HARNSBERGER, Stephen

Notes:

According to the "Family Gazette" of Elkton, Virginia. Stephen came from Zurich Switzerland. While trying to leave the country he was placed under many "false" arrests and imprisoned. For passage to the Virginia colony, he and his parents worked as an indentured servants at the Germanna Colony for Colonel Alexander Spotswood. They settled first at Orange Co., Virginia. He acquired 150 + 400 Ac. at St. Georges Parrish. Stephen located in Augusta (now Rockingham) County in about 1751 as his name appears on a list of tithables liable to work on the road from the Shenandoah River to the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Swift Run Gap. Stephen acquired land about1 1/2 miles southwest of the present town of Elkton and 1/2 mile from the river. In his will Stephen gave his son Adam the power to split his estate 1/3 to his 2nd wife Ursula and 2/3 to be split among the 5 boys. In addition to the 1/3 Stephen gives to Ursula her bed, spinning wheel, a chest and the benefit of living in the family home the remainder of her days and the garden.
Some sources state that Stephen was a member of the exploration party headed by Alexander Spotswood known as the "Knights of the Golden Horseshoe" this story however can't be correct as the expedition occured in 1716 when Stephan would have been a young child still living in Europe. He did however survey the road sthough Swift Run Gap at a later date.
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CHRONICLES OF THE Scotch-Irish Settlement IN VIRGINIA EXTRACTED FROM THE ORIGINAL COURT RECORDS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY 1745-1800
DEED BOOK NO. 13.
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
page 449
Page 201.--17th March, 1767. Stephen ( ) Hernsberger and Arsley ( ) to John Miller, £53, 200 acres on Shanand River, part thereof being a tract of 176 acres sold to Stephen by Phillip Long, 19th June, 1764, the other part being part of 304 acres patented to Stephen, 31st October, 1765, line of Henry Sellers. Teste: Jacob Pirkey.
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CHRONICLES OF THE Scotch-Irish Settlement IN VIRGINIA EXTRACTED FROM THE ORIGINAL COURT RECORDS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY 1745-1800
DEED BOOK NO. 11.
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
page 413
Page 665.--19th June, 1764. Phillip Long, eldest son and heir-at-law of Paul Long, who was eldest son and heir-at-law of Phillip Long, of Frederick County, to Stephen Hemsburger, £40, 176 acres purchased by Phillip, Sr., of Joseph Phillips (deed recorded in Orange) on Shannando River. Teste: George Carpenter. Delivered: Stephen Hansberger, November, 1766.
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CHRONICLES OF THE Scotch-Irish Settlement IN VIRGINIA EXTRACTED FROM THE ORIGINAL COURT RECORDS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY 1745-1800
ABSTRACTS OF WILLS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY VIRGINIA. AUGUSTA COUNTY COURT. WILL BOOK No. 4.
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
page 110
Page 241.--26th November, 1767. Stephen Conrad's estate sold to, viz: John Coutch, Lewis Fisher, Stephen Hensbengar, Zachariah Rexrode, Henry Tamewood, Peachey Gilmore.
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Copy of Will of Stephen Harnsberger
In the name of God Amen, December the 26, in the year of our Lord 1774.
I, Stephen Hanceberger of the County of Augusta in the colony o fVirginia being in health and perfect mind & memory & calling to mind the mortality of my body & knowing that it is apointed for all men once to die do make ordain & appoint this my last will & testament that is to say first & principally of all I give & humbly recommend my soul to God who gave it & for my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a Christian like & decent manner and as touching my worldly estate that it hath been Pleased God to bless me in this life with. I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner,
first, I order all my lawful debts to be paid, which I have legally contracted. Imprimis I give & bequeath to my well beloved wife Uachel (sic) her bed & spinning wheel, & chest & the benefit of my dwelling house & garden during her natural life time also 1/ 3 part of my whole estate land & movables & debts
also I give & bequeath to my well beloved sons, Adam, Henry, Stephen & Conrad & Robert the other 2/3 of all my estate of lands, debts & moveables to be equally divided between them at my decease & this I trust will be done & truly fulfilled & I do hereby constitute make & ordain my son Adam Hanceberger sole Executor of this my last will & testament & I do hereby utterly disalow revoke and disannull all & every other former testaments wills & legacies, bequests & Executors by me in any wise before this time named & bequeathed. Ratifying & confirming this & no other as my last will & testament. In witness I have hereunto set my hand & seal day & year above written.
his mark
Stephen x Hansberger
Published & Declared as his last will & testament in presence of
John Zimmerman
George Zimmerman
Adam Carpenter
Jacob Miller
Leonard Zimmerman
Probated March. 19, 1776, in the Clerk's Office of Augusta County, Staunton, VA
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CHRONICLES OF THE Scotch-Irish Settlement IN VIRGINIA EXTRACTED FROM THE ORIGINAL COURT RECORDS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY 1745-1800
ABSTRACTS OF WILLS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY, VIRGINIA. WILL BOOK NO. V.
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
page 146
Page 479.--18th March, 1777. Recorded. Steen Hansbaig's appraisement by Geo. Carpenter, John Zöller (Seller?).

