Johann Peter Schmidt was :
Great-grandson of Wendelius (Wendel) Schmidt , Barbara Klotz Schmidt, Michael Schlaeber, Anna Margaretha Frick, and Jacob Mang.
Grandson of Theobald (Diebold) Schmidt, and Margareta Schmidt, Michael Schleber and Anna Mang Schleber.
Son of Johann Theobald Schmidt and Anna Maria Schleber Deckenberger Schmidt.
Johann Peter Schmidt (later Peter Smith) was christened in the old Protestant village church in Wingen, Alsace, on the 8th of March, 1701, and grew up in the small village of Wingen. His father Theobald died before Peter was two years old.
Peter was to become a linen weaver by profession, learning his craft from Marcus Klein, master linen weaver in Wingen, who was also the husband of Peter's half sister Elisabeth Deckenberger Klein.
Peter married at least twice.
On 20. January 1728, he married Maria Barbara Engelin, daughter of Philip Engels, linen weaver of Schoenburg, in Sulzbach (now Langensoultzbach), Alsace.
Their first child, Georg Michael was born and baptized in Wingen, on October 4, 1728. (later George Smith, married Mary Bruner. George died 1814, in Rowan, N.C.)
Their daughter Maria Eva was christened in Sultzbach on October 30, 1730.
Although no record of this could be found, Peter's first wife Maria Barbara must have died sometime between 1730 and 1732.
In the spring of 1733, Peter, his new wife (said to have been Elisabetha Ensminger, daughter of Philip Ensminger, of Diemeringen, Alsace), and at least two of Peter's children, (Georg Michael and Maria Eva, then five and three years old) set out on their trip down the Rhine River towards Rotterdam in Holland.
From there they boarded the brigantine 'Pennsylvania Merchant' (John Stedman, Master) for the Atlantic crossing, via Plymouth in England to the British colony of Pennsylvania.
( The passenger manifest shows Peter Schmidt and wife Elizabeth.)
The dangerous voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to the new world took almost three months. There were terrifying storms, severe hardships, and a number of passengers dying and being buried at sea.
Finally though, the Pennsylvania Merchant landed in the Philadelphia Harbor on September 18, 1733.
Soon after arrival, all men on board were taken to the Philadelphia court house, where they had to swear the oath of allegiance to King George II.
Peter signed his oath with a 'P'.
On the 20th of February 1734 Peter received a grant for 100 acres of land between 'Cocalico and Muddy Creek, amongst several other settlers there', in Lancaster County, P.A.
Peter is said to have been baptized into the Dunker ( German Anabaptist ) faith by Conrad Beissel of Ephrata in 1748, and became a member and householder of the Ephrata community.
Earl Township records of 1750 show that Peter is taxed for 50 acres of land, 2 acres of wheat, and that he owns two horses and one cow.
Peter is known to have paid taxes until 1752.
In 1756 he is listed as 'fled', which was most probably due to Indian troubles connected with the French and Indian War.
Peter and his family would have travelled on the Great Wagon Road to the Dunker settlement of Manahaim, on the New River in Virginia, where likely they spent some time until troubles started there as well, and the settlement was abandoned.
Peter and his family then journeyed on to Rowan, N.C.
He received a land grant on Crane Creek, and very near the village of Salisbury from the Earl of Granville.
Peter became a Dunker Elder, and he appears on the list of land owners of the German Settlement of Rowan County -1755. His original land grant number was #117, and he paid taxes in Rowan from 1759.
Peter's neighbors were Michael Braun (Brown), Jacob Brown, John Wiant, James Carson, and Harmon (Hermann) Hartman (who is said to have become Peter's son-in-law.)
(Research source: Carolina Cradle: Settlement of the North West Carolina Frontier 1747-1762.)
In 1767 Peter Smith made his last will and testament, which reads as follows:
In the name of God, Amen, I , Peter Smith, of the Parish Luke and County of Rowan & Province of North Carolina Being sick and weak in body but of Strong Sound mind and Disposing memory, Thanks be to Almighty God for the same , and being well assured that it is appointed for all men once to Die and knowing that it is fit and Necessary for to make a proper Disposition of what worldly Estate god has seen pleased to besto me with in this Life, I therefore make ordain and establish this and no Other to be my last Will & Testament and therefore I do recommend and resign my soul into the Hands of Almighty God who gave it me and my Body to the Earth to be buried in a decent manner according to the Discretion of my executors herein after named and as to my worldly Estates, I give and bequeath in manner and form following: Item.. I give and bequath unto my beloved wife one Sorrel Pacing Gelding now in my Posession and feather bead and furniture, Two Cows & Calves an iron Pott and frying Pan, her own Riding Saddle, my Tea Kettle, Five Pewter Basons & Six plates to her and her Heirs or assigns for Ever.
