 3 SEP 1737, he gave his wife CATHARINE all his property for so long as she remained a widow, and directed that no division of it was to be made until his youngest child came of age. His son HENRY was to gather in the debts due the estate, but his mother was to pay the creditors. He nominated HENRY ZELLER, presumably his brother, MARTIN PARTOFF (BATTORFF) and CHRISTIAN WALBORN as executors.

When the Will was translated 25 OCT 1737, after his death, JOHN HENRY ZELLER, WALBORN, and PARTOFF testified they were present at the signing. It was offered for probate at Philadelphia 12 JAN 1737/38.11

JOHN ZELLERS widow CATHERINE lived on until 1749. Her death, or burial is noted in the records of Christ Lutheran Church, Tulpehocken as 14 JAN 1749 "Old Mrs. Zeller from Millbach, buried in the old church Cemetery."12

On the following 10 MAR 1748/49, the heirs of JOHN ZELLER:

JOHN HENRY ZELLER,

DAVID ZELLER, both of Heidelberg, Lancaster County,

TOBIAS BICKEL in right of his deceased wife MARGREDALIS,

JOHN GEORGE RIETH and his wife CATHERINE ELIZABETH of Tulpehocken Township, and

ANNA MARIA ZELLER, single woman of Heidelberg Township,

released their rights in the 125 acre tract to PETER ZELLER of Heidelberg.

On the following 21 MAR,

HENRY, and

DAVID ZELLER,

10 Warrants and Surveys, VII, pp. 187, 217. The relationship of these two tracts can be seen in "Surveys on Tulpehocken Creek," Miscellaneous Manuscripts, Berks and Montgomery Counties, 1693-1869, 3, in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. It is considerable interest since it shows the early landholders, along the creek.

11 Philadelphia Will book F, pp. 60, # 55: 1737/38. Before 1752, England and the British colonies used the julian calendar or old style calendar whereby the historical year began 1 JAN, but the legal year not until 25 MAR. Between these two dates, therefore, the year was frequently double-dated to show the historical and legal year.

12 Here the date should have been written 1748/49 for exactness. It was written by the German minister who was used to the new style or Gregorian calendar common to the European Continent. Church Record of Christ Lutheran Church in Tulpehocken, Berks County, pp. 390, in collections of Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, GSP, hereinafter cited as Christ Lutheran Church Records. This record is a translation of the original German by P.C. Croll and W.T. Stauffer, made in 1949.


TOBIAS BICKEL and the

RIETHS

acknowledged the deed to be their act before CONRAD WEISER.

It was not until 13 JUL 1750, however, that ANNA MARIA ZELLER "being now of full age," came before WEISER to acknowledge her mark at the bottom of the deed.13

This record, therefore, provides an accurate list of the children of JOHN ZELLER and ANNA CATHARINA his wife.

CHILDREN OF JOHN ZELLER AND ANNA CATHARINA HIS WIFE*

Issue of JOHN ZELLER by his wife ANNA CATHARINA:

1) i. CATHERINE ELIZABETH ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1714, probably in Schoharie;

b) died between 1759 and 5 OCT 1787;

c) married as his first wife before 1745, JOHN GEORGE RIETH,

i) born 4 JUN 1714, in Schoharie;

ii) died testate in Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, 23 JUN 1791;

iii) buried at Reed's Church near Stouchsburg,14

iv) son of JOHANN LEONARD RIETH.

d) Christ Lutheran Church records show three children baptized there:

i) JOHN GEORGE RIETH at 5 weeks, Septuagesima, 1745;

ii) JOHN FREDERICK RIETH, 8 APR 1751, sponsors Frederic Weiser, Amalia Zoller;

iii) a 2nd JOHN FREDERICK RIETH, 19 DEC 1752.

e) They were sponsors 4 FEB 1759, at the baptism by the Reverend Stoever of Catharina ELIZABETH ZERWE, daughter of JOHN ZERWE.15

f) JOHN GEORGE RIETH'S Will, dated 5 OCT 1787, and accepted for probate 16 JUL 1791, named

13 Lancaster County Deed Book L., pp. 81: 10 MAR 1748/49, John Zellers Heirs to Peter Zeller. When the deed was recorded in 1765, the clerk erred in referring to Peter Zeller, the grantee, as "being the other son of the said deceased George Hean ?." The deed immediately preceeding the Zeller deed did involve the heirs of George Hean ?, but was otherwise unrelated to the Zeller family.

14 W. II, Reed, History and Genealogy of the Reed family, Norristown, PA., 1929, pp. 429, 435, As originally submitted, this study of the Zeller Family included no dates or data, except their names, for the spouses who married into the Zeller family. The information has been supplied by the editor, as well as the children' baptismal records.

15 Christ Lutheran Church Records, 11, 20, 15; "Baptismal record of Rev. John Casper Stoever, 1730-1779," W. II, Egle, Notes and Queries, Annual Volume 1896, pp. 45, hereafter cited as Egle, AV-1896.


i) his then wife ANNA MARGARETHA,

ii) his sons PETER,

iii) FREDERICK, who was to be maintained as long as he lived,

iv) JOHN LEONARD and

v) JONAS, and

vi) a daughter CATHERINE MINICH.16

vii) How many of these children were by his first wife has not been established for this record.

2) ii. MARGREDALIS ZELLER,

a) born probably in Schoharie ca. 1715;

b) buried at Christ Lutheran Church, Tulpehocken, 9 JUN 1748,

i) as "Mrs. TOBIAS BOECKEL (BICKEL) who

ii) died in testate in Heidelberg Township, Berks County, between 14 JUN 1789, and 21 APR 1792, when his Will was accepted for probate.17

c) The Reverend Stoever baptized three children:

i) JOHN NICHOLAS BICKEL, 8 NOV 1741;

ii) JOHANNES BICKEL, 18 MAR 1744, and

iii) MARIA MARGARETHA BICKEL, 7 JUL 1746.18

3) iii. JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1716, probably in Schoharie;

b) died in Heidelberg Township, Dauphin (now Lebanon County) prior to 15 JUN 1790, when his Administrators petitioned the Dauphin County Orphans Court for division of his lands;

c) married before 1744, MARIA MARGARET RIETH,

i) born ca. 1721;

ii) died ca. 1807,19

16 A translation of his German will is in Abstracts of Berks County Will's 1752-1793, pp. 1, 466, in GSP. See also the list of children given in The Reed Family, cited in Note 14.

17 Christ Lutheran Church Records, pp. 390, Berks County Will Book B, pp. 279. The will named only his wife Maria Elizabeth, and mentioned children without naming them. "Dobias Bockell" had emigrated in 1737, arriving on the St. Andrew Galley 26 SEP, William J. Hinke, editor, Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Norristown, PA., 1934, pp. 1, 180, List 47-B, hereinafter cited as Pennsylvania German Pioneers.

18 "Baptismal Records and other records of Little Tulpehocken Church," in Egle, Notes and Queries, Annual Volume 1899, pp. 186; ibid., AV-1896, pp. 36, 51.

