Johann Gottfried Orwig (1719 - 1804)

Born 24 Aug 1719 in Nassau, Deggendorf, Bayern, Germany [uncertain]

Husband of Anna Clara Clara Lampert — married 1743 in Nassau, Deggendorf, Bayern, Germany

Descendants

Died 26 May 1804 at age 84 in Orwigsburg, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States

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Johann Gottfried Orwig is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A084355.

Biography

Gottfried came to America from Germany in 1741. His parents were

His siblings were:

1. Johann Michael Orwig (1708 - )
2. Anna Margaretha Orwig (1710 - )
3. Johann Conrad Orwig (1712 - )
4. Johann Valentin Orwig (1714 - )

At the age of 22, he sailed from Rotterdam on the vessel Saint Andrew and landed at Philadelphia. After arriving in Pennsylvania, he was required to take an oath of allegiance to King George ll.

Johann married Anna Clara Clara Lampert (1716 - 1788) in 1743 in Nassau. He returned to Germany in a few years to bring back Anna Clara Lampert, as his wife.

Their children were:

1. Catharina (Orwig) Wampole (1748 - ~1800 • K2T4-HRL) (duplicate?)
2. Catharina (Orwig) Wambold (1748 - >1788 • K2T4-HRL) (duplicate?)
3. Peter Samuel Orwig (1750 - 1807 • L6MT-FJ2)
4. Anna Maria (Orwig) Eisenhuth (1751 - 1778 • KN6X-YHD)
5. Heinrich 'Henry' Orwig (1753 - 1836 • L4MM-41F)
6. Susanna Elizabeth (Orwig) Herring (1756 - 1842 • 2QBY-2KB)
7. George Orwig (1758 - 1841 • M6N7-DW8)

He and Clara settled first in 1743 in Maiden Creek, in Berks County; near Reading, Pennsylvania. The family records say they bought their land from the Iroquois Indians, They later moved to "Sculp Hill", one mile south of the present town of Orwigsburg in Schuylkill County. They were among the very earliest settlers north of the Blue Mountains, they are listed on the 1769 tax rolls in Brunswick township.

Gottfried and Clara are buried in the cemetery at the foot of Sculp Hill across the road from the historic Old Red Church. On the cemetery grounds is a Revolutionary War Monument which includes Gottfried's name as one of the "The Old Men's Company". This was apparently a home guard militia of 80 elderly Germans. The captain was said to be nearly 100 years old. The drummer 94, and the youngest man 70 years old.

• Fact: Burial at the Zions Red Church Cemetery, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, USA. ^[1]

Research Notes

Original Details:

There is not a birth record for him on family search like there are for the siblings. He may or may not be this closely related to them. on the tax rolls in Berks county in 1769^[2]

• Fact: http://familysearch.org/v1/LifeSketch Johann Gottfried came to the United States, for the first time, on board the ship the St. Andrew, on October 2, 1741. He was age 22 years old. He arrived at the port of Philadelphia from Rotterdam. He stayed in America a few years and then returned to Germany. He returned to America, this time bringing with him his wife. Anna Clara Lampert Orwig. They were married in Germany. Their children were, Catherine, Peter, Anna Maria, Susanna Elizabeth and George Orwig. They made their home in Pennsylvania. Contributed by Eva Goeken

Wagenseller p 181 says, "... born, it is supposed, in Brunswick, Germany, August 24, 1719, and was among those whose names are given as qualifying October 2, 1741, arriving at the port of Philadelphia from Rotterdam in the ship St. Andrew, Charles Stedman, master." All males over 16 were required to take the oath of allegiance to George II as soon as they disembarked and were escorted to the courthouse.