Stephen — Agnes. [Group Sheet]

1. HARNSBERGER, John
2. HARNSBERGER, Barbara
3. HARNSBERGER, Elizabeth
4. HARNSBERGER, Margareth

Stephen — SCHIETLEY, Ursula. Ursula (daughter of SHIETLEY, John) was born Abt 1722, Germany; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

1. HARNSBERGER, Stephen was born , Rockingham County, Virginia.
2. HARNSBERGER, Adam Captain was born 10/10 Jan 1750/1751, Elkton, Rockingham County, Virginia; died Mar 1815, Rockingham County, Virginia.
3. HARNSBERGER, Henry was born 16 Oct 1752, Elkton, Rockingham County, Virginia; died 16 Jul 1834.
4. HARNSBERGER, Conrad was born 15 Nov 1756, Rockingham County, Virginia; died 1814, Norfolk, Virginia.
5. HARNSBERGER, Robert was born 1760, Rockingham County, Virginia; died 6 Feb 1840, Augusta County Virginia.

Notes:

John came to this country with his wife in 1717. A court order book dated Feb. 1, 1725 for the County records of Spotsylvania Co., Virginia indicates that Hans Horrensburger petitioned for his rights to take up lands in accordance with the Royal Charter. He was granted the rights to take up to 150 acres. It appears this land was adjacent to the 2nd Germanna Colony.
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In 1726 John Harnsberger and John Motz were granted 400 acres. He later removed with others to the Lutheran colony in Madison Co. Virginia.
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John's will was dated Jan. 19,1759, and probated March 20, 1760. John gave his plantation and his black servant Sarah to his 2nd wife Anna Magdaline who was formerly married to Henry Ayler. He also bequeathed all of his personal estate to his wife and his grand children by Stephen and Stephen's first wife Agnes. After the passing of Anna the plantation was to be split 1/2 to John, Stephen's son and 1/2 to Stephen's 3 daughters Barbara, Elizabeth and Margaret. As for Stephen, John forgave the debt he owed and also left the brandy still. Our line from Stephen's second wife does not seem to be considered in the will.
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John's Will;
The following are excerpts from the Will of John Harnsberger dated 1759,19th of January, and probated the 20th date of March 1760. (This would fix the date of John's decease some time between these dates).
"IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. I. John Harrensparger of the parish of Bromfield in Culpeper County, being in a good health and of perfect mind and memory; but being old and calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die to make and or dain this my last will and testament: That is to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of the Almighty God that gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian burial, Nothing doubting but that at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again, by the might power of God, and as to touching so my worldly estate where with it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form:
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"At first I do give and bequeath unto my dearly beloved wife, Anne Magdalene, the plantation whereupon we have lived hitherto during her life, likewise my negro woman, Sarah, so long as she, my said wife liveth.
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2 - I do bequeath to my said beloved wife, Anne Magdalene and her heirs forever, the majority of all my personal estate and movable goods, consisting in horses, cattle and hogs or any other things whatsoever which I have right to claim, so that they may equally be divided between my just above mentioned wife and my grandchildren, my son Stephen's children by his first wife, Agnes, viz: John Harrensparger, Barbara Harrensparger, Elizabeth and Margaret.
