Johannes Aurand (1725 - 1807)

Born 5 Sep 1725 in Bergebersbach, Dillkreis, Hesse-Nassau, Prussia

Descendants

Died 30 Mar 1807 at age 81 in Union, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Johannes was born in 1725. He passed away in 1807. Son of Johann Henrich Aurandt and Anna Christina Müller Natives of Prussia.

Arrived aboard the "Edinburgh" from Rotterdam 02 Oct 1753 Philadelphia, PA. Of East Buffalo, His grave in the Dreisbach yard is unmarked, and possibly cannot be identified. Died 30 Mar 1807 82 years 6months 3 weeks

m [1] ca1743 Germany Anna Catherine Hoff

They had children - Johann Jost, Heinrich "Henry", Daniel, Jacob, Peter, John Deitrich, Elizabeth, George

m [2] ca1777 Maria Elizabeth Kunz Johannes Aurandt was in a birth record in 1725.^[1]

This person was in a record in 1772.^[2]

Johannes died on 30 March 1807 and was buried in 1807 in Lewisburg, Union, Pennsylvania, United States.^[3]

From Family Search:

John Aurand was born 9/25/1725 in the village of Bergebershach,in the county of Nassau-Dillenburg, Prussia. The village is now part of a town called Dietzholztal. It is located north of Frankfurt and Dillenburg and east of Siegen.

Johannes Aurandt's signature can be found in the boat list PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN PIONEERS Strassberger& Hinke p 577.

After arriving in Philadelphia, John moved north to Exeter Township, Berks Co. He is listed as a resident there in 1756 RUPPS HlSTORY OF BERKS & LEBANON COUNTIES.

In 1760 he bought land along Maiden Creek in Berks Co. At that time his occupation was listed as blacksmith. He is listed in the TAX LIST OF BERKSCOUNTY 1767 p 49 as a farmer with 200 acres in Maiden Creek Township.

In 1772 John sold his land in Berks Co and migrated with his family to Northumberland Co. which was then the new frontier. On October 3.1772 he purchased 278 acres along Turtle Creek which empties into the Susquehanna River just below present-day Lewisburg. This property was called "Concord". Within the next two years, he had accumulated 2000 acres of land in the Turtle Creek area.

The 1775 tax records show that John Aurand had 40acres of cleared land, 2 horses, 3 cows, and a grist and sawmill. ^[4]

When the Revolutionary War came, John Aurand became a Justice of Northumberland Co and a member of the Committee of Safety. However, sometime in 1778, John Aurand and his family returnedto Berks Co because of Indian uprisings and massacres. Although some of his sons returned shortly, John did not return until1783. It seems that after his return much of his time was taken up with the disposition of his property to his sons, daughters, and grandchildren.

On January' 30, 1808 he made his will. ^[5] John died 3/30/1808. His two wives having proceeded him in death. He was buried in the Dreisbach's Reformed Church Cemetery near his home. There is no evidence of that burial site today.

Reverend Frederick Aurand's booklet states that his remains were in later years moved to Lewisburg.

John Aurand, the immigrant, was born September 5, 1725 in the village of Bergebersbach, in the county of Nassau-Dillenburg, in the country known at this time (spring of 1990) as West Germany.If you have had as much trouble as I have had trying to find these places on a present day map, it is because the names have changed. In the 1930's Bergebersbach and StraBebersbach became Ewersbach. This now is part of the community known asDietzholztal. These villages are in an area north of Frankfurt and Dillenburg and east of Siegen.

John's parents were Johann Henrich Aurandt and Anna Christina Muller. He was christened September 9, 1725. His godparents were Johannes Moller, Elizabeth Speckin and Catharina Heinzen. His father died when he was six years old and his mother, who had remarried, died when he was thirteen.

When John was eighteen years old he married Anna Christina Hoff who was sixteen years of age. From the time that they married in 1743 until they came to Pennsylvania in 1753 they had had four children and must have accumulated some wealth in order to make such a trip.

