Adam Arbaugh (abt. 1730 - bef. 1800)

Husband of Mary (Blankenbaker) Orebaugh — married about 1756 in Virginia

Descendants

Died before 27 Mar 1800 before about age 70 in Muddy Creek, Greenbrier, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Much is still needed to be done before we fully understand the origins of Adam. If you have research you would like to contribute, please feel free to make changes.

Two Arbaugh Families

Due to the large number of misidentifications involved with Adam Arbaugh who lived for a time in Shenandoah Valley, I think it is important to start this profile with a discussion about the two genetically unrelated families. Just as most colonial immigrants had their names Anglicized, for a while it was the fashion in Colonial America to use a French spelling of the surname.

Arbaugh/Orebaugh from Oberbach/Overpeck were Hessian Lutherans associated with the Lutheran community of Strasburg. Desendants of this family are found in Pennsylvania and Virginia. This family IS NOT related to this Adam Arbaugh who died in the Muddy Creek region of Greenbrier.

It includes:

Adam who married Mary Blankenbaker

Andrew who married a daughter of William Stolp

William (son of Adam) who married Magdalena Stoutmier

Arbaugh/Erbach from Erb were Swiss German Anabaptists associated with the Baptist/Brethren communities of Manatawny Creek and Antietam Creek, Allegheny Creek, Muddy Creek and Pequa Creek, Pipe Creek and Back Creek, Opequon Creek, Capon and Cacapon Rivers, South Shenandoah River and Hawksbill Creek, Lost River and Greenbrier River. Descendants of this family are found in the Baptist/Brethren communities of New River, Catawba River, Kentucky River, Ohio River, Cumberland River, Tennessee River and Wabash River mostly in the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas, with a few branches going to Alabama and Georgia.

It includes:

Francis who married Mattany Henninger in Washington, Virginia

Lawrence of Maryland who may have married Anna Maria Yingling

Rudolph/Adam the subject of this profile

All of these were married by Baptist ministers as were their children many of whom later became Methodists. They may be descendants of Hans Rudolph or Johannes Casper both early immigrants to Pennsylvania and may hail back to Peter and/or Matthias Erb from Bern, Switzerland.

Will

Greenbrier County Will Book 1 pages 143-144. Testator: Adam Arbaugh of Greenbrier County Will dated: 12 Mar 1798. Will proved: 27 Mar 1808 Executors: Son, Michael & Joseph Riffe

I, Adam Arbaugh, ot the County of Greenbrier being far advanced in years and in a weak and uncertain disposition of body, calling to mind my mortality, and well knowing my time on Earth is but short, do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament.

To wit, to God I recommend my soul, trust in his mercy to attain life immortal and happiness

And; as to such worldly goods wherewith I am possessed at this time or may hereafter be possessed of, if I am spared longer days, I leave in the manner following after the expenses of my funeral are paid.

I leave to my well beloved wife Mary who has long lived with me in happy and cordial affection, the third part of all my Estate either real or personal to be at her own disposal during her natural life.

To my son John, my wagon & hogchain belonging to said wagon and to my daughter Sophia, I leave one brown heifer now two years old.

And; to other my estate, of whatsoever kind or property whatever, to be sold by my executors hereafter to be named and equally divided between my children here named.

To wit: my sons Michael, Adam and John; and my daughters Eave Baker, Christiana Dozer, Caty Fleshman, Mary Sowars, Elizabeth Fleshman, Sophia Arbaugh, Lucy Claypole, Barbara Miller to them and their heirs forever.

And; I do hereby constitute my son Michael, and Joseph Riffe, executors of my last will and testament, ratifying and confirming this to be my last will revoking all others heretofore by me made.

Witness my hand seal this 12th day of March in the year of our Lord, One thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight. Adam (his mark) Arbaugh

Signed and acknowledged in the presence of us John Stuart, Samuel Fleshman, John Arbaugh (his mark)

27 March 1808, Greenbrier County Court

The last will and testament of Adam Arbough dec’d was presented in the court by Michael Orbough one of the Executors therein named and proved by the oaths of John Stuart & Saml Fleshman two of the witnesses thereto and ordered to record and the said Michael Arbaugh with Saml Fleshman entered into bond in the sum of L20 condition as the law directs and took the usual oath and leave for Jos Riffe the other executor therein named to enter at a future day. Teste John Stuart

Executor: Son, Michael and Joseph Riffe.

Facts

Names Listed:

• Adam Arbaugh ^[1][2][3][4]
• Adolf Erbah ^[5]
• Adolph Urbach/Arbach ^[5]
• Rudolph Orback ^[6][7]

Birth: -No records found.

