Nafzger Genealogy Home Page
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For Christmas, 1992, I wrote Phoenix for my immediate family (aunts, uncles, and cousins included) as a way of sharing my genealogy research; it was great to have all of the information I had gathered, but what good was it if no one else had access to it to share it and pass it down for generations to come? Now this Web site takes it to a new level of information sharing.
The book's dedication reads:
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Introduction The Homeland Coming to America Pennsylvania Mennonites |
South to Virginia
Boguess
In Closing... |
In my childhood I remember having a simple, hand-drawn family tree on a scroll that was created years before by someone in the family. I had needed it for some now-forgotten project in elementary school, or maybe for show-and-tell. Although it was only on loan to me from Grandmother and Granddaddy, I cherished it and protected it like the treasure I thought it was. The idea that the unfamiliar names it held were those of my forefathers (and foremothers!), and that their blood coursed through my veins, was both wonderous and intriguing. It would prove to be the beginning of a beautiful love affair. A love affair of the heart. A love for knowledge of my family.
In the Spring of 1991, I enrolled in a Civilization course at Old Dominion University. One of our term papers involved researching our genealogy. It was an excercise in conducting genealogical research, not necessarily so that Dr. Pollock could read about our families. The first evening I spent in the campus library began the rekindling of the fire that had been started years before. I was now an adult, capable of appreciating the work involved and comprehending the true meaning of the information that was to be uncovered.
We were given eight weeks to complete our papers . . . this was no small assignment. But, the work involved, while tiring, was also quite exhilerating. I took every day of those eight weeks and finished just in time. My efforts earned me an A, but more importantly, gave me the knowledge and desire to continue beyond the school work on a personal quest.
To date, my research has turned up nearly 5,000 names in our extended family. It is truly amazing to see firsthand what information can be obtained through genealogical research. Finding new names, seeing copies of original documents from the 18th and 19th centuries, locating long-forgotten publications about our family. These are the things that make it worthwhile.
This "book", as it were, is a summary of my findings. It would take several volumes to print every little tidbit of information collected. My reasoning behind this project lies in my desire that our ancestry not be forgotten by any member of our family, and, that you will find it as exciting and fulfilling as I have, enough so that you will pass it on to future generations.
I hope that this book will stay with you for years to come, and that from time to time you will take it down and peruse it with your spouse, your children, and your grandchildren. I would like our family's story to be common knowledge within the family. And, since the family is an ever-changing being, I challenge you to add to it as the years go by.
Please enjoy . . . Merry Christmas!
Love, Jay
...and my heartfelt thanks and love to Beverly, Lauren and Kristen for tolerating my endless hours at the library, the computer, and on the phone.
![[Map of
Palatinate]](palatine.gif)
In Europe in the early and mid-1500's, a variety of religions were born based
on a wide range of religious interpretations of Christianity. Among the
emerging persuasions, one group was unique: they were called "catabaptists" or
"anabaptists"...re-baptizers...by their opponents. They rejected the
millenia-old idea of the corpus christianum which postulates the unity between
the ecclesiastical and political domain, not the separation of Church and State.
This was signified in their rejection of the practice of infant baptism and
their abhorrence of the notion of bearing arms. To them, the true church
supported baptism of those who irrevocably and conciously accepted the true
Savior.
Of the Anabaptist church, three wings endured: the Swiss Brethren, the Hutterian Brethren, and the (Dutch) Mennonites. The Swiss Brethren further split into two groups in the 1690's...the Amish, followers of Jakob Ammann, and the Swiss Mennonites. The Mennonite Church was founded by Menno Simons, a Catholic priest who forsook his vows and in 1537 became elder of a congregation that was to become the Mennonite Church.
All forms of Anabaptists were subjected to cruel persecution because of their
variance from standard Christianity. In some cases, numerous families in small
communities were forced to leave their countries. Many migrated to the
Palatinate in the areas of the Rhineland and Bavaria.