Item, I do hereby Order my Executors that in a convenient time after my demise to make Sale of All my Lands Goods and chattles wherewith I am now posessed of or shall be at my decease except what I have reserved to my wife as before mentioned to be equally divided my children as follows: viz George, Peter, John, Margret, Mary, Susanna, Elizabeth, Magdelen and my grandchildren begotten on the body of Eve my daughter by John Adams deceased viz, John, George, Peter, Barbara, & Susanna Adams, that is to say the whole remainder after d??? first one third part out for the use of my said wife to be divided into nine parts of equal portions amgnst my said Children and Grandchildren as above mentioned. The part and shear that may happen to my said grandchildren to be equally divided by my said executors between them on the Survivers of them the whole to be laid out to Intrest for their use until they shall arrive at a lawful age or marry. And in case that Christopher Knatzer should deceas before my said grandchildren, that is to say one half part of what may remain, unapropriated or given before to my said grandchildren at any time after the decease of the said Christopher Knatzer.
I do order & direct my said executors to put that part or share that may happen to come to my son John to Interest to Reserve and Retain the whole in their Own hands untill he shall marry or otherwis Settle himself in a regular & industerous manner, I will order that my said Executors shall pay all my lawful debts that may ?? ?? at my decease before any division may be made of my said Estate & in Case my Said wife Should decease I will and Desire that what part of my said Estate that may remain in her hand at her decease may be equally divided between my Said mentioned Children and Grand Children as before mentioned by even and equal portions. And in case that my Sone Peter should be cast in a suit Commenced by Margret Bifle? against him in the Superior Court of Salisbury that all Cost and Damages that shall in any wise accrue to him in Said Suit to be paid out by my executors out of that part of share that was or may happen to fall to my Sone John out of my Said Estate.
and I do hereby ruminate constitute and appoint My Trusty Friend James Carson & my beloved sons, George Smith & Richard Walton, Executors of this my last Will & Testament hereby revoaking ??? & ? making void all former Wills be made ??? and confirming this and no other to be my last will & Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & sale this nineteenth of September, 1767.
Witnesses
James Carson
Rachel Hampton
Mary Dunn
John Dunn
Peter Smith died in 1769, and was most probably the first person buried in the old Smith family graveyard in Rowan County.
Due to the death of the Earl of Granville all land sales in the area came to a halt. Peter Smith's land was finally sold in 1775 by his executors to James Hendrick, another Dunker Elder.
Known children of Peter Schmidt (Smith):
Georg Michael, born 4 October, 1728, Wingen, Alsace, died 23 Oct, 1814, Rowan, N.C.
Maria Eva (Eve) Schmidt Adam Knatzer, born 30 Oct. 1730, Langensultzbach, Alsace, died in America
Margaret, birth unknown
Magdalen, birth unknown
Anna Maria (Mary), born 4 December 1736, P.A.
Johann Peter (Peter), born 8 April, 1739, P.A.
Susanna Catarina (twin of Peter), born 8 April, 1739, P.A. (married Richard Walton)
Maria Eliesabetha (Elizabeth), born 19 February, 1741, P.A.
Johann Nicolauss, born 3 November 1742, P.A., died young
Johannes (John), born 12 June 1748, P.A., died 1826, Burke, N.C.
Additional siblings not mentioned below:
Anna Ursula, born 1699, Wingen, Alsace, died in America.
Half siblings:
Hans Paulus, born 4 September, 1659, Wingen Alsace, died in Alsace
Hans Jacob, born 1 May 1661, Wingen, died in Alsace
Hans Georg, born 12 March 1663, Wingen, died in Alsace
Anna Ursula, born 31 May 1665, died young in Alsace
Hans Peter, born 7 April 1667, died young in Alsace
Anna Elisabetha Deckenberger Klein, born in Europe, died in America. (married Marcus Klein in Wingen, Alsace, 1720)
(Bio © 2020 by Lydia A.)
Photos of documents on memorial
1. Birth Record
2. Oath of Allegiance to King George ll.
3. Land Grant P.A.
4 and 5, first two pages of Peter Smith's last will and testament .