International Marriage Records ^[3] gives a birth year of 1730 for both Adam & Mary. This would mean that both were 29 years old when their first child was born and 50 when their last was born. His associates were among those who tended to marry a little later (around 20) and have extended child bearing years but 1730 seems a bit early.

Some indicate that he was born in Hamburg, Germany. If there was a reference, I would think it would refer to the Hamburg District of Shenandoah (where he lived); or, Hamburg in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The latter would have been north of Conrad Weiser’s Trading post, near Salem and Freidens churches, and below Fort Lebanon. Many of his associates have connections to this area.

Marriage: -No records found. Assume 1755, the year before their first child was born.

Errata: International Marriage Records ^[3] list the marriage year at 1800 which was the year of probate.

Occupation: -No records found. Since all of his sons and sons-in-law were farmers, assume he was the same.

Residence:

• 1776, Shenandoah, VA
• 1785, Shenandoah, VA ^[7]
• 1788, Shenandoah, VA; daughter Elizabeth marries
• 1791, Greenbrier, WV; daughter Lucinda marries

Death:

• 1800, Greenbrier, WV ^[8]

Known Relatives and Associates

To date, no records have been found which include the birth surname of Adam's wife Mary but we do know some things about the children.

If we assume that John and Sophia are the youngest based on the special attention given them in the will; that Adam lists his children "mostly" in order of birth; and then, child rearing ages...

Their birth dates look something like this.

(Click the links in their names to see their profiles.)

Placing the grandchildren and figuring out who belongs to who is more of a challenge. Since there was an Arbaugh marriage performed by John Alderson Jr. in Greenbrier who was not one of Adam's children, it must be assumed that they had cousins in the area. Therefore, Arbaugh found in and around Greenbrier may or may not be descended from Adam. We do know that about 1800 many of the Greenbrier youngsters moved to Gallia & Lawrence counties in Ohio (and adjacent counties in West Virginia) and that many of their children moved to Indiana and Illinois.

Daniel Dosser

On 31 Aug 1750, Daniel Dosser arrived in Philadelphia aboard the "Nancy", Thomas Coatam Master, from Rotterdam last at Cowes. He is believed to be from Württemberg. He and his wife Maria Elisabeth had three children born in Manatawny. Sometime before 1785, they family relocated to the Massanutten settlement.

Their daughter Catherine, married John Roller who also arrived in 1750, also from Württemberg. John & Catherine lived near Timberville.

Their youngest son Peter, married Alley Pritchard (most likely from the Pritchard’s of the Capon Valley) and, they settled in Illinois.

The oldest, Adam, with his wife Christina Arbaugh also settled in Illinois. Only one child has been found for them, a daughter named Polly who married Henry Sumpter.

1785 Shenandoah List of Edwin Young Head of Families Virginia See: Page 104

In 1785, Danl Dasher appears in the list of Edwin Young along with Fredk Sowers and Philip Beaker. (In his will, Adam lists daughters Mary Sowars and Eave Baker.) This list also includes a Rudolph Orback (most likely Adolf), Henry Mauck, the widow Mary Ruffner (from Württemberg) and three sons of Peter Ruffner from Switzerland. These were settled along the Hawksbill.

The Fleshman

Cyriacus Fleischmann and his son Hans Peter Fleischmann came from Neuenburg, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (See note: Nr. 60). This family was associated with the 2nd Germanna settlement and were sued by Spotswood but the case was dismissed. In 1728, Cyriacus and Peter obtained property in the Robinson River Valley. Sometime before 1761, Peter’s son Robert relocated to Shenandoah (then part of Culpeper) as Samuel was born there. By 1790 Robert is in Rich Hollow near Lewisburg in Greenbrier.

In 1780, Adam’s daughter Catherine married the oldest son Samuel Fleshman.

In 1788, Adam’s daughter Elizabeth is married to their son Moses Fleshman by John Koontz. The bondsman is Philip Baker (most likely the husband of Adam’s daughter Eve and the Philip Beaker from the list of Edwin Young).

In 1791, Adam’s daughter Lucinda is married to Ephraim Claypool by John Alderson.

In 1683 James Claypoole, nobleman, tradesman and a Quaker from London arrived in Philadelphia with his son James. He had journeyed to Germany and was married there by a Calvinist. He came to America in the service of William Penn. In 1764, his grandson James Jr relocated from Delaware and acquired land Slate Creek & Clay Lick branches of the Lost River in Cacapehon (Capon Valley), in Hampshire. He was the grandfather of Ephraim.

