Grünewald Family Introduction
My connection with this family began with the marraige between my great grandparents, William H. Graham and Sarah Catherine Greenawalt
The name of Grünewald is also the name of a municipality located in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz District in the southern part of Brandenburg, Germany, and a forest region in Germany located in the western side of Berlin, on the east side of the Havel River, mainly in the Grünewald district.
There is also evidence that suggest the Grünewald families migrated into Palatinate Germany from the Swiss border. Here are variations in the spelling of the Grünewald name roughly translates to Greenwood.
-- This is our research paper, documenting the Greenawalt Family History, and our Colonial Pennsylvania ancestor was Nicholas Greenawalt, who entered the Revolutionary War in 1776 from Allen Town Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
Palatinate Germany Region
If our German ancestors have Swiss roots, either through marriage or migration into the Palatinate region, it most likely began in 1674 with Prince Karl Ludwig. The Prince wanted to restore his wasted farmlands productivity, so he offered limited religious liberty to the people of the Swiss Confederation region in exchange for settling on his lands.
What we think is early historians seemed to have lumped many German Colonel America immigrants into a big melting pot known as Palatinate Germans. This is true when we researched our Richstein-Wrightstone family. Another problem was in understanding the dynamic changes with German history, and its impact in their geography.
So, we don’t have a complete understanding of what municipalities, districts, counties, villages, cites, or towns that would have been considered part of the 18th century Palatinate Germany.
The south-western and southern German region borders southern France, and the Basel regions areas of Switzerland. This is the area where the Rhine River begins its journey, flowing from its eastern Swiss Alps origins through western Germany, including the Palatinate, to the North Sea in the area of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
The Rhine River was the main German waterway near the border of France and Switzerland that many of our German ancestors would have used to make their way to Rotterdam, where they would board ships bound for Colonial America.
The western region of the Palatinate includes present day cities of Mainz, Kaiserslautern, Koblenz, Trier, and the Palatinate Forest region.
Today Palatinate Germany is the south-western portion of Germany, which is one quarter of the country. It is known as the Rhineland Palatinate (Upper Palatinate), and Palatinate (Lower Palatinate).
The Upper Palatinate borders eastern Bavaria, and the Lower Palatinate borders between Luxembourg and the Rhine River.
The north-western part of the Upper Palatinate is densely forested and mountainous. This area contains a mountain range of the Black Forest, which has a panoramic view across the Rhine Valley into the neighboring Luxembourg, and Alsace and Vosges regions of France.
The most famous meal of Palatinate is the saumagen, literally "sow's stomach". It’s a dish that consists of a thick, crispy-fried casing stuffed with a mixture of pork, potatoes, and seasonings. Each year in February, our family has a meal we call Pig Stomach, traditionally prepared, celebrating our strong German heritage. Yummy!
Emigration from Germany
We know Nicholas arrived in Colonial Pennsylvania under very similar circumstances as did many of our other Colonial German ancestors. Here's a few of them. Wow, do we have German blood?
-- Johann Jacob Richstein
-- Johann Philip Klinger
-- Ulrich Sollenberger
-- Melchior Johann Hengst
-- Caspar Elias Diller II
-- Melchoir Bär II
-- Melchior Johann Hengst
-- Ludwig Menkamyer
Except for the Mankamyer family, all our German families began arriving to Colonial Pennsylvania during the very early to the mid 18th century. They boarded ships out of Rotterdam, and made stops in Cowes to clear British customs, before proceeding to the Colonies. Cowes is located on the Isle of Wright, a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel.
During the years 1749-1755 approximately 30,000 German emigrants would pay around $48 for their passage to Philadelphia; 2700 in Halifax Nova Scotia; 1300 in Charleston South Carolina; about 1,600 Germans to Baltimore (6 ships 1752-1755); and about 720 Germans to New England (3 ships 1751-1753); making at least 36,300 German emigrants in these years.
