In 1997, and again in 2010, this list discussed the family of Franz Graff, arguing about which wife, Magdalena Herr, or Eva Hamacher, was the first wife, and which was the second. Using logic, Magdalena Herr was the first wife because the family was originally Mennonite. The family shifted to Brethren after Franz Graff married Eva Hamacher (who was definitely Brethren). Using age differentials of the children leads to the same conclusion. Second wife, Eva Hamacher, was born into the Brethren family of Adam and Eve Hamacher of the Great Swatara Congregation. Adam was a minister at Great Swatara in 1770. His wife and daughter were also members. It would appear that Eva Hamacher Graff had a big influence in her family’s religion. My interest in the Franz Graff family stems from the list of Brethren baptisms in the Conestoga Congregation as reported in Brumbaugh’s 1899 book, pages 307-315. It turns out that the majority of the Graff/Groff baptisms listed in Brumbaugh’s book were members of the family of Franz Graff and Eva Hamacher. Page 313 – Sister Hamacher and her daughters, Maria and Eva, were baptized in 1763 (actually 1762 according to alternative documents). Page 314 – In 1780, June 11, was added Anna Groff (who would marry Henry Mohler of Ephrata in the following year). Page 315 – In 1790, May 3, was added Daniel Hollinger Jr. (who would later marry Barbara Graff, daughter of Franz and Eva [Hamacher] Graff). Page 315 – in 1793, May 12, were added Hannis Groff and his wife Elizabeth (born Hollinger, daughter of Daniel Hollinger Sr.). In the Brumbaugh book the above names are spelled Groff. The Groff spelling was basically interchangeable with the Graff spelling. Prior to the baptisms reported above, there were some earlier Graff baptisms. These were basically among the children of Jacob Graff (1699-1776) who belonged to Conrad Beissel’s Ephrata Community of Seventh Day Brethren. Jacob Graff was the oldest son of Hans Graff (died 1746). Hans Graff (discussed in footnote 1, page 161, in Brumbaugh) was one of the original Mennonites to settle in the waters of the Conestoga River (which many years later became Lancaster County). He disowned his oldest son, Jacob Graff, for joining up with Conrad Beissel by cutting him out of his will. When Jacob Graff died in 1776, he left a will but named only his oldest son Joseph. His other children were not named. He left a clue, however, by naming Peter Eichenberg as one of his executors. Page 312 – 1752, May 3, Peter Eichenberg was baptized (by Elder Michael Pfautz). Page 311 – 1750, April 15, “Fröniga Graff” and other “Ephrataites” were received into the communion of the Conestoga church without rebaptism. Because Fronica was from the Ephrata Community, and because Peter Eichenberg was an executor of Jacob Graff’s estate in 1776, and because Jacob Graff was a long-standing member of the Ephrata Community up to his death, I assume that Fronica Graff was a daughter of Jacob Graff and the wife of Peter Eichenberger (who would later become elder in charge of the Conestoga Congregation prior to moving on to Virginia and Ohio). Peter and Fronica were married about 1758 as their oldest child Susannah was born in 1759. Page 312 – 1754, October 20, Hannes Graff was baptized at Conestoga. Was “Hannes a son of Jacob Graff (1699-1776)? (To be continued.) Comments welcome! Dwayne Wrightsman

In my previous message (see below) I listed the Conestoga baptisms of members bearing the Graff/Groff surname. Most were from the family of Franz and (second wife) Eva [Hamacher/Hammacker] Graff of Rapho Township, Lancaster County. The two remaining names were those of Fronica Graff (baptized 1750) and Hannes Graff (baptized 1754). Fronica Graff was the daughter of Jacob Graff (1699-1776) of Ephrata. She married Peter Eichenberg (baptized 1752) in 1758. Peter was also of Ephrata and was an executor of Jacob Graff's estate in 1776. He was also at that time elder in charge of the Conestoga congregation. We do not know if Hannes Graff was a brother of Fronica and son of Jacob. The only child mentioned by Jacob in his estate was his oldest son Joseph. We also know from the Registers of the Ephrata Cloister than Jacob had a daughter "Sister Priscam." We have also deduced that Fronica [Graff] Eichenberg was a daughter of Jacob. The only other clue about Jacob Graff's children is that he signed off as Jacob Graff Sr. in his deeds of