Davis Uriah I | Born 1707

SCHNEPP, Johannes

Male 1695 - 1762  (66 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name SCHNEPP, Johannes  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
    Born 1 Dec 1695  Duntzenheim, Alsace, Germany (Now France) Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Buried 1709  Confirmation At Duntzenheim Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Died 19 Mar 1762  Frederick County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I3583  Uriah Davis I - Genealogy
    Last Modified 21 Jun 2018 

    Father SCHNEPP, Lorentz,   b. 20 May 1669, Pfaffenhoffen (The Alsace Area) Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6/06 Mar 1731/1732, Gumbrechtshoffen (The Alsace Area) Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 62 years) 
    Mother HABER, Anna Catharina,   b. 3/03 Mar 1668/1669, Alteckendorff Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 29 Oct 1725, Geissweiler (The Alsace Area) Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 56 years) 
    Married 13 Sep 1689  Alteckendorff Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F907  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family DUTT, Barbara,   b. 1698, Schwindratzheim, Alsace, Germany (Now France) Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 Nov 1758, Frederick County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 60 years) 
    Married 17/17 Feb 1718/1719  Schwindratzheim, Alsace, Germany (Now France) Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. SNAPP, John,   b. 1721, Alsace Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Oct 1786, Frederick County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 65 years)
     2. SNAPP, Lawrence,   b. 1723, Mulhausen, Alsace Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Jun 1782, Frederick Parish, Shenandoah County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 59 years)
     3. SNAPP, Barbara,   b. 1730, Alsace) Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     4. SNAPP, Ann Catharine,   b. 28 Sep 1734, Fredrick County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     5. SNAPP, Christian,   b. 15 May 1737, Frederick County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     6. SNAPP, Margaret,   b. 1738, Fredrick County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     7. SNAPP, Salome,   b. 1740, Frederick County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 24 Jun 2018 
    Family ID F1266  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • In the early half of the eighteenth century, southern Germany had been scourged by war, pestilence and famine to such an extent that life there had become unbearable for many of the inhabitants. The Palatinate and the Upper Rhine State was one area from which the inhabitants emigrated in great numbers. Although this migration was unquestionably joined by many thousands of Germans from other areas, there were so many from the Palatinate, that all German immigrants became known as "Palatines." This was true both in England, where many of them first took refuge, and in America where the majority of them finally reached.
      Philadelphia was the port of entry for the majority of German refugees. Although the Colonies welcomed immigration in general, the Palatines poured into Pennsylvania in such great numbers that the officials of the Colony became alarmed; laws were passed requiring each male immigrant, whether single or the head of a family, be properly registered by name and that registration should also show the name of the vessel by which he came, the name of it's captain, the name of the port from which the immigrant embarked, and the date of his landing in America. He was, furthermore required to sign an oath of adjuration of the government from which he came, and one of allegiance to the government of Pennsylvania.
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      John migrated to Rotterdam from his home near Weisenberg, Alsace, Germany. The family sailed to the colonies on the ship Samuel. On board the ship Samuel of London, Hugh Percy, Master, from Rotterdam were; Johannes Snapp 37, wife Barbara 34, children Johannes 12, Lawrence 10, and Barbara 3. Also disembarking was Lawrence Snapp age 21, no doubt a younger brother of Johannes Snapp.
      John Snapp, Sr. John Snapp, Jr. and Lawrence Snapp were naturalized in Frederick County, Virginia on May 21, 1753.
      The Snapp families in Virginia are the descendants of Johannes Schnepp and his wife Barbara who arrived in Philadelphia aboard the Samuel, 17 August 1733 and from Georg Schnepp and wife who arrived on the Phoenix 28 August 1750. Their specific relationship is not known but they were both born in northern Alsace where they and their ancestors had followed the life of herdsmen and shepherds for many generations. People lived in compact villages and each village had common land on which to graze their livestock. They therefore needed full time herdsmen, dairymen, and shepherds to tend the animals. Due to the nature of this occupation families were seldom in one area long and moved about looking for work. This has made it difficult to find records of the family. For instance, Lorentz Schnepp, father of Johannes the Virginia pioneer, had children baptized in eight different villages. His father Hans Schnepp had at least twelve children born in almost as many villages in northern Alsace.
