Jacob Danner Jr (abt. 1727 - abt. 1799)

Born about 1727 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1799 at about age 72 in Johnsville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Caryl Ruckert [send private message]

Biography

Jacob Danner Jr was born about 1727 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, son of Michael Danner (<1696 - 1782) and Anna Marie (Bend) Danner (~1706 - >1782). His occupation was 'clock maker (?)'.

Jacob Danner immigrated to Philadelphia in 1748 from Palatinate (via Rotterdam) aboard the Patience and Margaret, arriving September 25th. Johann Georg Danner, a wheelwrights son from Schaffhausen, Switzerland, arrived in PA that year and was living with the Christian Benner in the Franconia Township. Johann Georg placed an advertisement seeking his brother, Jacob Danner, who had arrived the previous year. From the "Church Records of Goshenhoppen" of Rev. Geo. M. Weiss we have found he baptized "Jacob Danner's four sons and J. Danner's daughter."

Jacob Danner settled in North Carolina in present day Surry County, where his sons were all living and where they served in the Revolutionary War (except for Samuel). Jacob is believed to be buried in a small family plot belonging to his son, George, in Stokes County, NC. Surry County was divided and the land that George Danner had laid in Stokes County. Itwas situated on the South Fork of Muddy Creek. When he sold the land he reserved a half acre for a cemetery for his family. The Deed reads "where said George Danner's father, mother, brother and sister are buried.

Jacob died about 1799 in Johnsville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States aged ~72.

Research Notes

• Dec 3 1747: bought land from Felix Landis and wife Mary
• 1756: may be the Jacob Downer taxed at Manheim Twp

Early Life

Jacob Danner was born about 1727 to Michael Danner and Anna Bend. According to J. Maurice Henry in his History of the Church of the Brethren in Maryland, Jacob was born on the farm of his father Michael Danner, located six miles southwest of the home of John Hendricks in York County.^[1]

Jacob's father Michael Danner, Sr. died intestate in 1782 in York County, Pennsylvania. The Orphan Court records show that he had a wife named Anna and his eldest son was Jacob Danner of Frederick County, Maryland. The records also state that Michael Danner, Jr. (Michael Danner the younger) died about the same time. His widow was named Susana and he left children under the age of 16 years old named Barbara, Samuel, Jonathan, Elizabeth and Michael. Also named was his daughter Anna that married David Beckner and Maudlina of full age and unmarried. The minors were under the guardianship of Henry Danner and Henry Hoff.^[2] These children were included in the estate of Michael Danner Sr. (the elder). Jacob was appointed to pay the widow and other representatives of his father Michael's estate. It included his deceased sister Catherine who married George Wealy, sister Anna who married Stephen Peter, the heirs of his brother Michael the younger (also deceased), sister Elizabeth who married Christian Bear, brother Philip, brother Henry and sister Mary who married Henry Hoff.^[3]

The surname Danner and Tanner are found in the court and census records.

From an article titled, "The Hanover Environs Tour", published June 26, 1965 by the editor of the Mennonite Research Journal, we learn that "Michael Danner, (1696- 1781) County Commissioner when York County was cut out of Lancaster in 1749, and his wife Anna, undoubtedly were buried on this twelve acre tract, which he received from the Penns ( 1761 and 1774) and turned over to the Mennonites, naming the grantees "John Shenck of Manheim and Jacob Keagy of Heidelberg, minister of the Mennonites. John Weldy and James Milier both of Manheim (now Heidelberg) elders of the Mennonite congregations'"; i. e. Deacons. Some ordained and many from the area are buried in this cemetery cut in two by the York Road." The footnotes on this passage state that the Shenks, Danners, Millers, Baers, etc., were immediately to the east in Manheim (partly now Heidelberg Township). Michael Danner (1696-1781) married Anna. (There is a Michael Danner listed in Strasburger-Hinke I., page 331, came in September 24, 1742.) He stopped in Lancaster County then crossed the Susquehanna River, imprisoned due to the Cresap War in Annapolis, and later moved to Hanover after again being found on the East of the River.)^[4]

At the time of Jacob's birth his father Michael was involved in the Cresap's War. It was a border conflict between Pennsylvania and Maryland, fought in the 1730s. Hostilities erupted in 1730 with a series of violent incidents prompted by disputes over property rights and law enforcement, and escalated through the first half of the decade, culminating in the deployment of military forces by Maryland in 1736 and by Pennsylvania in 1737. The armed phase of the conflict ended in May 1738 with the intervention of King George II, who compelled the negotiation of a cease-fire. A final settlement was not achieved until 1767 when the Mason–Dixon line was recognized as the permanent boundary between the two colonies.^[5]