In 1795, Robert’s daughter Susannah Fleshman was married to Jacob Althare by John Alderson.

The Nelson of Pendleton

Adam’s granddaughter Delphena Miller married Benjamin Nelson. They name one of their sons Benham.

Adam’s grandson Michael Arbaugh married Jane Nelson.

Their son William also married a Nelson and he is buried in the Benham Nelson cemetery in Circleville along with sons Isaac and Jonathan.

Others

On August 9, 1796, Adam’s daughter Barbara was married to Henry Miller by John Alderson. Tradition states that Henry was an orphan fostered by the Ruffner family.

In 1797, Adam’s son John married Nancy Rife, most likely the daughter of Joseph & Margaret.

In 1800, Robert’s son Jesse married a Rachel Riffe who was most likely kin to Joseph and Nancy.

In 1804, Adam’s youngest daughter married George Hobble in Greenbrier.

Not all of Adam's children have been definitively placed. Christina went to Illinois. Barbara died in Greenbrier but most of her children and her sister Sophia and family settled in Symmes in Lawrence county, north of the Ohio River. The widow of John (Nancy Rife) moved to Gallia county, then settled in Meigs county in Ohio.

John Koontz

John was the son of John (Cuntz) Koontz and Anna Elizabetha Catherine Stoever (daughter of Rev John Casper Stoever) born 26 Mar 1739 in Opequon, Frederick Co. He married Elizabeth Baker who was a sister to the second wife of Daniel Mauck. While living near Winchester, John was converted to Baptist in 1768. He converted Martin Kaufman II from the Mennonite religion to the Baptist faith. Martin Kaufman's father, Martin Kaufman I, was a Mennonite minister who came to the valley from Lancaster, PA in 1736.

John Alderson Jr

Elder John Alderson was a Baptist preacher at Linville Creek between Timberville and Harrisonburg. He traveled up and down the Piedmont, preaching, marrying and baptizing. After several forays farther west, preaching and baptizing in the wilderness forts, he moved his family in 1777. First to Jarrett’s Fort on Wolf Creek (now Monroe) and then on the Greenbrier River below Muddy Creek Mountain. He was the founder of the Old Greenbrier Baptist Church in Alderson.

Listed immediately after the marriage of Barbara Arbaugh and Henry Miller; on August 30th, he married Joseph McMullen and Jane Arbaugh who was most likely a relation. The next marriage on Sept 13th, was Henry Newhous and Elizabeth Claypole.

The Manor of Conestoga

Many of the families that Adam’s descendants married into that came from the Shenandoah Valley to areas stretching from the Lost River down to the Greenbrier River in West Virginia can trace their lineage through Manor Township [5] in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (especially the Pequa Valley). The majority were originally Swiss Mennonites. Some were Schwenkfelders and/or German Baptists Brethren others were Quakers. Many became Methodists, Dunkers or some form of early or Primitive Baptists. The surnames include:

Baughman/Bowman/Basman

Dustier/Dosher/Dozier/Doser

Eberly

Funk

Garber/Gerber

Graff/Graeb/Groff

Herr/Haar/Hare

Hershey

Hiestand

Hostetter

Kauffman/Coffman

Kendrick

Kuntz/Coontz/Coons

Miller

Nelson

Newcomer/Neukomer

Oberholtzer

Ruffner

Shenk/Shank

Snyder/Snider

Souter/Sauter/Sowder/Souder (likely also Sauers/Sowers/Sours)

Stauffer/Stoever/Stover

Stineman/Stoneman

Here is an overview map some specific migration: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1alNemxIxtXDJ5GLRWBkVOLXivu_GF9TK/view?usp=sharing

Here is some more detail: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17ts_PnCXNE2mqDEAZhAUTrdU_8xB0D-4/view?usp=sharing

Broader Associations

Adam and his descendants appear to be settling and mixing with families that lived in a line between Cumberland and Culpeper. Within the Massanutten settlement, they are between Egypt and Syria crossing the Blue Ridge at Dark Hollow.

Around this same period, Families with the same surnames AND given names are found among the early settlers of North Carolina in areas in and around the Mennonite, Moravian and Scottish communities. Others in Maryland.

Adam’s group seems to have connections with the twin settlements of Manheim Lancaster and Manheim York; as well as the Early Mennonite in Pennsylvania and Reform in the Dutch Colonies. I can only assume that the families in North Carolina were associated with Christoph von Graffenried’s New Bern.