      Johannes Schnepp (John Snapp), the 1733 immigrant, was born at Duntzenheim in northern Alsace December 1, 1695, son of Lorentz Schnepp and Anna Catherina (born Haber). Johannes was baptized at Duntzenheim 5 December 1695 and record of his confirmation 30 March 1709 at age 13 is found at nearby Geisweiler (now Geiswiller). Johannes (Hans) married Barbara Dutt, daughter of Philip Dutt, at Schwindratzhiem 7 February 1719 and shortly afterward moved to Muhlhausen where he followed the family business of shepherd. When he signed documents regarding his mother's estate in 1728, he signed with a distinctive mark-a large H with an S and a shepherd's crook in the crossbar of the H. This is the same signature he used when signing the oath of allegiance to the British Crown when he arrived in Philadelphia in the summer of 1733. Johannes (in Virginia records he is John Snapp Sr.) settled in western Frederick County, Virginia, about eight miles southwest of Winchester by 1735 and took up a large tract of land on a tributary of Cedar Creek. John died 19 March 1762. Barbara was born about 1698 and died 20 November 1758.
      The Snapp family lived in that part of Frederick County, Virginia that became Shenandoah County in 1772. In the early days of voting in this country, each person voting was required to sign a list of names following the candidate. The names of John Snap, John Snap, Jr. , and Law Snap are found in the 1758 vote for the House of Burgesses, as having voted for then Col. George Washington. John, his wife Barbara and brother Lawrence appear on the Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., Pennsylvania Census in 1733. John was a Sheperd in Alsace Germany and became a farmer in Frederick Co. , Virginia. His religion was German Lutheran. John and his family settled in Winchester, Virginia in 1750. John's brother Lawrence seems to have moved on to Rowan Co., North Carolina, receiving a land grant there in 1750. John's property was still in the Snapp family as late as the 1970's and there is a very old Snapp home on the site.
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      Will of John Snapp, 30 November 1761, Frederick County, Virginia. Will Book 3, p. 35.
      In the Name of God Amen. Whereas I John Snapp of Frederick County & Colony of Virginia being taken sick of body but of perfect mind & memory thanks be to God for it and knowing the uncertainty of this human life and calling to mind the certainty of death do think proper to set my worldly affairs in order.
      First and principally I commit my soul to God who gave it to me nothing doubting to receive it again at the General Resurrection by the Mighty Power of God and Body I order to be buried in a Christian like manner in the burying place by my wife Barbara deceased. As to my worldly affairs I order and appoint in manner and form as followeth.
      Item I order and bequeath all my worldly estate that God hath pleased to bless me with money and goods to be equally divided to each of my children John Snap, Lawrence Snap, Barbara Baker, Catherine Pitman, Christian Beard, Margaret Messersmith, Salomy Wisecarver. Excepting my Bible I order to my John over his equal share. Impermis I order and ordain my son Lawrence Snapp to be my whole and sole Executor, to act for me and on my behalf as if I were personally present.
      I do hereby acknowledge this to be my last will and Testament revoking and disannulling all other former wills or Testaments heretofore made by me and do acknowledge this to be my last will and Testament. Published and declared before us this thirtieth day of November in the year of Our Lord 1761
      Joseph Fawcett John HS Snap (Ls)
      John Fawcett
      Richard Fawcett
      At a court held for Frederick County on the 6th day of April 1762, this will was exhibited by Lawrence Snap the executor therein named who made oath thereto according to Law and the same being proved by the witnesses thereto is ordered to be recorded.

  • Sources 
    1. [S54] Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and their Descendants, by Cartmell, p 469.

    2. [S55] The Snapp Family, by White River Valley Historical Society Qt Sp 1971, p 2.

    3. [S56] Genealogies of American Families, by Tyler Otlay.

    4. [S57] Research Notes of Daniel W. Bly, Strasburg, Virginia.

    5. [S58] German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrival in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808, Edited by.

    6. [S59] Cartmell's History, Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendants, AHistory of Frederick County, Virginia, 1738-1908.