Thomas Cresap opened a ferry in response to the influx of Pennsylvania settlers in disputed area. Maryland granted Cresap title to 500 acres (2 km2) along the west bank of the river, much of which was already inhabited. Cresap began to act as a land agent. Michael Tanner settled a 200-acre (0.81 km2) tract six miles (10 km) southwest of Wrightsville in 1734. In 1735, Cresap surveyed his land to Daniel Low. Low and family dwelt in Tanner's house and Tanner was obliged to pay Low eight pounds or otherwise lose his buildings and improvements. He was among other German neighbors who Cresap and his relatives, the Lowes, of maltreatment.

In 1732, Samuel Blunston, land agent for the Penn's, wrote to the Governor about some men arrested by associates of Col. Thomas Cresaps of Maryland and taken to Annapolis. Included was Jacob's father Michael Danner (see Archives of Maryland 28:100-101).^[6][7]

When Jacob was a boy in March of 1737, his father Michael Tanner (Danner) and six of his neighbors were preparing a grave for a child when the Maryland "Higginbotham" Militia seized them and carried them off as prisoners to Annapolis.^[7]

Note

Note: Well known as a poet, teacher and speaker. Jacob owned land on Israel Creek in the Monocacy Valley, Md.

********************************************

Jacob Danner united with the German Baptist Church (Church of the Brethern) at an early age. A poet, teacher and forceful speaker, he was elected to the ministry before he was 25 years of age. He organized the Codorus Church of the Brethern in York County 12 miles southwest of York, Pa., during 1758 and served it as minister and elder until 1762 when he moved to Frederick County, Md. He next served as an elder for the Beaver Dam Church of the Brethern in Frederick Co., Md., and was active in church affairs throughout northern Maryland and southwestern Pa. His writings during a debate with Reverand Leische of York Co., Pa, concerning baptism by submersion were written in a dialect no longer used in Germany, and in verse. Dale Danner of York, Pa. has some of these writings in his possession. Some of Jacob' poems are included in "The Little Harp" (1792)--Samuel Sower. Jacob's handwriting is quite distinct and neat. (History of the Church of the Brethern in Maryland-J. Maurice Henry, Page 102, 234)

Jacob Danner, his brother Henry and their father Michael, frequented the Monthly and Annual Church Conferences in Maryland and Pennsylvania. His last noted attendance was during 1799 when he and his brother Henry were named to a Conference Committee. (History of the Black Rock Church of the Brethern (1738-1970)--Stanley P. Baugher, per Committee of Black Rock Church. A few days prior to this Cinference, on May 13, 1799, Jacob conducted a christening at the Conestoga Church in York Co., Pa. Shortly thereafter, the date being uncertain, he went to Brownsville, Maryland, two valleys west of his home on Israel Crek in the Monocacy Valley, Frederick County, Md. to further the establishment of a church. He became ill, died and was buried there. The original church cemetery at Brownsville, Md. is on the side of a barren hill, in an open cow pasture. Exposed to the elements and the animals, the sandstone grave markers had deteriorated and with the exception of a very few had disappeared when the site was visited

about 1966, and there was no visual evidence of Jacob's burial there. It is, however, reported int he Church of the Brethern's official publication, The Gospel Messenger, issue of May 5, page 12, 1835.

Three Diggs brothers, Edward, William and Henry, had acquired large acreages of land in Frederick County, Md. from Charles Carroll. After a violent quarrel, one of the brothers moved to York Co., Pa., where he met and sold Jacob Danner 848 acres known as "Spring Plain" situated on Israels Creek in the Moncacy Valley, Md. subject to a 4, 000 pounds sterling mortgage held by Charles Carroll, which upon payment by Jacob Danner was released June 26, 1762. During 1763 Danner sold 350 acres of this tract "together with all ways and watercourses, houses, fences, gardens, orchards and all other appurtenances" to Michael Dottre of Pennsylvania. Other portions of "Spring Plain: were sold to Martin Gerber June 3, 1768, a 150 acre tract to Christopher Steele, and on Nov. 191766, 94 1/2 acres to Michael Wine, a wagoner from York Co., Pa. It is said by such sales Jacob Danner surrounded himself "with food, strong members of the York County Churches." (The Gospel Messenger, May 19, 1934, page 9). Other land transactions included a sale of 8 1/2 acres known as "Woods Choice" on June 22, 1763, to Robert Wood, the repurchas by Danner of part of that tract known as "third Spring" on Nov. 19, 1766, and the sale to Wood during 1768 of a tract called "Woods Good Luck"

Jacob called that portion of "Spring Plain" on which he made his home in Frederick Co., Md. "Linginnohr." It is said that he disliked slavery so much that at times he purchased slaves only to set them free.