Perhaps they were originally associated with the Bernese Anabaptists since they seem to have ties to both the Palatinate and Switzerland. Successive generations seem to have become Baptists and Methodists.

Around 1790, many of the Shenandoah families migrated to Greenbrier and Monroe counties. Between 1800-1820, many of those families migrated to the Southern Ohio River Survey as well as Indiana and Illinois.

Where to look

Based on the clues found in records, it makes sense that Adam Arbaugh would have been in the region where Frederick, Culpeper, Orange & Augusta came together during the time his children were born.

In 1772, Dunmore was created from Frederick. In 1778, Dunmore was renamed Shenandoah; and, the adjacent Rockingham county was created from Augusta.

Long after Adam left, in 1831, Page county was created from Shenandoah and a bit of Rockingham.

A note was found stating that in 1776, Adam was in Valley, Shenandoah. It may have been the Shenandoah Valley but could have been Fort Valley, Shenandoah near Keller’s Fort an early North American Fort.

A Henrich and a Georg Keller can be found in the records of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Strasburg, Virginia. In 1783, an Abraham Keller is in the list of Alexander Hite. Learn more about the Keller families in A History of Shenandoah County, Virginia.

Some of his children were explicit about being from South Shenandoah… Below Fort Valley, to the east, the South Branch of the Shenandoah runs from Front Royal to Fort Stover and Hawksbill Creek. The Shenandoah continues to run along the foot of the mountains while Hawksbill Creek runs through Luray and Mauck (on the Old Fairfax Line) to Lewis Spring. This is where the old mill was at the foot of Hawksbill Mtn. This area was mined as early as 1714. (More about mining and Germanna)

Nearby, Naked Creek runs from Lewis Spring through Jollett and Furnace. It meets the South Fork of the Shenandoah in Verbena between Shenandoah and Bear Lithia Springs where the 1st acknowledged settler Adam Miller lived. From Württemberg, it was proven in court that he settled in the Shenandoah as early as 1727.

The most likely area to look is from Hollow Ridge to Tanners Ridge, straddling Page, Rappahannock, Madison and Rockingham counties.

Walking Times

Hawksbill Church walking times and distances

to Mauck 5.8 mi 2 h 2 min

to Morning Star 3.9 mi 1 h 22 min

to Stony Man 9.5 mi 3 h 52 min

Mauck Meeting House walking times and distances

to Morning Star 9.4 mi 3 h 15 min

to Mill Creek Crossroads 4.3 mi 1 hr 25 min

to Mount Calvary Cemetery (Hawksbill Church) 7.4 mi 2 h 32 min

Dark Hollow walking times and distances

to Syria via Finks Hollow 7.3 mi 2 h 32 min

to Mauck via Red Gate and Rose River 6.9 mi 2 h 19 min

to Tanners Ridge via the Appalachian Trail and Tanners Ridge Rd 4.5 mi 1 hr 31 min

to Etlan via Rose River and Etlan Rd 14.6 mi 4 h 59 min

to Stony Man Overlook via Appalachian Trail and Skyline Dr 12.5 mi 4 h 37 min

Stony Man walking times and distances

to Syria via White Oak Canyon and Weakley Hollow 12.8 mi 4 hr 27 min

to Valleyburgh via Skyline and Skyland 7.5 mi 2 h 48 min

to Morning Star via the Appalachian Trail 11.2 mi 4 h 22 min BUT it is less than half that though Tutwiler Hollow

to Thornton Gap via Skyline and the Appalachian Trail 7.4 mi 3 h 9 min

Thornton Gap walking times and distances

to Morning Star via Jewell Hollow 4.3 mi 1 hr 26 min

to Ashbys Corner via Lee Hwy and Woodward Rd 9.2 mi 3 hr 9.2 mi

tp Beahms Gap via Skyline 2.9 mi 1 hr

Beahms Gap is about 4 mi to Shenk Hollow if you take Rocky Branch to Kemp Hollow

Syria walking times and distances

to Hebron Church 7.9 mi 2 h 33 min

to Nethers 9.6 mi 3 h 16 min

to Sperryville 10.8 mi 2 h 34 min

Who was Adam Arbaugh?

