Generation 8: Long Live King George III!

On the story goes with Philip Argotsinger (although his last name is spelled numerous ways in different documents). During this time the American Revolutionary War was taking place (1775-1783).

Source: Rootsweb.com

Philip was a Loyalist and in May of 1781, he joined the 2nd Battalion of Col. John Johnson's Royal Regiment of New York. This battalion did not see much action at the time of his enlistment and in fact moved north into Canada before disbanding in 1784. 

Muster Roll for the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of NY
Source:  "The Settlement of Upper Canada"by Dr. Canniff

Eventually Philip comes back to New York and settles down. He married Beta Hallenbeck on March 20, 1787, she was also born in West Perth, Montgomery Co., NY. They have 8 children: John (whom I'm directly related to), Baltus, Maria Polly, Margaret Peggy, James, Sarah, Rebecca and Bathsheba. He is also listed in the First Census of the United States of America (where interestingly enough Paul Revere is also listed) with the occupation of farmer. Additionally in the 1790 census, Town of Caughnawaga, Phillip and Beta are listed as neighbors to his father, Baltus, his brother Baltus Jr., and his brother-in-law John Halenbeck. There are also two deeds presented to Philip Ergensinger from Philip Lansing, the first recorded in book 12 page 170 "Being part of Lot No. 63 in Sacandaga Patent in Montgomery County adn consisting of 75 acres of land" and the second consisting of 76 acres. Philip died in 1823 in West Perth, NY.

The Last Will and Testament of Philip 

Generation 6 & 7: Bound for America

Hopefully you're still with me and not too starstruck by the famous authors of the last post. Remember Balthas, born April 16, 1695? He went on to marry Anna Katharina Bantleon (b. 7/15/1702) on October 15, 1720 in Darsheim, Neckar, Wurttemberg, Germany. They had 12 children.

Just think of it as the sequel.
Source: 20th Century Fox

1. Johann Baltus (1/30/1723 - between 1804 & 1810)
2. Anna Katherine (12/19/1724 - 3/17/1726)
3. Anna Marie (5/23/1727-  5/24/1727)
4. Johann Jacob (8/8/1729 - ????)
5. Johannes (5/1/1731 - ????)
6. Johann Georg (1732 - 9/16/1807)
7. Johann Konrad (8/23/1735 - 11/3/1820)
8. Michael (8/4/1736 - 10/31/1736)
9. Anna Katerina (2/15/1738 - ????)
10. Unknown (7/12/1739 - 7/12/1739)
11. Gottlieb (1/15/1741 - 3/26/1799)
12. Anna (10/21/1743 - 10/22/1743)

We will continue with the first born Johann Baltus who is interestingly enough the only one of his family to journey out of Germany. But I'm getting ahead of myself. There are records of Johann Baltus working as a farmer and a baker, he married his wife Margaret Magdelena Bauer on November 19, 1744 at the Evangelishce Kirche (Evengelical Church) in Darsheim, Germany.  They had a total of 9 children. 

1. Thomas Ergezinger - died in infancy
2. Jacob Ergezinger - died in infancy
3. Baltus Ergezinger (8/8/1748 - 1772)
4. Johann Jacob - died in infancy
5. Anna Catherina (Ch. 12/15/1750 - between 1754 & 1756)
6. Johann Jacob (Ch. 3/3/1753 - ????)

At this point, according to Evangelische Kirche Darmsheim:  

"Following persons left for America or the so called Union from the Darmsheim commune: 15 May 1754 [most likely the date of departure from Darmsheim]. Balthas Ergezinger, farmer, son of Balthas Ergezinger, citizen and baker, resident here, together with his "heavily pregant" wife Margaretha, daughter of the deceased Thomas Bauer, citizen and farmer in Weil im Schönbuch and three children, Balthas, Anna Catharina, Johann Jacob."

So off they go headed for the New World. I have scrutinized passenger lists of ships coming over between the years of 1753 to 1755 and finally come to the conclusion that they came over on a UFO.

