Jacob Wetzel (1746 - abt. 1824)

Born 8 Oct 1746 in Bucks, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died about 1824 at about age 77 in Buncombe County, North Carolina, USA

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Biography

Jacob Wetzel first shows up in Lincoln County, North Carolina, in 1774, where he soon marries Margaret Summey. He later moved in the early 1800s to Buncombe County, North Carolina, in that area that became Henderson County and finally Transylvania County.

A purported copy of his will in Buncombe County, North Carolina, written in 1824, gives his daughters (in this order) as Katie Hefner, Peggy Hefner, Betsy Weise, Susan Clayton, Polly Mackey, Sally Clayton. His sons were Jacob, John, and Henry. His wife was named as Margaret.

Research Notes

A deed in Lincoln County, North Carolina, provides a critical link back to Jacob's origins in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. This link was first suggested by Dorothy Elsie Worman in her book Gilbert, Knappenberger, Jarrett & Allied Families.

In 1774, Daniel Jarrett of Rowan County, North Carolina, bought 1000 acres of land in Tryon County, which was soon to become Lincoln County, from John Frohock. Daniel Jarrett, who came originally from Northampton County, Pennsylvania, immediately divided this 1000 acres into four plantations of 250 acres each, one for himself, one for his brother Samuel Jarrett, one for his brother-in-law Martin Spiegel (Speegle/Speagle), and the final to Jacob "Wetsail" (Wetzel), charging only 50 pounds, consistent with a familial relationship.

However, Jacob Wetzel married Margaret Summey, not a Jarrett, nor were there any known Summey-Jarrett ties. As it turns out, though, two of Daniel Jarrett's siblings had married children of Conrad Wetzel of Northampton County, Pennsylvania: Johanna Jarett married John Wetzel and Isaac Jarrett married Catherine Wetzel.

Conrad Wetzel and his wife Catharina Bayer were members of the Moravian church at Emmaus (Macungie Township) in Northampton County (previously Bucks and now Lehigh) in Pennsylvania and records there (in German) show that they had a son Jacob born October 8, 1746. Conrad died in 1753 and as Jacob was the second to the youngest of the children, his eldest brother John (b. 1730) and his mother Catherine likely raised him. Catherine died in 1767, leaving a will that names Jacob, so he was still living and a young man at that time.

This Jacob Wetzel born 1746 remains unaccounted for in genealogies and does not fit any other known Jacob Wetzel found to date, as he was either too young or has the wrong naming patterns to be the ones who left wills in Northampton County in 1774 or 1780 or in Berks County in 1785.

Jacob Wetzel of Lincoln County, North Carolina, appears as an unmarried young man along with other unmarried or recently married younger children of the Jarrett family of Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Jacob named his eldest daughter Catherine (Katie) and like his father Conrad, he had sons John and Henry and Jacob. If Jacob had a son Conrad, he did not survive.

The circumstances of our Jacob Wetzel's appearance as a single man and his associations in Lincoln County, North Carolina, fit perfectly with that of the son of Conrad and Catherine (Bayer) Wetzel. Further supporting this, the Y-DNA of a descendant of Jacob Wetzel matches that of a descendant of Conrad Wetzel. Unless further information comes to light, this appears to be the correct identification.

Jacob Wetzel Sr. and his son, Jacob Wetzel Jr. both signed the “1813 petition to form a new county of Hawkins” in North Carolina of what was Walton County Ga.

Sources

• Deed from Daniel Jarett to Jacob Wetsail, both of Rowan Co NC, 01 Sep 1774, Deed Book 2, Lincoln Co NC, pp. 141-142.

• Gilbert, Knappenberger, Jarrett & allied families / Dorothy Elsie Worman. Decorah, Iowa : Anundsen Pub. Co., 1990.

• Will of Jacob Wetzel. This notarized copy (1930) found in DAR records was apparently obtained from the family (Maxwell) who ended up with the Wetzel lands. The original will and record copy would have been destroyed with the other Buncombe County records. However, as title to the land, a handwritten *copy* of the will may well have been passed down in the land owner's records. Its current location, if still extant, is unknown. So far as can be determined, the information in this will appears to be correct, other than the anomaly of daughter Peggy Hefner who is called Rebecca in other records. Peggy is a nickname for Margaret, not Rebecca. It is possible there was a transcription error for Becky or because her mother was also Margaret, she was called either Rebecca or Peggy.

• Sources and Notes from Previous Profile Manager:

Catharina Wetzell of Macungie Township, Northampton, Pennsylvania, Widow

Son: John Wetzell

Son: Henry Wetzell

Son: Jacob Wetzell

Daughter: Catharina wife of Isaac Jarreth

Daughter: Magdalena

Daughter: Maria

Daughter: Bennigal deceased, late wife of John Romich

Grandson: John Adam Romich

Executor: Son, John Wetzell

Will written: 8 December 1767

Will proven: 4 February 1768

Pennsylvania Probate Records - Northampton Volume 1, page 37

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Research NOTE: Here are two Wills for Jacob Wetzels - both found in Northampton, Pennsylvania Probates.

1774 Will

Jacob Wetzel of Township of Upper Milford, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania

Eldest son: Peter Wetzel

Son: Jacob Wetzel

Son: John Wetzel

Daughter: Ann Mary, wife of Adam Trump

Daughter: Barbara, wife of Christian Miller

Grandchild: Margaret Hawk - her Guardian to be son Jacob Wetzel

Executors: Sons Jacob and Peter

Written 27th January 1773

Proven: 30th May 1774

Pennsylvania Probate Records, Northampton Volume 1, page 128

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1780 Will

Jacob Wetzel of Lynn Township, in Northampton County, Pennsylvania

Wife: Susanna

Son: John Martin Wetzel

Son: Jacob Wetzel - not yet of age

Daughters mentioned but not named

Will written: 27 August 1780

Pennsylvania Probate Records, Northampton Volume 1, page 260

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• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158066740/jacob-wetzel: accessed 02 December 2022), memorial page for Jacob Wetzel (1751–1824), Find a Grave Memorial ID 158066740, citing Wetzel Cemetery, Transylvania County, North Carolina, USA; Maintained by Charla (contributor 47581136) .

• Book:

“Hawkins County Petition, an excerpt from the Walton war and the North Carolina Boundary Dispute” by Martin Redinger.