During times of wars German emigration to Colonial America dwindled considerably, including during the years 1744-1748 (War of the Austrian Succession), 1755-1763 (Sea battles during the 7-years War), 1776-1783 (American Revolution War), and 1806-1815 (Napoleonic War).<
As many as 50% to 70% of all Germans that came to Colonial America in the 18th century were indentured servants, and there were a number of ways to be indentured.
One way was to have a family in Colonial America pay for another family member’s passage in return for their labor on Colonial farms and businesses.
Another way to reach Colonial America was to find a family emigrating to Colonial America, and for the price of passage, promise to work for them after they both arrived in their new home land. This is how our Mankamyer family came to Pennsylvania in the early 19th century.
German people also sold their services for a number of years in exchange for passage to the ship's captain. Agents of sailing companies often contracted to bring them to America where the agent had the right to sell the "redemptioners" labor for a certain number of years to pay for his transportation.
These "indentured servants" or "redemptioners" were virtually slaves until the contract expired. They were, quite understandably, the first people in America to protest the slave traffic.
A list of indenture registrations in Philadelphia from 1772 to 1773 reveals that most indentured servants worked five to seven years to pay their masters for their fare, which would have been about $48 to $60 dollars.
Johannes Nicolaus Grünewald Family
-- My paternal 7th great grandparents: Johannes Nicolaus Grünewald and Anna Margaretha Straub .
Johannes Nicolaus Grünewald was born October 16th 1654 in Breitenbach, Michelstadt, Starkenburg, Germany.
He married Anna Margaretha Straub on June 30th 1685. Anna was born March 8th 1659 in Dusenbach, Michelstadt, Starkenburg Germany.
One child is known as Friedrich Grünewald (b. 1691) who married Anna Margaretha Hofferberth.
Friedrich Grünewald (b. 1691)
-- My paternal 6th great grandparents: Friedrich Grünewald and Anna Margaretha Hofferberth.
Friedrich Grünewald was born January 16th 1691 to Johannes Nicolaus Grünewald and Anna Margaretha Straub in Raibach, Michelstadt, Starkenburg, Germany.
Fredrich married on July 30th 1711 to Anna Margaretha Hofferberth.
-- I don't know who all their children are, but one child is known as Johannes Grünewald (1712-1766), who married Eva Catherina (Katherina) Reeg (vonHoff ).
Johannes Grünewald (1712-1766)
-- My paternal 5th great grandparents: Johannes Grünewald and Eva Catherina (Katherina) Reeg (vonHoff ).
Johannes Grünewald was born April 19th 1712 to Johannes Nicolaus Grünewald and Anna Margaretha Straub in Raibach, Michelstadt, Starkenburg, Germany.
Johannes married Eva Catherina (Katherina) Reeg (vonHoff ) on January 8th 1737. She was born March 5th 1717 in Gumpersberg, Michelstadt, Starkenburg, Germany.
-- This is Eva Catherina (Katherina) Reeg (vonHoff) family lineage.
Johannes and Eva lived in Gumpersberg, Wurttemberg (now Hessen) Germany. The border of Wurttemberg stretched in the 18th century further north then it does now.
Johannes died February 3rd 1766, and Eva died March 25th 1770.
The Greenawalt family lived in, and around, the Karlsruhe area of Germany, and then branched out from there in all directions.
The church records from Kirchbrombach were strewed throughout, and some church records from Hassloch did not contain any records for a Nicholas Grünewald for this time period.
We speculate that Nicholas, upon his father's death in 1766, left from Woerth on a barge named the Main to Rotterdam.
There's no information between 1766 or when Nicholas boarded the ship Tyger in 1771, where all males over 16 years were listed by name.