19 History of the Zeller and Urich Families, n.d., pp. 21.


iii) Daughter of JOHANN LEONARD RIETH.

d) He is presumed to have been of age when by a warrant dated 4 JUL 1737, he had surveyed 18.75 acres on a branch of Tulpehocken Creek adjoining the 132 acres laid out for his father in 1734.

e) Because his father had failed to comply with conditions of the 1734 warrant which had "become utterly void," a new warrant dated 30 OCT 1741, was issued to "HENRY SELLER, son of said JOHN SELLER," in order that the 132 acres might be conveyed to him.20

f) Children baptized by the Rev. Stoever or in Millbach Reformed Church included:

i) JOHN HENRY ZELLER, 26 MAR 1745, sponsors Johann Heinrich Zeller Sr., (great Uncle of the child) and wife, at which time Johann Heinrich Jr., the father of the child, was called a tailor;

ii) ANNA AMALIA ZELLER, 15 MAR 1747;

iii) TOBIAS ZELLER, 15 NOV 1761, sponsors David Zeller (Uncle of the child) and wife;

iv) a son unnamed, 23 APR 1764, sponsors Peter Zeller (Uncle of the child) and his wife.21

g) On 15 JUN 1790, JOHN ZELLER, the eldest son, and NICHOLAS KLOTZ, administrators of the estate of HENRY ZELLER late of Heidelberg Township, petitioned the Dauphin County Orphans Court for a jury to view their father's land in order to divide it among the heirs.

h) On 17 JUN 1790, the jury reported that the 150.75 acres could not be divided without impairing the whole, and valued it at £950.

i) The heirs named in this record were

i) the widow, MARY ZELLER,

ii) the eldest son JOHN,

iii) MARGARET ELIZABETH, wife of NICHOLAS KLOTZ,

iv) ELIZABETH, wife of MICHAEL SWENGEL,

20 Warrants and surveys, VII, pp. 217, cited in Note 9. The 18 acre tract presumably was taken up to fill a vacancy between the original 132 acre tract and David Evans' land on the east. Walter Newman's land bounded the two tracts on the south, and George Regel's land on the north. This land of Henry Zeller's, where "Ft. Zeller" was built in 1745, was seperated from the 125 acre tract of his father by the land of Andreas Saltzgeber who married a daughter of the immigrant JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER. These tracts lie in Mill Creek Township, Lebanon County, but were originally in Lancaster County. When Dauphin County was erected in 1785 they fell in that County; Lebanon County was not erected until 1813. Mill Creek Township was divided from Heidelberg Township and Jackson Township in 1844.

21 Egle, AV-1896, pp. 42; Microfilm of translation of Church Record of the Millbach Reformed Congregation, Millbach Township, Lebanon County, PA., 1747-1875, pp. 2, 8, 9, GSP, hereinafter cited as Millbach Reformed Church Records. The original records were translated by William J. Hinke in 1935.


v) ANNA MARIA, wife of ANDREW BERGER, and

vi) HENRY,

vii) MICHAEL,

viii)FREDERICK,

ix) TOBIAS, and

x) PETER ZELLER.

j) The estate was not settled until 17 APR 1793, at which time the widow MARY ZELLER was still living.22

4) iv. DAVID PETER ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1722;

b) died after 1782;

c) married by the Rev. Stoever at Warwick, Lancaster County, 15 MAR 1748, MARIA CHRISTINA HOERNER,23

i) who died after 1764.

d) DAVID ZELLER, as he was always called, obtained a warrant for 100 acres on 13 OCT 1743,24 by which time he is assumed to have been of full age.

e) He received a share of his father's estate, and

f) by 1782 was rated in Heidelberg Township, Lancaster County, on 180 acres.25

g) Millbach Reformed and Christ Lutheran Church records show the baptisms of five children:

i) JOHN ZELLER, 22 JAN 1750, sponsor MARGARET ZELLER wife of HENRY ZELLER (the child's Uncle);

ii) ANNA MARGARET ZELLER, 02 FEB 1752;

iii) JOHN HENRY ZELLER, 26 AUG 1753, sponsors JOHN HENRY ZELLER (the child's Uncle), and his wife ANNA MARGARET (sic);

iv) JOHN MARTIN ZELLER, 09 APR 1761; and

v) DAVID ZELLER, 25 MAR 1764, sponsors PETER ZELLER (the child's Uncle) and wife HANNAH.26

22 Dauphin County Orphans Court Book 1-A, pp. 242, 253, 411, microfilm in GSP.

23 Egle, AV-1896, pp. 91, "Marriage Record of Rev. John Casper Stoever."

24 "Warrantees of Lancaster County," Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd Series, XXIV, pp. 526.

25 Ibid., XVII, pp. 879. He is not listed in Heidelberg Township in the 1790 Census.

26 Millbach Reformed Church Records, pp. 3, 4, 7, 9; Christ Reformed Church Records, pp. 23, records Anna Margaret Zeller's baptism. Confirmed at the same church Whitsunday, 1773, was Marie Catherine


5) v. PETER ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1728;

b) died intestate before 17 JUL 180427;

c) married before 1754, HANNAH BASSLER, who was living 10 APR 1798.

d) No partition of his father's estate could be made until he came of age, so that it was not until 10 MAR 1748/49, that his brothers and sisters released to him their rights in the 125 acres their father had owned.

e) PETER ZELLER held this property until 10 APR 1798, when with his wife HANNAH he conveyed it to his son JOHN GEORGE ZELLER for £900.28

f) Children baptized at Millbach Reformed Church were:

i) ANNA MARGARET ZELLER, 16 SEP 1754;

ii) CATHERINE ELIZABETH ZELLER, 18 DEC 1757, sponsors DAVID ZELLER and wife;

iii) EVA ELIZABETH ZELLER, 29 AUG 1762, sponsors SIMON BASSLER and wife EVA MARIA;

iv) GEORGE ZELLER, 30 DEC 1770, sponsors HENRY ZELLER (the child's Uncle) and wife MARIA MARGARET.29

6) vi. ANNA (MARIA?) AMALIA ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1729;

b) died intestate in Heidelberg Township, Berks County, 1801;

c) married at Christ Lutheran Church, 3 DEC 1751, FREDERICK WEISER,

i) born 24 DEC 1728;

ii) died testate 15 NOV 1772,

iii) son of "JUSTICE" CONRAD WEISER.30

Zeller, daughter of David, aged 15, and on Whitsunday, 1782, Catherine Zeller, daughter of David, aged 16. Ibid., pp. 470, 484.

27 On this date George Zeller, administrator of Peter Zeller's estate, produced his accounts which showed a balance of pds. 158 for distribution among the heirs. Dauphin County Orphans Court Book 1-C, pp. 4.

28 Dauphin County Deed Book 1-N, pp. 182; Peter Zeller and wife to John George Zeller. This being the first transfer of title for the land since the erection of Dauphin County, a copy of the 1748/49 deed was recorded immediately preceding this transfer. On 8 JUN 1798, Peter alone (no wife joining) also sold to his son John George Zeller for pds. 100, land he had purchased in 1770. Ibid., 1-N, 186. Peter and Hannah Zeller are the ancestors of the Author.

29 Millbach Reformed Church Records, pp. 5, 6, 8, 11. At least two daughters were confirmed at Christ Lutheran, pp. 472, 488; Catherine Zeller, aged 17, at Whitsunday, 1774, and Marie Elizabeth, aged 16, at Whitsunday, 1784.

30 Letters of Administration on the estate of Amelia Weiser, widow, were granted to Daniel Levan 17 DEC 1801. At her marriage she was described as the "legitimate orphan daughter of John Zoeller," Christ


iv) In 1768, FREDERICK Weiser was rated on two mills and 300 acres in Heidelberg Township, Berks County.

v) When he wrote his will in OCT 1773, he devised

(1) to his son JOHN WEISER the plantation and tanyard in Heidelberg which he had purchased from his brother BENJAMIN WEISER;

(2) to his son CONRAD WEISER the plantation where he lived which he had received from his father and brother SAMUEL WEISER;

(3) to his son PETER WEISER 300 acres in Northumberland County and an island in the Suquehanna River of about 50 acres.

vi) His daughters were:

(1) EVA,

(2) CATHERINE,

(3) HANNAH,

(4) MARY, and

(5) SARAH WEISER.

vii) None of the children were of full age, and at a Berks County Orphans Court session on 6 DEC 1773, JOHN WEISER, a son of FREDERICK, being over 14 years of age, appeared in court and chose 3. HENRY ZELLER (Johann Heinrich Zeller, the children’s uncle)* of Heidelberg Township for his guardian.

viii)The Will was proved 9 DEC 1773.31

JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER*

JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER, reported to have been born in France in 1684, and to have married ANNA MARIA BRIEGAL, daughter of JAMES BRIEGAL (VON BRUEGAL) of Holland,32 came with his family to Pennsylvania from Schoharie probably about the same time as JOHANN ZELLER.

