I inquired about the availability of the Merz Collection with the Librarian at the SAR Library in Louisville. They advised me this morning that the collection has not been processed and is not available for use by patrons. They suggested I contact them later this year. Karen

Jim -- > Have you any information on Johann Beck who was one of the deserters from > the > Ansbach-Bayreuth regiment? I noticed that he deserted on August 10,1781 > and > that he was a private ( gemeiner ). Thank you. There were two different Johann Becks who apparently remained in America. Other than the fact that this Johan Beck apparently took off with Heinrich Eberlein, I have nothing beyound the date of desertion of 10 Aug 1781. He is not listed in the 1802 "wanted list." I suggest you check the list archives for more on Beck and Eberlein http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/?list=AMREV-HESSIANS Rootsweb also has an Eberlein family list EBERLEIN-L@rootsweb.com The other gent was Johann Georg Beck, a Gemeiner in B IV (B IV started as the senior company in the Bayreuth Regiment under Col von Voit but in May 1778 when Col von Eyb returned to Europe, Col von Voit moved over to command the Anspach Regiment and was replaced by Captain von Molitor/Molithor and then in 1779 Molitor/Molithor went to command the Bayreuth Grenadiers [B V] and was replaced by Captain von Quesnoi/Quesnoy. Johann Georg Beck is listed as deserting 10 May 1783 which, if memory serves, was the day the POWs were released from Frederick MD to return to New York (see Döhla's Journal). The 1802 "wanted list" includes "der Mousq. Johann Georg Beck, aus Steinbach." Bob Brooks

Hello Bob, Have you any information on Johann Beck who was one of the deserters from the Ansbach-Bayreuth regiment? I noticed that he deserted on August 10,1781 and that he was a private ( gemeiner ). Thank you. Kind regards, Jim Beck

I have been trying to trace my husband's 4th great grandfather Peter Kappes. About 1800-1820 he was going by the name of Cavis in Gloucester NJ. He is difficult to trace as tax lists only go as far as 1802 for Deptford Twp and there are no census for 1800-1820 for that area. He is listed in tax lists for several years--about 1785-1799 I don't have the exact years in front of me right now. But I found this by doing soundex on a genealogy sight. His name was spelled all different ways including Cabbage. I have a question. Has anyone ever been able to trace where, or to whom, there Hessian was indentured? How did you do that? Is there a list somewhere? Has anyone ever run across Peter in any of the paperwork for any area that the Hessian Prisoners were at? Also has anyone ran across Peter Kappes/Cavis after 1820? (He had a son he named Simon Peter and he went to MI, TN, & died in KY, and his grandson also was named Peter.) But according to family lore our Peter was said to have died 1820 and buried in PA Cemetery. He was said to have married twice, but been buried next to his first wife. There is a record for a Peter Cappas in Swedes Church in PA in 1789, to an Eda Lord. I do not have any idea how to try to trace to see if this is him. In fact his own daughter married a John Lord. Cindy