All of Johannes and Eva children were born in Gumpersberg, Wurttemberg, Germany. All data on their children are from church records researched by my 3rd cousin, David Greenawalt, who lives in Germany.
i. Johann Peter Grünewald was born March 20th1738. He died March 23th 1738
ii. Elisabetha Grünewald was born May 14th1739.
iii. Johannes Grünewald was born October 30th 1740, and died March 4th 1809. He married May 17th1768 to Elisabetha Catherina Arras
iv. Maria Elisabetha Grünewald was born December 15th 1742, and died May 30th 1792. She married Johann Ernst of Rodenhausen on July 14th 1761.
v. Elisabetha Margaretha Grünewald was born November 19th 1744. She died August 15th 1745.
vi. Johann Michael Grünewald was born July 9th1746.
vii. Maria Magdalena Grünewald was born November 27th1749.
viii. Johann Nicholas Grünewald (1755-1831). He married Mary Miller.
ix. Johann Conrad Grünewald was born October 16th1755, and died Feb 14th 1807.
x. Johann Jacob Grünewald was born July 7th1759. He died July 28th1759
Johann Nicholas Grünewald (1755-1831)
-- My paternal 4th great grandparents: Johann Nicholas Grünewald and Mary Miller.
-- This is Nicholas's family research paper, and his family directory.
Johann Nicolaus Grünewald was born on October 16th 1755 to Johannes Grünewald and Eva Catherina (Katherina) Reeg (vonHoff) in Gumpersberg, Wurttemberg (now Hessen), Germany. He went by Nicholas.
Nicholas was fifteen years old when he left his family in Gumpersberg, Michelstadt, Starkenburg, Germany, for Rotterdam, and boarded the ship Tyger, piloted and mastered by George Johnston.
The ship stopped in Cowes to clear British Customs, before moving on to Colonial Philadelphia.
Nicholas just turned sixteen years old when he landed in Colonial Pennsylvania on November 19th 1771. On the same day at Messrs, Willing & Morris's Store in Philadelphia, Nicholas took his Oath of Allegiance and Qualifications.
-- I believe Nicholas, in order to obtain a passage on the ship, lied about his age, indicating he was sixteen and not fifteen.
-- According to records, the ship list contained 130 passengers, but only 118 names are found taking the Oaths and Qualifications Allegiance. There were 12 names that did not appear in the records for taking the oath.
-- This is an excerpt from a list of people from the ship Tyger; who were recorded as being indentured.
-- "...At Messrs. Willing & Morris's Store, at Philadelphia, the 19th of November 1771.
-- Present: George Bryan, Esquire. The Foreigners whose Names are underwritten, imported in the Ship Tyger, George Johnson, Master, from Rotterdam but last from Cowes, did this day take and subscribe the foregoing Oaths & Qualifications.
-- Consigned to Messrs Willing & Morris 130 in the List..."
-- The registrar’s statement at the start of the ship list of names who were indentured states there are 130 in the list, but only 118 names were found, and reproduced in the works of the Strassburger and Hinkel reference.
-- That means 12 names are lost to history and are unaccounted for.
Nicholas's name was not listed, but he was most likely indentured to a family member, a church, or local businessman, someone who paid for his ship’s passage of $48 to $60 from Rotterdam to Colonial Philadelphia.
After landing at the ports of Philadelphia, Nicholas immediately traveled the Reading Road to the Berks and Northampton County region of Pennsylvania.
He most likely settled in a German enclave located in the Allen Town, Lehigh County region of Pennsylvania.
Most of the Allen Town residents were descendants from southwestern Germany Palatinate and Switzerland. This group of German farmers and tradesman spoke the German dialect known today as Pennsylvania Dutch or the High German language.
-- Allen Town was started William Allen, who was a wealthy shipping merchant, mayor of Philadelphia, and Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, who laid out Allen’s Town in 1762.
-- Mr. Allen had other types of arrangements with German people of the Moravian Church in the Bethlehem area of Pennsylvania, whose members also lived and worked within the Allen Town village.
-- In this respect Nicholas may have also been indentured with the church, but there is no evidence of this.
-- By the time of the American Revolution, "Allen’s Town" was little more than a small village of German farmers and tradesmen, who spoke the German dialect known today as Pennsylvania Dutch or the high German language.
Five years after arriving in Colonial Philadelphia, at twenty years old, May 1776, Nicholas enlisted in the Continental Army in Allen Town Northampton County.
I believe Nicholas had a good German education, and that he could read and write his native language. He may have even been schooled in the English language before coming to Colonial Pennsylvania. We know that he learned to read and write English by the time he was 22 years old when he enlisted in 1776 Allen Town for the Revolutionary War.