Nafzger
Our first forefathers to come to America were Nafzgers. In Glea Brown Richer's History of the Nafzgers in America, Dr. G. Kurz, head of the State Archives in Berne, Switzerland, traced the Nafzger name to the city of Thun, Switzerland and the village of Uttendorf. As of the book's printing (1939), there were still Nafzgers residing in these areas.
The origin of the name can be found in Arnold Lunn's Switzerland. The Zahringer name originated in the village of Baden, Germany. At some point, nephews of the Zahringer family moved east and founded their own estate. Naffe, pronounced "Naff" in Swiss and "Neffay" in German, means nephew. Consequently, their name was written as Naffe/Zahringer, or, "Nephews of the House of Zahringer". Over time the "/" became a "T". The name went through several transitions from Naftzahringer to Nafzger.
Incidently, in the Family Heritage Book compiled by Beatrice Bayley, the name
"Zahringen", a name clearly closely tied to "Zahringer", is listed as a name of
German nobility and aristocracy.
![[Passenger list 1]](pass1.gif)
Of course, one of the most sought after pieces of information in one's genealogy is when and where one's family first came to America. Probably my most valued find to date is the book Pennsylvania German Pioneers, which I located in the Library of Congress. This publication contains copies of the actual ships' passenger lists as recorded upon entry to their respective U.S. ports.
The first members of our family entered the United States at Philadelphia on September 15, 1749, aboard the ship Phoenix. According to descendants, three of the passengers listed (see Figures 2A and 2B) were brothers who fled to the U.S. together: Peter, Rudolph, and Matthais Nafzger. We are direct descendants of Peter.
The passenger list is prefaced as follows:
"At the Court House at Philadelphia Friday the 15th Sept 1749.
Present
Joshua Maddon, Esquire
The foreigners whose names are underwritten imported in the ship Phonix (sic) .
. . from Rotterdam but last from Cowes in England did this day take the usual
justifications to the Government.
By the list 261, 550 whole freights, from Zweybrech, Napan, Wortemberg, &
Palatinate."
![[Passenger list 2]](pass2.gif)
Peter's name is written in the clerk's hand, as witness to Peter's "X", as Nafsker. This is probably because the clerk spelled the name (Nafzger) as it was pronounced. It was not uncommon for family names to be mispelled on official documents in that day and age.
It is also speculated that Peter may have been ill and unable to write his own name. It seems unlikely that he would be uneducated while his brothers were not.
An interesting story exists explaining the Nafzger brothers' immigration to the U.S. Family lore has it that the three brothers left their home near the Swiss-German border to escape punishment for destroying a church statue.
A so-called "miracle" ocurred when a statue of Christ appeared to shed tears upon command from the priest. Being skeptical, the three brothers secretly entered the church to investigate the statue. They found the statue's head to be hollow, the top lifting off at the level of the eyes. The basin formed in the head was filled with water. A slight jarring of the statue caused water to seep from the eyes, giving the appearance of tears being shed.
In anger at the deception, one of the brothers (allegedly Rudolph) broke the statue. Soon the brothers realized the severity of their actions and fled the country as stowaways aboard the Phoenix, remaining in hiding until the ship was well out to sea. Upon their discovery, they were allowed to work for their passage and disembark at the port in Philadelphia.
As was the case with many settlers of the Mennonite faith, Peter and his brothers settled in Pennsylvania. Berwick township was located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania from 1729 until 1749, and in York County from 1749 through 1800. Today, part of the land is found in Adams County and part in York County. Peter lived in Berwick township working as a farmer, which was common amongst Mennonite immigrants. He probably lived a simple, hard-working life. Mennonites were dedicated, family people, who were strictly devoted to their faith and relied on the land and each other. Peter's neighbors in Berwick township included Abraham Housevardt and George Peters.
Early land records of 1754 show Peter and Jacob Wolff of Paradise township entering into an agreement to exchange their properties. Although I haven't encountered any records of purchase for Peter's Berwick township land, the deed for this exchange of properties noted that he had obtained this land through "sundry of assignments", possibly meaning that he had obtained it through exchange of labor or crops. After moving to Paradise township, Peter was neighbored by Jacob Zeigler, Conrad Ament and Peter Enders.