Adam Arbaugh is not the Adam Orback listed in Rockingham county:

• In 1784 an Adam Orback appears in the list of Anthony Rader along with an Andrew Orback in the Head of Families Virginia page 77. This list is made up of people farther west, near Timberville.
• In the 1792 Tenth Legion Tithables, No. 9 – East Dist (Page 40) is the same area. Andrew Orebough appears as well as Adam Oreboh with son Wm. This is most likely the William Oarbaugh who married Magdalen Stoutmier and is buried in Rader’s Lutheran Church Cemetery. There are many Orebaugh in this cemetery. Some have connected them to the Hessian Oberbeck/Overpeck family from Bucks, Pennsylvania.
• By 1791, Adam Arbaugh is in Greenbrier for the marriage of his daughter Lucinda to Ephraim Claypool. He has no son named William and is not Lutheran. This is born out by the fact that he and most of associates and children had non-church burials which is more in line with the "Anabaptist" theology.

Adam Arbaugh is not Adam Urbach Hessian mercenary who remained after the Revolution:

• Adam Arbaugh was in Virginia as early as 1756.

Whereas: the oldest family connections lead back to the early Reform (Mennonite & Quaker) Palatinates and English, some of whom were the first to settle William Penn’s Germantown in 1683, along with their relatives who were waylaid to Governor’s Spotswood’s Germanna colonies in 1714 and 1717;

And, the subsequent family connections are mostly Baptist or “Calvanist” in nature;

One might conclude that, Adam Arbaugh was a descendant of the Württemberg Palatinates who immigrated early to Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia (possibly from Erbach);

And, a contemporary of Lorentz & Baltzer of PA/MD; William of Frederick, MD; Joseph of Philadelphia; and, Jacob of Baltimore; all of whom used the name Arbaugh.

Given his associations and their settlement dates, it is entirely possible that Adam was born in or near the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Records yet to search include:

Greenbrier and Augusta counties (1790-1800)

Court and Land records

Early records of the Old Greenbrier Baptist Church

Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland & Delaware (1727-1790)

Tax Lists

Court Records

Northern Neck and other land grants

Colonial American church records including those of:

John Casper Stoever

Martin Kaufman

John Koontz

Philip Boehm

Bavaria (1665-1727) Palatine Mennonite census lists (1664-1793)

Bern Switzerland and more !

Our Families

In 1995, Larry G. Shuck published a genealogical memorial entitled “Our Families - Shuck, Fleshman, Sydenstricker, Smith, Lewis, Kincaid, Keister, et al of West Virginia”. Given the time the research was done and the number of people involved, is was a herculean effort well worthy of applause. That being said, some of the research and connections listed are somewhat “shaky” especially before 1830.

They dedicate pages 363–382 to Adam Arbaugh and those they believe to be his relations. While some of the information is clearly incorrect, they do highlight some interesting facts on Page 374-376.

22 Oct 1788, on the list of communicants at the Hawksbill Church: Adolph Orbach with Michael Orbach, Lowiesa Orbach, Sabina Orbach, Moses Fleishman, Elisabeth Fleishman. They speculate that Adolph was Adam Jr. and his wife is Louisa and Michael’s wife Mary was named Mary Sabina.

They also speculate that Catherine’s marriage to Samuel Fleshman happened in Culpeper in 1780 and note that Samuel does not appear in the Shenandoah tax list until 1784 suggesting that the family moved from Culpeper to Shenandoah around 1785.

Adolph Urbach and wife Anna Maria are found in the Hebron Church records (Culpeper) in 1775 and 1776 and that Rudolph Urbach and wife Anna Maria appear in 1776.

They make much ado about how he moved while not considering the fluctuating lines of the day, especially the Old Fairfax line. Additionally, attendance at communion or, marriage at a particular church is not evidence of residence or even religious affiliation given the non-denominational nature of the Early Reform immigrant. It would not have been unusual at the time to go up the Blue Ridge at Mauck and travel the Rapidan Road down to Syria and on to Hebron. (Additionally, a number of known Brethren were among the petitioners for and communicants at Hebron and other Protestant Churches in the area that later became Lutheran.) It is highly probably that Adam and family did not move at all until migrating to Greenbrier.

In 1765, Rudolph and Mary Eurabough have a survey of 221 acres in Rockingham on the Shenandoah County line. On the next page, they note that this land was sold in 1771. Of the 221 acres, 26 acres went to Adam Eurebough and the remainder to William Stolp, father-in-law of Andrew Orbough. Adam Orbough of Rockingham later deeded this land to sons William and Christian in 1819. These are the Orebough found in the Rader’s Church Cemetery. They infer a family relationship but admit it as speculation. [To date, I have been not been able to find a DNA match between the two lines.]