-- This is a well researched summary of Nicholas Greenawalt Revolutionary War Service timeline.
After Nicholas mustered out of the war in 1780, he reappeared in 1790 Franklin County Pennsylvania, along with two other Greenawalt families; Johann Heinrich Greenawalt and Hans Greenawalt.
-- The other Greenawalt men are in my Greenawalt Family History paper.
The 1790 Southampton Township census record for Franklin County list Nicholas as sixteen years old and upward, and another male identified less than sixteen years old (born 1774-1790), and one female with no indicated age. If the female is Nicholas’s wife, Mary, she would have been 12 years old.
At almost thirty-eight years old, Nicholas married fifteen-year-old Mary Miller on September 22nd 1793 in Shippensburg Franklin County Pennsylvania. Mary was born January 18th 1778 in Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
By 1796 Nicholas owned two acres in Southampton Township, Franklin County. Most likely the Greenawalt home on present day Mongul Hill Road, Mongul, Franklin County.
Except for a gap in 1810, where we could not locate Nicholas or Mary, they lived their entire life in and around the Shippensburg region of Southampton and Green Townships of Franklin County Pennsylvania.
Nicholas died before his 77th birthday on September 28th 1831, while living in Southampton Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
After Nicholas died, Mary lived with her son Peter and his family, where she would die at the age of 80 on November 18th 1858.
Nicholas and Mary are both buried in the area of Green Village, Green Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Nicholas’s 1818 and 1820 pension application identifed “all” of his “living” children. I there were other children, they would have died prior to the pension application. All children were born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Here is a photo of Peter and Sarah Greenawalt's family, and the same photo with names of people imposed on it.
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i. Catherine Greenawalt was born 1804. Catherine never married, and lived her entire life in Southampton Township, Franklin Count. She was a seamstress, and her brother Jacob lived with her between 1850 and 1860.
ii. Peter Greenawalt (1808-1871). He married Sarah Coover.
iii. Elizabeth was born 1806.
iv. Jacob Greenawalt was born 1812 and died 1879. Jacob had no children.
Peter Greenawalt (1808-1871)
-- My paternal 3rd great grandparents: Peter Greenawalt and Sarah Coover.
-- This is Nicholas's family research paper, and his family directory.
Peter Greenawalt was born January 16th1808 to Nicholas Greenawalt and Mary Miller in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
He worked and lived in Orrstown and Culbertson Row, present day Green, Letterkenny and Southampton Township, Franklin County.
Peter married Sarah Cover, who was born April 4th 1809 in Franklin County.
Peter was 61 years, 5 months old when he died June 9th 1871 while living in Culbertson Row, Letterkenny Township, Franklin County Pennsylvania. Sara was 75 years, 6 months, 2 days old when she died June on October 24th 1884.
They are buried at the Kryder Cemetery, Green Twonship, Franklin County.
-- The cemetery is next to the Air Hill Brethren in Christ Church and Cemetery, Green Township, Rt 997 and Smith Road, near the back entrance of the Letterkenny Depot, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
-- Sarah’s grave stone cannot be located.
Together they had ten children who were all born in Franklin County Pennsylvania.
i. Samuel C. Greenawalt was born September 22nd 1829 in Southampton Township Franklin County Pennsylvania. He married Margaret Miller on November 2nd 1854 in Franklin County Pennsylvania.
ii. Mary Elizabeth Greenawalt was born March 11th 1831. She married George G. Creamer.
iii. Catherine Greenawalt was born about 1831 or 1833. She married Rummel.
iv. Nicholas Greenawalt was born August 1st 1835. He married Loretta Rummel.
v. Henry M. Greenawalt (1839-1923) He married Jeanette Brinkley Louchman
vi. Annie Greenawalt was reported being a child of Peter and Sara, she was born in 1841. She is not in any census or other record.
vii. John R Greenawalt was born August 28th 1845. He married Catherine Miller.
viii. Lydia (Lillian) Greenawalt was born 1848 or 1850. She married Benjamin Wingert.
ix. Susan Greenawalt was born 1850.
x. Simon Peter Greenawalt was born December 25th 1854. He married Ella R. Newman.