Rev. J. B. Orwig of KS wrote in a letter dated 19 Mar 1896, "Great-grandfather, Gottfried, stayed in America a few years and then went back to Germany when, after a few years' visit returned to America, bringing with him his wife, Clara, maiden name unknown. During the Revolutionary War a company of old men was organized, Germans, eighty in all. It was called the Old Men's Company. Their captain was nearly one hundred years old, drummer ninety-four, the youngest nearly seventy. In a history of Pennsylvania the names are given and Gottfried is among them. This surely is my great-grandfather." ^[3]

Gottfried and Clara settled at "Maiden Creek, near Reading, PA, in 1743 on land purchased from the Iroquois Indians, but afterward moved to Sculp Hill, one mile south of the present town of Orwigsburg in Schuylkill County." They were buried in the old Lutheran churchyard, at the foot of Sculp Hill, opposite the old red church. (Wagenseller p. 182)

Beverly Oehling's record shows his place of birth as Bruanshweig, Grosstadt, Nassau, Germany.

Gottfried and his sons George, Peter and Henry are identified as founders of the town of Orwigsburg Pennsylvania. This is found on a monument in the center of the town.

The History of Orwigsburg, refers to Johann Gottfried Orwig as George Gottfried Orwig. It also states that he was born in Grosstadt, Nassau, Germany. August 24, 1719, and died near Orwigsburg, May 26, 1804. His children were: George, Peterm Henry, and Elizabeth. It states that George married Mary Gilbert. Petter married, but the name of his wife is in question.

Gottfried arrived at port of Philadelphia from Rotterdam on ship St Andrew October 2, 1741 and was listed as age 22. In a letter dated 1896 by Rev. J.B. Orwig stated his great-grandfather Gottfried stayed in America a few years and then went back to Germany & after a few years came back to America bringing his wife Clara. George Gottfried Orwig was in his 60's when the Revolution broke out. His name appears on a monument of members of the Old Men's Regiment located near the wrought iron gates of the cemetery across the highway from the church. A plaque on a large stone here records the names of all the men who fought for American Independence and whose remaines lie nearby. Peter Orwig his grandson, laid out the street plan in 1796 named the town of Orwigsburg in his honor. Orwigsburg was the first courthouse of Schuykill county built in 1815 until it was moved to Potsville.

ORWIG, GOTTFRIED Ancestor #: A084355 ^[4] Service: PENNSYLVANIA Rank(s): PATRIOTIC SERVICE Birth: 8-24-1719 GERMANY Death: 5-26-1804 ORWIGSBURG BERKS CO PENNSYLVANIA Service Source: OWEN, PERSONS WHO TOOK THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE IN BERKS CO PA, COLLS OF GEN SOC OF PA, VOL 268, P 136, FHL ROLL #20824 Service Description: 1) TOOK OATH OF ALLEGIANCE, 30 MAY 1778 RESIDENCE 1) County: BERKS CO - State: PENNSYLVANIA SPOUSE 1) ANA CLARA LAMPERTIN

Sources

1. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53281944/george-gottfried-orwig: accessed 01 December 2022), memorial page for George Gottfried Orwig (24 Aug 1719–26 May 1804), Find A Grave: Memorial #53281944, citing Zions Red Church Cemetery, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by Eva Goeken (contributor 47107959) .
2. ↑ Montgomery, Morton L., The History of Berks County, Everts, puck and Richards, Philadephia, Pennsylvania, 1886, appendix
3. ↑ The History of the Wagenseller Family in America: With Kindred Branches, George Washington Wagenseller, Middleburgh PA, Wagenseller Publishing Co. 1898. (https://archive.org/details/historywagensel01wagegoog/page/n192) p. 181ff
4. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 01 Dec 2022), "Record of Johann Gottfried Orwig", Ancestor # A084355.

• Johann Gottfried Orwig: FamilySearch RecordID
• Ann Clara Lampert (spouse): FamilySearch RecordID
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 17 April 2015, 15:50), entry for Johann Gottfried Orwig(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LDTT-SV5); contributed by various users.
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 10 June 2018, 22:29), entry for Johann Gottfried Orwig(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:KTSQ-Z5V); contributed by various users.
• The History of the Wagenseller Family in America: With Kindred Branches, George Washington Wagenseller, Middleburgh PA, Wagenseller Publishing Co. 1898. (https://archive.org/details/historywagensel01wagegoog/page/n192) p. 181ff

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Orwig-46 created through the import of mccutcheon Family Tree.ged on Jun 16, 2012 by Charlie McCutcheon.