Johann Peter Schmidt was :
Great-grandson of Wendelius (Wendel) Schmidt , Barbara Klotz Schmidt, Michael Schlaeber, Anna Margaretha Frick, and Jacob Mang.
Grandson of Theobald (Diebold) Schmidt, and Margareta Schmidt, Michael Schleber and Anna Mang Schleber.
Son of Johann Theobald Schmidt and Anna Maria Schleber Deckenberger Schmidt.
Johann Peter Schmidt (later Peter Smith) was christened in the old Protestant village church in Wingen, Alsace, on the 8th of March, 1701, and grew up in the small village of Wingen. His father Theobald died before Peter was two years old.
Peter was to become a linen weaver by profession, learning his craft from Marcus Klein, master linen weaver in Wingen, who was also the husband of Peter's half sister Elisabeth Deckenberger Klein.
Peter married at least twice.
On 20. January 1728, he married Maria Barbara Engelin, daughter of Philip Engels, linen weaver of Schoenburg, in Sulzbach (now Langensoultzbach), Alsace.
Their first child, Georg Michael was born and baptized in Wingen, on October 4, 1728. (later George Smith, married Mary Bruner. George died 1814, in Rowan, N.C.)
Their daughter Maria Eva was christened in Sultzbach on October 30, 1730.
Although no record of this could be found, Peter's first wife Maria Barbara must have died sometime between 1730 and 1732.
In the spring of 1733, Peter, his new wife (said to have been Elisabetha Ensminger, daughter of Philip Ensminger, of Diemeringen, Alsace), and at least two of Peter's children, (Georg Michael and Maria Eva, then five and three years old) set out on their trip down the Rhine River towards Rotterdam in Holland.
From there they boarded the brigantine 'Pennsylvania Merchant' (John Stedman, Master) for the Atlantic crossing, via Plymouth in England to the British colony of Pennsylvania.
( The passenger manifest shows Peter Schmidt and wife Elizabeth.)
The dangerous voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to the new world took almost three months. There were terrifying storms, severe hardships, and a number of passengers dying and being buried at sea.
Finally though, the Pennsylvania Merchant landed in the Philadelphia Harbor on September 18, 1733.
Soon after arrival, all men on board were taken to the Philadelphia court house, where they had to swear the oath of allegiance to King George II.
Peter signed his oath with a 'P'.
On the 20th of February 1734 Peter received a grant for 100 acres of land between 'Cocalico and Muddy Creek, amongst several other settlers there', in Lancaster County, P.A.
Peter is said to have been baptized into the Dunker ( German Anabaptist ) faith by Conrad Beissel of Ephrata in 1748, and became a member and householder of the Ephrata community.
Earl Township records of 1750 show that Peter is taxed for 50 acres of land, 2 acres of wheat, and that he owns two horses and one cow.
Peter is known to have paid taxes until 1752.
In 1756 he is listed as 'fled', which was most probably due to Indian troubles connected with the French and Indian War.
Peter and his family would have travelled on the Great Wagon Road to the Dunker settlement of Manahaim, on the New River in Virginia, where likely they spent some time until troubles started there as well, and the settlement was abandoned.
Peter and his family then journeyed on to Rowan, N.C.
He received a land grant on Crane Creek, and very near the village of Salisbury from the Earl of Granville.
Peter became a Dunker Elder, and he appears on the list of land owners of the German Settlement of Rowan County -1755. His original land grant number was #117, and he paid taxes in Rowan from 1759.
Peter's neighbors were Michael Braun (Brown), Jacob Brown, John Wiant, James Carson, and Harmon (Hermann) Hartman (who is said to have become Peter's son-in-law.)
(Research source: Carolina Cradle: Settlement of the North West Carolina Frontier 1747-1762.)
In 1767 Peter Smith made his last will and testament, which reads as follows:
In the name of God, Amen, I , Peter Smith, of the Parish Luke and County of Rowan & Province of North Carolina Being sick and weak in body but of Strong Sound mind and Disposing memory, Thanks be to Almighty God for the same , and being well assured that it is appointed for all men once to Die and knowing that it is fit and Necessary for to make a proper Disposition of what worldly Estate god has seen pleased to besto me with in this Life, I therefore make ordain and establish this and no Other to be my last Will & Testament and therefore I do recommend and resign my soul into the Hands of Almighty God who gave it me and my Body to the Earth to be buried in a decent manner according to the Discretion of my executors herein after named and as to my worldly Estates, I give and bequeath in manner and form following: Item.. I give and bequath unto my beloved wife one Sorrel Pacing Gelding now in my Posession and feather bead and furniture, Two Cows & Calves an iron Pott and frying Pan, her own Riding Saddle, my Tea Kettle, Five Pewter Basons & Six plates to her and her Heirs or assigns for Ever.