Henry M. Greenawalt (1839-1923)
-- My paternal 2nd great grandparents: Henry Greenawalt and Jeanette Brinkley Louchman.
-- This is Henry's family research paper, and his family directory.
Henry M. Greenawalt was born August 28th 1839 to Peter Greenawalt and Sarah Cover while the family lived in Green Village, Green Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
On October 16th 1862, at 22 years old, Henry enlisted in the 158th Pennsylvania Regiment commanded by Colonel David B. McKibben. Henry was assigned to “F” Company commanded by Captain Martin G. Hale. Henry paid $34.61 for his uniform, and $.40 for equipment.
On November 1st 1862 the regiment was formed to serve a nine month tour with the regular Union Army. On August 8th 1863 the 158th regiment was ordered to Chambersburg where Henry’s service ended August 12th 1863.
Afterward Henry went back to the family home near Orrstown in Green Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
One year later, on August 13th 1864, Henry married Jeannette Lochlin of Orrstown. They were married at the minister’s home in Middle Springs, Southampton Township, Franklin County, by Daniel Eckerman.
Jeannette Brinkley Laughlin was born January 11th 1839 to Mr. Laughman and Elizabeth Speck in Middle Springs, Pennsylvania.
-- The name Jennette Louchman is from Henry’s Civil War pension file, and the name Lochlin comes from Henry’s and Jennette’s 1864 marriage certificate.
-- However, Jeannette's daughter, Sadie Graham’s, death certificate, her mother’s name was Jenette Brinkley, and she was born in Orrstown.
-- Jeannette's headstone has the name Jennette Brinley.
Henry worked as a laborer and mason, and after Henry and Jeanette married, they lived in the Greenawalt home on Pine Hill, present day Mongul Hill Road, near Mongul, Southampton Township, Franklin County.
At 80 years old, Jeanette died Saturday at 1 P.M. November 29th 1919 in her home on Mongul, Franklin County. She is buried in section 4.2 of the Spring Hill Cemetery, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.
Henry died Tuesday January 9th 1923 in the home of his son, David Greenawalt, at Huntington Valley, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Henry is buried with his wife and son in section 4.2 of the Spring Hill Cemetery Shippensburg Franklin County Pennsylvania.
All of Henry’s and Jeannette’s children would be born at the home on Pine Hill in Southampton Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
i. Sarah Catherine Greenawalt (1865-1946). She married William H. Graham.
ii. Thomas Albert Greenawalt 1867-1940). He married Ella Lizzie Michael.
iii. Samuel Wilson Greenawalt was born February 14th 1869. He married Lillie Myrtle Kohler.
iv. John Henry Greenawalt was born May 24th 1871 and died at 26 years old on December 29th 1897.
v. David Franklin Greenawalt was born December 28th 1872. He married Amelia Catherine Wettig.
vi. Annie Josephine Greenawalt was born February 13th 1875. She married Enos Neisley Wenger.
vii. Benjamin Ira Greenawalt was born December 14th 1876. He married Jane Angle.
viii. Calvin Clarence Greenawalt was born March 19th 1879. He married Elsie.
Only my great grandmother, Sadie, continues on this web page. For everyone else....your have to go to the family directory.
Sarah Catherine Greenawalt (1865-1946)
-- My paternal great grandparents: Sarah Greenawalt and William Graham.
-- This is Sarah's' research paper, and her directory.
Sarah Catherine Greenawalt was born May 6th 1865 to Henry Greenawalt and Jennette Louchman in Mongul Southampton Township Franklin County Pennsylvania. She went by the name Sadie.
Sadie lived with her parents. About 1888 Sadie had a relationship with a gentlemen named Hostetter. Together they had a son who was born in the spring of 1889.
On June 19th 1900 Sadie was living with her parents Henry and Jeanette in Southampton Township, Franklin County. Living with them was a child named, Brinton E. Hostetter.
