The ascent of a Wittgensteiner family in North America

by Karl Hartnack from Laasphe.

A publication of same contents (with few privat Supplement ) furthermore took place from minister H. Wagner (cousin of the 1928 to the USA and again returned George Huester emigrated - Zethe from Elsoff) in the Kasseler Sundays page NR.  32 and 33 of 11 and 18.08.1957.

On 8 January 1708 Johann H u e s t e r from Elsoff and his Mrs. Anna Katharina a son J o h a n n taufen (to notes:  Doubtfuly, this son is in bridge - house born, from which the emigrants did not originate;  the birth of the questionable emigrant might not be registered rather.  Hg), in May 1710 (10.05.1710) the same father (?) with Katharina Elizabeth (Anna Katharina Elizabeth) thus probably his second wife, a son J o h a n n J o s t and to 7.01.1713 a son

D a n i e l (Johann Daniel).  The three sons emigrated to America, Johann between 1732 and 1734.  Its both brothers followed it 1737 and landed at the 26.September in the port of Philadelphia.

Meanwhile Johannes in a part of the Pennsylvanian county Lancaster, which was assigned to 1752 of the county Berks, had still extended 300 field or 480 mornings country overwrite to let and its possession  "which must have taken the man at capital also to America?"  some Wittgensteiner will being astonished ask.  But one could come at that time also without cash to such a possession.  Who wanted with the family farms, 200 hectares received and for each immigrated auxiliary worker taken in service still further 20 hectares against an annual hereditary lease (of approximately a Mark in the today's cash for ever 40 hectares), because the next target of the owners of the still human being-poor Pennsylvanien, the family P e n n, was consulting of Farmern.

J o h a n n in connection with its two brothers still another jungle surface of almost 5,000 mornings acquired few years before its 1757 effected death.  Johann J o s t and D a n i e l had already different, partially far away-being situated farms in the possession.

J o h a n n Huester married a Mary Eppler from a family immigrated from Germany at the age of over 40 years.  It left 18.11.1752 except a daughter only at the born son J o s e p h, which should be called probable after its grandfather or after its uncle Jost.  But the Americans know, like me the englischstaemmige chairman of a pennsylvanischen historical association insured to begin with the name Jost nothing and regard him as a shaping of Joseph.

J o s e p h Huester or Hiester * 1) had a remarkable public career.  It began 1776 with its selection to the member of the so-called Provinzial - convention to Philadelphia * 2).

Out this came out the congress of the 13 colonies in indignation against the motherland England, to which to 4.07.1778 as of England independently explained itself.  The day of this assertion is festively committed still today as the highest national holiday.

Already two days before the declaration of independence Joseph Hiester had been selected to the captain of a company of the revolution levers understood in developing.  But at the 28.August that only Dreiundzwanzig­jaehrige in the battle of Long Iceland already fell * 3) the Englishmen into the hands, came only on the notorious prisoner ship jersey and then into the prison to Newyork.  Here it got sick and was soon changed.  Still during its shank it had been promoted to major.

1777 he became lieutenant colonel in a land defense battalion of the county Berks.  As such it participated in the battle of Germantown in 4 October.  To 21.  October assigned it Berks as a commissioner the seizure of the property of the traitors, i.e. the American and 1779 holding to England he became Mitbevollmaechtigter with the regulation of the finances of the state.  In the course of the war lasting to 1763 it brought it on Georges Washington personal recommendation up to the major general.

After the war it was from 1786 - 89 member of the pennsylvanischen federal state parliament and then representatives of the county Berks in the convention for Pennsylvanien the draft constitution to prepare should.

1790 he became a state State of, about what in the old Prussian federal state parliament a member of the manor-house was and whereupon many years president elector, thus one the delegates, who had to transact the selection of the president of the United States.

But its career had not achieved yet its high point.  In December 1820 he was selected to the governor, the highest official of the State of Pennsylvanien.  1817 it to the selection had already confessed, was however with 59.415 voices with 66.420 voices underlaid for the rival candidate Findlay.  This time the appropriate numbers were 67.905 against 66.300.

