Christoffel Zeran UEL (1739 - 1801)

Descendants

Biography

Christoffel (Christopher) "Stofel" Zeran/Zeron, son of Johannes Zeran and Dorothea ___? (of Slovakia), was born on July 28th of 1739 in Mecklenburg, Germany (House of Mecklenburg 1692-1814 (wikipedia). &Dutcty of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (wikipedia), Nordwestmecklenburg. His date of birth was calculated by his age at death and place of birth, he stated himself at the time when granted land in Upper Canada do to his loyalty, is recorded in the "New Land Claimts" for Loyalists to settle in Upper Canada.

Siblings

•? Dorothea Zeran (1720- )

•?

•?

•?

Christopher, thus far, is the first and earliest known immigrant ancestor to have emigrated from Western Europe to live in North America, as well in Canada, the latter being where he settled and lived out the remainder years of his life. Amazingly, out of all of the thousands of Palatine immigrants, he hadn't gone unacknowledged. His name, although misinterpreted and or mispelled by many, has been well documented since his departure, arrival, up until his death. His legacy lives on through his descendants, of course and by others and their revised versions of the historical events that occurred in his time. Included and part of, among the many others who of course too had endured as foreigners, were Loyal, as militants, supporters of and renowned as family men in their time, in their new country or countries, earned their Loyalist recognition as did Christopher. It's quite extraordinary to be able to look back upon his life! literature wise that is, He existed.

His Surname_ appears in 1751 although a revised version of of a passengers list "ZERON" is recorded, and then in 1788 per in the "New Land Claimt" revised version of, SERON was interpreted and from the 1789 Land records SEARON and a misinterpreted SCARON is published! Kinda gives hint that ZERON is the correct spelling of his surname! ? not quite because as a proven United Empire Loyalist, he is registered as Christopher ZERAN (?) re emphasis on the "a" instead of "o".. although spelled similar to Zeron which coincides with SERON, "o" did not register with whomever the first illiterate was to extracted his information from the original documents interpreted as an "a" Eh!. Other misinterpreted versions from 1790 on are ZIRAN instead of 'ZERAN' which all in all could be ZERON written in the 1792 Parish Registers illustrations of original handwritten ledgers, of non-anglo penmanship. When Christopher passed on in 1801, an earlier descendant had gotten the opportunity to actually view Christopher's WILL! they state that his signature illustrates his surname as ZERRAHN questioning it, if this is possibly the correct spelling of his surname or whether it is actually ZERAHN (?). Family lore has it and was never altered in any way, passed down and around the exact same story to and among the Stormont, Dundas area descendants, that ZERAN was formed by one relative after a horrific family dispute !.

Next is Library and Archives Canada, it has the following versions of this surname published: YIRRON; ZERREN; ZERON for ZERAN and or vice-versa; legible Z (plus other letters) interpreted as YERAN; LERON; FERON; FESON; FIRON; FIRON; ZHEN; ZERM; FEROM; TERON; TERAN; ZERR; CERON; SERON; SIRON; SIRAN; and yet to be found! That's just Canada! Recent -ZERAW in a US record and another has ZERAU interpreted.

Going back in time here .. 1751, published, Christopher Zeron and a Apollonia Zeron 03 (chart Index) of Vol 1-18 . listed close together in among the magnitudes of Palatine passengers in the.. "Book of Immigration Registry, transcribed for the Palatines to America" . [need citation] . When deducting his year of birth from this immigration year, he was 12 years old at that time when he arrived and immigrated into North America.

1765, Christopher built a house in Schenectady, New York. In 1766, he married Gertraut Löwenstein on December 25th at the "Nather Dutch Reformed Church" (although Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church is entered ?). The daughter of Peter Löwenstein and Appolina Abelöna "Anna" Oostermann. -extracted from Chemingway (Genealogy) by Cheryl, (now updated).