Early Maryland records disclose there were a number of Danners resided within that state in the 18th century. Since our research did not result in positive identification of the heirs of Jacob Danner, we have preferred not to include herein the names of any of those persons we believe to

have been his descendants. Norman Danner of Porters Sideling, Pa. believed and said t was family tradition that Jacob had a son Dietrich born during 1750, a second son, Tobias, who was one of the first men to enlist in York Co., Pa., during the Revolutionary War, and a third son named Abraham who was born during 1775.

References: The Story of our Church, pg. 146--J. E. Miller; History of the Church of the Brethern in Maryland-Gibson;

History of the German Baptist Brethern in Europe and America-Brumbaugh;

History of the Church of the Brethern in Southern District of Pennsylvania-J. Linwood Eisenberg;

History of the Moravian Church in Philadelphia--Abraham Ritter;

The Light in the Valley-Codorus Church, York Co., Pa.;

History of York Co., Pa, Vol 1- Prowell;

Frederick Co., Md. Deed Books H. page 502, K. page 811, 815, L. page 363;

The Brethern in Early America--Brumbaugh.

Occupation

Occupation: Clock maker (?)

Religion

Religion: German Baptist Brethren

Note: Was a prominant German Baptist Brethren minister.

Sources

1. ↑ Henry, J. Maurice. History of the Church of the Brethren in Maryland. Ft. Wayne: Allen County Public Library, 1936. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89067481028&view=1up&seq=47
2. ↑ York County, Pennsylvania. "Court dockets v.E-H 1782-1803," 29 May 1784, pg. 19, The Petition of Henry Tanner, digital image, Familysearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 1 December 2020) FHL microfilm 005534491, image 24; York County. Citing Jacob his eldest son of Frederick County Maryland
3. ↑ York County, Pennsylvania. "Court dockets v.E-H 1782-1803," 29 May 1784, pg. 41-42, Jacob Danner Eldest Son and Heir at Law, digital image, Familysearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 1 December 2020) FHL microfilm 005534491, image 35-36; York County. Citing Jacob Danner son of Michael Danner the elder and his wife Anna. (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-899B-2QN3?i=35&cc=1999196&cat=91545)
4. ↑ The Editor. "The Hanover Environs Tour." Mennonite Research Journal VI, no. 4 (June 26, 1965): 37-46.
5. ↑ "Cresap's War." Wikipedia. June 26, 2020. Accessed December 02, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cresap's_War.
6. ↑ Maryland State Archives. "Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1736. 101." Archives of Maryland, Volume 0028, Page 0101 - Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1732:1753. 2018. Accessed December 02, 2020. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000028/html/am28--101.html.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928, and John Gibson. History of York County, Pennsylvania: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Divided Into General, Special, Township And Borough Histories, With a Biographical Department Appended. Chicago: F.A. Battey Pub. Co., 1886. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo1.ark:/13960/t6ww8kx71&view=1up&seq=68&q1=Tanner

• Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 11 October 2020), memorial page for Jacob Danner (1727–1799), Find A Grave: Memorial #31820712, citing Old Brownsville Church of the Brethren Cemetery, Brownsville, Washington County, Maryland, USA ; Maintained by Leanne Keefer Bechdel (contributor 46601597) .

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Jeff Danner for creating WikiTree profile Danner-269 through the import of 04db1j_465386a09252339d21t34f.ged on Aug 15, 2013.

• Source: S58 Abbreviation: Danner Title: Zelma Barrow, Danner Subsequent Source Citation Format: Zelma Barrow, Danner BIBL Zelma Barrow. Danner.

• Source: S932 Abbreviation: Danner Title: Zelma Barrow, Danner Subsequent Source Citation Format: Zelma Barrow, Danner BIBL Zelma Barrow. Danner.

Thank you to Robert Harter for creating WikiTree profile Danner-282 through the import of harter.ged on Aug 31, 2013.