There are 2 places where Rockingham and Shenandoah met. The first ran North/South along the easternmost Massanutten range. The second runs roughly East/West. While today, the line between Rockingham and Shenandoah and Page (formerly Shenandoah) is now well established, at the time, the Old Fairfax line tended to move a bit depending on the observer and their purposes. The most reliable information fixes the “Old Fairfax Line” used in local surveys and tax census as south of Newport and Stanley and north of Mauck. That being said, based on all the clues, this property was most likely located near Duncan Knob

They also note some facts about a Leonard Orebaugh/Orback who appears in Shenandoah County lists from Apr 1778 to Sep 1791. On 29 Sep 1791, he purchased 100 acres in Shenandoah County from John Beam. They mention Beam’s original 1779 survey of 179 acres south of Blue Ridge in Culpeper (Leonard Orebaugh, chain carrier) and 90 acres at the foot of Naked Mountain on a branch of Pass Run about 3 miles from Thorn’s Gap adjacent to Peter Keveler/Kibler (cc: Leonard Orebaugh). [A chain carrier is a surveyor’s assistant. Land was often marked in ‘chains’. A chain is 22 yards (about 20 m) long and divided into 100 links.]

There are a couple things interesting to note here:

I have only found two Naked Mountain that might have been considered Culpeper at the time. To the northeast, Naked Mountain Winery & Vineyards near Delaplane ; and to the south, Naked Mountain Natural Area Preserve, Nelson County near Lovingston. These seem to be outside the area of interest.

Turning to the 90 acres; if we assume that Naked Mountain is Neighbor Mountain and Thorn’s gap is Thorton Gap; and, we know that Pass Run flows from Thornton Gap along Highway 211, north of Jewell Hollow, then turns to Shenk Hollow along Rocky Branch Road to Kimball; and, from there it follows Kimball Road to Hawksbill Creek where it meets the South Fork of the Shenandoah south of Fort Stover;

Then, the only place that fits the description, including being in Shenandoah County and three miles from the gap, is in the area of Rocky Branch.

Adam is noted as being in Fort Valley near Keller’s Fort (Keveler?) around 1776. The area outlined above in just east of and below Fort Valley near where Rudolph Orback was listed in 1785.

That being said, to my knowledge, no records have been found linking Leonard to Rudolph/Adolph/Adam but a relationship does seem likely.

On Page 376 they suggest that he could be the Adolph Urbach that arrived in Pennsylvania on the ship Adventure and qualified 25 Sep 1754. Upon investigation, this appears to be the Adam Orebaugh (Eurebough, Oreboh, Oberbeck, Overpeck) of Rockingham, the father of William to whom this Adam sold land.

Name Origins

Arbaugh, which appears to be the French spelling of the names gives us Burgundy. Erbach, which appears to be one translation given for Adam’s signature on Christina’s marriage bond gives us Urbach

When researching Erbach as a possible origin for Adam Arbaugh, many are drawn to the romance of Erbach Castle in Erbach an der Donau (Ulm). However, when considering possible origins for Adam Arbaugh, you must also consider: Erbach Heppenheim; Erbach Kreis; Erbach Odenwald; Erbach Rheingau; Erbach Bergstrasse Hesse. There is also an Erbach along the Neckar River in Heidelberg. On the “German” immigration lists Erbach came to denote a type of immigrant as much as a place of origin. We must remember that a large percentage of these “Germans” were actually French and Swiss rather than Dutch or German.

Adam’s neighbors in Shenandoah and most likely Adam himself, spoke Swiss German. Because the German language contains letters that do not directly translate to the English alphabet we must also consider: Orbach, Urbach or even Aeurbach as well as countless others.

The most likely translation for Adam’s signature is Ärboh, a Celtic name of antiquity and a relic of Gaul. This name can be found in: Hungary; Italy – Rome & Malta; North Africa; Syria; in the Bedouin dialects of the Northern Sinai; Persia; among the Karaite Jews from the Ukraine and Crimea… basically across the whole of the Scythian empire. (Another interpretation of his signature is Srboh. It is interesting that there are often Surbaugh found near locations Adam and associates have lived.)

In Adam’s case, my inclination is toward the area North of the ancient stronghold of Meiringen (the gateway from the Piedmont to Europe and convergence of passes), along the Aare and Neckar and their tributaries. You will find placename relics very similar to the family names of some of those his descendants mixed with including: Aarberg (Arbaugh); Rufi and Rufenen (Ruffner); Rizenmattseeli (Ritzenthaler/Richendollar); Stettlen (Stettler); Staufen (Stauffer/Stoever/Stover); Wohlen (Wollam/Wollum); Cressier (Cresson); Scherz (Scheretz/Sharrits/Sherritts); Bolligen (Bollinger); Rickenback (Richenbacher); and more! All of these families were Early Reform Calvanists and not Lutheran. My favorite is Urbachtal.