Luteran Church Records, pp. 289. Frederick Weiser's dates are from The Weiser Family, pp. 227-228, published by the John Conrad Weiser Family Association in 1960.

31 At the DEC Orphans Court Session, Eve Weiser, daughter of Frederick, being over 14, chose Christopher Witman of Reading as her guardian, while the court appointed Benjamin Weiser and Christian Lauer of Tulpehocken Township and Benjamin Weiser of Northumberland County guardians of the other children. Berks County Orphans Court Book, 1, pp. 102. In his Will Frederick named his wife Anna "Emilia." Berks County Will Book, 2, pp. 140.

32 "Huguenot Pioneers," pp. 176, cited in Note 1. Her surname has been spelled in various ways, and it is of interest to note that a Johann George Brigel was a sponsor at a baptism in Schoharie in 1715. See MacWethy, pp. 29, cited in Note 2, "The Kocherthal Records of the West Camp Lutheran Church," and that a J.G. Brugel was a sponsor in 1742 in the records of Host Reformed Church, Tulpehocken


Unlike JOHANN, he took up land, not in Heidelberg Township, but in what became Tulpehocken Township in the present Berks County, but was then Lancaster County.

On 2 DEC 1738, he purchased from Casper Wister, the Philadelphia brass-button maker, 115 acres a branch of the Swatara Creek in Tulpehocken. Later he took up another 115 acres, adjoining the first tract, which were patented to him 10 OCT 1750.33

Four years later on 3 AUG 1754, he had his Will drawn. He gave the plantation "whereon I now live" and all his moveable estate to his son JOHANN GEORGE ZELLER, he to pay £250 for it to the other heirs.

Out of this sum his sons JOHANN HEINRICH and JOHANN DAVID were each to have £40, but JOHANN GEORGE was to care for them, "they being simple."

The balance of £170 was to be divided between the rest of his children:

HARTMAN ZELLER,

JOHN ZELLER,

ANNA MARIA SALTZGEBER,

BARBARALIS LEREW,

CATHARINA PONTIUS and

ANNA ELIZABETH BATTORF.

He provided for his wife ANNA MARIA, and nominated his son JOHN and son-in-law LEONARD ANSPACH executors. The Will was accepted for probate 20 JAN 1756.34

ANNA MARIA ZELLER, widow of JOHANN HEINRICH, is reported to have survived him until 1765, but it was not until 1772 that any disposition of his property was made.

On 28 DEC of that year

JOHN ZELLER of Berks County,

ANNA MARIA SALTZGEBER, widow of Lancaster County,

JOHN PONTIUS of Berks County in right of his wife ANNA CATHERINE,

LEONARD SCHWARTZ of Berks County in right of wife ANNA ELIZABETH,

BARBARA LERU of (blank), and

HARTMAN ZELLER of Frederick County, Maryland,

Township, Berks County, Book 1, pp. 1 in GSP, hereinafter cited at Host Reformed Church Records. These records are translated of the originals by the late Mrs. C.M. Steinmetz.

33 Recited in Berks County Deed Book B-2, pp. 84,; 28 DEC 1772, John Zeller and Leonard Anspach to Johann George Zeller. On 6 NOV 1734, one "Henry Seller" obtained a warrant for 200 acres in then Lancaster County, and on 21 DEC 1737, two more warrants for 150 acres each, also in Lancaster County. It has not been established for this record that these were taken out by Johann Heinrich Zeller. Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd Series, XXIV, pp. 519, 521.

34 Berks County Will Book 1, pp. 13, Will of Heinrich Zeller.


for consideration of £250 paid by JOHN GEORGE ZELLER, released and quitclaimed their rights in the 245 acres of which JOAHNN HEINRICH ZELLER had died seized.35

Thus from his Will and the quit-claim deed, a list of the children of JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER can be firmly established.

CHILDREN OF JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER AND ANNA MARIA BRIEGAL*

ISSUE OF JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER by his wife ANNA MARIA BRIEGAL:

1) vii. HARTMAN ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1711,

b) was a sponsor at Christ Lutheran Church 25 SEP 1747, for Jacob Conterman's daughter Anna Barbara Conterman.

c) A son JOHN PETER ZELLER was baptized at Trinity Reformed Church 15 MAY 1749.

d) HARTMAN ZELLER was living "at Susquehanna" when three of his children communed 20 APR 1753, at Host Reformed Church:

i) JOHANNES ZOLLER,

ii) CATHARINA ZOLLER, the eldest daughter, and

iii) BARBARA ELIZABETH ZOLLER, the 2nd daughter.36

e) In 1790 "Hardman Seller" was living in Washington County, Maryland (formed from Frederick in 1776), having 4 males over 16 years and one female in his family.37

2) #ii. A DAUGHTER, NAME UNKNOWN,

a) who died before 1748;

b) married as his first wife, LEONARD ANSPACH,

i) named son-in-law in JOHANN HEINRICH's Will.

ii) LEONARD ANSPACH married second at Christ Lutheran Church, Tulpehocken, 15 NOV 1748, ANNA MARIA ETSBERGER, "orphan daughter of Jacob Etsberger."

35 Berks County Deed Book B, pp. 88; 28 DEC 1772, John Zeller et als. to John George Zeller.

36 Church Record of the Trinity Tulpehocken Reformed Church, Jackson Township, Lebanon County, 1748-1864, Vol. I, pp. 6, GSP, translated from the original German by William J. Hinke, 1937; hereinafter cited as Trinity Reformed Church Records. Host Reformed Church, Vol. 2, pp. 1, cited in Note 32. The son John Zeller went to Philadelphia where he was a distiller and died leaving a Will dated 2 NOV 1774, and proved 6 AUG 1778, in which he named his wife Anna Maria and father Hartman Zeller, brothers George, and Peter, and sisters Barbara, Elizabeth Anne, and Catherine. Philadelphia Will Book R, pp. 84, # 83:1778.

37 Heads of Families at the First Census....1790, Maryland (Washington, D.C., 1907), pp. 118.


iii) Their second child JOHN GEORGE ANSPACH, baptized 13 OCT 1751, was sponsored by JOHN GEORGE ZELLER and CATHERINE ANSPACH.

iv) Letters of Administration were granted to his widow ANNA MARIA on 28 FEB 1774.38

3) iii. ANNA MARIA ZELLER,

a) born 29 DEC 1715,

b) baptized 22 JAN 1716;

c) died after 1776;

d) married ca. 1728, ANDREAS SALTZGEBER,

i) born 26 DEC 1708;

ii) died 1769, aged 61 years;

iii) buried with tombstone in Millbach Reformed Church Cemetery.39

iv) He had arrived as a single man at Philadelphia on the ship William and Sarah by 18 SEP 1727.

v) Seven years later on 6 NOV 1734, he obtained a warrant for 150 acres in Lancaster County which was laid out in Heidelberg Township between JOHANN ZELLER's original 125 acres and the 132 acres of his son HEINRICH ZELLER.40

e) A daughter ANNA MARIA SALTZGEBER

i) was baptized 18 DEC 1743, at Christ Lutheran Church, sponsored by HENRY ZELLER, and his wife ANNA MARIA, the Grandparents.

f) Other children included at least three sons:

i) ANDREW,

ii) JOHN and

iii) HENRY SALTZGEBER, who were taxed in Heidelberg and later in Tulpehocken Township.