In 1762 he sold this land to John Schirsch. Records in Frederick County, Maryland show that he bought several land deeds there in 1760, 1762, 1768 and 1769. Generally, when land patents were made in Maryland, the properties were named. These properties were located near a branch of Little Pipe Creek. Some of his purchases were named Rabbitt Hill, Holland, Huckle Berry Bottom, Black Oak Hill and White Gravel Springs.
Why Peter sold his Pennsylvania land and bought land in Maryland is unclear. Perhaps he was speculating in land, as was common at that time.
Peter was naturalized in 1771 as a citizen. In May of 1776 he was fined 6 pounds 10 shillings for failing to enroll in "Captain Dorsey's State Militia of the Middle District for Frederick County". Just one month before, his son John was also fined on the same charge. Enrollment in any armed forces was unusual for Mennonites. Their firm beliefs in peaceful coexistance usually prevented it. Even today service in any armed forces is strictly contrary to Mennonite doctrine and is frowned upon. The fines were later reduced for Peter and John.
Over the next few years, Peter and his wife (sometimes listed as "Phreny", "Freni", "Froney" or "Frances") sold various pieces of land, sometimes to families listed as being from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
It is unclear exactly when Peter passed away. One reference dates it as 1783. However, records show Peter selling "White Gravel Springs" and "Black Oak Hill" in 1784.
Regardless, a land sale record in Frederick County, Maryland, shows "John Naphsinger, from the county of Bedford, State of Virginia, and son and heir-in-law of Peter Naphsinger, deceased" selling land to Charles Angall. So, it is reasonable to deduce that Peter died in 1784 or 1785, some time between his last recorded land sale and the land sale by his son.
It is important to note here that in my research I have encountered numerous misspellings of family names. For instance, the name "Naphsinger" above, or the name "Nafsker" (vice "Nafzger") found on the passenger list for the Phoenix. More often than not clerks and recorders for official documents spelled names phonetically rather than correctly. I beleive that the metamorphasis of the family name can be partly attributed to the common misspellings on documents ranging from land sales to census records. You will see this throughout this writing.
Currently, there are about 20 different names in the family.
Although our ancestors first arrived and settled in Pennsylvania, it is Virginia that holds most of our heritage. We consider Virginia our family's home state.
In the western part of the state, where the mountains, valleys and streams stretch as far as the eye can see, is Botetourt County. Over the years the boundaries of Botetourt County have changed substantially. I believe areas that were once part of Botetourt County are now in Bedford, Rockbridge, Alleghany, Craig, and Roanoke Counties.
Many references to locations in Botetourt County are of places now located in these other counties. However, at the time of these events they were in Botetourt.
The earliest records of our family in Virginia shows Peter's son Peter, Jr., purchasing land in 1780. In 1782, John is on the Bedford County tax list.
We are descendants of Peter, Jr. Since he and John appear in Bedford and Botetourt County records within a couple of years of each other, it is reasonable to believe that John and Peter, Jr., moved to Virginia at about the same time.
At this point in my research I was overwhelmed with information on our ancestors. My studies took me to the Norfolk Public Library's Genealogy Department. The vast majority of research documents available there pertain to Virginia. Of course, this was perfect for my needs.
Since you can't tell the players without a program, I have included a list showing our lineage (Figure 7) from the original Peter through my grandfather, Theodore Jacob Noffsinger, Sr.
Because I have found so many records relating to our Virginia heritage, the following is a summary list rather than a continued tale. However, the information contained is interesting, nonetheless.
My sources for this information are Robert Stoner's A Seedbed of the Republic, Early Botetourt, excerpts from Annals of Southwest Virginia by Lewis Preston Summers, The Nafzger Heritage News, Botetourt County Personal Tax Records, and several individuals who have also done genealogical research on our family.
The following section was taken from Annals of Southwest Virginia 1769-1800 By Lewis Preston Summers
MINUTES OF COUNTY COURT:
The Court doth request that in future they may be addressed with no other
title than the court.