Sometime in the summer of 1753 the Aurand family set sail from Rotterdam on the ship Edenburg whose captain was James Lyon. The ship arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 2,1753. Johannes Aurandt's signature can be found in the boat list of the Ship Edinburgh.

When John Aurand arrived i n Philadelphia, we presume he traveled north to Exeter Township, Berks County because Rupp's History of Berks and Lebanon Counties lists him as a resident in 1756. After that his name appears on the tax lists of Berks County.He certainly was accumulating property.

In 1760 he bought land along Maiden Creek in Berks County. At that time his occupation was given as a blacksmith. Anna Christina and John Aurand had four more children while they were living at Maiden Creek. These four included their only daughter, Elizabeth. Also it was during these years that the oldest son, Johann Jost died.

The children of Anna Christina and John Aurand were:

Johann Jost,Henry, from whom Harrison Aurand is descended, Daniel and Jacob, all of whom were born in Germany, and John Detrick, Elizabeth, Peter and George, all of whom were born at Maiden Creek in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

In 1772 John sold his land at Maiden Creek and migrated to Northumberland County which was the new frontier. Apparently his entire family accompanied him although his older sons were now adults. That part of Northumberland County in which John settled was in Buffalo Township along Turtle Creek. Turtle Creek empties into the west branch of the Susquehanna River, south of present day Lewisburg. That part of Pennsylvania is now in Union County which was formed from Northumberland County in 1813.

In September 1772, John Aurand purchased 278 acres along Turtle Creek. This property was called Concord. Within the next two years, he had acquired 2000 acres of land in the Turtle Creek area. He built and operated a mill at the mouth of TurtleCreek. The 1775 tax records show that John Aurand had 40 acres of land cleared, 2 horses, 3 cows and a grist and sawmill.

Sometime in late 1776 or early 1777 Anna Christina had died and was said to have been buried near Turtle Creek. John Aurand did not remain a widower long. By April 16, 1778 a new wife's name appears with his on the sale of Concord. It was Mary Elizabeth but it is not known what her maiden name was. On July 5, 1778,she gave birth to their first child, John Yost. They had two more children, Mary and Abraham. It is rather obvious that Mary Elizabeth was much younger than John who would have been 52years old when John Yost was born. We do not know Mary Elizabeth's birth date but records indicate that she died before he did, probably in 1803 or 1804.

When the Revolutionary War came to Pennsylvania, John Aurand became a justice of Northumberland County and a member of the Committee of Safety.*However, sometime in 1778, John Aurand and his family returned to Berks County because of the Indian uprisings and massacres. He did not return to the Buffalo Valley until 1783.

It seems that after his return much of his time was taken up with the disposition of his property. On January 13, 1808, he made his last will and testament and it is recorded at the courthouse at Sunbury, Pennsylvania. It is as follows:

The Last Will and Testament of John Aurand Registered, Book Number 2, pages 69.70, Northumberland County Courthouse, Sunbury, Pennsylvania.**"In the Name of God Amen this thirteenth day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight and eight, I John Aurand of Buffalo Township in the County of Northumberland and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Yeoman, being at present in an advanced age and weakly in Body, But of a Sound disposing mind, memory and understanding thanks be to God therefore, Calling into mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, Do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, that is to say Principally and first of all, I recommend my Soul into the hands of God who gave it, hoping through the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ, to receive Remission of all my Sins and a happy admission into the region of Bliss and Immortality. And as to my Body I recommend it to the Earth, to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner. And touching such Worldly estate where in it both pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. Imprimis, It is my will and I do order that in the first place, all of my Just Debts and Funeral charges be paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently may be after my decease.

Item. It is my will and I do order, that my four sons to wit, Henry, Deitrich, Peter, and George, and my grandchildren of my deceased Sons Daniel and Jacob, and my daughter Elizabeth who is intermarried with Francis Zeller, or any of their respective Heirs of Representatives shall have by no means any demand against my Estate except as I shall herein direct and order, because I have advanced them and each and every of them, their shares or portions of my Estate in my life time as will appear by their several Releases or Discharges executed to me.

