Generation 9 & 10: The Civil War, Part 1

John Argotsinger born April 11, 1789 was the oldest child of Philip and Beta. John married Catherine Backer (b. Jan 21, 1796) September 13, 1812 in Gloversville, NY at the Kingsboro Presbyterian Church. They settled in Roseville, Pennsylvania with records showing that they owned a farm 1 mile southeast of the town near the Van Ness school-house, a Stewart Austin also resided on the farm. In 1829, John Argetsinger is listed as a taxable inhabitant of the township.

John Argetsinger's property outlined in blue
Source: U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1875

They had 12 children. I am directly related to the eldest, Philip born 1813. He was followed by Anna Marie, John, Margaret, Sarah Elizabeth, James, Peter, Louisa, Lydia, Moses and Eliza.

Philip grew and married Anne Esseltine on June 12 1836 in Elmira, NY. They had nine children: Catherine, Henry, Mary, Eliza, Joel, Amelia, James, Susan E., Margaret.

Around this time major turmoil is taking place in the United States in the form of the Civil War. Philip being the oldest of the family is naturally the first to enlist. Records show he mustered in as a private with Company A of the 161st Regt., NY volunteer infantry on January 5, 1864. According to the Bureau of War Records State of NY Division of Military and Naval Affairs, Phillip was a farmer, with blue eyes, brown hair, and a dark complexion standing 5' 4.5" high.

Philip Argetsinger, original military photo

Now not to be outdone by his older brother, Moses signs up a week later on January 12, 1864 to the same company as Philip. The Bureau of War Records states Moses had grey eyes, light hair, florid complexion standing 5'5" tall.

Moses Argetsinger, official military picture

Company A of the 161st NY Volunteer Infantry saw the following battles and casualties  I have highlighted the times that the boys served. 

Source: New York in the War of the Rebellion, 3rd ed. Frederick Phisterer. Albany: J. B. Lyon Company, 1912.

 The Argetsinger brother's died within 3 days of each other in Brashear City, LA from sickness. It is recorded that many men died from "chronic diarrhea", most likely Dysentery. Philip died at the Barracks Hospital in New Orleans on May 9th and he is buried in the Chalmette National Cemetery. Moses died 3 days later on May 12th and is also buried at Chalmette National Cemetery; however his grave is unmarked. 

Myself, my dad and brother visiting Philips grave in 2002

Source: Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the
State of New York for the Year ... : Registers of the [units numbers].

Philip left behind his wife Ann and their nine children. Their oldest boy, Henry (who my story will continue through) also fought in the Civil War. His wife Ann was granted a widow's pension (WC 59046), which I have not been able to gain a copy of. 

Moses left behind his wife, Mary who was also granted a widow's pension (WC 71049).

Edited to add:
I finally got my hands on Philip Argetsinger's pension document

Philip Argetsinger Pension

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.

Generation 4 & 5: There's An Author In The Bunch

Well let's see where did I leave off? Oh, right with little Hans Ergezinger Jr. (confession I added the Junior). Well Hans grew up and on July 3, 1656 he married Margaretha Schaber (b. 1638). Together they had, brace yourself, 12 children!

Let's just call them the original Cheaper By The Dozen
Source: 20th Century Fox

1. Hans Conrad (3/22/1658 -7/27/1658)
2. Johannes Georg (6/31/1659 -1733)
3. Anna Marie (1/1/1661 - ????)
4. Hans Conrad (09/06/1662 - 11/12/1699)
5. Johannes (08/04/1664 - ????)
6. Margaretha (10/28/1665 - ????)
7. Agnes (04/07/1667 - 08/08/1667)
8. Georg (12/20/1668 - ????)
9. Elisabetha (04/12/1670 - ????)
10. Agnes (07/29/1671 - ????)
11. Frantz (01/28/1674 - ????)
12. Euphrosina (05/07/1676 - ????)


Although my story will continue with #4 Hans Conrad, I want to take you down a little bunny trail first. In my research I came across some written works with Ergezinger names to them. Johannes Georg (#2) is one of them. According to the registers of the University of Tübingen. he worked as deputy head of a grammar school in Delmenhorst. (From: Volume 3: 1710-1810, ed. Albert Buerk and Wilhelm will, Tübingen 1953;  The Matrikeleintrag No. 33086 of 23 October 1732)

The book is titled The Collection of the Canonical Scriptures of the Holy Modern Against Certain Objections Claim  (rough translation cause it is written in Latin and I have yet to mark off become fluent in Latin on my bucket list). Johannes Georg is listed as a respondent on the work under the author Christian Eberhard Weismann. Although the book was published in 1737 after Johannes Georg's death, this seems like a common practice during this period.

Source: University of Tübingen

Back to my story, Hans Conrad married Catherine Egeler and they had 5 children. Their oldest Balthas Ergezinger was born on April 16, 1695 and is my direct relation. The couple's other children were Hans Jacob (b. 12/02/1688), Hans Conrad (b. 1692), Johannes (b. 08/05/1697), and Hans Jerg (b. 03/12/1699).