This result has a JC. Benfer in Philadelphia, immigrated from Wittgenstein, * 4).

thus it inspires that he wrote "to all most personal vomit," a long letter to the prince Friedrich Karl von Wittgenstein, where he the selection into all details inside, all after appearance in German language given inaugural speech of the new governor * 5) and some interesting one from the condition the that

Individual states as well as the union indicates.  I let follow the at the beginning of writing, because from it the dependence out-lights up to the old homeland.

Philadelphia, 20 December 1820

Durchlauchtigsten prince

Most benevolent princes and gentleman 

Ew.  Durchlaucht zufoerderst because of the angemassten liberty - for pardon asked.  Which I promise myself the outer reason, the Ew.D.  Experienced, it from love of a Dero of country son, who removes Persoehnlich very far, but however in the spirit of the love you close, occurred. -  Evenly case antris the speech, which nei the Erwehlte of governoer Bey of its office antrettung gethan, which Ew. Durchlaucht will be the more pleasant:  if I reports that its Vatter a Gebohrener Wittgensteiner and native of Elsoff been.".

J o s e p h Hiester is to 10.08.1832 in its house to Reading

died and beside his woman Elizabeth, geb.  Witman, on one

Cemetery of the city buried. 

The second son of the Joh. Jost Huester to Elsoff, J o h a n n J o s t possessed a substantial farm in the office Berne of the county Berks.  He married Elizabeth stalk.  From its seven children none particularly stepped out.  Its simple gravestone on the cemetery of the old Berne church carries the inscription: 

"RK remainder of Yost Hiester, fount in Europe, Died in 1780".

Personally to most stepping out youngest of the three Elsoffer of brothers, D A n i e l, acquired between 1739 and 1747 gradually almost 500 field (800 mornings) country like its brothers in late part of the county Lancaster belonging to to Berks.  He had become within this time also in the part of the county Philadelphia, to which 1752 of the county Montgomery was assigned, owner of a landflat of 165 field in the office Upper Salford.  Here it operated a tannery and burned wall - and roofing tiles.  he built the still which is house, which, although it already changed over before 160 years in other possession for 1757, is called still today the "H i e s t e r h a u s".

It was to Daniels times political and social focal point for a far periphery and remained it also, when D A n i e l pulled 1774 after R e A D i n g and its son Daniel took over it 

From 1777 on the father was Daniel justice of the peace of the county Berks.  Although it had except its landed property regarded so far also section at that 5,000 mornings large jungle surface, from which already the speech was, bought it, partially obviously for speculation purposes, still country in the counties Berks, Northumberland, Northampton and suctions.  Externaltutor.

i.e. external properties or building sites of Reading and Philadelphia. 

His Mrs. Katharina, geb.  Pupil died 1789, it 1795.  Buried

are situated both on the cemetery of the old Berne church completely near Johann

Jost Hiester.  The large marble slab, those on a brick ziegeluntermauerung

Daniels grave covers, carries in German german type the inscription

Daniel Hiester

It was born in the county Wittgenstein in Germany

The 1 th January 1713,

died on 7 June 1795.

The married couple leaves four and still 2 daughters from its five sons. 

The oldest of the four sons Daniels, J o h a n n, was born 1745, was 1777 captain in the revolution war, then major and ascended, only after termination of the war, to the major general.  Of 1802 - 1808 he was a state senator, from 1807 - of 1809 representatives of the county Chester in Pennsylvanien in the national congress, thus what after our condition a realm tag delegate is.  It died 1821 and in the office Alsace (Elsass) east of Reading was buried. 

The next son Daniels, D a n i e 1, 1747 like all its brothers in the Hiesterhaus born, married 1770 Rosanna Hager, the daughter of the Jonathan Hager to Hagerstown in the State of Maryland * 6).  He took over soon the farm of his father with tannery and brickyard.  Because he had to administer beside it still the expanded possessions of its father-in-law, he transferred the farm of his father 1781 its brother-in-law cock.

After outbreak of the revolution war it represented 1776 the county Montgomery in the pennsylvanischen Council of State.  1777 he became a commissioner the procurement of clothes for the krieger of the county Philadelphia.

In the same year it took part in the decisionful battle in Brandywne and the following operations as a captain.  1782 he became Brigadier General, 1784 member of the highest vollzeihenden advice of Pennsylvanien.  1785 it sat in the board OF Property, a committee for vested title, was 1787 authorized persons for the regulation of a Zwistes with the State of Connecticut, 1794 state senator and representative Pennsylvaniens in 1., 2., 3.  and 4.  Congress.  To termination of its last electoral period it returned to Hagerstown and became now a representative Marylands in 7. and 8.  Congress.

