Valentin Himmelberger (1709 - 1787)

Born 9 Dec 1709 in Schriesheim, Karlsruhe, Kurfürstentum Pfalz, Heiliges Römisches Reich

Husband of Elisabetha (Unknown) Himmelberger — married 3 Oct 1737 in at sea

Descendants

Died 9 Mar 1787 at age 77 in Bern Township, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Valentine Himmelberger was born December 9, 1709 in Schriesheim, in what is today Baden-Württemberg, Germany. There is evidence he probably lived in Switzerland before emigrating.

He immigrated from Amsterdam on the ship Townshend, Thomas Thompson, Captain, traveling via Cowes, England, and arriving in The Port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 5, 1737. The ship was a "bilander" (also spelled billender or billinder) and is sometimes recorded with the name "Bilander Townshend." At arrival, he was recorded on one version of the arrivals list as Vallentin Henneberger and on another version as Valentine Himmelberger. He signed the passenger list with an "x". He was later to sign his will the same way. The passenger list also included (in both versions) a Hans Melchior Henneberger, who may have been related to Valentin.^[1]

On October 3, 1737, two days before arriving in port, Valentine married Maria Elisabeth (last name not known) aboard the bilander "Townshend." We don't know if they met on board ship or if they were traveling together.

Unlike many German immigrants of the era, Valentin was not bonded to someone in this land for a period of time to work off the cost of his passage. Instead, he bought a farm in Bern township, Berks Co., Pennsylvania on 21 Aug 1740 and raised a family there.^[2]

Valentine and Elisabeth, as she will be known, had nine children:

1. Philip (1739-1796) m Margaretha Brecht (1745-1806); 11 children
2. Mary Elizabeth (1741- )
3. Catherine (1742-1771) m Johannes Fischer (1737-1806); 3 children
4. Clara (1744-1818) m Nicholas Fisher (~1744- ); 1 son Adam
5. George (1747-1821) m Elisabeth Brecht (1749-1823); 10 children
6. Jacob (1750-1824) m Margaret Leib (1754-1803); 4 children
7. Ulrich (1752-1793) m Elisabeth Tesch (~1752- ); 8 children. He died in Kentucky
8. Susanna (1753-1830) m Michael Schock (1747-1815); 14 children
9. Eva (~1755- bef. 24 Apr 1811) m Abraham Bucks (1750-1811); 9 children

All of the children survived childhood. All but Eva are listed and linked in Valentine and Elisabeth's Find A Grave memorials.

Velentine Hemalbarger of Tulpohockon Township was naturalized in Philadelphia by the Supreme Court of Philadelphia on 10 or 11 April or 10 or 11 October 1761. ^[3]

On children: There are nine children mentioned in the will. Philip, Elisabeth, Catharina [died before the will was written, her children Harry Fisher, Michael and John were provided for in the will with her share of the inheritance], Clara, George, Jacob, Ulrich, Susanna and Eva. Stone says "8 Kinder" who survived him. With Catharina gone, eight is correct.

He is buried in Fairview (Salem, Belleman's) Cemetery, Mohrsville, Centre Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania^[4]

March 16, 2013 UPDATE: A German-speaking cousin sent me this interpretation of the gravestone inscription: "Not 100% sure, but this is what I think I see:

'Hier ruhen unserer

geliebte Eltern, Valentin

Himelberger und Elisabeth.

Er ist Geb D 9 Dec 1709

und starb am 9 Mar 1787 in

Alter von 78 Jahre 3 Monate.

Sie ist Geb D 6 Nov 1713

und starb 1 Jun 1788 mit

49 glückliche Ehejahren

umgeben von 8 Kinder

in Alter von 75 Jahre

7 Monate.'"

When I asked him how it compares to the translation on the memorial, he sent me this: "Don't see any essential differences:

'Here rest our

beloved parents, Valentin

Himmelberger and Elisabeth.

He was born Germany 9 Dec 1709

and died on 9 Mar 1787 in

age of 78 years 3 months.

She was born Germany November 6, 1713

and died 1 June 1788 with

49 years of happy marriage

surrounded by 8 children,

in age of 75 years

7 months.'"

Note: The math on the headstone is off by a year for both Valentin and Elisabeth. He would be 77 yrs 3 mos., she would be 74 yrs 7 mos. Yet 49 years together married is correct.

Will

Valentin Himmelberger made his will on 28 February 1787. The probate file includes his original will, written in German, and a handwritten English translation.^[5] On 2 August 1788 letters testamentary for the will of Valentin Himmelberger, deceased, yeoman of Bern Township, Berks County, were issued at Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, to his executors, his son Philip Himmelberger and his son in law Abraham Busc.^[6]

Transcribed text of the English translation of the will:^[7]

In the Name of Amen

I Valentin Himmelberger of Bern Township Berks County and in the State of Pennsylvania, find myself weakly in Body but thank God by my (forms) and full understanding Considering the Mortality of my Body, make and ordain this my last Will and Testament as follows.

