Johann Georg Kuntz (bef. 1712 - 1779)

Born before 30 Nov 1712 in Steinfeld, Bergzabern, Palatinate, Germany

Ancestors

Husband of Catarina (Ochs) Kuntz — married 20 Nov 1733 in Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 5 Jun 1779 after age 66 in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Brent Schaeffer [send private message] and Thomas Dominick [send private message]

Biography

Johannes Kuntz has German Roots.

Johann Georg Kuntz was born in 1712 and baptized on 30 Nov 1712 in Steinfeld.^[1] He arrived in Philadelphia on the ship "Pennsylvania Merchant" in 1732. He lived in York Co., PA, where he married on 20 November 1733, Catarina Ochs, daughter of John Adam Ochs and wife, Elizabeth. He moved his family to the Dutch Fork of SC about 1749. His petition is the earliest of the German settlers in Newberry District, SC. 350A on Crims Creek in 1749. Johann Georg Kuntz died 5 June 1779 in Savannah, GA, during the Rev. War.

Petition for Land

On 21 April 1749, Johannes Kountz petitioned for bounty in SC (Council Journal 17(l):299). His petition was the first for a German settler in old Newberry District, SC. His petition states that he had come to America on Capt. Steadman's ship and was landed at Philadelphia from whence he had worked his way with family to SC. In 1749, he had a wife and five children.

The early history of the 350 acre land grant of Johannes Kountz is summarized in "Families of the Dutch Fork " (Dutch Fork Digest XIV:43, 1999). 100A (NW) part of the grant was sold 1763 to George Riser (Memorials 9-423). Quit rents continued to be paid on the entire 350 acre tract until 1774 without mention of the sale of land to Riser. It is believed that George Riser married Francina Counts, a daughter of Johannes Kountz.

Johannes Kuntz petitioned for bounty land on April 21, 1749 and was granted 350 Acres on Crims Creek in the area of South Carolina which would become known as the Dutch Fork.^[2] On the petition, his name was anglicized as John Counts.

Council Journal 17 (1) Page 299:

From the 20th Day of December 1748 to the 16th day of December 1749 Exclusive

The Petition of Johannes Counts being presented to the Board the same was ordered to be read which was accordingly done setting forth that the Petitioner had come from Rotterdam in Capt. Stedman's Ship with intent for this Place but that with others he had been Landed at Philadelphia from whence he had worked his way hither with his Family. That he has a Wife and five Children and never had any land granted to him and that he was desirous to settle with his Family on the Broad River. Therefore he humbly prays his Excellency & their Honors order to the Surveyor General to run out to him Three hundred and fifty Acres of Land on the Broad River and that he might have a grant for the same free of charge and he as in duty bound would ever pray be.

The Petitioner appearing and being sworn and examined to the truth of what is set forth in his said Petition the Prayer thereof was granted and it was accordingly.

Ordered

That the Deputy Secretary prepare a Warrant to the Surveyor General for admeasuring and laying out for said Johannes Counts Three hundred and fifty Acres of Land on the Broad River aforesaid and that the Commissary General do pay the charges thereof.

Children

Of Johannes' five children, three sons are known:

• John, Jr.,
• Jacob,
• Henry.

In 1763, 100 acres of Johannes' original grant was sold to George Riser, the son of an adjoining land owner, who was married to Francina. Because Johannes sold the land and then continued to pay quit rents for the next 11 years, it is assumed that Francina was his daughter.

Children:

1. John Adam Counts, born 1 December 1734 in Providence, York Co., PA, died 16 Jan 1781 at Camden during the Rev. War. John Counts was a Private in the 2nd SC Volunteer Regiment on 4 November 1775. In 1779 he was a Lt. in Col. Jonas Beard's Regiment of State troops in the Company of Capt. John Adam Summer. He married Maria Catherine Setzler, daughter of Johann Adam Setzler and Anna Christiana Müller.
2. Maria Catarina Counts, born about 1735.
3. Jacob Counts, born about 1737, died 30 October 1779 at Savannah while serving during the Rev. War. His wife, Ephie, may have been Ephie Metz.
4. Henry Counts, born about 1739, died 1814, married (1) Mary Elizabeth ___; married (2) Catherine Fellers, daughter of Johannes Fellers.
5. Francina Counts, born about 1742, died before 1821, married George Martin Riser, Sr. George Riser had come to SC about 1750 and settled on Crims Creek.

Revolutionary War

Johannes' family was active in the Revolutionary War. There is evidence that his children served both the Loyalist and Patriot causes.

It is presumed that Johannes and his son John, Jr. lost their lives fighting in the War, though it is unsure when each died. A John Counts was listed as deceased June 5, 1779 in Savannah, Georgia, serving in Captain Martin Livingston's Company of the South Carolina Royalists. Another John Counts was listed as deceased January 16, 1781 in Camden, South Carolina, serving in Captain Charles Stewart Lindsays' Company of the South Carolina Royalists. It is certain that Johannes and his son, John, Jr. were no longer living by 1800, when his grandsons sold part of the inherited original grant.

Jacob Counts

A Jacob Counts served in the Revolutionary War under Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Innes' Company of the South Carolina Royalists and was listed as deceased on October 30, 1779 in Savannah, Georgia. It is presumed that he was the son of Johannes.

Peter Counts

A Peter Counts served in the Revolutionary War under Captain Charles Stewart Lindsay's, and under Captain Lewis Kenan's, Companies of the South Carolina Royalists, as well as under Captain William Houseal in the Dutch Fork Militia which was organized by John Adam Summer. Peter may have been grandson of Johannes.

Sources

1. ↑ "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ND4K-6X1 : 25 March 2020), Joannes Georgius Kuntz, 1712.
2. ↑ http://www.dutchforkchapter.org/dutch_fork.html

See also:

• Modified Register for Martin Luther ROISER - Dutch Fork Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society - http://dutchforkchapter.org/html/riser.html
• Registry for Johann Wendel KUNTZ - Dutch Fork Chapter of the South Carolina Genealogical Society - http://dutchforkchapter.org/html/counts1.html
• German Settlers in the Dutch Fork of South Carolina. Compiled by Carl W. Nichols and Hannelore Enderle.
• https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/g/r/e/Richard-C-Gremillion/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0141.html, accessed 13 Jan 2022
• https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/counts/808/, accessed 13 Jan 2022
• https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/counts/823/, accessed 13 Jan 2022
• Marriage Reference - Page 81 of Notes & Queries Historical, Biographical, and Genealogical Relating Chiefly to Interior Pennsylvania - Published 1896 by William Henry Egle -- https://books.google.com/books?id=l9smAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA7&lpg=PA7&dq=john+adam+ochs+genealogy&source=bl&ots=Jk8UPLBwTN&sig=7hEAMVE-GhjIZuzAl8l3jyCnf5o&hl=en&sa=X&ei=p-JxVfDkHI7GogTWv4LgBA&ved=0CDEQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=john%20adam%20ochs%20genealogy&f=false
• https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/6989691/person/152314130088/hints
• https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5802c4d9414fb5e45ce4dc44/t/5cf291fe29215a0001e0d310/1559400959275/Platts+Genealogy+8.pdf, accessed 13 Jan 2022

Acknowledgements

• Counts-344 was created by Brent Schaeffer through the import of Riser branch.ged on May 21, 2015.