Johann Justus Henckel and Maria Magdalena Eschmann

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Husband Johann Justus Henckel ¹

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           Born: 10 Feb 1706 - Daudenzell, Germany
     Christened: 17 Feb 1706 - Evangelical Lutheran Church, Daudenzell
           Died: Aug 1778 - (Pendleton Co., WV)
         Buried:  - Henckel Farm Cemetery, Germany Valley, Pendleton Co., WV

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         Father: Anthony Jacob Henckel (1668-1728) 2
         Mother: Maria Elizabeth Dentzer (      -1744) 3

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       Marriage: Abt 1730 4

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Wife Maria Magdalena Eschmann ⁴

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           Born: Abt 1710 - Berks Co., Pennsylvania
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried:  - Henckel Farm Cemetery, Germany Valley, Pendleton Co., WV

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - Johann Justus Henckel

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THE HENCKEL GENEALOGY:

The following is on page 22 of "The Henckel Genealogy":

8. Johann Justus Henckel born Febrary 10, 1706 Daudenzell, Germany; baptized February 17, 1706 Evangelical Lutheran Church of Daudenzell; died August 1778. (See Branch V this genealogy.)

The following is a selection from pages 188-191 of "The Henckel Genealogy". See also database rengelken in WorldConnect.

5 JOHN JUSTUS HENCKEL, SR., the eighth and fifth surviving child of Reverend Anthony Jacob and Maria Elizabeth (Dentzer) Henckel, born February 10, 1706 at Daudenzell, Germany; died August 1778 in Germany Valley, Augusta County, Virginia (now near Riverton, Pendleton County, West Virginia); married about 1730 Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania to (Maria) Magdalena Eschmann daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (___________) Eschmann (Eshman, Ashman, etc.). She was born 1710 to 1712 in Philadelphia County, now near Oley, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

The first information of John Justus Henckel appears in the records of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Daudenzell, Germany. His birth, baptism and names of sponsors were found in the original handwriting of his father, the pfarrer or pastor, by personal research of Dr. Burt Brown Barker, President of the Henckel Family Association. This record has been translated as follows:
"John Justus Henckel born at Daudenzell on February 10, 1706; baptized on February 17, 1706; Godparent Herr John Justus Berthold, the Palatinate Collector of the Minnenberg tax district in Guttenbach."

John Justus Henckel accompanied his parents to America at the age of eleven on one of the "three little ships" that landed at Philadelphia in the fall of 1717 and located with his parents the following spring on the two hundred fifty (250) acre farm purchased by his father from John Henry Sprogel, agent for the Frankfort Land Company. This property was situated in the New Hanover Township about three miles from Pottstown in what is now Montgomery (then Philadelphia) County, Pennsylvania.

In the nuncupative will of his father, dated August 12, 1728, John Justus or Jost was to share equally with his younger brother, Jacob Anthony in the division of the estate of two hundred fifty (250) acres. In the division of the estate John Justus was awarded one hundred fifty (150) acres and Jacob Anthony one hundred (100) acres on which the farm home was situated. The will provided that the brothers pay into the estate the sum of one hundred (100) pounds to be distributed equally between the other heirs.

The provisions of the will may have been considered too onerous, as John Justus Henckel did not participate in the settlement of the estate and it is recorded an older brother George Rudolphus secured a patent in 1734 for the one hundred fifty (150) acres in question.

Meanwhile John Justus married about 1730 and moved with other settlers to the Macungie Creek settlement, where he and his wife jointed the Goshenhoppen Congregation. This location appears to have been in Upper Milford Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. After 1812 this location was included in Lehigh County near Dillingerville. It was also not far from Dunkel's Church in Greenwich Township, Berks County.

In 1750 John Justus (Jost) Henckel sold his holdings and moved to Rowan (now Davidson) County, North Carolina. He settled on Dutchman's Creek about thirteen miles from Salisbury near the "Forks of the Yadkin." In this migration he was probably accompanied by members of the Dieter (Teter) family which later became closly allied by marriage.

In 1760, because of Indian depredations, Jost Henckel removed with his family to Augusta County, Virginia. Here he settled in the beautiful section known as "Germany Valley." This location was included in Rockingham County, Virginia in 1778 and later became a part of Pendleton County organized in 1788 from Augusta, Hardy and Rockingham Counties.

In the year 1863 the State of West Virginia was formed and included Germany Valley in the Union District of Pendleton County, West Virginia.

From the records of Augusta County and also recorded in Rockingham County, Virginia.
"Survey Book #2, page 8, Augusta County and Survey Book C-1, Page 8, Rockingham County, April 3, 1761. Surveyed for Jost Henkle two hundred-twenty (220) acres on the East side of the North Fork above the head of Deep Spring." Deed executed at Richmond, Virginia, July 26, 1765.
"Survey Book 2, page 122, October 28, 1767. Surveyed for Jost Hinkle, sixty-seven (67) acres on a branch of Deep Spring (a branch of the North Fork of the South branch of the Potomac River)."

The first improvement in Germany Valley by Jost Henckel was the construction of a stockade with an enclosed area sufficient to house the families of his son's and sons-in-law as well as the other settlers in the immediate vicinity. This structure was known as Hinkle's Fort and was used as an outpost prior to and during the Revolutionary War. The attacks of the Indians during this period caused all settlers in the vicinity to seek shelter and safety in this fortess. John Justus Henckel, Sr., was the recognized commander of the fort at which Colonial troops were occasionally quartered. At his death in 1778 he was succeeded by his son Abraham Henkle.

The North Fork Military Company was organized by the early settlers residing in the Fort and in the vicinity. The first three captains were sons-in-law of Jost Henkel (Henckel) namely: John Skidmore, Paul Teter and Andrew Johnson. These officers were succeeded by Captain Isaac Hinkle and Captain John Justus Henkle, Jr. (See Virginia Militia in Revolutionary War by J. T. McAllister, page 82; Judge Lyman Chalkley's Records; published by Lockwood in three volumes and U. S. Pension Records.)

It is probable the Fort was abandoned during the period when Captain John Justus Henkle, Jr., the youngest son was in command as it was no longer necessary for the protection of the settlers.

The will of John Justus Henckel does not appear in the Henckel Family Records only a notation that some records of Rockingham County, Virginia were damaged or destroyed by fire. The only reference to the disposition of the estate as noted is as follows:
Court Order -- Book 1, August 24, 1778.
"The last will and Testament of Jost Hinckle (John Justus Henckel, Sr.) was produced in Court and proved by Joseph Cheuvront one of the witnesses thereto . . .

Maria Magdalena Eschmann the daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Eschman was of German-Swiss origin.

It will be noted in this genealogy that John Justus Henckel, Sr. (Fifth Branch) is the only one of the sons of the emigrant for which we have the full maiden name of the wife, a complete list of the children in proper sequence, and the apparent correct date of birth of each.

1 William Sumner Junkin, Minnie Wyatt Junkin, The Henckel Genealogy 1500--1960, 1964, pg 22, 188-191.

2 William Sumner Junkin, Minnie Wyatt Junkin, The Henckel Genealogy 1500--1960, 1964, pgs 18, 26, 882.

3 William Sumner Junkin, Minnie Wyatt Junkin, The Henckel Genealogy 1500--1960, 1964, pg 882.

4 William Sumner Junkin, Minnie Wyatt Junkin, The Henckel Genealogy 1500--1960, 1964, pg 188.