Johann Michael Fenstermacher ⁹³¹

  General Notes:

Taken from his Gravestone at the Ebenezer Church New Tripoli, PA

Michael Fenstermacher
Dedicated from his wife Philippina born as Kirschner
He was born July 2nd 1749
Was married in October 1773
Lived married 58 years, 1 month, 29 days
He lost his dear life on December 1st 1831, at age of 82 years, 4 months, 29 days.
Funeral scripture Psalm 10:10
How wonderful if my life after the many hardships.
How wonderful is my soul in those heavenly joys.

His name first occurs in the Berks County tax lists for the years 1771 and 1772 when he was assessed as a "single" man in Longswamp Township. Shortly thereafter he settled in Lynn Township, Northampton (Now Lehigh) County, and his name appears as a taxable in that township in an assessment roll made 27 Dec 1781, by the commissioners of Northampton County.

In 1785 he paid a Federal tax of 1. 4. 0.pounds and was the owner of 117 acres of land, two horses, and one head of cattle, in Lynn Township (Pennsylvania Archives, Old Series). The following year (1786) he paid 1. 2. 6 pounds, and was the owner of 118 acres of land, two horse, and two heads of cattle (ibid.) For the year 1788 he paid l. 0. 0. pound and owned 100 acres of land, two horses and two head of cattle (ibid.)

The following sketch appears in a "History of the Counties of Lehigh and Carbon" (Mathews and Hungerford, 1884, p. 300):

Michael Fenstermacher resided near Lynnville, He was a resident there many years previous to 1781 and build an oil mill on the creek which was later changed to a gristmill. He also started a store in his dwelling house. It is related of him that for many years his doors were without locks, bolts, or bars. He was urged to fasten his doors, and finally consented. The next week after he had bolted and barred his store it was broken into and some of his goods taken. He was living in 1812, and his sons, Jacob and Philip, were also owners of land at that time. His other sons were Abraham, Daniel and Peter. Daniel a grandson of Michael now resides on the old homestead."

His name appears in the first Federal Census of 1790, as the head of a family consisting of one male over 16, five males under 16, and four females, in Lynn Township.

Michael Fenstermacher actively supported the Colonies in the Revolutionary War. In 1780 and 1782 he was a sergeant in Captain Adam Stahler's First Company of the Sixth Battalion of Northampton County Militia, commanded by Lt. Col. Henry Geiger (Penn. Archives, Fifth Series, Vol 8, pp 443 and 502.) In 1783 he was an ensign in Capt. Samuel Everett's First Company of the First Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Michael Bobst (Ibid. pp 78 and 621). 2 May 1785, he was elected ensign of the First Battalion (ibid. Sixth Series, Vol. 3, p. 749), and in the spring of 1786 he held the same office in the Sixth Battalion (ibid. p 863). His name appears in a list of "Rangers on the Frontier 1778-1783" (ibid. third Series, Vol. 23).

Distribution of his estate as filed at Allentown, PA 6 Feb. 1835 was made to his nine surviving children and to the ten surviving children of his deceased daughter, Barbara Kirschner , who died in 1827.

None of the baptismal records of their children have been found, and most of the dates here given were taken from the records of the Rev. Mr. Helfrich.

A discrepancy is evident in the birth dates of two of the sons, Philip and Conrad. The date 9 Feb. 1777, given as the birth of Philip, was obtained from the records of the Rev. Mr. Helffrich, while the date 10 March 1777, for Conrad, was furnished by Martin L. Fenstermacher (No.772) of Vicksburgh, Mich, a son of Peter (No. 265) who, in a letter date 2 June 1914, stated that his information was secured from his older brother, C.A. Fenstermacher (No. 770) and was copied from the family Bible in the latter's possession.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Cemetery: Ebenezer Union Cemetery, Dec 1831, New Tripoli, , Pennsylvania, USA.

Johann married Philippina Kirschner, daughter of Johann Konrad Kirschner and Anna Catherine Beckett, in 1774 in Pennsylvania.⁹³² (Philippina Kirschner was born on Sep 20, 1753 in Lynn Twp Lehigh Co, Pennsylvania ⁹³¹ and died on Mar 22, 1837 in Lynn Twp Lehigh Co, Pennsylvania ⁹³¹.)