38 Christ Lutheran Church Records, pp. 288, 22. Leonard Anspach, son of Baltzer Anspach, died intestate in Tulpehocken Township; see Berks County Administrations. For his parentage see Berks County Deed Book A-5, pp. 76, 29 NOV 1760, Leonard Anspach and his wife to Jacob Lowengood.

39 Anna Maria's birth and baptism are entered in the Kocherthal records, MacWethy, pp. 31, cited in Note 32. Andreas Saltzgeber's tombstone says they were married for 41 years. Rev. P.C. Croll, Ancient and Historic landmarks in the Lebanon Valley, Philadelphia 1895, pp. 92.

40 Pennsylvania German Pioneers, pp. 1, 7, Lists 1-A, has him as "Andr" Saltsgerrer, Conn." The warrant is in the name of "Andreas Saltchiever." Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd Series, XXIV, pp. 519.


g) ANNA MARIA (ZELLER) SALTZGEBER died after 24 NOV 1776, when she was sponsor at the birth of a Granddaughter, CATHERINE, daughter of MARTIN BATTORF and wife ANNE MARIE.41

4) iv. JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1717; and

b) died after 1754;

c) described as "Simple" in his father's Will.

5) v. JOHANN DAVID ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1719;

b) died after 1754;

c) described as "Simple" in his father's Will.

6) vi. BARBARA ELIZABETH ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1720;

b) died after 1760;

c) married ca. 1738, JONAS LEREW (Lerue, LaRue, Le Rouche, Laroux.)

i) baptized 24 JUN 1716;

ii) died intestate in Paxton Township, Lancaster County, 1 JAN 1760,

iii) son of Jonas Laroux.42

iv) In 1742 his father granted him 60 acres on Tulpehocken Creek, and 150 acres to his brother George Lerew.

d) In 1751 JONAS LERUE, JR. of Paxtang, and his wife BARBARA with GEORGE LERUE of E. Caln, Chester County, sold their tracts to Michael Copenhagen.

e) On 4 MAY 1760, George Lerew conveyed to the widow Barbara and her minor children: HENRY, CATHERINE, FRANCIS, MARY, GEORGE, ELIZABETH, and MARGARET, 135 acres in Paxton Township which George had sold to his brother Jonas in 1753, but had made no deed before Jonas had died.

f) Of the Lerew children, two were baptized at Trinity Reformed Church, Tulpehocken:

i) JOHN GEORGE LERUE, JAN 1749, sponsor "J.G. ZOELLER;"

ii) ELIZABETH, sponsored by ANDREW SALTZGEBER and ELIZABETH FERRER, single.43

41 Christ Lutheran Church records, pp. 9, 76. See Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd Series, XVII, XVIII, for the sons.

42 His birth is incorrect in "The Larue Family," in Egle, Notes and Queries, Third Series, pp. 123; see Proceedings of the Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania, XXVII, 1955, pp. 143, for a more accurate account of the family.


7) vii. ANNA CATHRINA ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1722;

b) died after 8 DEC 1771;

c) married by the Rev. Stoever 14 JAN 1743, JOHN PONTIUS,

i) born ca. 1718;

ii) died after 1790 in Northumberland (now Union) County.44

iii) He had arrived at Philadelphia on the Ship Glascow, qualifying 9 SEP 1738, aged 20.45

iv) He settled in Tulpehocken Township where in 1768 he was rated on 100 acres of land.

v) He appears to have removed to Buffalo Township, Northumberland County, after 1772, when he was a party to the division of his father-in-law's estate, and before 1778.46

d) Three children were baptized by Stoever:

i) JOHANN HEINRICH PONTIUS, 1 APR 1744, sponsors Heinrich Zoeller and wife;

ii) JOHN PETER PONTIUS, 25 OCT 1747;

iii) JOHANNES PONTIUS, 18 AUG 1751.

e) On Whitsunday, 1765, his sons ANDREAS, JOHN PETER, and JOHN NICHOLAS PONTIUS were communicants at Host Reformed Church, and

f) at Christmas, 1769, JOHANNES, JOHN GEORGE, and ANNA MARIA PONTIUS, his sons and daughters, communed at the same Church.47

8) viii. JOHANN ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1723;

b) died testate in Tulpehocken Township, Berks County, in 1805;

c) married first by Rev. Stoever 28 DEC 1743, ANNA MARIA BECKER

43 Lancaster County Deed Book C, pp. 274; 14 MAY 1742, Jonas Lerue of Conestoga to George and Jonas Lerue Jr.,; ibid., C, pp. 271; 9m 10 1751, George Lerew, and Jonas Lerew Jr., to Michael Copenhagen; ibid., G, pp. 238b; 4 May 1760, George Lerew to Barbara Lerew, widow. Trinity Church Records, pp. 1, 3.

44 See "Pontius Family," Egle, AV-1898, pp. 30, for brief account of this family. The marriage is in Egle, AV-1896, pp. 89. Heads of the Families at the first Census...1790, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. 1908, pp. 183.

45 Pennsylvania German Pioneers, I, pp. 204, List 53-A.

46 Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd Series, XVIII, XIX.

47 Egle, AV-1896, pp. 37; Host Reformed Church Records, Vol. 2, pp. 2, 3, cited in Note 32.


i) who was "Dead in Coffin" at the baptism 12 DEC 1745, of their son JOHN PETER ZELLER, born 6 DEC. Sponsors were Henry Zeller and Peter Becker.48

d) JOHANN ZELLER married second ca. 1746, MARIA CATHARINA LAUER

i) who died before 1799.

e) Children baptized at Christ Lutheran and Trinity Reformed Church, or by Stoever were:

i) ANNA MARIA ZELLER, 8 MAY 1747;

ii) ANNA CATHARINA ZELLER, 23 APR 1753;

iii) MARGARET ZELLER, 3 FEB 1755;

iv) FRANTZ PAUL ZELLER, by Stoever 26 MAY 1751.49

f) JOHN ZELLER had his Will drawn 13 MAY 1799.

i) No wife was mentioned.

ii) In it he named his eldest son PHILLIP and son FRANCIS who had already received his share in the plantation JOHANN had given him.

iii) To share equally in his estate:*

(1) The sons PHILLIP and

(2) PETER, and

(3) daughters ELIZABETH, wife of JOHN REITENAUER,

(4) CATHERINE, wife of PHILLIP ZEHRING,

(5) MARGARET, wife of VALENTINE SEILER,

(6) and the children of his deceased daughter MARY LEFEVER who had married DAVID LEFEBRE 5 NOV 1769, at Trinity Reformed Church, whom he named as

(a) JOHN,

(b) HENRY,

(c) GEORGE,

(d) CATHARINE and

(e) MARY LEFEVER, were to share equally in the estate.

iv) The Will was accepted for probate 23 DEC 1805.50

9) ix. JOHANN GEORGE ZELLER,

48 Egle, AV-1896, pp. 89, Christ Lutheran Church Records, pp. 12.

49 Trinity Reformed Church Records, pp. 3, 5; Egle, AV-1896, pp. 61.

50 Berks County Will Book 4, pp. 332, Will of John Zeller.


a) born ca. 1725;

b) died in Tulpehocken Township before 21 APR 1792;

c) married at Millbach Reformed Church 6 FEB 1753, ANNA (MARIA) BARBARA HAAS,

i) daughter of LUDWIG HAST of Muehlbach;

ii) born ca. 1731;

iii) died 30 JUL 1815, aged 84.