FIRST SURVEYS OF LAND:
Mulberry Bottom is located on Craig Creek about five miles west-northwest of Eagle Rock in Botetourt County. It lies on the east side of the fork of Dutchman Branch and Craig Creek.
Israel Christian acquired from Abraham Smith a tract of 86 acres on Craig Creek "at a place called Mulberry Bottom" which Christian conveyed to Thomas Arnott by deed dated May 16, 1771. Arnott built "a massive stone house with 22-inch walls, and a basement complete for living with fireplace. On the lower edge of the gable of the east end is found one long, narrow stone in which is engraved the name Arnott and the date of 1786."
In 1789, Arnett (Arnott) and wife conveyed Mulberry Bottom to Robert Harvey who deeded it, in 1795, to Frederick Reid.
Legend: In 1793, Catherine Reid (Frederick's daughter) and Peter Harnspach (later Arnspaugh) were married. The minister came up the south side of Craig's Creek which was flooded and could not be crossed. So, the marriage license, weighted by a rock, was thrown across the creek to the minister who performed the ceremony with the bridal party on one side of the creek and the minister on the other.
In 1821, Frederick and Barbara Reid conveyed Mulberry Bottom to their son Jacob and in 1837 went to his son, Jacob, Jr. In 1859 it was sold to Samuel Noffsinger (of our line) who conveyed it to his son William Gilliam Noffsinger in 1899.
Mulberry Bottom has since been acquired by W. Fenton Parr, whose wife is a direct descendant of Jacob Reid.
Peter's will was written in January, 1841. Peter died about 1844, judging by the fact that it was filed in Botetourt County on July 18 of that year. In his will, he named his wife Mary and the following children: Jacob, Hannah, John (deceased, his wife Susan and their children were named), Polly, Nancy, Samuel, Sally (Sarah), and David.
The executors of Peter's will were Jacob Stover (Peter's son-in-law) and David Noffsinger (probably his son David). The will was witnessed by William Kyle and Ferdinand Woltz.
Another will for which I have information is that of Peter's brother Samuel, which can be found in the Botetourt Count Will Book.
The will was signed May 11, 1839, and "proved August Court 1839." It reads as follows:
"Being infirm and of advanced age To my daughter Elizabeth who intermarried with Thomas Bilbro $750.00. To my daughter Polly Nace, wife of Peter Nace, 100 acres of the land where on I now live, which she has sold to my son, Isaac, and a Deed to be made to him (she retaining a life interest). To my son, Abraham, 105 acres, part of tract where I live (his present residence). To my son, Isaac, 100 acres, including my dwelling house. To my daughter, Sally or Sarah, 100 acres, part of land I live on. To Polly Tabscott, who now lives with me, bed, furniture, flax wheel and cow. To my two sons, 600 acres of land in the county of Bedford. Executors: my two sons, Abraham and Isaac. Witnesses: Ralph Schenck; George Delong; William P. Ferrile; Thomas Armstrong"
It is signed by Testor in German script.
The U.S. Government began taking census polls in 1790. The earliest census records available for Botetourt County are for 1810.
Early census records actually contained very little information. However, if you're doing genealogical research, they're better than no records at all. Typically they showed the head of household, the numbers of persons residing in the household by gender and age group, any other "free persons except Indians", and slaves (which no Noffsingers have listed).
The 1810 Census shows Peter, Jr., and also his brothers David, Samuel, Jacob, and Joseph as heads of families. In each of these households the residents are listed by "Free white persons" who were male in each of the following age groups: To 10; 10-16; 16-26; 26-45; and 45 and up. The females are listed the same way.
These older census records can make research very difficult since they contain no names other than the head of household. The numbers of other persons must be carefully compared with other records, hopefully to authenticate information.
Other facts can be gleaned, too. For instance, Peter's brother Joseph is listed in the 1810 Census and is shown in the 26-45 age group. However, in 1820 he is not listed. This could mean two things: he moved away during that 10 year period, or; he died. In this case the latter is true, and is supported by the fact that his widow, "Mrs. E. Noftzinger", is listed as a head of household in 1820.
