Elias (Dieterich) Dietrich (1701 - abt. 1760)

Born 21 Aug 1701 in Ottmarsheim, Württemberg, Germany

Husband of Susanna Magdalena Roth — married 1 Jul 1727 in Kleinsachsenheim, Vaihingen, Württemberg

Husband of Anna Elisabetha (Schopf) Dietrich — married 21 Oct 1732 in Kleinsachsenheim, Vaihingen, Württemberg

Descendants

Died about 1760 at about age 58 in Northampton, Pennsylvania

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Biography

Elias Dieterich son of Joh Rudolf Dieterich and Anna Barbara Dieterich was born 21 Aug 1701 and baptized the same day (?) in Ottmarsheim, Württemberg, Deutschland (Ellen Dietterick, private communication; FHL File # 1184619). (Note: DOB 27 Jan 1713 per Roberts 1914 vol II p 253 and cemetery memorial is spurious.)

Elias Dietrich son of Rudolph Dietrich and Susanna Magdalena dau of Hans Michel Roth were married 1 Jul 1727 in Kleinsachsenheim, Vaihingen, Württemberg. Three daughters, all baptized in Kleinsachsenheim (E. Dietterick; FHL Film Number: 1184623):

• Maria Catharina Dieterich b. 3 Apr 1727 bap 4 Apr 1727 d. 29 Apr 1727
• Susanna Magdalena Dieterich b. 1 Dec 1728 bap 1 Dec 1728
• Anna Elisabetha Catharina Dieterich b. 17 Mar 1730 bap 17 Mar 1730

Elias Dieterich (widowed) from Ottmarsheim married Anna Elisabetha from Grossachsenheim widow of Hanss Georg Schopff on 21 Oct 1732 Then they lived in KIeinsachsenheim after marrying. Elias and Anna Elisabetha's first child, Elias, dies when he is just days old in Aug 1734. Judith is born 23 Sep 1735, Johann Elias is born 30 May 1738 and Johannes is born 23 Oct 1741 (E. Dietterick; FHL File # 1184623).

On 22 Dec 1744, Elias and [evidently] Anna Elisabetha as well as their three children landed in Philadelphia aboard the "Ship Muscliffe Galley, George Durell, Commander, from Rotterdam & last from Poole in Dorsetshire" (Strassburger 1934, vol I pp. 358-359). Two more children Johann Jacob and Christina were born in Philadelphia (E. Dietterick).

On 10 Nov 1748 Elias Dietrich/Dieterick purchased Tract 186, containing 161 acres 121 perches in Forks Twp. near Easton, Northampton Co., PA. (A. D. Chidsey's "Penn Patents in the Forks of the Delaware," published in 1937 by the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society)

Entries in the church records of the Williams Township Congregation show Elias Dietrich and his wife, Elisabeth, sponsored the baptisms of two infants; one on 11 Jun 1749 and the other on 29 Jun1752. ( John T. Humphrey's book "Early Families of Northampton County")

On 24 Sep 1754, Elias Dietrich, listed as a resident of Northampton County, became a naturalized citizen of the Province of Pennsylvania. According to the Act of Parliament for naturalizing foreign protestants the applicant had to be an inhabitant for seven years and had to produce for the court certification of having taken communion in a protestant or reformed church within three months of taking the oath. Elias listed 1 Sep 1754 as the date he took communion. (ibid)

When Elias sold land on 1 May 1759 and thirty days later on 31 May 1759 both deeds noted Elias was living in the "Forks of the Delaware" and they both stated he was a mason by trade (ibid). Deed for 67 pounds 10 shillings 31 May 1759 Grantor; Elias Detrich, Forks of the Delware, a mason and his wife Elizabeth (Deed Book Vol. C 23 Jun 1762-19 Sep 1765, pages 9-11)

Burial: Old Union Cemetery, Stone Church, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, USA. Memorial ID 30323332. Note: DOB 27 Jan 1713 provided by cemetery memorial is incorrect, based on a spurious biography supplied by Roberts (1914, v II pp 253-254).

Elias Dietrich [Jr] placed a petition before the Orphan's Court of Northampton County on June 23, 1762. According to the petition, the father of Elias Dietrich "died sometime in the year of our Lord 1760 intestate, and left a wife and five children, that is to say the petitioner Elias, the eldest son, and John, Judah, Christina and Jacob...." The petition goes on to state that the deceased died owning a plantation in Mt. Bethel Twp. containing 119 acres 138 perches. On 23 Sept 1762, Guardians [were appointed] for minor children of Elias "Tetrick", widow Elizabeth, next friend, Christina over 14, Jacob under 14. (Northampton Orphans' Court 1752-1795, vol C, pp 1, 14: images 64, 71)

Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994 Northampton Register's index 1752-1966 C-E (mage 411):

File No. 251 Estate of Elias Deter[ich?]

Anna Elizabeth Deter & John E Deter Admrs

Admr Bond 1761 / Fn Acct 1761 / 2nd Inv & Appr 1762

When the tax lists were compiled for Northampton County in 1761 the widow of Elias Deeter was listed in Mt. Bethel Twp. These is no listing on these tax records for Johan Elias, Johannes or Johann Jacob Dietrich, suggesting that her three sons were living with her (Humphrey).

Research Notes

A highly fictitionalized account for Elias appears in History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, and a genealogical and biographical record of its families (Roberts 1914, v II pp 253-254). This account supplies him with a spurious father, spurious birth date and location, spurious marriages, and spurious children, It was supposedly copied from a family bible, but was in fact invented as a piece of fiction largely out of thin air. The only points of contact with the historical Elias are his migration to America in 1744, and information about his two youngest children. Moreover, Elias' two oldest sons Johann Elias and Johannes have been conflated into a single individual. There have been repeated attempts to reconcile the fictitious Elias with the historical one (see Elias Dietrich [1713-1759], for example), but it is much better to simply ignore the fictitious account and construct Elias' biography entirely from reliable sources.

Research Notes

Note From: gerifelker AT webtv DOT net (geri brennan)

Subject: [PANORTHA-L] Anna Maria Frutchey, very, very, very long

Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 12:23:24 -0500 (EST)

In-Reply-To: "Pam Fite" <fite52 AT comcast DOT net>'s message of Tue, 10 Feb 2004 18:40:55 -0800

Family History: John Ludwig Detrich: Franklin County, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Ken Bacci.

kbacci AT wans DOT net

The pioneer, Elias Dietrich, in accordance with the Penn Archives landed in 22 Dec 1744 on the ship Muscliffe.

His Bible record states that he died in 1759 with the inscription that he fell

asleep in the Lord on the first day of November, and may God grant him eternal

rest.

Sources

• Ellen Dietterick, private communication.
• Family History Library (FHL): Kleinsachsenheim File # 1184623; Grossachsenheim File # 1184619.
• "Pennsylvania German pioneers; a publication of the original lists of arrivals in the port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808", by Ralph Beaver Strassburger, ed. by William John Hinke (Norristown, Pa., Pennsylvania German Society, 1934).
• Pennsylvania Probate Records, Northampton Orphans' Court (1752-1795), Register's index (1752-1966) C-E.
• Memorial for Elias Dieterich, buried in Old Union Cemetery, Stone Church, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, USA.
• "History of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, and a genealogical and biographical record of its families", by Charles Rhoads Roberts (1914). Three volumes.

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile UNKNOWN-152006 created through the import of ged.GED on Apr 3, 2012 by Neil Detrick. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Neil and others.