Thursday, March 7, 2013

200 Years After Sailing to America, Families Unite


Mr & Mrs James Armstrong
(Cristoph Embich & George Greiss decendants)
Christoph Embich and George Greiss sailed to the port of Philadelphia on the Nancy in September of 1752. Christoph Adam Embich was 27 when he left Germany to stake his claim in America, is my 5th great grandpa from my dad’s father’s line. Geoge Greiss (Grass) as a 12 year old refugee came to America from Switzerland. He is my 4th great grandpa from my dad’s mom’s line. Presumably during the long voyage and cramped living conditions they probably met, but once arriving in Philadelphia it seems they or their families paths did not cross again my grandparents James Armstrong and Madeline Campbell met and married shortly after high school in 1929.

Christoph Embich a carpenter by trade, Lutheran by faith, settled in Lancaster where he married and had 10 children with Mary Elizabeth Kriter. Christoph fought as a Patriot in the Revolutionary War. His descendants followed in his footsteps as carpenters and farmers, patriots serving their country in times of war in Pennsylvania for many generations.

George Greiss’s path is much less defined until he appears on the 1800 census in Cambria County with his wife and 9 children. Cambria County in the early 1800s was an untamed wilderness that the Greiss/Krise family set out tame. Active members in the Catholic Church, they participated in establishing the religion in Cambria County including building St Augustine Church.

Below is an excerpt from the "Pennsylvania Germans Pioneers” listing the men on the Nancy:
[List 186 C] At the Court House in Philadelphia, Wednesday, ye 27 September, 1752.
Present: Joshua Maddox, Esquire. The Foreigners whose Names are underwritten, Imported in the Ship Nancy, Captain John Ewing, from Rotterdam and last from Cowes, did this day take and subscribe the usual Qualifications. No. 83.

Jacob Schweude
Michael Eyroh
Jacob Schmidt
Joseph Steüdel
Jonas (X) Bastian
Johan Ludwig Seiler
Jerg Hauher
Christian Homberg
Jacob Friederik (X) Danninger
George (X) Grass
Jacob Mussgenug
Jacob Dietrich
Carl Frich Siebert
Joseph (X) Bernhart
Philipp Jacob Wunder
Joseph (X) Bernhart, Junior
David Xander
Hans (N) Kintz
Johann Michale Haas
Joseph ( ) Kintz, on board
Samuel Musse
Johannes (HIM) Herman
Johan Philipp Bietighoffer
Johanis (X) Shwitzer
Philipp Mall
Jacob Junchfer [?]
Konradt Weiss
Hans Georg Kautz
Andres Bastian
Jacob Kautz
Adam Friederich Weiss
Hans Jacob Lersch
Johann Georg Friderich Bayer
Jaque Peirot
George (+) Wenig
Jaque Molac
Jacob Bauerschmid
Frantz (X) Saltzman
Jacob Bauerschmidt
Lutwig Thüringer
Gerg Friderich Jauss
Peter (X) Heatteman
Christoph Rothbaust
Johann Martin Doser
Matheas (X) Dywel
Michael Doser
Friderich Baisch
Balthas Bauman
Jacob ( ) Basich, on board
Christoph Embich
Johan Andereas (X) Rothe
Christian Mühlheim
Christoff Kreiser
Israel Eberlin
Johann Friderich Uhlandt
Fillib Follen
Jacob (X) Armbruster
Joh. Jacob Ernst
George Michael (X) Spatz
Hans Jacob Neusterdt
Johannes Butz
Vallendin Hagner
Jacob Stützmann
Hans Jerg Heudekel [?]
Ludwig Neitz
Christoph ( ) Mast, on board
Jerg Balthas Ernst
Paul Waag
Casper Underweg
Hans Georg ( ) Krebs, on board
Mardin Fromm
Hans Paul Henrich
Andreas Jäger
Rudolph (+) Klarr
Johan Max Klopfer
Hans Stös
Johann Martin Rädelmeyer
Hans Michael (X) Weller
Abraham Birkenber[g]
Johann Georg Braun
Henry (+) Shleghter
Johannes Griess
Herman (+) Matsh
Jacob (HK) Kautz, Junior
Georg Friederich Schwartz


                 
Mailbox  Beth Bostian ©1997 Beth Bostian
Source: Strassburger & Hinke,"Pennsylvania German Pioneers", Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1980, Baltimore, Volume I, p.491.