U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989 ~ Christoffel Zerahn and Geertruy Levensteyn

Christopher and Gertraut marriage has become acknowledged, registered and filed with the "New York Marriages of 1686-1980" and yet his surname is recorded ZIRAN (?).^[1]

They had the following Children

1. "Johannes "John" Zeran born in September of 1767 Schenectady, New York and Christened on the 30th of, at Saint Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Church in Schoharie, Schoharie, New York.
2. Pieter-1 Zeran born October 18th of 1769, passed away as a child before 1776 in Schenectady, New York.
3. Appolina "Abigail" Zeran/Zeron born November 11th of 1774 in Schenectady, New York. Christened on the 13th of, at Palantaine Lutheran Trinity Church in Stone Arabia, New York.

•1775, Christopher is residing on 32 acres of land in Stone Arabia, New York, which he held the deed to, until February 28th of 1777.

4. David Zeran/Zeron born 1775 in Stone Arabia, New York. Died Upper Canada. His marriage Jan 19, 1796 to Elizabeth Empey (daughter of UEL Wilhelm Emptye/Empey). Children- Gertraut, Wilhelmus/William, Abraham, Mikle/Michael, Elizabeth, ? . (David?, Henry?, Jacob?,).

5. Pieter-2 "PETER" Zeran/Zeron born 1776 in Schoharie NY (date on tombstone -Died Jun 24, 1864, age 88, Buried in Woodlands East #82.) His marriage Hannah Eamon (b.1806 -d.1884, age 78). Children- :Rebecca, Peter II, John, Jeremiah, David "Henry", Hannah (Diana?), William, Nathaniel, Margaret Catherine Zeran, Isaiah.

6. Dorothia "DOROTHY" Zeran/Zeron b.March 17, 1778. C. March 22, 1778 at Palatine Lutheran Trinity Church in Stone Arabia, NY. Married Eli MOODY. 2 Children.

7. Katherine, Elizabeth Zeran b.1789 Stone Arabia, NY. Married June 6, 1824 to Henry Richtymyer (2nd Wife) in Williamsburgh, Upper Canada. No Children.

8. Phillipus Zeran/Zeron Born on November 24th, Christened 27th of 1792 and Died before 1801 in the Stormont area of Upper Canada.

BOOKS redistributed online

-Google Books (search result for Christopher Zeron) Library and Archives of Canada early 1800's "State Papers-Upper Canada" 1801. •Page 392 M-Dorothy Moody (daughter of Christufee Zeron) •Page 393 (Q, 309-1,12) Z- Dorothy Zeron (see Moody) #15 .

Historical Places and Events

-Wikipedia - Old Stone Fort in Schoharie, New York (built 1772).

•History of Wikipedia - Sorel Quebec founded in 1642 and where The Battle of Sorel occurred and which became a Militant Garrison and Camp for prisoners from the mid 1770's until the end of the Revolutionary War, and is where Christopher and his son David went in 1778-9 when serving the British Crown in the Revolution War.

•NY genweb (Montgomery) "History of Stone Arabia, New York" by Andrew L. Dillenbeck ..Proceedings of the New York State Historical Association, Vol. XIII, 1932 at montgomery.nygenweb.net] explains how the land was divided in New York state, and lots of other interesting facts that include several surnames whom later married into Christopher's descendants.

-Wikipedia The Battle of Klock Field in Stone Arabia, NY amid the Revolution War.

-Google Books (search result for Upper Canada for Christopher Lenox] Bulletin of the New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations By New York Public Library ..names several Upper Canada Settlers! This search was to find an earlier Lennox relatives, connected to Zeran.

•1783 (May) ~Charles Seron is in the Canadian Archives of "Carleton Papers – Loyalists and British Soldiers, 1772-1784"-Archives Canada for "Military Heritage of British Loyalists" for, Return of Property in New York.