John -- > Teresa Bonetti, a descendant of another son says there is a letter (I > haven't seen it) from the youngest daughter > Elizabeth that states that John was a Hessian from the Ansbach Bayreuth > regiment. > I have not been able to confirm the authenticity of that letter. > It is interesting though because Hessians captured at Yorktown were first > sent to barracks near Winchester. > If one looks at the Ansbach-Bayreuth listing there is a Leonhard Busch in > the 1st Ansbach that is a regular soldier > and whom deserted in 1781 I believe. John Merz has stated that this is > our man. I am not convinced yet. > If he deserted than he probably wasn't captured at Yorktown. So I don't > know. Ansbach-Bayreuth Mousquetier [musketeer] Leonardt Busch was from Wollhausen (if I read the 1802 "Wanted List" correctly, or perhaps "Wallhausen"). He served in Major von Reitzenstein's company in the Ansbach Regiment ("reds") until he deserted August 7, 1781. This would be about five days after he arrived at Yorktown but a month before the siege of Yorktown began. It appears that he took off with Johann Michael Oed from Dortnesselbach (or Dorfnesselbach) who was a member of the same company. Below is a list of those Anspach-Bayreuth troops who deserted in the five week period from Sunday, 21 July to Saturday, 24 August 1781. The A, B & J followed by I, II, III, IV or V is Städtler's company unit code. You will note a propensity for the men to desert with a buddy. 81.07.22 Schmid, Karl Friedrich, Jäger. J II 81.07.22 Weigel, Adam, Jäger. J II 81.08.06 Vogel, Michael, Gemeiner. A III 81.08.07 Busch, Leonard, Gemeiner. A II 81.08.07 Oed, Johann Michael, Gemeiner. A II 81.08.10 Beck, Johann, Gemeiner. B II 81.08.10 Eberlein, Johann, Gemeiner. B II 81.08.10 Kaufman, Heinrich, Jäger. J II (off a patrol) 81.08.10 Blümlein, Karl, Jäger. J II 84.08.18 Hopfer, Simon, Gemeiner. A IV (from the cattle-watch) 81.08.18 Berthold, Johan Georg, Jäger. J I Where he went and how he got there are unknowns. After four years service in America, I presume he had picked up enough English for basic communication. Doubtless he encountered the American troops. If he was unarmed, he might have received a written pass. If armed (and not shot on the spot) he would have been taken as a prisoner. In the latter case, he could have ended up in any one of the POW compounds. Could Leonardt Busch and your Johann Busch be the same person? Could? -- yes! Are? -- I don't know. While I don't subscribe to some of the unequivocal "naming rules" espoused on this list I will concede that Leonhardt Busch could have been formally christened Johann Leonhardt Busch or Leonhardt Johann Busch which got Americanized to John Bush. I checked the AMREV-HESSIAN archives for "Oed" but find he has never been mentioned except on the entire list presented at: < http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ifetch2?/u1/textindices/A/AMREV-HESSIANS+2003+5651225384+F > [You need everything between the < > so you may have to cut and paste.] There is the noble German family von Öd, von Oedt, von Ödt, Öth, now with three separate noble lines. If you can put your John Bush in the same woods with Mike Oed [Oedt, Öd, Ödt -- sounds like "owed"] I'd suggest that you were close to proving John Bush and Leonhardt Busch were the same person. Bob Brooks

Hello, John Merz has contacted me off-list. But I'm still looking to get in touch with Marilu Sartain. Thanks! Grant Miller -----Original Message----- From: Nelda Percival [mailto:nelda_percival@hotmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 5:07 PM To: AMREV-HESSIANS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [HESSIAN] CONTACT JOHN MERZ Hi, Could some kind person on the list who has John's email address send this to John.. Thank You Nelda ----Original Message Follows---- From: "Miller, Grant (PAL)" <Grant.Miller@oprhp.state.ny.us> Reply-To: AMREV-HESSIANS-L@rootsweb.com To: AMREV-HESSIANS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [HESSIAN] Marilu Sartain or John Merz? Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 16:47:58 -0500 Hi, I'm looking to contact Marilu Sartain and/or John Merz regarding their ancestor Henry Kneeland/Heinrich Kickeland, a private in the 7th Mass. who was stationed here at New Windsor Cantonment in 1782-83. Ms. Sartain and Mr. Merz exchanged info on Henry on this list back in June 2001. I'd appreciate any contact information. Or, feel free to pass my name and address on to them. Thanks! Grant Miller Historic Site Assistant New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site ==== AMREV-HESSIANS Mailing List ==== The Source HETRINA has been discussed more often than anything else, you find the explanations by checking the key word archive. You can find it by typing in "26 feb 1999" and look for HETRINA. Or check the Threaded Archives for February 1999 - Hetrina publication. You can search the archives for a specific message or browse them, going from one message to another. To search: http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/?list=AMREV-HESSIANS To browse: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/AMREV-HESSIANS-L ============================== Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx ==== AMREV-HESSIANS Mailing List ==== The Source HETRINA has been discussed more often than anything else, you find the explanations by checking the key word archive. You can find it by typing in "26 feb 1999" and look for HETRINA. Or check the Threaded Archives for February 1999 - Hetrina publication. You can search the archives for a specific message or browse them, going from one message to another. To search: http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/?list=AMREV-HESSIANS To browse: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/AMREV-HESSIANS-L ============================== View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find marriage announcements and more. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx

Hi Bill- my John Bush was my ggggg grandfather (7 generations ago) and we know several things about him. He was in the Winchester VA area (Frederick County, VA) in 1786. He married a Mary Phillips who was originally from Pennsylvania. She had 2 brothers (at least) named Conrad and Joseph. He and Mary had 10 children, the first 3 born in the Winchester VA area. Solomon was the 3rd child and second son. He is my line. Mary and John, Mary's 2 brothers and their families and the 3 children left on the Wilderness Road for Kentucky ending up in Shelby Co KY (one county east of Jefferson County and Louisville) in about 1790 or so. The Greenville Treaty with the Shawnee and their allies that opens up southern Indiana and Ohio (the Indian territories) is concluded at 1795. Sometime about 1805 or so they pack and leave KY and go across the river and settle in Southern Indiana, Washington County, where all of a my dad's family comes from. They were some of the first settlers/pioneers to that area. He dies in Washington County in 1820 and is buried in the Bush cemetery at Dutch Creek. I suspect he was born about 1750 or so. Family rumor always stated that John Bush was a Hessian soldier. No one has been able to prove that. Bob Bush of Grand Rapids Michigan, a descendant of one of Solomon's younger brothers, Joseph has done all of the major research and sleuthing and found John and Mary in Winchester in 1786. He has hit a brick wall there. He believes that a name was changed. Teresa Bonetti, a descendant of another son says there is a letter (I haven't seen it) from the youngest daughter Elizabeth that states that John was a Hessian from the Ansbach Bayreuth regiment. I have not been able to confirm the authenticity of that letter. It is interesting though because Hessians captured at Yorktown were first sent to barracks near Winchester. If one looks at the Ansbach-Bayreuth listing there is a Leonhard Busch in the 1st Ansbach that is a regular soldier and whom deserted in 1781 I believe. John Merz has stated that this is our man. I am not convinced yet. If he deserted than he probably wasn't captured at Yorktown. So I don't know. Bob Bush thinks that he may have been from Pennsylvania earlier and that is why I am so interested in what you know. Of course Bob's theory that a name was changed could be Leonhard, but I think what Bob means is a last name, making it awfully difficult to track, if not impossible. Bob Bush's site has everything after John and Mary, nothing before, except we know Mary's parents names and where she is from. All of the people that I have come into contact with, descendants of different siblings (one of the 10) all have the same family rumor that John was a Hessian. No one has been able to prove it. I sure would be interested in what you know. John B. -----Original Message----- From: Bill Pooler [mailto:maderarocks@kuhncom.net] Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 6:52 PM To: AMREV-HESSIANS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [HESSIAN] Hessian Prisoners  Hi John ! Sorry to say I didn't find the name of John Busch/Bush in the list of 182 men. But strange to say, but I'm also interested in a John Bush from the general area of Reading, PA -actually from nearby Chester County. I saw a hint somewhere that inferred he had been a Hessian soldier. Hessian prisoners were also kept at Reading during the Revolutionary War. I have some information on two men by that name that I haven't had time to follow up. If you think this is a possibility, send me an e-mail and let's share what we have. Bill ==== AMREV-HESSIANS Mailing List ==== The Source HETRINA has been discussed more often than anything else, you find the explanations by checking the key word archive. You can find it by typing in "26 feb 1999" and look for HETRINA. Or check the Threaded Archives for February 1999 - Hetrina publication. You can search the archives for a specific message or browse them, going from one message to another. To search: http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/?list=AMREV-HESSIANS To browse: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/AMREV-HESSIANS-L ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx

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Karen, you might contact _Ravenjan@aol.com_ (mailto:Ravenjan@aol.com) and she might have some info on Debelius. Charles Severs

Hi Karen ! I didn't find the name Debelius is the list of 182 men. All the names listed are only of those who settled in the general area around Frederick, Md. Wish I could be of more help. Bill

Hello Arless ! I believe we're in luck here. The booklet has: Johann Jakob Muller (with double dots over the U- I can pronounce it, but cant remember how to spell it). Jager, Ansbach Jager-Korps, Capt. Lt. von Tritschler Co., deserted June 1783 (Stadtler: p.164). Jacob Miller was naturalized 5 Aug 1802, Frederick, renouncing his allegience to the Prince of Anspach.