A strange anamoly I found in the census records from 1810 through 1850 is the change in the family name. As I mentioned before, official record takers often misspelled names on official documents. The records I researched are microfiche photos of the actual Census ledgers written at the time. The ledgers were written in one hand, indicating that they were a compilation of records brought in from the field by numerous census takers. The family name is listed as follows in each of these census records:
1810 - Noftsinger
1820 - Noftzinger
1830 - Noftsinger
1840 - Noftzinger
1850 - Noftsinger
Notice that the "s" and "z" alternate every 10 years. This could be due to three posibilities:
The latter is most likely the correct assumption. This is just one example of a minor misspelling which probably led to several of the different spellings which we find today.
Of course, just as important as our Noffsinger heritage, is that of the Boguess family. My research began with the Noffsinger family. But, now I have begun research into the Boguess family as well.
Thanks to Joan Boguess Poland, Grandmother's first cousin, one generation removed, I have gotten off to a good start. Her recent visit to Botetourt County turned up a good deal of data, which she was kind enough to share with me.
So far, research into the Boguess side of Grandmother's family has only gone back as far as her grandparents, Enoch and Margaret Boguess. Enoch and Margaret had two sons, John Wesley (Grandmother's father), born in 1870, and Robert Lee, born in 1864.
The brothers John and Robert married sisters Roburta B. and Virginia Ann Merritt, respectively. It was not uncommon for more than one family member to marry more than one member of another family. This is quite common in the Noffsinger side, too.
According to their marriage certificate, John Boguess and Roburta were married on December 31, 1896. His age is listed as 26, hers as 19. She is listed as single, he as widowed. John had been married previously. I don't have his first wife's name, however, she and their first child died during childbirth.
Actually, the oldest records found in the Boguess branch have been on the Merritt side of the family. A certificate of debt for John Firestone and Margaret (Peggy) Thresher, dated August 1, 1803, lists her father as Christopher Thresher. The certificate reads as follows:
"Know all men by these presents, That we John Firestone & Christopher Thresher held and firmly bound unto John Page Esq., Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the time being in the just and full sum of One Hundred Fifty Dollars to be paid unto the said Governor and his successors in office for the use of the said Commonwealth; to which payment, well and truly to be made, We bind ourselves, our Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, firmly by these by these presents. Sealed with our Seals and dated this 1st day of August Anno Dom. 1803. The condition of the above obligation is such, that Whereas there is a marriage shortly intended to be had & solemnized between the above bound John Firestone & Peggy Thresher, daughter of the above Christopher Thresher of this County. If therefore there be no Lawful cause or impediment to obstruct said Marriage, then this obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force."
John and Peggy Firestone's eldest daughter Catherine married John Firebaugh on November 9, 1830. A nearly identical document to the one above exists for this marriage as well.
John and Catherine Firebaugh's eldest daughter Margaret Ann married Thomas C. Merritt on March 17, 1859. Their marriage certificate shows Thomas as being 34 from Bedford County, and parents John and Sarah Merritt. She was 25 from Botetourt County. John is listed as a widower here. He was previously married to Catherine Austin whom he married on November 21, 1847. She passed away on November 23, 1856. They had five children, three of which died in infancy, one at about age two, and one at about age seven or eight.
There is so much more that I would like to include in these pages. However, I am racing against time to complete this much. There is so much more to be learned about the Noffsinger family and especially the Boguess family. I hope my endeavors will prove to be worthwhile in extracting more useful information which I can share with you.
In the months and years to come, I hope to visit Botetourt County to do more research on top of the visits to local libraries, phone calls to distant relatives, and the endless stream of correspondence to distant places in the U.S. and Europe.
In the following sections I have included some supplemental information about the family such as family trees, family group records, and important addresses and phone numbers.
I hope you have found this work to be of interest. Again, I would like nothing more than to raise you awareness of our family heritage. Even if you come away remembering just one small story from these pages, it makes my efforts worthwhile.
Please stay in touch, and feel free to offer additional information or corrections to my information. Thank you.
Theodore Jacob Noffsinger, III