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3 -- I do forgive to my son, Stephen Harrensparger, the debt he owes me, likewise I give to him for his portion of the heritage, the brandy still, about 15 pounds worth, which he fetched from my house, and I desire he shall be content with this portion."
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Later in the will, John directed that the plantation be divided, after the decease of his wife , 1/2 to John, son of Stephen, and the remaining half to Stephen's three daughters, Barbara, Elizabeth and Margaret. . . .." among which I to Margaret, which I have educated, have given one cow with all her increase before hand."
John went on to make further provision for disposition of property to the grandchildren mentioned above, and to "my beloved wife's children. viz: Henry Ayler and Elizabeth Tanner of their heirs". He made Henry Ayler ,"my son-in-law", his executor.
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Stephen was apparently in the bad graces of his father, when John made his Will, as no mention of his second marriage was made in the document, except indirectly by the mention of Stephen's children "by his first wife, Agnes", we know that Stephen was married again and that his second wife's name was Ursula Shitley. Variations of her first name appear in documents as Ursilla, Uachel, Ursley, Ulsey, Uashel.
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Notes from the Germana Colony:

Nr. 294:

One Germanna Colonist appears to have come directly to Virginia from Switzerland. His motivations in moving are not clear, but there is a record of his birth there. This was Hans Heerensperger, better known as Johns Harnsberger. He immigrated in 1717, and from his proof of importation we know he came with his wife Anna Purve (Barbara) and his son Stephen. The same day that he made his proof of importation, John Motz also made his proof, stating he came with Maria Pelona (Appollonia?). Both of these men stated they arrived in 1717.
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Nr. 295:

We were introduced to John Harnsberger in the last note, who was baptized in the Evangelical (Protestant) Reformed Church of Bussnang, Thurgau, Switzerland on 1 April 1688. He came in 1717 to Virginia with his wife Anna Barbara and son Stephen. We presume that he was married at the time to Anna Barbara. John would have been 29 years old at the time, so Stephen was probably very young.

This information, and more to be given, comes from Wanda Miller Cunningham who generously gives credit to John Echols Hansberger and Robert Torkelson for their contributions. Mr. Torkelson is responsible for the Swiss information and I expand upon that now.

Hans Heerensperger (to use his name in Switzerland) was the seventh child of Jacob Heerensperger, who had been born in April 1648 in Affeltrangen, Thurgau, and of Maria Hoerdlin, who been born ca 1655 in Switzerland. Jacob's parents are Hans Jacob and Susannah Wohnlich. The parish book of Bussnang lists seven children from 1673 to Hans in 1688.

The name Heerensperger gave both Englishmen and Germans alike some trouble as to its spelling. Early variations are common and sometimes it is hard to know if a name is to be identified with Heerensperger. Two of the most popular variations that have evolved are Hansberger and Harnsberger.

John Harnsberger was not sued by Spotswood nor was John Motz. However, from the date they gave for their importation, it would appear probable that they were members of the Second Germanna Colony. Also, they had a joint land patent in the Robinson River area (Hebron) on the same date as many Second Colony members did. Usually, a joint patent indicates some relationship between the men, perhaps through one or both of their wives. In this case, no relationships are known.