New Land Claimt as a Loyalist. •1788, Sworn oaths given by Christopher Seron[see!] extracted from the BUREAU OF ARCHIVES (published online by Google Books (search result for Christopher Zeran)) Upper Canada Loyalists -New Land Claimt(s) by Abraham Gwattse; Publication year 1904 - A New Claimt - Ref No:441, Page 386 Sections (58) & (59). At Montreal on the 26th of February 1788. Evidence on the Claim of CHRISTOPHER "SERON recorded as such in docs at (GlobalGenealogy Canada_Loyalist. King's Royal Regiment of New York at late of Tryon County, New York.
-Sworn: said he came from New York in July, 1783 & Wintered in Sorel. Produces Certificates to the effect, Lt. G. French, Commissary. of Loyalists. He was born in Mecklenburg, Germany and has been 32 years in America. In 1775 he lived in Stone Arabia, New York.
-sworn: He did not come to New York until Jany., 1783. (emigrated from the United States to Canada with his family). Claims he made several attempts prior and had turned back do to his family being too large to process at the Port of Entry and couldn't bare leaving them. He now lives in New Johnstown.. in ~New York State ? or Canada ? -Property 32 acres of land at Stone Arabia. -Produces deed dated 28th Feby., 1777. -Whereby Abraham Gwattse conveys to Claimant in consideration of Pounds 320 Lawful these lands. He had a good house and barn on it. said he paid this price and understands that it is sold. -Sworn: said he built a windmill, 5 Pounds. He had 6 horses and 5 cows, a waggon and gun. -Sworn: He has a house at Shenecteda, he built it himself. -He values it at Pounds 350, but his son tells him that it is not sold. (Which Son ?) -Witness: Soveraines Casamure. -Sworn: Knew Claimt in Stone Arabia, he was a Loyal man. He had a farm in Stone Arabia with a good Clearance. He had a good stock of Cattle, he likewise had a House in Shenectady. He cannot tell when Claimt came with the British Lines. mentioned in Ancestry.Message boards-Ancestry message boards.

-German Roots Society.

Registered as Christopher Zeran (A Loyalist & Proven)-^[2]

•••Archives Canada_The centennial of the settlement of Upper Canada by the United Empire Loyalists, 1784-1884 : the celebrations at Adolphustown, Toronto and Niagara, with an appendix : C-1476 210 pages-listed as SERON -Christopher in heritage.canadiana.ca•••

Military Record is Recorded as; Christopher Scaron(?), Served as a Private in the 1st Battalion of the King's Royal Regiment of New York. In the fall of 1782 (1783) he went to Sorel, Québec and returned back to the United States. The following year In 1783, Christopher and his son David went to Cornwall in the Upper Canada area and lived on Augusta Street south of 15th Street until 1784 ..before obtaining land in Osnabruck township do west of Cornwall, where he received Free Patents from the Crown and received Free Grants under the Old Regulations as a Loyalist, for Lot-5 in Con-3, Lot-10 in Con-6, and Lot-25 in Concession 7.

Registered in the Land Boards of Upper Canada (1765-1804) Archives Canada as

Given Name(s):Christopher

Surname:Searon ?

District:Luneburg

Year:1790

Description:Schedule of locations

Volume:12

Page(s):106, 108, 112

Microfilm Reel Number:C-14028

Reference:RG 1 L4

Item Number:13209 -link-[3].

&

Given Name(s):Christopher

Surname:Searon ?

District:Luneburg

Year:1790

Description:Schedule of locations

Volume:13

Page(s):118, 121, 167, 169

Microfilm Reel Number:C-14028

Reference:RG 1 L4

Item Number:13210 -link-[4]

Christopher and Gertraut lived in this stone house Christopher built in 1796 until their death. The House and some portions of their land was later sold by their son Peter m to Joseph Adams in 1822~

The first home Christopher built in Canada

~which amazingly still exist to this day and in excellent condition! as you can see. Do to it being kept up by the Adam s despite withstanding 217 years of harsh winter conditions.. hence Christopher built a solid home! ~Location map[5].

