Johann Matthias Fenstermacher (1678 - 1761)

Born 24 Sep 1678 in Zweibrucken, Bayern, Heiliges Römisches Reich

Husband of Anna Catharina (Ruppenthal) Fenstermacher — married 25 Oct 1707 in Achtelsbach, Heiliges Römisches Reich

Descendants

Died 1761 at about age 82 in Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania

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Biography

Matthias Fenstermacher was an early settler in Pennsylvania.

"The Fenstermacher family with which we are most familiar, and whose representatives are quite numerous in this and nearby counties, has its origin in Mathias Fenstermacher, a native of the German Palatinate, who crossed the sea on the good ship "Glasgow" which landed at Philadelphia, on 9 September 1738. On the original list of passengers his age is given as sixty years, and he was therefore born about 1678. He was accompanied to America by his two sons, Jacob, then twenty-nine years of age, and Wilhelm, twenty-five years of age. These three were preceded to the new world by a third son, Philip, who was removed to Alburtis and there carried on a general store business until he died in 1809. Altogether he followed the life of an enterprising, successful merchant for upwards of forty years. a passenger on the good ship, Samuel, and qualified at Philadelphia, 30 August 1737. He was then twenty-four years of age."

"There is a tradition that the family first settled in Oley township, Berks County. The first positive record we have, however, is in the Berks County tax list of 1753, where Longswamp Township is given as the residence of the father and of his two sons, Jacob and Philip. Concerning the other son, Wilhelm, who accompanied his father to the new world, nothing further is known at this time. The name of Mathias Fenstermacher appears in the early tax lists as late as 1761, at which time he probably died, being then eighty-three years old."

Buried Longswamp Reformed Church Cemetery, Lehigh [Berks] County, Pennsylvania

Find A Grave: Memorial #99745251 Johann Matthias Fenstermacher

Sources

FENSTERMACHER FAMILY From: History Of Lehigh County, Vol 1, 2 & 3. Transcribed by: Sandra Hart

"Germany, Births and Baptisms, 1558-1898"

Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild

1738 Ship Glasgow

Notes

Note Johann Matthias Fenstermacher, son of Hans Conrad (1650) born posthumously on 24 September 1678 in Zweibrucken, Palantinate, Rhenish Bavaria, and is so recorded in the CHURCH BOOK at THALFANG-BROBACH, son of the late Conrad of Hillscheidt, Bailiwick Thronecken.

He was married on 25 October 1707 to Anna Catherine Ruppenthal of Austria , daughter of Johannes Ruppenthal, a Baliff at Achetelsbach in the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Achtelsbach.

The Reformed Parochial Register of Achtelsbach begins in 1721, Previous entries and the Baptismal Certificate of Anna Catherine are to be found in Wolfersweiler.

"7 August 1712, Presbyter Matthis Fenstermacher of Achtelsbach-Thronen was accepted and publicly presented to the community. In the archives in the city of Speyer, it is recorded that in 1738 Matthis with sons Jacob and Wilhelm from Amt Nohefelden, Zweibrucken, Rhenish Bavaria, left for Pennsylvania, at age 60, with sons Jacob age 29, and Wilhelm age 25. They arrived in Philadelphia on the good ship "GLASSGOW" on 9 SEPTEMBER 1738. Sailing Master Walter Sterling from Rotterdam, last from Cowes, England with 349 passengers mostly PALATINATES as the dwellers of the Rhine Valley were designated upon arrival"

"They subscribed to the oath of allegiances required by the authority . Passenger lists at the time show only names of males 16 years and older so it is not know how many of their families came with them. Immigration records of 1740 show Matthias and his wife returning to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania again on the good ship Glasgow. They were preceded to the new world by a third son Philip 20 years of age who qualified at Philadelphia 30 August 1737.

The family settled in Oley Township which was later designated as Longswamp, Longswamp Township tax lists of 1753-1761 shows his name.

He died in 1762 at age 83 and is buried in the Churchyard Cemetery

They were among the organizers of the Longswamp Reformed Church which was started in 1748, written records start in 1762.

CHILDREN:

1) 1709-1798 Fenstermacher, Johann J *

2) 1710-_____ Fenstermacher, Maria M *

3) 1713-1757 Fenstermacher, Johann W

4) 1716-1790 Fenstermacher, Franz P

5) 1718-_____ Fenstermacher, Anna M

6) 1720-_____ Fenstermacher, Maria C *

7) 1723-1790 Fenstermacher, Johann M Jr

8) 1727-_____ Fenstermacher, Mary E *

Most family trees list additional children that I have not included because their names do not appear on the ships Passenger List.

ALTERNATE / UNSOURCED DATES:

1720-1728 Maria Catharina YEAR OF DEATH listed as 1728 in family trees.

BIRTH PLACE VARIATIONS Brobach, Nohefelden, Rheinland Palatinate, Rhenish, Bayern Zweibrucken, Palatinate, Rhenish Bavaria

[Land borders have changed over the eras resulting in the multiple options for birth place locations.]

IMMIGRATION: 9 September 1738

Age 59y 11m 16d

Ship: 1738 "Glasgow"

Philadelphia, Montgomery, Pennsylvania

Passenger & Immigration List Index,

1500s-1900s. Pages 8, 116, 117, 123, 319.

Glasgow Passenger List #53:

1) Self:. Fenstermacher, MATHEIS

2) Wife: Fenstermacher, Anna Catharina

3) Son:. Fenstermacher, Johann Jakob

4) Dau:. Fenstermacher, Maria Margred

5) Son:. Fenstermacher, Johann Wilhelm

6) Dau:. Fenstermacher, Anna Maria

7) Dau:. Fenstermacher, Maria Catharina

Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild

1738 Ship: Glasgow:

SHIP'S LIST

13) Finstermacher, Mathias

14) Finstermacher, Wm.

63) Finstermacher, Jacob

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

25) Finstermacher, Wm. (Unsigned)

29) Finstermacher, Jacob

60) Finstermacher, Mathias

OATH OF ABJURATION

Finstermacher, Mathias

Fenstermacher, Wilhelm

Finstermacher, Jacob

[Son: Fenstermacher, Philip (age 20)

preceded the others by arriving at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 30 August 1737 aboard the ship "Samuel."