Johan Friedrich Mintzer
1701-1781
Born: Hagsfeld, Stadt Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
Died: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States
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1701-1781
Born: Hagsfeld, Stadt Karlsruhe, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
Died: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States
<p align="center"><font size="4">Permission to Immigrate Document and Translation</font></p><p align="left">We, Car Friderich, by the grace of God, Margrave of Baden and Hockberg, Landgrave of Hausenberg, Count of Spanheim and Eberstein, Lord of Roteha, Badenweiler Lahr and Mahlberg,etc., acknowledge and announce hereby that we upon certified humble appeal that to John Mentzer up to this time citizen of Hogsfeld, in our baliwick of Durlach, who with his wife and four children proposes to emigrate to Pennsylvania; the service which the same has heretofore rendered us we have condescended to remit; we also do the same and in such a manner that neither we, nor our princely heirs shall have right to him, John Mentzer, his wife, or their descendents; it being a fact that he would set aside in one or another of our Principality lands where we have service and relinquish all connections short or long. In testimony where of we have allowed to be dismissed John Mentzer here present under our hand and seal of the princely Government office afore expressed; which is given our Princely residence at the city of Carlsruche, the 30th of April in the year 1751. ( Latin) By the special commands of the most serene master, the Margrave.</p><p align="center">T. Von Gensan</p><p align="center">and two other signature</p><p align="center">Vt. Oluhauser</p><p align="center">(Seal)</p><p align="left">By reference to "Rupp's Collection fo 30,000 Names of Emigrants" it is seen that Johan Mainter, his wife and four children, arrived in Philadelphia, Pa., and qualified on September 16,1751, on the ship "Brothers," Capt. William Muir. They settled at New Holland, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.</p>
<p><font size="5">Linking the New Holland and Brickerville Mentzers</font></p><!--DWLayoutTable--><div align="left"><strong><font size="5">T</font></strong>here is agreement among the genealogists who have studied these Mentzers that they came from a village named Hagsfeld near Karlsruhe Germany in 1751.<span> </span>However all the papers I have seen deal with only part of the story or simply do not document any evidence they present.<span> </span>I will try to present a more complete and documented story of the Mentzers here.<span> </span>Everything I discuss was laboriously unearthed and generously shared by others over the years.(1)<span> </span>My only original contribution is the rediscovery of an important “permission to emigrate” document that was lost in the files of the Lancaster Historical Society</div><div align="left"><strong><font size="5">O</font></strong>n April 30<sup>th</sup> 1751 a “permission to emigrate” document was issued to Johannes Meintzer and his wife and 4 children to immigrate to Pennsylvania. (Appendix 1)<span> </span>On May 11, 1751 a document entitled “baptism and marriage certificate of John Meintzer and baptism certificate of his 5 children”. was issued.(App. 1)<span> </span>The family unit that did emigrate was <strong>Johannes</strong> b 1701, <strong>his second wife Catherine</strong>, <strong>children George b. 1727, Anna Marie b.1729 (Both from first wife) and Conrad b. 1734</strong>, and <strong>Johan-Michael b. 1741 by his second wife.</strong></div><div align="left"> <font size="5"><strong>I</strong></font>n the papers of Mentzer Russell Wehr of Havertown PA who died around 1988 is a German document. (App. 2)<span> </span>His notes say “reduced size copy of a photostat of page 7, one of eleven pages of the original records granting Johannes Meintzer and others permission to emigrate to America.<span> </span>The originals were about 15 x 20 inches in size.