In June 1901 Sadie had a child, Dora Alice Graham, with William Graham, who she didn't marry until October 16th 1901.
-- On the 1910 census record Brinton was identified as Brinton Greenawalt.
In the 1930 census for Southampton Township, Franklin County, Sadie indicated her 1st Marriage was at age 30; about 1895/96.
Sadie was 81 years old when she died June 14th 1946, and is buried with her Graham family at the Lurgan Cemetery, Lurgan Township, Franklin County. The informant on Sadie’s death certificate was her husband, William Graham, of Lurgan.
-- Sadie’s obituary indicated she passed away at 9 o’clock Thursday morning on June 13th 1946 in her home at Mongul.
Sadie’s child with Mr. Hosteter
i. Earl Brinton Hosteter was born May 14th 1889 to Sadie Greenawalt and Mr. Hostetterin in Mongul, Southampton Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
By 1910 his last name was changed to Greenawalt. And he went by the name Brinton Greenawalt.
At the time he 20 years old and working as a hired hand for Adam Wadel and wife, who are both 22 years old.
Brinton married Lillie May Henry of Mowersville, Lurgan Township, Franklin County, on March 8th 1911.
Briton’s marriage application indicated he lived in Moursville-Mowersville PA, and his father was dead at the time the application was being completed.
Lillie was born February 23rd 1892 to Harry and Sadie Henry of Mowersville.
Brinton and Lillie divorced in the early 1930s.
Lillie died June 1976 while living with her son in Florida.
Brinton remarried January 23rd 1933 in Hagerstown Maryland to Perl Ethel Sommers, who was born April 10th 1907.
Pearl died January 6th 1997 at 89 years old while living in West Fairview. She was laid to rest next to Brinton at the Rolling Green Cemetery, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Brinton was 76 years old when he died in Brevard County Florida January 31st 1966, and was laid to rest in Block D - Plot 0284 of the Rolling Green Cemetery, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Brinton Greenawalt and Lillie May Henry children.
a. Fredrick Leland Greenawalt (1912-2009). He 1st married Freda Brightbill, and 2nd to Martha Gillums.
Brinton Greenawalt and Perl Ethel Sommers children.
a. William Harvey Greenawalt who was born August 26th 1933, and died March 28th 1950.
b. Betty Jane Greenawalt was born November 19th 1935. She married Robert Luther Romig, who was born February 6th 1932 and died September 3rd 1955.
Betty remarried October 23th 1964 in Dillsburg, York County, Pennsylvania, to Albert James Wolfe Jr. who was born March 10th 1929.
~ Fredrick Leland Greenawalt (1912-2009) ~
Fred Leland Greenawalt was born June 28th 1912 to Britton Greenawalt and Lillie May Henry in Shippensburg Pennsylvania.
Fred married Freda Edith Brightbill who was born May 14th 1914, and died March 28th 1950.
Fred and Freda divorced, and Freda remarried to Paul.
Fred also remarried October 22nd 1954 in Salisbury Maryland Martha Adeline Gillums who was born December 19th 1905.
Fred worked, and later retired, as the Director of Planning and Programming, Defense Logistics Agency, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
After Fred retired, he and his family moved to Melbourne Florida in 1971.
Fred moved to Melbourne in Brevard County, Florida in 1971 from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He was a retired Director of Planning & He enjoyed the Good Sam's Club and camping.
Fred was 97 years old when he died July 25th 2009 in Sebastian, Florida.
Fred Greenawalt and Freda Brightbill children.
i. Virginia Greenawalt was born 1928.
Fred Greenawalt and Martha Gillums children.
i. William Harvey Greenawalt was born August 26th 1933, and died March 28th 1950.
ii. Dona May Greenawalt who was born February 17th 1934 Harrisburg Pennsylvania.
She married September 5th 1953 to Walter Snavely Balsbaugh Jr. who was born July 7th 1924.
Dona and Walter had two daughters.
a. Debra Blasbaugh was born Jun 16th 1959.
b. Susan Blasbaugh was born February 14th 1962.