In the early years, the Early Swiss Reform deferred to the Synod of the First Dutch Reformed Church. When they made concessions for the allowing of the swearing oaths, many refused and things got very uncomfortable in Switzerland. Large numbers of Swiss Calvanists (especially from the Canton of Bern) migrated to the Palatine of the Rhine helping to rebuild Baden which had razed at the end of the Nine Years’ War. They came at the invitation of more “tolerant” Counts but the rulership changed often sometimes with disastrous results. You will find many of the same placenames in Baden-Württemberg and Saarland.

One of the challenges facing researchers it that, by necessity, they become so focused on their subject that they tend to become myopic. In the case of Adam and other settlers in this region, they tend towards two assumptions that may be incorrect. 1. That they were German Lutheran. 2. That immigration occurred in the 18th Century.

If we step back just a couple generations and consider Burgundy as the origin, we are likely to fall upon the Erlach family. Rudolph had a son Diebold (1485-1561) who emigrated to American in the mid-16th Century. (There were several other non-British colonies.)

Once you understand the state of Europe during the Reformation and look at some of the associate of his grandson Franz Ludwig von Erlachs, you will immediately see the connection between the Swiss German Reform settlers in the Dutch Colonies in New York and New Jersey, Penn’s Germantown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania and vicinity and, those in Shenandoah and the Robinson River Valley.

Known associates:

Hans Rudolf Bucher (1582–1646) (Niklaus Ulrich b Jul 1601, Daniel b Nov 1926)

Jakob Bucher (1543 – 1618)

Beat Fischer (1577–1629)

Burkard Fischer (1588 –1656)

Jakob Gruser (1576 –1650)

Samuel Holzer (1568 –1628)

Samuel Huser (1599– um 1656)

Jakob Keller (1568–1628)

Niklaus Kirchberger (1591–1648) (Johanna Rosina b Jul 1631)

Adrian Knecht (1566 –1627) (d Maria b Jun 1607)

Jakob Koch (1568 –1646)

Albrecht Manuel (1560 –1637) (Christoph b Feb 1599, Dorothea b Oct 1636)

Wolfgang Michel (1557–1627)

David Müller (1600 –1667/68) (Johannes b Apr 1628)

Hans Rudolf Sager (1547–1623) (Hans Rudolpf b Feb 1598, Beat Ludwig Dec 1617))

Felix Schöni (1583 –1650)

Hieronymus Stettler (1558–1625) (Maria d Jun 1607)

Michael Stettler (1580–1642) (Albrecht b Feb 1634)

Johann Weyermann ( -1604)

Glado Weyermann (~1555 –1636)

Female Names

Adam had daughters Eave (pronounced Eva or Ava) [6], Lucinda [7] and Sophia (or Sofia) [8], as well as several descendants named Sabina (or Cebina) [9] . All these names are ancient names found in Andalucía and Burgundy (including the Netherlands) and some Slavic cultures such as Czechoslovakia. This seems to correspond with the European Celtic homelands[10].

Background history

With the betrayal of Pastorius and the broken promises of Penn’s Priopriety to issue the land grants they promised; and, those trying to escape the indenture wrought by Spotswood’s corrupt agents; it is not hard to image these German speaking immigrants moving into the Shenandoah Valley long before it was “officially” opened.

The Early Reform Swiss were hardy mountain people. They were well educated in the Humanist tradition. Many spoke German, French and Latin (the language of scholars), often English as well. Many of those in Württemberg were among or the descendants of those exiled from Bern who had migrated there following the Thirty Years’ War. A peace-loving people, in America, they often settled among the Indians and lived in harmony.

On the American frontier, it is not surprising to find the immigrant Palatine Mennonite mixing with the Scotch Presbyterians since both followed the tenants of Zwingli. Indeed, looking farther back, one could assume that both were derived from European Celt stock.

Even if they had no church of their own, early Reform were required to take communion. They can often be found in the records of Mennonite, Quaker, Lutheran and even Catholic churches. It was not uncommon for Lutheran and Reform to share churches on the frontier since they shared a common language. By the end of the French and Indian War, they were ‘entirely American’ and more likely to “fight” than their more pious immigrant forefathers. Many Early Reform became Baptists in the First Great Awakening. Many of those who signed the Dissenter's Petition of 1776 were from the Massanutten settlement.

The following timeline may help you better understand the people and conditions that shaped some of America’s earliest settlers from the Alps, Schwarzwald, Vosges and Ardennes mountains and their cousins in England, Scotland and Ireland.