<span> </span>They are now (1979) in the files of the Archives of Baden in Karlsruhe.”<span> </span>Mr. Wehr had employed a genealogist, Gerhard Linder who was living in Hagsfeld in 1973, to research the ancestors of Johannes Meintzer.<span> </span>So Mr. Wehr believed in the Hagsfeld link. Also in appendix 2 is the translation, which gives the amount of tax that must be paid to immigrate to Pennsylvania.<span> </span>Those listed are young Johannes Meinzer (Who decided to stay in Germany), old Johannes Meinzer, young Michael Weber, young Andreas Murr, and George Ulrich.<span> </span>Dated April 23, 1751.</div><div align="left"><strong><font size="5">O</font></strong>n September 16, 1751 the ship “Brothers” docked in Philadelphia.<span> </span>Males over 16 were required to take an oath of allegiance and sign their names or make their mark. Appendix 3 shows copies of these signature lists.<span> </span>Johannes and two of his sons, Conrad and George are on the list.<span> </span>The <strong>third son, Michael, </strong>was only 10 and didn’t sign.<span> </span>Very close to the son’s signatures are those of the 3 men listed on the Hagsfeld tax list mentioned above, Andreas Murr (listed as Mor), Michael Weber, and George Ulrich (listed as Hans George Uhllerik).<span> </span>So the names of 5 males appear on permission to emigrate documents in April of 1751, and in September they appear on a ship list in Philadelphia and they are all grouped closed to each other on the list.<span> </span>Clearly a Mentzer family from Hagsfeld has arrived in Philadelphia in 1751. </div><div align="left"><font size="5"><strong>T</strong></font>here is now a 6-year gap in the record.<span> </span>A George Meintzer first appears on the tax roles of Lancaster County, Cocalico Township in 1757.(2)<span> </span>There is no record of the father Johannes Meintzer after 1751.<span> </span>He lies in an unmarked grave somewhere in eastern Pennsylvania.<span> </span>There is no American record of his wife Anna Maria.<span> </span>She could have died on the trip or is also buried in an unmarked grave.<span> </span>There is no American record that can be tied to the daughter, Anna Maria Meintzer.(3)</div><div align="left"><font size="5"><strong>T</strong></font>he 3 Mentzer brothers are intertwined in a series of baptisms and baptismal sponsors over the next 21 years.<span> </span>Trinity Lutheran Church in New Holland PA shows a George Meintzer and wife Christina as parents in 10 baptisms between 1759 and 1778.<span> </span>Conrad Meintzer and Elisabeth his wife are sponsors 3 times; Michael and Maria Meintzer are sponsors once.(4</div><div align="left"><font size="5"><strong>C</strong></font>onrad Meintzer appears on the tax record of Cocalico Township in 1759.<span> </span>The records of Emanuel Lutheran church in Brickerville (About 15 miles from Trinity Lutheran) show a Conrad Meintzer and wife Elisabeth as parents for 4 baptisms between 1766 and 1776.<span> </span>George Meintzer and Christina are sponsors once and Michael Meintzer and Maria are sponsors once.(5)<span> </span></div><div align="left"><p>Michael Meintzer and Maria have 3 baptisms at Emanuel Lutheran from1763 to 1767.<span> </span>George Meintzer and wife are sponsors twice and Elisabeta Hubschmenin, Conrad future wife is sponsor for the first, 1763, baptism.(5)<span> </span>The last record for Michael in Lancaster County is a 1769 tax record.<span> </span>About this time Michael Meintzer moved to Hagerstown Maryland and established that branch of the Mentzers in America.(6)</p><p>George Meintzer and wife are buried in Trinity Lutheran Church cemetery in New Holland PA.<span> </span>Ralph Bender Mentzer of New Holland, in the 1970’s, traced his branch of the family back to George Meintzer.(7)<span> </span></p><p>John Franklin Mentzer published a 1934 pamphlet, which traced his family back to Conrad. (But again with no documentation).<span> </span>The pamphlet has the English translations of the documents discussed in paragraph one with no mention of where the documents are or where they came from.