Fellow Hessian trackers... I have just received a report of a search for the church records for one of our Hessians, Johann Peter Herr, who was in the Hesse-Kassel Erbprinz Regt. and is described in HETRINA as being from Echewege born 1758/9. I received the marriage record for the parents, Johann Conrad Herr and Elizabetha Völcke, birth/baptism records for Johann Peter HERR and his four younger siblings along with identification of his grandfathers, Johann Peter Herr and Johann Bernard Völcke as godfathers of two of the siblings. All records were from the Marktkirche of Eschwege-Altstadt. I obtained copies and the research fromEvangelische Kirche von Kurhessen-Waldeck, Landeskirchliches Archiv, Lessingstrasse 15A, 34119 Kassel, Germany. Perhaps this could be helpful to some of you tracking your Hessians. The archive can be reached at: http://www;.ekkw.de/archiv ekkw.archiv@t-online.de John M. Rhodes

Hello ! Sorry to say I didn't find the name Debelius in the booklet. Please remember that the list of 182 men , consists only of those who settled in the general area of Hagerstown, Md. I wish you good luck in your search. Bill

> Is there a Debelius possibly a Henry listed as a prisioner.....? Did you check the archives of this list. I think I remember seeing that name. Karen

Hi John ! Sorry to say I didn't find the name of John Busch/Bush in the list of 182 men. But strange to say, but I'm also interested in a John Bush from the general area of Reading, PA -actually from nearby Chester County. I saw a hint somewhere that inferred he had been a Hessian soldier. Hessian prisoners were also kept at Reading during the Revolutionary War. I have some information on two men by that name that I haven't had time to follow up. If you think this is a possibility, send me an e-mail and let's share what we have. Bill

Bill, my John Jacob Miller [Johann Jakob Mueller variations] reportedly from Hesse, settled in Virginia--any chance he came through Frederick? Any other Millers? Thanks for doing this for all of us. Arless aeilerts@southwind.net

Is there a Debelius possibly a Henry listed as a prisioner.....?

In reading our list archives, I realize that I may have overlooked some look-up requests for "Of Revolutionary Memory". If I missed anyone, please email me at smoketownuniv@myactv.net My apologies, Cindy H.

Hi Ruby.... Are you subscribed? if so maybe your not sending from the address your subscribbed from?? If not that will cause your emails to the list to bounce... Also when John Merz retired he gave all/most of his records to the SAR see Archives Nelda LM ----Original Message Follows---- From: Rbswad@aol.com To: AMREV-HESSIANS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: {not a subscriber} John Dolly, Hessian Soldier Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 17:43:27 -0700 Hello Jane: My husband's copy of SAR Magazine came today and I found the article saying there was quite a section in the SAR Library on Hessians. I have an ancestor John Dolly who was a Hession and I would like to know what he did in the War. I only know for sure that by 1792 he owned land and was paying tax in Pendleton Co., WV; in 1794 he was on the Muster Roll of Pendleton Militia of Capt. Wm Gragg's Co. Also, I would like to know where he came from in GY. I do know where he lived in Pendleton Co and where he is buried on his farm. He lived to be 98 yrs old. I will be glad to share the info that I have on John Dolly. Thanks so much for anything you have on this Hessian. Ruby Bland Swadley

I know it would be exciting to find a list of prisoners from Fort Frederick, but if I'm not mistaken, the list of names in the Journal of the Pennsylvania German Society Volume 23/1898/2 is not from "Prisoners of War in Frederick County, Maryland, During the American Revolution" by Lion G. Miles. The list of Hessians in this publication is actually from the second article in the publication "Of Revolutionary Memory: German Mercenaries Who Immigrated to Western Maryland" by Nancy Rice Kiddoo. Ms. Kiddoo's article lists Hessians who settled in Western Maryland. This is not a list of prisoners from Fort Frederick. Cindy H.