Item. It is my will and I order, that concerning my three children which I have by my second wife, to wit, my two Sons John and Abraham, and my Daughter Mary who is intermarried to John Wolf, shall have and take my lands and tenements situated in Buffalo Township and County of Northumberland aforesaid, according to the Deeds of Conveyances as I have executed for them in my lifetime, and which I do hereby give and dispose unto them accordingly. And whereas I have a lot of Ground in the Township of Northumberland, it is my will and I do order that my aforesaid two Sons and son in law shall sell the same, and divide the money thereof equally amongst them or their Heirs, hereby empowering them, or either of them, to give and execute a good and lawful Deed for the same unto the purchase. And whereas I have obtained several Rights of land from the Office in the State of Connecticut, and if any land can be recovered for the same at any time thereafter, It is my Will and I do order that all my Children and Grandchildren, or their respective Heirs shall divide the same in ten equal shares, or sell the same and divide the money therefore

Johannes Aurandt was in the Aurand(t) Book.^[6]

Johannes Aurandt was in the Snyder County Annals book.^[7][8][9]

Sources

1. ↑ Legacy NFS Source: Johannes Aurandt - Government record: birth: 5 September 1725; Bergebersbach, Hessen-Nassau, Preußen, Germany
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   Government record: birth: 5 September 1725; Bergebersbach, Hessen-Nassau, Preußen, Germany
   Government record: birth-name: John Aurandt
2. ↑ John Aurand in History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata Valleys 1886
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   (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS9Y-8Z5V : 25 July 2021)
   page 1310
   
   
   Chapter VII
   {East Buffalo Township. 1
   
   The tract of land known as Thomas Lowry was surveyed . . .
   1769. This embraces the lands around the mouth of Turtle Creek. . . . John Wil-
   son . . . had some sort of mill there . . . John Aurand
   bought the premises on the 3rd of October 1772.
3. ↑ Burial: "Find A Grave Index"
   citing Find a Grave
   FamilySearch Record: QVPM-FSFY (accessed 4 March 2024)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #134401548
   Johannes Aurand burial (died on 30 Mar 1807) in 1807 in Lewisburg, Union, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Born in 1725.
4. ↑ ANNALS OF BUFFALO VALLEY John Blair Linn p 67.
5. ↑ Northumberland Co. Probate Records Vol 2 pp 69-70.
6. ↑ "The Aurand(t) Book", pp. 15 and 21, 30and 31
   "Family Search." Familysearch https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/545366-the-aurand-t-book?viewer=1&offset=1%23page%3D40&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0. Accessed 10 Dec. 2020.
7. ↑ Snyder County Annals Book, Page 16.
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   (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89DX-W9G?view=explore : 17 January 2024)
   Fought in the Revolutionary War.
   Aurand, John, born Strassebersbad Germany, Sept. 25, 1725; died East Buffalo twp., now Union County, March 30, 1807; buried Dreisbach's church, unmarked. Member of committee of safety, Buffalo twp., Northumberland Co., Feb. 1777. He married Mary Elizabeth Pontius, daughter of John Pontius and Anna Catherine Zellers, married 1743.
8. ↑ Snyder County Annals Book, Page 15.
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   (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9DX-W9N?view=explore : 17 January 2024)
   Fought in Revolutionary War.
   Aurand, Jacob, lived Buffalo twp., 1775-87; lived later in Reading, Pa. Private Northumberland Co. militia. Son of John Aurand and Mary Elizabeth Pontius.
9. ↑ Snyder County Annals Book, Page 15.
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   (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9DX-W9N?view=explore : 17 January 2024)
   Fought in Revolutionary War.
   Aurand, Henry, died in Snyder County; lived Buffalo twp., 1775-87 Private Northumberland Co. militia. Son of John Aurand, 1725-1807, and Mary Elizabeth Pontius.