(7)</p><p>Prior to this in 1899 a note was published in a periodical named “Notes & Queries” edited by William Egle.(8)(App. 4)<span> </span>The title is “Some Mentzer Data”.<span> </span>Quoting from the first paragraph, “The writer recently saw several manuscript records in German which were dated 1751, and which are transcripts of records in Germany.<span> </span>He has had them translated and forwards them to this magazine. The papers referred to the Mentzer family, which located in Lancaster County in 1751.<span> </span>The first is an emigration certificate granted on April 13, 1751, to Johan Maintzern, of Jagfeld, Baden, Oberomt Joriagh, which allows said Johan Mentzer, his wife and four children to emigrate to Pennsylvania.<span> </span>The second paper is a marriage record and birth record, given by the “Stadt Pioramt” in Jagsfeld, on May 11, 1751, and states that” The article goes on to give marriage and birth data.<span> </span>It is signed ‘S. M. S.<span> </span>Lancaster Pa.”.<span> </span>This is almost surely S. M. Sener who was librarian of the Lancaster Historical Society around 1900.<span> </span>He doesn’t really identify which Mentzer family in Lancaster County he is talking about.<span> </span>I could find no further reference in “Notes & Queries” to these Mentzer documents.<span> </span>They are not mentioned in any article in the Lancaster County Historical Society Journal. As mentioned above John Franklin Mentzer published a small pamphlet in 1934 that had the translations in it.<span> </span>There is not one word about them, they are just there.</p><p align="center"><font size="5"><strong>References</strong></font></p><p> </p><p align="left"><font size="1"><strong><font color="#000000">1</font></strong>. </font>Lancaster County Historical Society (LCHS)<span> </span>230 N. President Av. Lancaster, PA 17603-3125<span> </span>http://lanclio.org</p><div align="left">Here is the little I know about some of the Mentzer researcher. </div><p align="left">Dr. John Franklin Mentzer--died August 29, 1958 at age 96 at his home in Ephrata PA.<span> </span>He is a descendent of Conrad Mentzer.<span> </span>In 1934 published a pamphlet giving his ancestors back to Conrad and translations of the German documents.<span> </span>The pamphlet is in the Mentzer file at LCHS.</p><p align="left">Ralph Bender Mentzer—born 1915.<span> </span>Lived 234 West Main Street, New Holland, PA. 17557.<span> </span>In 1977 wrote a 9-page genealogy of his family.<span> </span>He traces back to George.<span> </span>Paper in Mentzer file at LCHS.</p><p align="left">Dr. M. Russell Wehr (M stands for Mentzer, his mothers maiden name.)<span> </span>He was a professor at Drexel (I think).<span> </span>Lived in Haverford PA.<span> </span>Died about 1988.<span> </span>Left one adopted son, Richard, a Drexel graduate. <span> </span>I don’t know what happened to Richard or the papers of Dr. Wehr.<span> </span>Some of his papers are in the Mentzer file at LCHS.</p><p align="left">Elgin Kintner—Over 80 in January 2000.<span> </span>1314 Turnberry Lane, Marysville TN. 37803.<span> </span>He descends from Michael Mentzer.<span> </span>One of Elgin’s gr-gr-grandmother was a Mentzer.<span> </span>He has sent me and other researchers hundreds of pages of Mentzer data.<span> </span></p><p align="left">John M. Robinson- Here is what Elgin Kintner says in about Mr. Robinson.<span> </span>“Robinson, John M. lived at 222 St. Paul Pl. Apt 2201, Baltimore Md. 21202, 1969.<span> </span>In 1974 he lived at 6016 Sarvis Ave., Riverdale, MD. And his last known address was P.O. Box 882, Baltimore, Sept. 1974.<span> </span>I have lost contact with him since then.<span> </span>He sent extensive family data, none of which was published to my knowledge”.<span> </span>(In a 1994 article)</p><p align="left">Greg Mentzer-110 Nantucket Drive, Middletown DE 19709.<span> </span>Did extensive research in the Mentzer line.<span> </span>So much that he discovered he descended from different Mentzers.