•CHRISTOPHER'S WILL - copied from the Surrogate Court, Register Book A., microfilm. recorded in OntarioGenealogy ZERRALIN CHRISTOPHER ..  1801 ..  STORMONT DUNDAS GLENGARRY COUNTIES UPPER CANADA-ONTARIO SURROGATE COURT WILLS ESTATE FILES

"In the name of the true God, Amen. The 29th day of December (part of page missing) year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred died. I, Christopher Zerrahn in the Township of Osnaburg, Stormont County and province of Upper Canada, farmer, being weak in body but of sound memory and understand(ing) considering the uncertainty of Human (missing) and that it is appointed unto all men once (missing) die first of all recommend my soul into (missing) hands of Almighty God who gave it and (missing) body to the ground and dust from whence (missing) came to be interred in a decent and Christian (missing) manner according to the direction of my Executors on the burying ground in this township. (a ..... and) concerning such worldly goods at in it has pleased (a) divine Province to bless me with order and dispose of them in the following manner that is to say.

First I bequeath unto Gertraud my loving wife all my Estate and goods movable and im-movable together with all my claims demands and standing out debts in and out this province for all the time of her natural life, to have to hold the same for her support and benefit. And next to this I bequeath unto my son John lott No. 5 in the third concession township and County aforesaid containing two hundred acres, the one half I have purchased of Jacob Cuntreman and the other half I received by virtue of a gift of his Majesty's bounty as one of the Loyalist (missing) further bequeath unto my son David the (missing) west half of lott No 22 in the (missing) from Concession containing 100 (missing) acres and also half of the east part of the same (missing) Lott containing 50 acres in the township and County aforesaid the whole amounting to 150 acres the former of which I hold by virtue of a gift of John Coons and the latter by virtue of an Exchange with my son John.

Next to this I bequeath unto my son Peter Lott No 10 in the 6th concession township and County as above containing 200 acres which Lott I own by virtue of a gift of his Majesty's bounty as one of the Loyalist. I also bequeath unto my 3 daughters Apollonia (now Cook), Dorothia, and Elisabeth. Lott No 26 in the 6th Concession containing 200 acres and one quarter of Lott No. 9 in the 7th concession containing 50 acres all in the township of Osnaburg and County of Stormont to be divided at equal shares among them 150 acres to each. And concerning movable estate, cattle, farming to (?) and so forth (missing) I dispose of it in the manner following that is to say. I bequeath unto my son John two of my horses one unto my son David a d my 2 horses, colts (missing) son Peter, my horn. Cattle to be divided at equal shares among my two sons David and Peter and my two daughters Dorothia and Elisabeth my sheep and (missing) be divided at equal shares among my s(missing) children none excepted by Carpenters and Joiner tools, I bequeath to my son David except sa(missing) for each of my other sons requesting the first to be Kind unto his brethren in lending them such of these tools as they perhaps stand (in) need of my house and kitchen furniture bequeath unto my 3 daughters to be divided at equal shares. My waggon, sleigh, plough, harrow, chain, and harness and other small farming tools I bequeath unto my son David. And lastly I appoint by this instrument of my last will, Jacob Eligh, Mathias Link and David Zerahn my son to be by Executors. In witness of all which I have signed this with my own hand at Osnaburg this year and day above written and in the presence of Daniel Smith, Peter Eligh and Frederic Myars. ? (" Myers ".. JZ)
Signed Christo(ph?) Zerahn.

Death •Christopher at age passed away on July 8, 1801 at the home of his daughter & son-in-law Michael & Abigail (Zeran) COOK of Williamsburg in Williamsburgh, Dundas, Upper Canada.

••Registers of the Parishes of Williamsburg, Matilda, Osnabruck and Edwardsburg for Christopher Ziran/"ZERAN" courtesy of Bower Genealogy.^[3]

Burial: Personal Land in Osnabruck, Stormont, Upper Canada. ^[4]

☆ OSNABRUCK Township Land Records [6],[7],[8]

Photos The Photos of the Stone house is that of the first house Christopher Zerahn/ZERAN or Zeron built in Canada on Lot 5, Con 3 in the Township of Osnabruck, Upper Canada ..these photos were taken by and courtesy of Gordon Adams of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Whom wrote to me (Jo-Anne Zeron) via email correspondence on October 3, 2016 ...My 3rd Great Grandfather, Joseph Adams, purchased Lot 5, Con 3, Osnabruck from Peter Zeron in 1822 and for the most part, the land was in the Adams family until 2005. Joseph paid £51 British Pounds for the property. It is my understanding that Peter Zeron built the stone house on that lot that still stands today. It was built circa 1797 according to stories passed down. It is not a large house by any means, perhaps 140 or 170 square feet at best. It served the Zeron’s and Adams’ well. Joseph converted the stone house into a bakery and the Van De Glind’s now use it for storing garden furniture. It was solidly built and no signs of wear and tear.