It died at the 7.Marz 1804 during the conference of the congress in Washington and in Hagerstown was buried.

The third son, G a b r i e 1, was born 1749.  He lived on the oldest farm of his father in the office Berne, county Berks, and operated a tannery there likewise.  1776 it was member of the Konstitutional convention like its cousin Joseph and from then on almost constantly participated in the public life.  Of 1776 - it was to 77 as a major in the field, was from 1778 at member of the Court of Justice for civil cases, then with exception of fewer years of 1778 - 90 at the same time member of the pennsylvanischen federal state parliament, 1791 and of 1802 - 12 of the house of representatives of the United States, 1795 - 98 state senator for the counties Berks and Dsuphin and 1801 pennsylvanischer Prasidentenwaehler. 

G a b r i e l H i e s t e r died 1824.

The youngest of the four brothers, W i 1 h e 1 m (William), is born 1757.  He married Anna Maria Meyer (Myer), the daughter of the founder of the city Myerstown in Pennsylvanien, which had about 2,500 inhabitants around 1920.  William was 1777 captain in the battalion of its brother Gabriel, late undersecretary of state of Pennsylvanien.  It died 1822 and on the cemetery of the Berne church was buried. 

The Hiesters enjoyed which reputation, we detect among other things.  from that

Descriptor M s q u i r e, some of them in American

 Documents one settles.  It was taken over and there from England

Honor for the land nobleman. 

Daniel and Gabriel Hiester were only me admitted

Pennsylvanier Wittgensteiner origin, which negro slaves held. 

The ethnic Germans regarded the purchase of negro slaves as injustice.

On 13 January 1933 I drove with my son to the cemetery of the old Berne church and took up some grave inscriptions.  From here we wanted to drive ue h 1 e by the old former jungle possession of the Hiesters to the H i e s t e r m which is situated in a brook valley.  In the wavy area we came to a lonely farm.  At the fence was Bur and saw to us.  My son rose from the auto and asked him for the way.  In run the maintenance arose that it was also a Hiester. 

", he says all country, what they see from that hill, is still Hiester possession ". 

To the mill we did not come nevertheless however.  It was appropriate for us too far from the planned way.

Before approximately 40 years (?  1907) looked up a Huester descendant, a clergyman from Reading in Pennsylvanien, the homeland of its sex and published the results of its investigations in Elsoff in an American magazine. 

When I stayed to 1933 in Reading, I wanted him details over the single dump of its ancestors from the county Wittgenstein, which I had found meanwhile in the file to Wittgenstein, indicate, experienced however that he had deceased.  Its widow let say me, she did not have interest in such messages, on which my interest in the widow went out.

If one considers that the three Elsoffer of brothers without or at the most with completely small education to America came, one must be astonished at the mental capability, which brought and to the transfer of offices enabled her to large possession and to high reputation, which required whole chaps in those confused and decisionful American time conditions. 

The sons however have the again developing state thing as members of the highest condition - and legislative bodies the United States independent, to arrange and to strengthen help.

Notes

* 1) the English language does not have ü, also no ue - sound. 

* 2) Pennsylvanien was at that time still another English province. 

* 3) on Long Iceland is situated the eastern part of Newyorks. 

* 4) perhaps 1805 immigrated Johann a Benfer from Fischelbach. 

* 5) Pennsylvanien was at that time the deutscheste state of the union. 

* 6)This Jonathan Hager (after English discussion H e g e r) was without doubt of the Jonathan Hager out Christian-hits a corner, which wanted to escape as 22jaehriger with one Laaspher and two Arfeldern secretly to America.  All were caught and returned in Berleburg. 

A second escape attempt glueckte it however and we finds in a ship list from 1 September 1736 together with a Arfelder.  In the philadelphischen list, in which that he called its past national gentlemen off, is it is acknowledged as Heger immediately after a Matthaeus Roeser, obviously a Elsoffer, entered. 

After it the city H a g e r s t o w n is mentioned in Maryland, which was established on his reason and soil. 

Hagerstown had 1925 over 30.000 inhabitants.