Item, I do hereby Order my Executors that in a convenient time after my demise to make Sale of All my Lands Goods and chattles wherewith I am now posessed of or shall be at my decease except what I have reserved to my wife as before mentioned to be equally divided my children as follows: viz George, Peter, John, Margret, Mary, Susanna, Elizabeth, Magdelen and my grandchildren begotten on the body of Eve my daughter by John Adams deceased viz, John, George, Peter, Barbara, & Susanna Adams, that is to say the whole remainder after d??? first one third part out for the use of my said wife to be divided into nine parts of equal portions amgnst my said Children and Grandchildren as above mentioned. The part and shear that may happen to my said grandchildren to be equally divided by my said executors between them on the Survivers of them the whole to be laid out to Intrest for their use until they shall arrive at a lawful age or marry. And in case that Christopher Knatzer should deceas before my said grandchildren, that is to say one half part of what may remain, unapropriated or given before to my said grandchildren at any time after the decease of the said Christopher Knatzer.
I do order & direct my said executors to put that part or share that may happen to come to my son John to Interest to Reserve and Retain the whole in their Own hands untill he shall marry or otherwis Settle himself in a regular & industerous manner, I will order that my said Executors shall pay all my lawful debts that may ?? ?? at my decease before any division may be made of my said Estate & in Case my Said wife Should decease I will and Desire that what part of my said Estate that may remain in her hand at her decease may be equally divided between my Said mentioned Children and Grand Children as before mentioned by even and equal portions. And in case that my Sone Peter should be cast in a suit Commenced by Margret Bifle? against him in the Superior Court of Salisbury that all Cost and Damages that shall in any wise accrue to him in Said Suit to be paid out by my executors out of that part of share that was or may happen to fall to my Sone John out of my Said Estate.
and I do hereby ruminate constitute and appoint My Trusty Friend James Carson & my beloved sons, George Smith & Richard Walton, Executors of this my last Will & Testament hereby revoaking ??? & ? making void all former Wills be made ??? and confirming this and no other to be my last will & Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & sale this nineteenth of September, 1767.
Witnesses
James Carson
Rachel Hampton
Mary Dunn
John Dunn
Peter Smith died in 1769, and was most probably the first person buried in the old Smith family graveyard in Rowan County.
Due to the death of the Earl of Granville all land sales in the area came to a halt. Peter Smith's land was finally sold in 1775 by his executors to James Hendrick, another Dunker Elder.
Known children of Peter Schmidt (Smith):
Georg Michael, born 4 October, 1728, Wingen, Alsace, died 23 Oct, 1814, Rowan, N.C.
Maria Eva (Eve) Schmidt Adam Knatzer, born 30 Oct. 1730, Langensultzbach, Alsace, died in America
Margaret, birth unknown
Magdalen, birth unknown
Anna Maria (Mary), born 4 December 1736, P.A.
Johann Peter (Peter), born 8 April, 1739, P.A.
Susanna Catarina (twin of Peter), born 8 April, 1739, P.A. (married Richard Walton)
Maria Eliesabetha (Elizabeth), born 19 February, 1741, P.A.
Johann Nicolauss, born 3 November 1742, P.A., died young
Johannes (John), born 12 June 1748, P.A., died 1826, Burke, N.C.
Additional siblings not mentioned below:
Anna Ursula, born 1699, Wingen, Alsace, died in America.
Half siblings:
Hans Paulus, born 4 September, 1659, Wingen Alsace, died in Alsace
Hans Jacob, born 1 May 1661, Wingen, died in Alsace
Hans Georg, born 12 March 1663, Wingen, died in Alsace
Anna Ursula, born 31 May 1665, died young in Alsace
Hans Peter, born 7 April 1667, died young in Alsace
Anna Elisabetha Deckenberger Klein, born in Europe, died in America. (married Marcus Klein in Wingen, Alsace, 1720)
(Bio © 2020 by Lydia A.)
Photos of documents on memorial
1. Birth Record
2. Oath of Allegiance to King George ll.
3. Land Grant P.A.
4 and 5, first two pages of Peter Smith's last will and testament .
Gravesite Details
Burial: Family Cemetery, Salisbury, Rowan County, N.C.
Sadly (now in 2023) there are no markers left in this cemetery.
Family Members
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