Alter Flecken (Old Market), Freudenberg
On this day, 21 May 1743, Roerich Wäschenbach, my 8th great-grandfather, passed away.
Roerich Wäschenbach (also recorded as Waschenbach, Weschenbach, and Waeschenbach) was born in late March 1675, in Freudenberg, Prussia (now part of Germany). His parents were Heinrich Wäschenbach and Maria Halm.
Soon after, on 28 March 1675, Roerich was christened in the Evangelisch Freudenberg (the town’s Protestant church).
On 19 January 1682, his mother Maria (Halm) Wäschenbach died at the age of 25. Roerich was only six years old at the time.
The rest of Roerich’s childhood passed in relative obscurity until he was nearly 20 years old. On 9 April 1695, Roerich Wäschenbach wed Anna Maria Achenbach, daughter of Johannes Achenbach and Anna Catharina Wirth. The marriage took place in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
A year later, on 24 August 1696, Roerich‘s father Heinrich Wäschenbach died; he was 41 years old.
Roerich and Anna Maria Wäschenbach had a least eight children. Their first known child was a daughter named Agnesa, who was born on 19 October 1697, and was christened on 24 October 1697, in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
Daughter Anna Margretha Wäschenbach was welcomed to the family on 17 February 1700. She was baptized on 7 March 1700.
On 9 September 1702, daughter Anna Maria Wäschenbach was born. She was christened on 16 September 1702, in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
On 3 March 1704, son Christian Wäschenbach was born. He was baptized on 9 March 1704, in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
Then in late August 1708, son Johan Henrich Wäschenbach was welcomed to the family. He was christened on 2 Sep 1708, in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
In early April 1711, son Johannes Wäschenbach joined the family. He was baptized on 12 April 1711, in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
Daughter Maria Margretha Wäschenbach, my 7th great-grandmother, was born in early December 1713, and was christened on 10 December 1713, in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
On 29 January 1715, daughter Agnesa Wäschenbach married Christian Orndorff in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
In mid-August 1715, son Tilmanus Wäschenbach was born. He was baptized on 18 August 1715, in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
Nine years later, tragedy struck the Wäschenbach Family, when Roerich’s wife Anna Maria (Achenbach) Waeschenbach died on 17 December 1724. She was 50 years old.
On 4 February 1727, Roerich Wäschenbach married Maria Elisabeth Moll, daughter of Cornelius Moll, in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
On 14 April 1728, the couple welcomed a daughter, whom they named Anna Margreth.
On 16 August 1734, Roerich‘s daughter Anna Margretha (not to be confused with the youngest daughter) married Johannes Hermanus Ohrndorff in the Evangelisch Freudenberg.
Evangelische Freudenberg
Meanwhile, Roerich’s son Johan Henrich and daughter Maria Margretha decided to immigrate to the New World aboard the ship Hope which departed Rotterdam for Philadelphia, arriving on 23 September 1734.
Sadly, on 23 March 1737, Roerich’s youngest child, Anna Margreth Wäschenbach, died just shy of her ninth birthday.
In fall of 1737, son Tilmanus Wäschenbach, daughter Anna Margretha, and her husband Hermanus Orendorff, immigrated to the American Colonies aboard the ship Charming Nancy. They arrived in Philadelphia on 8 October 1737. (Daughter Maria Margretha Wäschenbach also immigrated to the New World sometime between 1732 and 1734, although details of her immigration are unknown.)
In 1741, daughter Agnesa Wäschebach and her husband Christian Orndorff immigrated to the American Colonies. They traveled aboard the ship St, Mark from Rotterdam to Philadelphia.
Sadness struck again, when wife Maria Elisabeth (Moll) Wäschenbach passed away on 9 January 1742.
Finally, on 21 May 1743, Roerich Wäschenbach died at the age of 67.
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Thanks for catching that typo, Eilene. Yes, he was indeed 67… the change has been made.
Regarding their migration: Between 1727 and 1775, approximately 65,000 Germanic immigrants migrated to Pennsylvania with many arriving in Philadelphia. They collectively became know as the Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutsche): people from Germany, Austria, Alsace, and Switzerland. The Pennsylvania Dutch maintained numerous religious affiliations with the greatest number being Lutheran or German Reformed, as well as Anabaptists (i.e. Mennonites, Amish, Brethren) and Moravians.
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I think you have a typo in the last sentence. He would have been 67, not 47. That’s interesting research. Any idea why all those children went to Philadelphia?
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