Places in Osnabruck by^[5]

The Story of Dundas: Being a History of the County of Dundas from 1784 to 1904 By J. Smyth Carter [9], Aggie Zeron 1885.

---

•ZERON (name-study) & (Word Meaning) The True Origin of Z derived from Persia
Old Persian [10] hence, the oldest Language of Zand, Zend & Zoroastrian~ Zoroastrianism[11][12],
Kurds[13]The term Sorani, named after the former Soran Emirate, is used especially to refer to a written, standardized form of Central Kurdish written in the Sorani alphabet developed from the Persian alphabet in the...by Sa'íd Sidqi Kaban and Taufiq Wahby.

Given Name in languages of, are

•German[14]~ Christoph, Christof, Christoffer.

•Dutch~ Christophe, Christoffel, Christotorus

A list of additional references by those who researched and contributed prior to Myself (Jo-Anne Zeron) here at WikiTree and were kind enough to sent me info or post their links.

Ruth Coran Roazen-[15] of Geni.com and renound "Source Manger" there, contributed her link for

•Christopher-Ziran[16] (Thank You Ruth).

MyHeritage. sent a list of Matching Family-Trees for "Christopher Ziran/Christopher Zeron"..(Thank You)

•(Gallinger Family Site (23andMe)

•(Johnstons Web Site)

•(Geau-Geau de Prieur Web Site)

•(Bouck Web Site)

•(Coe Web Site)

•(fswallow Web Site),

•"Christopher Ziron"

•(McCumber Web Site)

•(Sammut Family Web Site),

•"Christopher Ziran" 

•(Gleeson-Cathcart Web Site)

•(Muir / Galipeau Web Site).

An extracted from Ancestry. Messageboards [17]. were postings By Kelli Zeran Grady (her-ID[18]); [STRACHAN] and others pretaining to "Zeran Family History Book".

•"Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch([19] :entry for Christopher /Zeron/, cites sources; "Harper-Froats Family Tree" file (2:2:2:MM6Q-Y5K), submitted 18 September 2017 by ADRHarper [identity withheld for privacy].

Resources

•INTERMENT.net[20].

•BILLIONGRAVES[21] for ZERON/ZERAN.

•SORT-BY-NAME [22]

•MarsdenMcLaughlin Obituaries [23] Dundas, Stormont & Glengarry United Counties.

•Cornwall Roots Obits (Newspaper clippings) at [24] Zeran.

•Bower Genealogy /Index page[25] "Williamsburg, Matilda, Osnabruck and Edwardsburg" ~Baptismal+birth info, Marriages and Burials+death dates.. etc.

•Wikipedia "Cemeteries in Canada".

•"The King's Royal Regiment of New York"[26].

Sources

1. ↑ "New York Marriages, 1686-1980," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F64R-93T :Christopher Ziran and Gerdraut Lowenstein, 25 Dec 1766; Number M51141-1citing reference; FHL microfilm 534,211.
2. ↑ Loyalist Christopher ZERAN at Archives Canada uelac.org (Proven)
3. ↑ Registers of the Parishes of Williamsburg, Matilda, Osnabruck and Edwardsburg for Christopher Ziran/"ZERAN" [1] Image courtesy of Bower Genealogy.
4. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed 06 January 2020), memorial page for Christopher “Stofel” Zeron (28 Jun 1739–8 Jul 1801), Find A Grave: Memorial #204761749, ; Maintained by Warner family (contributor 47954921) Burial Details Unknown, who reports a Possibly buried on his farm in Osnabruck Township..
5. ↑ WeRelate.org[2]