Johannes BERNHARDT Sr.

  General Notes:

BOOK: THE PALATINE FAMILIES OF NEW YORK, A Study of the German Immigrants Who Arrived in Colonial New York in 1710, by Henry Z. Jones, Jr., Universal City, California, 1985:

Page 68:

JOHANNES BERNHARDT

The ancestral home of Johannes Bernhardt also was 6112 Gross-Zimmern. He was b. 9 Sept 1678, s/o Philip Jacob Bernhardt and Anna Sara. Two different entries for Johan Bernhart, his wife and 2 ch. were found in the 6th party in Holland in 1709 (Rotterdam Lists).

Johannes Bernhardt made his first appearance on the Hunter Lists 4 July 1710 with 2 pers. over 10 yrs. of age and 2 pers. under 10 yrs; he was enrolled on this unalphabetized list only two names from Jost Bernhardt. His last notation on Hunter was 13 Sept. 1712 with 3 pers. over 10 yrs. of age and 3 under 10 yrs. Johannes Bernhard of Annsberg was a soldier in 1711 (Palatine Volunteers To Canada). Joh. Bernhard and Anna Eulalia with 5 ch. were at Wormsdorff ca. 1716/1717 (Simmendinger Register). He delivered a letter of Rev. Hager 26 Sept. 1717 (Livingston Papers, Reel #3) and was mentioned as a Palatine debtor in 1718, 1721 and 1726 (Livingston Debt Lists). A deposition of Anna, w/o Joh: Bernard (signed "Anna Eulalia") recorded that she was ca. 36 years of age in 1721/1722 (Livingston Papers, Reel #4). Like his father in Germany, Johannes was nicknamed "Spielmann" (West Camp Luth. Chbk., 1725). Pastor Berkenmeyer mentioned him in a visit to East Camp 1 Sept. 1732:

Similarly, Hannes Bernhard requested that, due to the fact he was ill, that Han(neman) Saalbach was deaf, that H. Heiner was away, and that Sam Miller was the only active church official, a new election might be planned to be held tomorrow (Albany Protocol, p. 41).

Johannes Bernhardt was d. by late Feb. 1733 when Berkenmeyer mentioned his widow (Albany Protocol, p. 47). Anna Berhartin, widow, with her children were listed on the St. Peter's Luth. Family List ca. 1734 (Rhinebeck Luth. Chbk.). The 1st wife of Johannes Bernhardt was named Anna Maria, and they had ch.:

1) Elisabetha, b. 22 Sept. 1710 at N. Y. - sp.: Elisabetha Berenhard (West Camp Luth. Chbk.). She was conf. Misercordia Sunday 1726 at Kamp (N. Y. City Luth. Chbk.). She md. Johannes, s/o Joh. Christ Kurtz, on 26 Nov. 1726 (N. Y. City Luth. Chbk.).

Johannes md. 2nd Anna Eulalia, wid/o Johann Dieterich Hausmann (HJ) and had ch.:

9 children are listed, but are not included here.



In this online file, see "Johannes Bernhardt, Abt. 1715-1779"



FROM INTERNET:

http://www.cc.utah.edu/~pdp7277/palatine.html

Palatine Emigrants by Kraig Ruckel


"The winter of 1708-1709 was very long and cold in the Rhineland. It was a bleak period. People huddled around fires as they considered quitting their homes and farms forever. By early April, the land was still frozen and most of the Palatines' vines had been killed by bitter weather. Since 1702 their country had endured war, and there was little hope for the future. The Thirty Years War lay heavy on their minds, a period in which one out of every three Germans had perished.

"The Palatines were heavily taxed and endured religious persecution. As people considered their future, the older ones recalled that, in 1677, William Penn had visited the area, encouraging people to go to Pennsylvania in America, a place where a man and his family could be free of the problems they were now encountering.

"To go to America meant a long, dreadful ocean voyage and a future in an unknown land, away from their past and family. Everyone knew that the German Elector would stop any migration as soon as it was noticed. Only a mass exodus from the Palatinate could be successful. Many wondered how they could ever finance such a journey even if they wanted to attempt it. Small boats, known as scows, would have to be acquired for the long ride down the Rhine River and then there was the price for the ocean voyage. While some people had relatives who could assist them financially, many were poor. Soon enough, their minds were made up for them as France's King Louis XIV invaded their land, ravaging especially the towns in the Lower Palatinate.

"In masses, the Palatines boarded their small boats and headed down the Rhine for Rotterdam. It was April 1709, and the first parties were afloat on the Rhine, many with only their most basic goods and their faith in God as their only possessions. The river voyage took an average of 4-6 weeks through extremely cold, bitter weather. By June, 1709, the people streamed into Rotterdam at a rate of one thousand per week. The Elector, as expected, issued an edict forbidding the migration, but almost everyone ignored it. By October, 1709, more than 10,000 Palatines had completed the Rhine River journey.

"The Duke of Marlborough was assigned by Queen Anne to transport the immigrants to England. British troop ships were also used. The Queen assumed these Protestants would help fuel the anti-Roman feelings developing in England. The ships from Rotterdam landed, in part, at Deptford and the refugees were sent to one of three camps at Deptford, Chamberwell, and Blackheath outside the city wall of London. Many Londoner's welcomed the Palatines, but not the poor, as they felt their English food was being taken from them to feed the Germans. British newspapers published mixed accounts of the Palatines, some praising them while others cursed them.

"Streams of Palatines went to America, most to Pennsylvania. The ocean voyage was harsh, with over-crowded, under-supplied, and unsanitary ships. What provisions were supplied were generally the least expensive available to the ship's master. Water frequently ran out, as did food. Dreadful mortality occurred on many voyages. In addition to those woes, the Palatines faced robbery, deception, and worse from those transporting them.
Estimates on the number of Germans in Pennsylvania during this period varies from author to author, but a common estimate is 10,000-15,000 by 1727 and 70,000-80,000 by 1750.

"A good source for reviewing German arrivals to Pennsylvania is Rupp's Thirty Thousand Immigrants in Pennsylvania which contains numerous ship passenger lists and has an excellent surname index.

"Another good resource is Walter Knittle's Early Eighteenth-Century Palatine Emigration."





CONTRIBUTOR:

Margaret Smith Brennan

Johannes married Anna Eualia ERNST about 1713 in New York. (Anna Eualia ERNST was born on May 21, 1686 in Usingen Or Stokehim, Germany and died after 1734.)