Interestingly enough there is an author in the extended family too. Hans Conrad (son of Jon Georg b. 1659 who was a surgeon in Renningen), nephew of my relative Hans Conrad (b. 1662), attended the University of Tübingen and collaborated on two different works. The first was published in 1712 called De Obligatione Rei Ad Sustinendam Poenam (The Obligation to Support the Penalty).

Source: University of Tübingen

The second work was published in 1718 Dissertatio Morals De Obligatone Iuramenti (The Social Moral Obligation)

Front cover
Source: University of Tübingen

The afterword at the end of the book
(still working on the translation Google translate made no sense)
Source: University of Tübingen

He wrote a third work titled: Breve & Primum ac Tenue Historix Monasterii Blabyrensis, à Comitibus Palatinis Tubingensibus Quondam Excitati, Rudimentum ab A. D. 1095 ad A. C. 1747. quantum licuit, ex idoneis documentis delineatum. This work was about the history of the Blaubeuren monastery.

In regards to his work at Tübingen, according to the registers of the University of Tübingen. Volume 2: 1600-1710, ed. Albert Buerk and Wilhelm will, Tübingen 1953 "The Matrikeleintrag No. 30685 of 26 June 1709 reads: "Johann Conrad Ergezinger Renningensis". This book states that he worked as a tutor in the Duke metallic scholarship upon completion of his theological studies.

Finding these works were pretty cool, I'm still working on getting school records of Ergezinger's who attended the University of Tübingen, some things may just require a trip to Germany :)

Generation 2 & 3: Johann Georg & Hans Conrad Ergezinger

And so the story continues.... Johann Georg Ergezinger born August 8, 1579 in Renningen, Germany. On February 12, 1599, he married Catharine Juliane Imlin born on January 4, 1583 (my birthday! Well if you add about 400 years.) When comparing various sources we find that they had 6 children:

1. Johannes (b. 8/27/1600)
2. Margaretha (b. 7/20/1604)
3. Hans Conrad (b. 3/3/1607) 
4. Marie (b. 9/10/1608)
5. Erhard (b. 8/27/1612)
6. Catharina (Christened 9/2/1617; d. 2/7/1618)

From the book - "The Württemberg family foundations" printed in 1855

This book does only list 3 children which makes me believe that maybe they only recorded children that lived to adulthood, or maybe they listed the generations that only directly related to the Wurrtemberg family. 

But anyways back to the story the most important of these kids is Hans Conrad Ergezinger, because without him my story can't continue. 

Renningen, Germany today
Source: Wikipedia 

Hans Conrad born March 3, 1607 grew up in Renningen Germany. He met his wife Anna Maria Rentechler and they married in 1636. The book lists they had 3 little ones, but we will focus on Hans Ergezinger born February 22, 1633. (Surely they called him Jr. or Hans the 2nd or maybe they just called Hans Conrad "Big Pappa".... ok so probably not but I'm just saying it's a possibility). Hans Conrad, the father, died in Renningen July 22, 1670. 

From the book - "The Württemberg family foundations" printed in 1855

Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Renningen - the church
the children were most likely christened in
Source: church website

Once upon a time.

They always say you should start any story at the beginning.

My last name is not one that is not commonly come across in day to day interactions, its the name that is stumbled over by teachers trying to call roll, grossly mispronounced by telemarketers looking to make a sale. Yet I've come to love it (I mean I've had 24 years to let it grow on me and it's not like I really can compare it to any others). My father has done extensive research into our family history and whenever I would come home from school or go home for a visit it has become a fond memory of browsing the pages of the names, dates, pictures of all these far off relatives of mine. With all my dad's work compiled in a stuffed 3 ring binder, I figured it was time to let all the information jump into the digital world.

I know this may not seem like the beginning but unfortunately to piece together the history earlier than this it requires a trip to Germany and digging through the ancestry there. So until then...

Here we begin, with a man named Hans Ergezinger.
Hans was born in 1550 in the town of Renningen, Württemberg, Germany.

Now they always say a picture is worth a thousand words so let me paint you a picture.

Renningen, Germany - where it all began
Source: Wikipedia

1550 German attire... please note the tunic/tights
combination we have going on here
Source:  K Cornell, 2006

Hans occupation is at this time unknown. What we do know is that in 1578 (at a dashing age of 28) he married a women by the name of Margaretha.

A year later they had a son whom they named Johann Georg Ergezinger. He was born August 25, 1579 in Renningen,  Germany. This would remain their only child.

Saddly at some point Margaretha dies and Hans remarried, this time to a woman by the name of Catharina Schnaufer sometime after February 1591. And I choose to believe they live happily until his death in 1617.

Don't stop now! Continue reading the rest of the story!