iv) The entry of her death at Christ Tulpehocken states she had 14 children, 65 grandchildren and 111 great grandchildren !51

d) Trinity Reformed Church records show the baptisms of seven of the children:

i) ANNA MARIA ZELLER, 26 JUN 1754, sponsor Henry Zeller;

ii) ANDREW ZELLER, SEP 1755, sponsors ANDREW SALTZGEBER and ANNA MARIA the child's Aunt;

iii) ELIZABETH ZELLER, JUN 1757;

iv) MARGARET ELIZABETH ZELLER, 15 JUN 1758, sponsor MARGARET ELIZABETH HAAS;

v) SUSANNA ZELLER, 15 JUN 1767, sponsors LEONARD SCHWARTZ and his wife ELIZABETH, the child's Aunt;

vi) JOHN ZELLER, 14 FEB 1768, at Christ Lutheran, sponsor JOHN PONTIUS;

vii) JACOB ZELLER, 25 JAN 1770;

viii)PETER ZELLER, 25 DEC 1771.52

e) GEORGE ZELLER's Will,

i) written 26 JAN 1791, and

ii) accepted for probate 21 APR 1792,53

iii) provided for his wife MARIA BARBARA, and

iv) that she was to have the use of his plantation in Tulpehocken until his son HENRY came of age.

v) His son JOHN was to have the plantation of 135 acres for £860, of which £200 was to be his portion.

51 The marriage in Millbach Reformed Church, pp. 58, identifies Johann George as son of Henry Zeller Sr., of Tulpehocken. Anna Barbara Haas was probably the Maria Barbara Haas who was confirmed at Christ Lutheran Church 9 SEP 1748, aged 16 years, 8 months. Christ Lutheran Church Records, pp. 460, 398.

52 Trinity Reformed Church Records, pp. 5, 7, 10, 12, 13; Christ Lutheran Church Records, pp. 59.

53 Berks County Will Book B, pp. 305, Will of George Zeller.


vi) His son ADAM was to have four tracts of land, 26 acres in all, with GEORGE's Mill in Tulpehocken for £600, of which £200 was to be his portion.

vii) The son HENRY was to have a plantation in Tulpehocken of 139 acres for £970, of which £200 was to be his portion.

viii)ANDREW, the eldest son, having already received £200, was to have only £5.

ix) JACOB, the youngest son, was to have £200 when he came of age.

x) Each of the daughters was also to receive £200:

(1) ELIZABETH, wife of JOHN RIGEL,

(2) MARGARET ELIZABETH wife of JOHN KADERMAN;

(3) CATHARINA, wife of JOHN POTTDORF (BATTORF);

(4) SUSANNA, wife of JACOB SCHNEIDER;

(5) MARIA BARBARA ZELLER, and

(6) the heirs of his deceased daughter ANNA MARIA.

xi) His sons ANDREW and JOHN were executors.

10) x. ANNA ELIZABETH ZELLER,

a) born ca. 1725;

b) died before 1803;

c) married first ca. 1746, JOHN ADAM BATTORF of Tulpehocken

i) who died ca. 1758, leaving issue seven children.

d) Of these (John Adam Battorf’s children)*, five were baptized at Christ Lutheran Church, Tulpehocken:

i) MARTIN BATTORF, 1 NOV 1747, sponsor MARTIN BATTORF;

ii) JOHN PETER BATTORF, 26 DEC 1749, sponsor HENRY ZOELLER;

iii) ANDREW BATTORF, 3 JUL 1751, sponsor ANDREW SALTZGEBER;

iv) EVA ELIZABETH BATTORF, 8 APR 1753, sponsor JOHN PETER BATTORF;

v) JOHN HENRY BATTORF, 1 JAN 1755, sponsor JOHN HENRY BATTORF;

vi) SIMON BATTORF, 14 NOV 1756.54

e) On 12 NOV 1758, ANNA ELIZABETH (ZELLER) BATTORF married second LEONARD SCHWARTZ of Bethel Township, Berks County.

54 Christ Lutheran Church Records, pp. 15, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33.


i) They came into the Berks County Orphans Court on 26 MAR 1759, and petitioned for guardians for the minor children of ADAM BATTORF, deceased:

(1) GEORGE now 11 years;

(2) MARTIN, aged 10;

(3) PETER, aged 9;

(4) ANDREW, aged 8;

(5) HENRY, aged 5;

(6) SIMON, aged 2;

(7) EVA ELIZABETH, about 6 years.

ii) MARTIN BATTORF and GEORGE ZELLER were appointed guardians for them.55

f) Children of LEONARD SCHWARTZ and his wife ANNA ELIZABETH, baptized at Trinity Reformed Church include:

i) JOHN SCHWARTZ, 23 DEC 1759, sponsors JOHN ZELLER and his wife CATHERINE;

ii) HENRY LUDWIG SCHWARTZ, 7 JUN 1761, sponsors HENRY LUDWIG SCHWARTZ and wife MARIA ELIZABETH;

iii) ANNA MARIA SCHWARTZ, 14 DEC 1766, sponsors ANDREW SALTZGEBER and wife ANNA MARIA;

iv) BARBARA SCHWARTZ, baptized at Host Reformed Church 5 SEP 1762, was sponsored by GEORGE ZELLER.56

g) LEONARD SCHWARTZ'S Will,

i) dated 26 JAN 1803 and

ii) accepted for probate 5 AUG 1803,

iii) names as his children

(1) LUDWIG SCHWARTZ, a deceased son;

(2) JOHN SCHWARTZ who left issue MAGDALENA, ANNA MARIA, CATHERINE, and JOHN SCHWARTZ;

(3) BARBARA, wife of JOHN LESHER JR.,

(4) CATHERINE wife of ADAM REGEL, and

55 Host Reformed Church Records, pp. 74. Berks County Orphans Court Book 1, pp. 9. It should be noted that the ages of some of the children, as given in the court record, do not correspond to the baptismal records.

56 Trinity Reformed Church Records, pp. 8, 10; Host Reformed Church Records, pp. 8.


(5) ANNA MARIA wife of HENRY KRIM.

iv) No mention was made of a wife, or his BATTORF step children.57

The proceeding records demonstrate that the respective children of JOHANN ZELLER (died 1737) and of JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER (died 1756) can be proven by primary records. Although there may have been other children dying prior to maturity---and probably were---these records specify six children of JOHANN and ten children of JOHANN HEINRICH living to maturity.

Except for the unnamed daughter who married LEONARD ANSPACH, Stapleton's Memorials of the Huguenots in America correctly listed the children of JOHANN HEINRICH ( died 1756), but transposed the name of HARTMAN to MARTIN, and confused JOHN HEINRICH'S son JOHN with his presumed brother JOHANN who died in 1737. In the more recent account of the family in Proceedings of the Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania, only two of JOHANN'S children are listed, and seven of JOHANN HEINRICH'S.

The Zeller Family History, published in 1949 by the Zeller Family Association, unfortunately has greatly confused the facts pertaining to the children of JOHANN and JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER. This history

awarded JOHANN'S son 5. PETER ZELLER, of the present account, to JOHANN HEINRICH,

inserted JOHANN'S son 3. JOHANN HEINRICH, who married MARIA MARGARET RIETH, in place of JOHANN HEINRICH who was simple, and

awarded the children and wife of JOHANN'S son 4. DAVID PETER ZELLER to JOHANN DAVID, also simple, son of JOHANN HEINRICH, the immigrant.

After dropping 2. MARGREDALIS ZELLER, who married TOBIAS BICKEL, from JOHANN'S list of children, this resulted in his being credited with only two of his six known children. And even crediting JOHANN with one NICKOLAS ZELLER of Lancaster, PA.---a man having no apparent connection with the Tulpehocken Zellers except his surname---would hardly compensate for this injustice.