Sidetracking to discuss John Motz, very little is known about the man. His marriage record is in the Lutheran Church of Bonfeld, Baden for 28 Feb 1716. He too was a young man but the information from Germany does not help solve the riddle connected with him. He must have died early for he does not appear in the Orange Co. tithables for 1739. From later records, he may have left a daughter Elizabeth who married Philip Nelson. If it is true that he left only one child, a daughter, this may be the reason that so little is known about him.

Anna Barbara Harnsberger died and John married Anna Magdalena Aylor, a widow, some time after 30 Nov 1742. The will of John Harnsberger, dated 15 Jan 1759, probated in Culpeper Co. on 20 Mar 1760, mentions Anna Magdalena, grandchildren John, Barbara, Elizabeth, and Margaret Harrensparger, children of Stephen by his first wife Agnes; leaves a small bequest to Stephen; mentions "my wife's children" Henry Aylor and Elizabeth Tanner.
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Nr. 296:

In John Harnsberger's will, the name is given as Harrensparger, which is close to the Swiss spelling of Heerensperger. Witnesses to the will were George Samuel Klugg, Michael Thomas, and George Mayer, members of the German community in the Robinson River Valley. John Harnsberger left only one heir, Stephen, and the relationship between the two was strained. The legacy to Stephen was meager in comparison to the legacy to others.

John's statement with regard to Stephen was, "I do forgive to my son Stephen Harrensparger the Debt he owes me. Likewise I give to him, for his Portion of the Heritage, the Brandy Still, about 15 Pounds worth, which he fetched from my house and I desire that he should be content with this Portion." John's legacies to his grandchildren by Stephen's first marriage to Agnes were ample, but he made no mention of the five grandchildren of Stephen's second marriage to Ursula Scheitle. This may have been a basis of disagreement between them.

The inventory of John's estate indicated he had done well as a farmer. There were livestock, furniture, books, beehives, brandy and cider.

Stephen married Agnes about 1740, when he was perhaps about 24 years old. Her maiden name is unknown. Agnes died some time before 1750, for near that date Stephen married Ursula Scheitle. Stephen was a chain carrier for a survey for Henry Souther in 1748 along with Daniel Crisler. Chain carriers were often related directly or through their wives to the survey owner, but in this case no information is shed. By 1752, Stephen was living in the Shenandoah Valley, because he appears on a road crew there. Over the decade following, he acquired land by purchase and patent in the Valley.

A court case in 1766 in Augusta Co. sheds light on the history of Ursula, Steven's wife. Ursula's father died in Germany. The widow and young children left for America. In America, the mother married John Fotch who took possession of the remains of the Scheitle estate, which it was contended, amounted to almost one hundred pounds. After Ursula and her sisters were married, their husbands appealed to John Fotch for the girl's share of their father's estate. They received some money but Fotch contended that the balance of the estate was used in their support. Testimony was taken in the case but no decision appears in the records perhaps indicating that the case was dropped.

In 1775 Stephen wrote his will in the presence of John Zimmerman, George Zimmerman, Adam Carpenter, Jacob Miller, and Conrad Zimmerman. Though all of these names are Germanna names, the individuals themselves are believed to have sources other than Germanna. The will was proved in 1776 in Augusta County. Only the wife Ursula and sons, Adam, Henry, Stephen, Conrad, and Robert are mentioned.

John married PROUVE, Anna Barbara Purve Or 1712. Anna was born Abt 1690, Europe; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

I thank Mr. John Echols Hansberger and Mr. Robert Torkelson for their contributions. Mr. Torkelson is responsible for the Swiss information contained in this ancestry.

The name Harnsburger seems to have been Anglicized from its original Swiss spelling of Harrensparger or Herrensperger, which in literal translation refers to a person from the town of Herrensberg. Herrensberg is a small town near Zurich, Switzerland. Herrensberg translated means "The Lord's Hill" or "Hill of the Lord". Jacob and Maria had at least 6 children before they had John.

Jacob — HOERDLIN, Maria. Maria was born Abt 1655, Switzerland; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Hans — WOHNLICH, Susannah. [Group Sheet]