Source: thegrio.com

No, no not that type of UFO.... I'm talking about an Unidentified Floating Object.

Source: pem.org

I will continue my search for the ship but Ergezingers (or other derivatives of that name)  are not on the lists of passengers currently compiled in the years we believe they came. It is believed that when they finally made port it was in Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania or New York, New York.  Sadly, Anna Catherina is not believed to have made the journey and some sources point to her dying at sea.

From the book: "Denization, Naturalizations, and Oaths of Allegiance in Colonial New York"
by: Kenneth Scott, Kenn Stryker-Rodda

From the book, "The Colonial Laws of New York from the year 1664 to the Revolution: including the charters to the Duke of York, the commissions and instructions to colonial governors, the Duke’s laws, the laws of the Dongan and Leisler Asssemblies, the charters of Albany and New York and the acts of the colonial legistlatures from 1691 to 1775 inclusive”

LAWS OF THE COLONY OF NEW YORK. 357 Chapter 1089. Act for Naturalizing the several Persons therin Mentioned (Passed, July 8, 1759.)  

"Be it enacted by his Honour the Lieutenant Govenor the Council and the General Assembly and it is hereby Enacted by the authority of the same that the abovenamed Several Persons and Each and Every of them, shall be and hereby are declared to be naturalized to all Intents Constructions and Purposes Whatsoever and from henceforth and at all times hereafter shall be Intituled to have and Enjoy all the Rights and liberties, Privileges and advantages Which his "Majesty's Natural Bora Subjects in this Colony have and Enjoyed or Ought to have and Enjoy as fully to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever as if all and Every of them had been Born within this Colony.

Provided always and it is hereby further enacted by the same authority that all and every and each of the before mentioned persons shall take the Oaths appointed by Law instead of the Oaths of allegiance and supremacy subscribe the test and make repeat sweat to and subscribe the abjuration oath in any of his majesty's courts of record within this colony which oaths the said courts are hereby required upon application to them made to administer take subscriptions and cause the names of the persons so swearing and subscribing to be entered upon record in the said courts and the said before mentioned persons are each of them hereby required to pay the several sums herein after mentioned that is to say to the judge Qt the Court the sum of six shillings and to the Clerk of such court the sum of three shillings.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that if the said persons or any of them having so sworn and subscribed as aforesaid shall demand a certificate of his or there being entered upon record in the manner herein before directed." 

Names attached with the above oath of naturalization

From Philadelphia they ended up in Montgomery Co., NY near the town of Fonda. Here Johann Baltus and Margaret had 4 more children: Catrina (4/2/1756 - 8/2/1817), Johannes (6/25/1757 - 4/10/1837), Sophia Anna Margarita (10/28/1759 - 3/26/1841) and lastly Philip (1762 - 1823).

Source: History of Schoharie County

"The following tax list will show the names of many of the citizens living in and near that part of the Mohawk valley now embraced in Montgomery county, and their comparative wealth at that period. The manuscript, which has been preserved among the papers of the late Maj. Fonda, is without date: it is written in fair, legible hand, and must have been executed a few years prior to the revolution.

A list of the persons that are assessed above five pounds, with the sums they are to pay, and the number of days they are to work upon the King's highways, annexed."

The headings for the columns with numbers are:

First column - Quota

Second and Third columns - Annual Assess.

Fourth column - No. Days Work

Not much is known in the first years they spent in New York however the family is recorded in the first census of the United States in 1790.

According to Rootsweb.com: [These are adjacent records, and I believe this is a census error, and that Sr. is the first line, and Jr. the second. I believe it was Jr. who married Magdalena Moore, not his father. The two males over 16 are Baltus Jr. and son Michael; the four sons under 16 are Christian, Baltis, Jacob, and Philip (this presumes that the youngest son Johannes was b. after 1 Jun 1790, or that son Christian died young); the two females are Magdalena and daughter Maria.]

I am directly related to the baby of the family Philip who interestingly is the first relative to have a change in the spelling of his last name to Argotsinger.