One concludes that tradition with its half-truths, and dependence on secondary sources are ever fickle informants. Hopefully this report will challenge Zeller descendants to further investigate, document, and compile details of the ancestry and descendants of JOHANN and JOHANN HEINRICH ZELLER of Tulpehocken......JOHN F. VALENTINE

57 Berks County Will Book, pp. 4, 169, Will of Leonard Schwartz.


Note 1

The following text which appeared at the top of the document was moved to this note during my reorganization of the document. In its place, I left the simple title “ZELLER FAMILY REVISION (By: John F. Valentine)” -

---------

The following was taken from the Zeller Family web-site at www.MyFamily.com 2/25/01. I made some formatting changes to make it more readable. LLN

ZELLER FAMILY REVISION (By: John F. Valentine)

(By David Zellers - Nov 13, 1999, Zeller Family Web-site)

Found in 1977 Sept. issue of The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine...

---------

http://www.myfamily.com/


Note 2

The following text which appeared at the bottom of the document

----------

An addendum: This is a copy of an email David Zellers forwarded to me concerning the 1949 Zeller Genealogy. I have, once more, taken the liberty of reformatting the text. LLN

From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 9:38 PM Subject: Re: your MD Zeller ancestors.

Dave,

When I wrote you this evening I hadn't noticed that you had sent the attachment which followed. I have checked it over and found the mistake. I got the impression he used the old Zeller family history and therein lies the problem. According to both Hank Jones and Valentine the son, Heinrich Zeller that married the Reith girl is the son of Johannes Zeller, not Hans Heinrich.

Hans Heinrich had a son named Heinrich but in Hans Henry's will he states that Henry and David, I believe are "Simple" and instructed George to care for them. Neither married. So that leaves this Henry as the son of Johannes.

One wonders why two of his children were "simple". In one of my other families, two daughters ate seeds of " stemonium" or Jimpson weed which is a dangerous hallucinogen and were left brain damaged for life. So that could have been the problem.

Heinrich who married the Reith girl is the one who built Ft. Zeller and he is the son of Johannes Zeller. If whoever wrote the family history had read the wills of these two men all this confusion would not have gone on. I have a friend who is also a Zeller desc. who gave me a copy of the family history someone gave her and it has the same mistake. Too bad these things get endlessly repeated. Here is an opportunity to help Zeller researchers. The old Zeller History is wrong and the family had best forget about it and use the up to date research of Hank Jones, Dr. Valentine and all of it has been published since 1970, I believe. I hope I have made this clear. It is very complicated and I have had a hard time getting it through my thick head !

Re: your third email about the article in the Ogle County History. Remember Hartman Zeller was probably in MD before the Revolution. it is perfectly likely that your ancestor was a Jacob or Jonas but look how confused and mistaken the rest of the Zeller family tradition has turned out to be. Look for wills and estate settlements, deeds of release etc for family relationships. You sometimes get more info from the deeds of release than from a will. Hope this has been of some help to you. Mary

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Note 3

I found this document on MyFamily.com in 2009. Having discovered that Johann Heinrich Zeller was a member of my ancestry, my interest in this subject was rekindled in 2015, and I set out to decipher the cryptic structure of the original article and reorganize the document with paragraph divisions where needed and an outline organization of the family information.

In preparing this revision, I did not alter the text at all. At just a few places, I inserted a heading or a bit of text to add clarity. These are all marked with a trailing asterisk*.

While at the time of this writing, I am still in the process of documenting my ancestry with credible source materials, I believe that I have correctly determined the following lineage:

Johann Heinrich (1684 – 1756)

Johann George (1725 – 1792)

John Zeller (1768 – 1846)

Peter Zeller (1804 – 1878)

Peter S Zeller (1842 – 1926)

Charles L Zeller (1883 – 1965)

Clarence D Zeller (1915 – 1966)

Daniel G Zeller (1959 - )

Dan Zeller – April 3, 2015


Original Facsimile of Zeller Family Revision

Here is a facsimile of the original article from which the text above was transcribed, presumably by David Zellers in 1999.

- Dan Zeller, April 24, 2015


Andrew Saltzgeber Grave Marker Footnote 39 of “Zeller Family Revision” refers to a tombstone for Andrew Saltzgeber in a book entitled Ancient and Historic landmarks in the Lebanon Valley, by P.C. Croll, Philadelphia 1895. On page 92 of that book is the following facsimile of the inscription on that stone:

– Added by Dan Zeller, April 3, 2015

The German text reads,

“HIER RUHET ANDERES SALTZGEBER. 1ST GEBOHREN DEN 26 DEC 1708. GESTORBEN 1769. SEINES ALTERS 61 JAHR. SEINE EHFRAU WAR ANN MARIA, EINE GEBOHRNE ZELERN. IN DER EH GELEBT 41 JAHR.”

Translated, the text reads,

“HERE RESTS ANDERES SALTZGEBER, 1ST BORN THE 26 DEC 1708, DIED 1769, HIS AGE 61 YEARS. HIS WIFE WAS MARY ANN, BORN ZELERN. WITH HER HE LIVED 41 YEARS.”


Early Zeller Family Outline A simplified outline of the children of Johann Heinrich Zeller and Johann Zeller can be constructed from the information in John Valentine’s document as follows:

Descendants of Johannes and Anna Catherina Zeller

1) Catherine Elizabeth Zeller (1714 – 1759)

a) Married to John George Rieth (1714 – 1791)

b) son John George Rieth (c1745)

c) son John Frederick Reith (c1751)

d) son John Frederick Reith (c1752)

e) son Peter - possibly of John George’s second wife, Anna Margaretha

f) son John Leonard - possibly of John George’s second wife, Anna Margaretha

g) son Jonas - possibly of John George’s second wife, Anna Margaretha

h) daughter Catherine Minich - possibly of John George’s second wife, Anna Margaretha

2) Margredalis Zeller (1715 – 06.09.1748)

a) Married to Tobias Bickel ( - b04.21.1792)

b) son John Nicholas Bickel (1741 )

c) son Johannes Bickel (1744 )

d) daughter Maria Margaretha Bickel (1746)

3) Johann Heinrich Zeller (1716 – b06.15.1790)

a) Married to Maria Margaret Rieth (1721 – 1807)

b) son John Henry Zeller (c1745 - )

c) daughter Margaret Elizabeth, wife of Nicholas Klotz

d) daughter Elizabeth, wife of Michael Swengel

e) daughter Anna Amalia Zeller (c1747 - ), wife of Andrew Berger son Henry

f) son Michael

g) son Frederick

h) son Tobais Zeller (c1761 - )

i) son, unnamed (c1764 - )

j) son Peter (perhaps the “unnamed son”)

4) David Peter Zeller (c1722 – a1782)

a) Married to Maria Christin Hoerner ( died after 1764)


b) son John (c1750 - )

c) daughter Anna Margaret (c1752)

d) son John Henry (c1753)

e) son John Martin (c1761)

f) son David (c1764)

5) Peter Zeller (c1728 – b1804)

a) Married to Hanna Bassler ( - a1798)

b) daughter Anna Margaret (c1754)

c) daughter Catherine Elizabeth (c1757)

d) daughter Eva Elizabeth (c1762)

e) son George (c1770)

6) Anna (Maria?) Amalia Zeller (c1729)

a) Married to Frederick Weiser

b) son John

c) son Conrad

d) son Peter

e) daughter Eva

f) daughter Catherine

g) daughter Hannah

h) daughter Mary

i) daughter Sarah

Descendants of Johann Heinrich and Anna Maria (Briegal)