I recommend my Soul in the Hands of the Lord, of whom I have received it, accordingly (xxxx) upon my Demise on the Earth to be Christianly Buried by my Executors. :(Trusting) my worldly Estate wherewith the Lord Blessed me in this life, I give and Bequeath to my Lawful Heirs as follows.

Firstly I give and Bequeath to my beloved Wife Maria Elizabeth all my moveable Estate and that shall all be appraised piece for piece, but remain in her hand till (five) weeks after her Death, when all the moveable goods shall be sold at Public Auction and of the money arising therefrom,

Ten Pounds shall be paid to my Eldest Son Philip beforehand for his first Birth Right and the remaining Money shall be distributed among my Eight Children in eight equal shares, therein my Son Jacob Himmelberger shall be excluded,

my Son Philip the first Born I have already paid in hand two hundred pounds in Specie,

I have already paid in hand to my Daughter Elizabeth in Specie money and the worth of money one hundred Pounds,

I have paid in hand to my Daughter Catherina Ninety Pounds Specie, and Seventy Pounds shall yet be paid to her Children Harry Fisher, Michael and John with Lawful Interest from the fifteenth day of March one Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Five, and Shall be Paid to each as he arrives his Age twenty three Pounds five Shillings and eight Pence Principal except the Interest from the Time aforesaid,

I have paid in in hand to my Daughter Clara one hundred pounds Specie,

I have paid in hand to my Son George one hundred and fifty pounds Specie,

I have deducted my Son Jacob's Inheritance in full of the Consideration Money for the Land,

I have paid in hand to my Son Ulrich two hundred Pounds in Specie,

I have paid in hand to my Daughter Susanna one hundred Pounds Specie in Money and Money's Worth,

and I have also paid in hand in Money to my Daughter Eva one hundred pounds Specie,

this bequest and now paying beforehand shall be each of my Children's full Share,

two Bonds one of thirty three Pounds Five Shillings and eight Pence are yet remaining back by my Son Jacob,

one Bond of Philip (Refer) for twenty five Pounds,

and one other of Mathias Weaver for Thirteen Pounds,

these said Bonds and the Money arising from the moveable effects shall after my beloved Wife's death be distributed in eight equal Shares, therein my Son Jacob excluded A Bank Note whereby my Son Jacob has one thousand and seven hundred Dollars, which is now alone in my name to Fifty Pounds Nineteen Shillings and five pence, my eight Children Shall have twenty one pounds part thereof.

I make and Proclaim my Son Philip and my Son in Law Abraham (Buchs) to my only executors of this my last Will and Testament, I make Void and Recall all former Wills and Testament, ratify and confirm this my last Will and Testament and not other.

Published and Declared and Subscribed the Twenty eight Day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven in the presence of us

/s/ Jost Stoud

/s/ Ulrich Bagenstoss

Valentin (mark of X) Himmelberger

Sources

1. ↑ Strassburger, Ralph Beaver; edited by William John Hinke. Pennsylvania German Pioneers: A Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808 (Pennsylvania German Society, Norristown, PA, 1934). page 186.
2. ↑ Warrants 35, 36, and 53, Penn Township, are recorded to Valentine Himmelberger, mapped on https://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/rg/di/r17-522WarranteeTwpMaps/r017-Map2604-Berks-PennWeb.pdf. Note: In 1841, his farm became part of Penn township when it was formed from parts of Bern and Upper Bern Townships; see History of Bern Township on Bern Township website.
3. ↑ Need to check this date.
4. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #28133519
5. ↑ Probate Estate Files, Held, Ludwig-Huyett, Ludwig, 1752-1799; Berks County (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills; Probate Place: Berks, Pennsylvania. Accessed on Ancestry.com at https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1389168:8802
6. ↑ Wills, Vol 1-3, 1752-1800, Berks County (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills. Accessed on Ancestry.com at https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8802/images/005533972_00326
7. ↑ Transcription at Will of Valentin Himmelberger, transcription on genea.hommelberg.nl website, accessed 11 May 2023.

• Valentine's Find A Grave Memorial
• Family Search Family Tree I.D. LZLF-6RP
• Genealogie Valentine Himmelberger: http://genea.hommelberg.nl/genea/verwijs.php?page=MenuD/06-Himmelberger/Genealogy%20Valentine%20Himmelberger%20(DE%20US).html (archived on 11 May 2023 at https://web.archive.org/web/20230511161857/http://genea.hommelberg.nl/genea/verwijs.php?page=MenuD/06-Himmelberger/Genealogy Valentine Himmelberger (DE US).html) or https://web.archive.org/web/20190914022134/http://genea.hommelberg.nl:80/genea/MenuD/06-Himmelberger/Genealogy%20Valentine%20Himmelberger%20(DE%20US).html or go to http://genea.hommelberg.nl/genea/index.html and select the link to Genealogy Valentine Himmelberger (DE US) or try https://web.archive.org/web/20201104154335/http://genea.hommelberg.nl/genea/index.php?site=genea&menu_sub=documents&dir=06-Himmelberger&doc=Genealogie%20Jan%20Wttewael.htm
• Strausstown Roots