Descendants of Jeremias Hess of Lower Palatinate, Germany

Generation #1

Jeremias Hess of the Lower Palatinate of the Rhine (now Germany)

Jeremias Hess was born in about 1675,  probably in Mutterstadt, Ludwigshafen, Palatinate of the Rhine. And in about 1701, Jeremiah married Anna b. c. 1780. Circumstantial evidence leads to the belief that her maiden name was Heim. But, times in the Palatinate were tough.

Severe climate and the devastation by the French Army in the Rhineland during the War of Spanish Succession (1704-1705) forced tens of thousands of ethnic German Protestants to flee. These Palatinates survived a journey down the Rhine River to Rotterdam and a voyage across the English Channel to a temporary haven south of London. [Palatinate Immigration]

On 6/2/1709, Jeremias Hess and family appear on the list of Palatinates who arrived in England. Jeremiah was listed as Husbandman and Vinedresser aged 34 with a wife and three children. Languishing in what was perhaps the world's first displaced persons camp south of London, our Palatinate ancestors were offered the choice of a final destination: England, Ireland, or British New York. Evidently, Jeremiah and family wound up in the line for Ireland.

In the early 17th Century, the Lower German Palatinate was rich with Protestant refugees from neighboring lands. Families settled there to rebuild their lives and escape persecution. The Palatinate was repeatedly ravaged by attacks from France during the 17th Century.

Following a terribly harsh winter and responding to notices by New World landowners showing the benefits of emigrating to America, a substantial exodus of Palatine families occurred in 1709. Some of the Palatine emigrants of 1709 found their way directly to the New World, but over 13,000 were routed through London. The Landlords of Irish estates wanted to increase the Protestant tenant population, a goal supported by Queen Anne of England. In September 1709, almost 3000 Palatines were relocated to rural Ireland, with a roughly equivalent number being transported to New York and North Carolina. Over the following three years, more than two thirds of the Irish Palatine settlers left Ireland and returned to England and Germany.

    "History," Irish Palatinate Association <http://www.irishpalatines.org/about/history.html> 21 November 2014.

In 1711, reportedly, Jeremias lost little Johan Conrad (1) and Elizabeth while in Ireland. And, the children's death marks Jeremias' return voyage back to the Palatinate. By 7/1713 Jeremias and family are found back in Mutterstadt where Christian, Johan Conrad, and Balthazar were born.

Having survived one failed immigration voyage, Jeremias and family actually considered another voyage, this time to America. Were they pushed out again by horrific conditions? Actually, I think they were pulled to Pennsylvania by the many pamphlets circulated in Europe expounding the virtues of the New World. In fact, these pamphlets are credited with sparking a second wave of Palatinate immigration in 1717.

In 8/1730, Jeremias and family arrived in Philadelphia aboard the Thistle of Glasgow out of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. And by 4/1739 the family was settled in Salford in Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co PA where Jeremias wrote his will.

Jeremias died before 4/11/1743 Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co PA when his will was probated. And, Anna died in 9/1743.

• Born 1675 Mutterstadt, Palatinate of the Rhine

• Married c. 1701 in the Palatinate of the Rhine to Anna Heim b. c. 1680 in the Palatinate of the Rhine

• 6/1709 Immigrated to Ireland

• Before 7/1713 Immigrated back to the Palatinate of the Rhine

• 8/29/1730 Immigrated to Philadelphia

• 9/9/1734 Philadelphia Co PA Land Transaction

• Will written 4/28/1739 Philadelphia Co PA

• Died before 4/11/1743 Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co PA

• Anna died 9/1743 Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co PA

        Children

    1. Johan Peter Hess

• Born 1703 Mutterstadt, Palatinate of the Rhine

• 6/1709 Immigrated w/ family to Ireland

• Before 7/1713 Immigrated w/ family back to the Palatinate of the Rhine

• Immigrated before 10/1727 to Philadelphia

• 1733 New Goshenhoppen Reformed Church Record, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co PA

• Died 1/1/1756 Great Swamp, Northampton Co PA

    2. Johan Conrad Hess (1)

• Born 5/3/1705 Mutterstadt, Palatinate of the Rhine

• 6/1709 Immigrated w/ family to Ireland

• Died 1711 in Ireland

    3. Elisabeth Hess

• Born 10/21/1708 Mutterstadt, Palatinate of the Rhine

• 6/1709 Immigrated w/ family to Ireland

• Died 1711 in Ireland.

    4. Eva Hess

• Born 1710 in Ireland

• Before 7/1713 Immigrated w/ family back to the Palatinate of the Rhine

• 8/29/1730 Immigrated w/ family to Philadelphia

• Died in Maryland

    5. Christian Hess

• Born 7/13/1713 Mutterstadt, Palatinate of the Rhine

• Died 1729 Mutterstadt, Palatinate of the Rhine

    6. Johan Conrad Hess ch. 8/19/1714 Mutterstadt, Palatinate of the Rhine

    7. Balthazar Hess

• Born 12/8/1717 Mutterstadt, Palatinate of the Rhine

• 8/29/1730 Immigrated w/ family to Philadelphia

• Died Franklin Co PA

Generation #2