1) Hartman Zeller (c1711)

a) son Johannes

b) daughter Catharina

c) daughter Barbara Elizabeth

2) Daughter, name unknown, ( died before 1748)

a) Married Leonard Anspach

3) Anna Maria Zeller (1715 – a1776)

a) Married Andreas Saltzgeber

b) daughter Anna Maria (c1743)


c) son Andrew

d) son John

e) son Henry

4) Johann Heinrich Zeller (c1717 – a1754) – “simple”

5) Johann David Zeller (c1719 – a1754) – “simple”

6) Barbara Elizabeth Zeller (c1720 – a1760)

a) Married Jonas Lerew

b) son Henry

c) daughter Catherine

d) son (?) Francis

e) daughter Mary

f) son John George (c1749)

g) daughter Elizabeth

7) Anna Cathrina Zeller (c1722 – a1771)

a) Married John Pontius

b) son Johann Heinrich

c) son John Peter

d) son Johannes

e) son Andreas

f) son John Nicholas

8) Johann Zeller

a) Married first Anna Maria Becker

b) Married second Maria Catharina Lauer

c) daughter Anna Maria

d) daughter Anna Catharina

e) daughter Margaret, wife of Valentine Seiler

f) son Frantz Paul

g) son Phillip

h) son Peter

i) (12/6/1745 – 05/17/1817)

ii) Revolutionary War Veteran

iii) http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10456489

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10456489


i) daughter Elizabeth, wife of John Reitenauer

j) Catherine, wife of Phillip Zehring (Anna Catherina?)

9) Johann George Zeller (c1725 – b1792)

a) Married Anna Barbara Haas

b) daughter Anna Maria (c1754)

c) son Andrew (c1755)

d) daughter Elizabeth (c1757), wife of John Rigel

e) daughter Margaret Elizabeth (c1758), wife of John Pottdorf (Battorf)

f) daughter Susanna (c1767), wife of Jacob Schneider

g) son John (c1768)

h) son Jacob (c1770)

i) son Peter (c1771)

j) son Henry

k) son Adam

l) daughter Maria Barbara

10) Anna Elizabeth (c1725 – b1803)

a) First married John Adam Battorf (c1746)

b) son George

c) son Martin (c1747)

d) son John Peter (c1749)

e) son Andrew (c1751)

f) daughter Eva Elizabeth (c1753)

g) son John Henry (c1755)

h) son Simon (c1756)

i) Second Married Leonard Schwartz (1758)

j) son John (c1759)

k) son Henry Ludwig (c1751)

l) daughter Anna Maria (c1756), wife of Henry Krim

m) daughter Barbara (c1752), wife of John Lesher

n) daughter Catherine, wife of Adam Regel

– Added by Dan Zeller, April 8, 2014


Addendum 06 – Various Notes and Discoveries

Peter Zeller, son of Johann, son of Johann Heinrich. Reference found in find-a-grave sets his birth and death dates as Dec 6, 1745 and May 17, 1817 respectively. He is buried in Mifflinburg Cemetery, Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania.


Discovery by Dan Zeller, April 22, 2015

Anna Catherine Zeller Pontius, daughter of Johann Heinrich & Anna Maria Briegal Zeller. Reference found in find-a-grave sets her birth and death dates as 1724 and 1794 respectively. She is buried in Mifflinburg Cemetery, Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania.


Children listed on John Pontius grave are

Henry (1744 – 1822)

Andrew (1745 – 1825) - http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32148118

Peter (1747 – 1835) - http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=61647516

Nicklas (1749 – 1831) - http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8285205

John Jr. (1751 – 1836) - http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=29232723

Maria ( ? – 1788)

George (1752 – 1824) - http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=78683932

Catherine (1757 – 1838)

Frederick (1758 – 1823) - http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5892542

Elizabeth (1763 – 1851)

Added by Dan Zeller, April 22, 2015










Lady Chlotilde de Valois de Reni Lady Clothilde de Valois de Reni was born 1665 in France to Charles de Valois and Elizabeth Heartwell and died circa 1748 in Fort Zeller, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States of unspecified causes. She married Jaques "James" Von Zeller circa 1709 in France or England.

Clothilde de Valois de Reni, a young countess, fell in love with and married a scholar who resided across the French border in Zurich, Switzerland. He was Jacques de SELLAIRE known as VON ZELLER of Castle Zellerstein, Zurich. Clothilde was in her teens when they married. They fled from France with their children after the revocation of the Edict or Nantes and went to Holland, where they apparently stayed for some time. They, shortly after their son's marriage in Holland, the ZELLERS went to England and "the Lady Clothilde" as she was recorded there, placed herself, he children and her husband under the protection of Queen Anne who later gave them protection when they chose to begin life anew in the new world. But by this time, Jacques had died, either in London or before their ship arrived at New York in June 1710.

These French immigrants, together with many of the Palatinate Germans found little welcome along the Hudson River. They continued further north to the DutchEnglish province at Schoharie where they again found rejection. After an invitation from the governor of Pennsylvania, Lady Clothilde Zellers' eldest son, with an Indian guide, journeyed down the Susquehanna and to what is now the Lebanon Valley. Jean Henri Zeller returned to report to his mother and her party that this was the place for them. And after building rafts and obtaining provisions for the trip, the contingent set forth, arriving at the Mill Creek Region, not far from present Newmanstown and the larger settlement of Womelsdorf in 1723.

It was here the Zellers built a fort to protect themselves and their neighbors. They procured deeds for land from John, Thomas and Richard PENN. Later they helped start the first church in the area, rebuilt their log fort in 1745 with stone outside and plaster inside and carved over the door the emblem of their faith and also the family crest as knights of the Holy Roman Empire.

It was about this time that the name ZELLER was Germanized to Heinrich ZELLER from Jean Henri ZELLER, and although his father was from Switzerland, because this family lived with the Germans in a German settlement, they have become known as of German descent.

http://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Clothilde_de_Valois_(1665-c1748)

Taken from a chapter in the book entitled Notable Women of Pennsylvania, edited by Gertrude Biddle and Sarah Lowrie (Phila,1942) and is from a short biography of a French woman named Clothilde de Valois.

- Added by Dan Zeller, April 24, 2015

http://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Clothilde_de_Valois_(1665-c1748)


Fort Zeller Memorial Plaque I took the following photo during a visit to Fort Zeller in October of 2015 – Dan Zeller

“Know all men that I Allummopie alias Sassoonun Chief of the Skyulkill Indians and Indian owner of the Lands lying on the Branches and upper part of the Said River Skuylkill In consideration of the Love and Goodwill that I bear to my friend James Logan, doe by this writing give and grant full and free liberty to Christopher Stump, George Greef, Hans Zeller, and Michael Miser, their heirs and assigns to live upon, hold and possess five hundred acres of land where they are now Settled Southward of Tulpehockin from this day for all time to come and for ever without any further Claim or Demand to be made for the Same or any part thereof by me or by any other Indians whatsoever. In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seal the eleventh day of August in the year 1731”

Witness: Shekallemy, Peesqueeloman, Thomas Hartt, Archibald Finley

Lady Chothilde de Valois Zeller, Widow of Jaques Zeller (Salliere) of Deus Pont, France with her sons Jean Henri and Jean Zeller, citizens of Great Britain, born in France, Settled here June 14, 1723, and build a block hous for the protection of the settlers on this frontier of Philadelphia and Chester Counties. Present stone Fort erected 1743.


Shikellamy

Shikellamy, also known as Swatana, can be found in the following Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikellamy

- Added by Dan Zeller, November 17, 2015

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikellamy


Meisser Family Notes This excerpt taken from “A Genealogy of the Meisser Family” by Al Boffo

Johann Michael Meiser, born ca. 1703 in Germany, married Anna Elizabeth Sixt ca. 1723/24, had ten children.