• La Tène culture (450 BCE. — circa 1 BCE)
• Arverni (300 BC - 121 BC)
• Saint Denis (?-250-270)
• Saint Augustine of Hippo (354 –430)
• Saint Lambert (c. 636 – c. 705)
• Charlemagne (2 April 742 – 28 January 814)
• Oaths of Strasbourg 12 February 842
• Rudolph I (859 – October 25, 912)
• Frederick I (1122 – 10 June 1190)
• Peter Waldo (c. 1140 – c. 1205)
• Philip II (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223)
• Frederick II (26 December 1194 – 13 December 1250
• Francesco Petrarca (July 20, 1304 – July 18/19, 1374)
• Robert II (2 March 1316 – 19 April 1390)
• Black Death (1348 to 1350)
• Jan Hus (1369-1414)
• Rudolf von Erlach (1448-1507
• Walloons 1465
• Huldrych Zwingli (1 January 1484 – 11 October 1531)
• Besançon Hugues (b. 1487 - d. 1532)
• German Peasants' War 1524–1525
• Bernese Anabaptists 1525-1743
• Rene Goulaine de Laudonnière (c. 1529–1574)
• Augsburg Confession 25 June 1530
• New France (1534- 1763)
• French Wars of Religion (1562-1598)
• Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649)
• George Monck (6 December 1608 – 3 January 1670)
• Thirty Years' War 23 May 1618 – 15 May 1648
• Puritan migration to New England (1620–40)
• New Netherland (1621- 1664)
• Lewis Bayly (?-1631)
• New Sweden (1638 to 1655)
• Wars of the Three Kingdoms 1639—1651
• William of Orange (4 November 1650 – 8 March 1702)
• Francis Daniel Pastorius (1651–1720)
• Christoph von Graffenried (15 November 1661 – 1743)
• Nine Years' War (1688–97)
• Great Frost of 1709

Postulation, Supposition and (perhaps) Fantasy

It is thought that in antiquity, the European Celts (who were known by many different names) were trading partners (if not a lost tribe of) Israel. Some postulate that they (the seafaring tribe of Dan) sailed to the Great Lakes region to mine copper. This copper was then brought back to large smelting facilities around the Black Sea and fueled Europe’s Bronze Age.

A couple samples of the theories:

• Copper Mining in Ancient America – Primitive or Industrial?
• Are the Celts one of the ten lost tribes of Israel?
• Serbian site may have hosted first copper makers

Sources

1. ↑ West Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985 Ancestry.com. West Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1985 [1]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: West Virginia County, District and Probate Courts. Detail: Will Books Index, 1777-1969, Adam Arbaugh, Greenbrier, 1800, Vol 1, Page 143
2. ↑ Henry Miller Family and Descendants Chester I Miller, Henry Miller Family and Descendants [2], Chester I Miller, 4385 Roberts Mill Rd SW, London, OH 43140, June 25, 1980. Detail: Page 184
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [3]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: This unique collection of records was extracted from a variety of sources including family group sheets and electronic databases. Originally, the information was derived from an array of materials including pedigree charts, family history articles, querie. Detail: Name: Adam Arbaugh Gender: Male Birth Year: 1730 Spouse Name: Mary Marriage Year: 1800
4. ↑ Our Families Our Families - Shuck, Fleshman, Sydenstricker, Smith, Lewis, Kincaid, Keister, et al of West Virginia, Larry G Shuck, Larry G Shuck, Cincinnati, OH, 1995. https://www.worldcat.org/title/our-families-shuck-fleshman-sydenstricker-smith-lewis-kincaid-keister-et-al-of-west-virginia/oclc/33206306/editions?referer=di&editionsView=true
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Adam Dosser Christina Arbaugh Marriage Bond [need repository info]
6. ↑ The Germanna Record The Germanna Record, Number Eighteen, John Blankenbaker, Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia, Inc., Locust Grove, Virginia, 2008 Detail: Name: Page 123
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} First Census of the United States First Census of the United States 1790 Records of the State Enumerations: 1782 to 1785 Virginia [4]. Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of the Census, S.N.D. North, Director, Washington Government Printing Office, 1908. Detail: Page 104
8. ↑

Acknowledgements

Arbaugh-19 created through the import of earnst eabaugh.ged on Aug 26, 2012 by Vera Lewis. Orebaugh-2 was created by Robert Baker through the import of Shelton 1-22-2015.ged on Jan 22, 2015 Arbaugh-16 was created through the import of JOSEPH~1.GED on Jul 14, 2012 by Joseph Stalnaker.