<span> </span>Much of the information I used came from Kintner to Greg and then on to me.<span> </span>He strongly argued that the Hagerstown Michael Mentzer descended from John not a mythical Conrad. I believe that I have proved him right.<span> </span>See “Linking the Hagerstown and Lancaster Mentzers” in Mentzer file at LCHS.</p><p align="left"><font size="3"><strong><font size="1">2.</font> </strong></font>1758 Cocalico Township tax records-LCHS</p><p align="left"><strong>3</strong>. Greg Mentzer has argued that she married Christopher Hauer who came over on the same boat with his brothers. The brothers also came to this area of Lancaster County.<span> </span>There are several baptisms that seem to link the two families. Chris and his wife moved to Rockingham county Virginia where she died and he remarried.<span> </span>I can find no record of her maiden name, nor birth date or place.<span> </span>See the pamphlet “More Howers” at Mennonite Historical Society, Route 30, Lancaster PA.</p><p align="left"><strong>4</strong>.<span> </span>Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Holland, PA, parish records<span> </span>Vol 1<span> </span>1730-1813<span> </span>LCHS</p><p align="left"><strong>5</strong>. Pastoral Acts Emanuel Lutheran Church, Brickerville PA<span> </span>Fred Weiser<span> Mennonite Historical Soc., Rt. 30, Lancaster, Pa </span></p><p align="left"><strong>6</strong>. See<span> </span>“Linking the Hagerstown Mentzers with the Lancaster Mentzers”<span> </span>In Mentzer file at LCHS</p><p align="left"><strong>7</strong>. See Mentzer file at LCHS</p><p align="left"><strong>8</strong>. Volume available at LCHS</p><p align="left"><strong>9</strong>. A book “Biographical Annals of Lancaster Co.”, 1903, p. 704 at LCHS has an article about Amos Rutter.<span> </span>It says “The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Rutter were Jacob and Elizabeth(Johns) Mentzer .”<span> </span>Jacob Mentzer appears in Ralph Bender Mentzer’s paper as George’s 8<sup>th</sup> child (b. 4-24-1773) and co-executor of George’s estate.<span> </span>LCHS<span> </span>Jacob’s tombstone in Trinity Luth cemetery, New Holland PA says; b 4-24-1773 which agrees with Trinity Luth baptism record of a son of George.<span> </span>His death date is listed as May 21, 1855.<span> </span>Jacob’s will (X-1-122) lists his son Paul who was the father of Catherine Mentzer Rutter.<span> </span></p></div>
Baptismal and marriage certificate of John Mentzer, a citizen of Hogsfeld, and Baptismal certificate of his five children. <p align="center"><strong>Certificate</strong></p><p align="left">The bearer of these (certificates) John Mentzer, civil resident in the place of Hogsfeld, was born in lawful wedlock into this world in the year 1701, the second day of March. His parents were John George Mentzer, citizen and Anna Maria von Heyen. In the year of Christ 1722 the third day of March he united in marriage (his first) with Anna Maria Mayer von Buchig. In this union he begot the following children, viz:- John, the twentieth of January, 1723, who is now married. George, born the twenty-first of July 1727, yet of single condition. Anna Maria, born the 1st of April, 1729, single.</p><p align="left">In the year of Christ 1733, the eleventh of August, he enjoyed the blessing of matrimony for a second time with Catherine Weyl, the widow of the late John Spirpi, a weaver in the royal factory who had been a Kuhuler. In this union he begot Conrad, born the 21st day of May, 1734, single. John Michael, the 20th of April 1741.</p><p align="left">Whereas now the said John Mentzer together with his wife and five children aforesaid according to the preliminary, regularly obtained princely permission is diposed to seek further his success, it will accrue to his legitimation to extend to him his baptismal and marriage certificate according to the records of the Church Book together with the impression of my seal and my personal subscription.</p><p align="center">(John Frederick Bohm, Minister at Hogsfeld)</p><p align="center">Hogsfeld, May 11, 1751</p>