JOHANN MICHAEL MEISER 2/2 (Johan Jurg Meisser 1/1), was born in Germany, probably in the region of the lower Palatine, ca. 1703 (4,5), and he is found to be first recorded in the Kocherthal Records (3). In this record, he and Anna Elizabeth Sixt (thought to be Zecht) were sponsors to the baptism of Anna Elizabeth, born April 19,1717, daughter of Joseph and Anna Elizabeth Savoy, on June 6, 1717.

An immense determination, will, fortitude, and daring has to be attributed to this Johann Michael Meiser when along with several original families of the Scoharie Valley of New York (2) he braved the wilderness, the elements, and the hostile Indians, on his trip down the Susquehanna, and then eastward to Millbach, Pennsylvania, and where even here his family was often threatened by the Indians for several years as evidenced by "Fort Zeller" which in reality was the home of Hans Zeller, one of the original families that came down from New York at the same time as Michael (5). It became the "fort" against Indian raids because it was the strongest house in the area, and all the settlers of the immediate vicinity would seek refuge there during Indian attacks. This is adjacent to the original lands of Johann Michael Meiser. This "fort" still stands and an historical stone monument and bronze plaque has been erected on the site. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission says that the monument was erected by the Zeller family.

This deed was signed by Allummapie or Sassoonan by his mark, and was witnessed by Shekallemy (father of the famous Chief Logan) by mark; Peesqueeloman by mark; and further witnessed by the signature of Thomas Hartt and Archibald Finley. It is found recorded among the Logan papers, XI; 16; at the Pennsylvania Historical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

These New York Palatines, in settling on these lands of the Tulpehocken Valley, which is in the area of present day Reading, Lancaster and Lebanon, Pennsylvania, actually became Illegal squatters, as these lands were actually lands disposable by the then Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but on lands actually claimed by the heirs of William Penn. It developed too that there was some question as to whether these lands had ever been legally acquired from the Indians by anyone.

It was quite a long time before this land controversy was resolved. The Germans felt they were legally entitled to the lands through their having been invited to settle there by the then Governor of the Commonwealth, but the heirs of William Penn, through their agent James Logan, retained their claim, and by the time this claim was settled with the Indians and the Governor's Office, the Germans became well established and more numerous, as more and more came from the Scoharie as well as several thousand more directly from Europe. It was finally concluded that it was best to work out a


compromise with the Germans and get what compensation they could for the lands, as they were too well entrenched and established to be driven out by eviction. It was at this point that a petition was signed by several families representing these settlers and sent to the Governor's Office, petitioning that they be permitted to remain on their lands and their willingness to pay for their lands at reasonable prices considering that the lands were in outer reaches of the then settled areas. This resulted in many getting their lands where they had settled, not only because they probably could not have been evicted, or that they had declared their intention to pay for their lands, but in a great measure because of their industry in clearing the lands into productive farms; it enhanced the value of the adjacent lands of the Penns and the Commonwealth, and as both the Commonwealth and the Penns needed money badly, the whole matter was amiably settled and the Palatines finally got their lands in the New World.



Zellers among the Huguenots in America This excerpt taken from an archived scanned copy of Memorials of the Huguenots in America, with special reference to their emigration to Pennsylvania by Rev. A. Stapleton, A. M., M. S., D.D.

Sellaire, — Among the Huguenot exiles were several branches of the ancient Sellaire or Cellier family of France. The name is met with among the refugees to England and America prior to the Revocation, and even in faraway Cape Colony where a descendant, General Cellier, became famous as a Boer leader in the Transvaal war. One branch retired to the Palatinate about the period of the Revocation. Of this family v^^s Jean Henri Sellaire who, with his family, followed the great exodus of Palatines to London in 1708. In 1709 he came to New York with the Palatines, where his name and that of his son John as '^ Zeller'' appears among the settlers of Livingston Manor in 1710. About 1727 he came overland through the trackless wilderness to Tulpehocken, locating near the present town of Sheridan, where he established a considerable estate and where he died at a very advanced age in 1756. (i) His house, a massive stone edifice, erected with a view to protect the family and neighbors in case of attack by the Indians, is still standing.

Pontius. — In i^^^ John Pontius arrived and located in Tulpehocken. He was born in Alsace in 1718. In 1743 he married Anna Catharine, a daughter of John tellers, already referred to. He had a considerable family and his sons were great pioneers. (2) Several were among the first settlers in Buffalo Valley in (now) Union county, and many of the next generation were of the first in Ohio and Illinois.

Aurand, — Among the Huguenot refugees to the Palatinate was a branch of the Aurand family, and of which was Henry Aurand and his wife Anna Catharine. After a sojourn of some years in Holland they settled near Heidelberg where most of their children were born. In 1753 John Aurand (1725-1807), a son of the foregoing, came to America and located in Berks county where he married Mary, a daughter of John Pontius. In 1772 he removed to (now) Union county. His son Dietrich (1760-1841) was a soldier of the Revolution and for many years a noted minister of the Reformed Church. (3)

Bashore (Le Baiseur), — This family, so numerous and so widely scattered throughout America, is of eminent Huguenot origin. The name, according to Prof. I. D. Rupp (himself a descendant), is a corruption of Le Baiseur, Several of this name are found

(i). He was survived by his wife, Anna Maria, and children John George, his chief heir, John Henry, John David, Martin, John, Anna Mary Saltzgiver, Barbaralis Lerew, Catharine Pontius and Ann Elisabeth Battorf.

(2). The sons were John Henry, b. 1744; John Peter, b. 1747 ; John, b. 1751 ; Andrew Michael, George and Frederick.

(3). See ** Fathers of the Reformed Church." The children of the emigrant were Henry, Peter, Jacob, Daniel, Dietrich, George, Elisabeth Zeller and Mary Reem, all of whom became heads of families.



Berks County Wills – Excepts

ZELLER, GEORGE, Tulpehocken.

This excerpt taken from BERKS CO WILL ABSTRACTS & ADMS 1792-1795

http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/berks/wills/willabs06.txt

January 26, 1791 - April 21, 1792.

To son John a plantation in Tulpehocken containing 133 acres, paying £860 for the same, £200 of which shall be his portion.

To son Adam 4 tracts of land with my mill, in said Township, containing 26 acres in all, when he is 21, paying £600 therefor, £200 of which shall be his portion.

To son Henry a plantation in said township containing 139 acres, paying therefor £970 of which £200 shall be his portion.

Provides for wife Maria Barbara, including use of dwelling plantation until son Henry is of age.

To son Andrew £5 for his birthright, he having received £200 in my lifetime.

To son Jacob £200 when 21.

Remainder of estate as follows:

to dau. Elisabeth wife of John RIGEL, Margaret Elizabeth wife of John KADERMAN, Catharine wife of John POTTDERF, Susanna wife of Jacob SCHNEIDER, Maria Barbara, and heirs of deceased dau. Maria £200 each, and remainder among all children.

Exrs: Sons Andrew and John.

Wits: Henry MAYER and Frederick MILLER.



RIETH, JOHN GEORG, Tulpehocken.

This excerpt taken from BERKS CO WILL ABSTRACTS & ADMS 1787-1791

http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/berks/wills/willabs05.txt

October 5, 1787 - July 16, 1791.

Land in Tulpehocken to son Peter, he paying £300 to executors and maintaining his brother Frederick as long as he lives.

Provides for wife Anna Margreta.

To sons John Leonard and Jonas, and dau. Catharine MINICH £100 each, which Peter is to pay for the land.

Exrs: Wife Anna Margaret and son Peter.

Wits: Jacob ANSPACH and Michael RIETH.


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