sale to his oldest son Joseph. The "Sr." designation implies that he had a son named Jacob. Clearly, Jacob and Hannes (John) are two different names, but could they be the same person? The 1771 will of Jacob Graff's father-in-law, Henry Kauffman, spelled Jacob Graff's name as "John Grove." The settlement of Henry Kauffman's estate, nineteen days after Jacob Graff himself died, also spelled Jacob Graff's name as "John Grove." Grove, Groff, Graff, and Graf are obviously alternative spellings of the same surname, but Jacob and John are usually not the same given name, except in cases of "John Jacob" or "Hans Jacob." The way I see it: (1) Jacob may have had both a son named John (Hannes) who was baptized at Conestoga, as well as a son named Jacob, (2) John (Hannes) and Jacob were the same person, or (3) John (Hannes) Graff who was baptized at Conestoga was from another Graff family. Indeed, there was a "John Grove" who was a member of the Little Swatara Congregation in 1770, but this member has been tentatively identified by Little Swatara Brethren historian, Sandra Kauffman, as John Groh (born about 1752) of Bethel Township, Lancaster County. I would like to determine the identity of the Hannes Graff who was baptized into the Conestoga congregation in 1754. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Dwayne Wrightsman ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dwayne Wrightsman Sent: Monday, February 21, 2011 8:57 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [BRE] Franz Graff, Magdalena Herr, Eva Hamacher, and Others In 1997, and again in 2010, this list discussed the family of Franz Graff, arguing about which wife, Magdalena Herr, or Eva Hamacher, was the first wife, and which was the second. Using logic, Magdalena Herr was the first wife because the family was originally Mennonite. The family shifted to Brethren after Franz Graff married Eva Hamacher (who was definitely Brethren). Using age differentials of the children leads to the same conclusion. Second wife, Eva Hamacher, was born into the Brethren family of Adam and Eve Hamacher of the Great Swatara Congregation. Adam was a minister at Great Swatara in 1770. His wife and daughter were also members. It would appear that Eva Hamacher Graff had a big influence in her family’s religion. My interest in the Franz Graff family stems from the list of Brethren baptisms in the Conestoga Congregation as reported in Brumbaugh’s 1899 book, pages 307-315. It turns out that the majority of the Graff/Groff baptisms listed in Brumbaugh’s book were members of the family of Franz Graff and Eva Hamacher. Page 313 – Sister Hamacher and her daughters, Maria and Eva, were baptized in 1763 (actually 1762 according to alternative documents). Page 314 – In 1780, June 11, was added Anna Groff (who would marry Henry Mohler of Ephrata in the following year). Page 315 – In 1790, May 3, was added Daniel Hollinger Jr. (who would later marry Barbara Graff, daughter of Franz and Eva [Hamacher] Graff). Page 315 – in 1793, May 12, were added Hannis Groff and his wife Elizabeth (born Hollinger, daughter of Daniel Hollinger Sr.). In the Brumbaugh book the above names are spelled Groff. The Groff spelling was basically interchangeable with the Graff spelling. Prior to the baptisms reported above, there were some earlier Graff baptisms. These were basically among the children of Jacob Graff (1699-1776) who belonged to Conrad Beissel’s Ephrata Community of Seventh Day Brethren. Jacob Graff was the oldest son of Hans Graff (died 1746). Hans Graff (discussed in footnote 1, page 161, in Brumbaugh) was one of the original Mennonites to settle in the waters of the Conestoga River (which many years later became Lancaster County). He disowned his oldest son, Jacob Graff, for joining up with Conrad Beissel by cutting him out of his will. When Jacob Graff died in 1776, he left a will but named only his oldest son Joseph. His other children were not named. He left a clue, however, by naming Peter Eichenberg as one of his executors. Page 312 – 1752, May 3, Peter Eichenberg was baptized (by Elder Michael Pfautz). Page 311 – 1750, April 15, “Fröniga Graff” and other “Ephrataites” were received into the communion of the Conestoga church without rebaptism. Because Fronica was from the Ephrata Community, and because Peter Eichenberg was an executor of Jacob Graff’s estate in 1776, and because Jacob Graff was a long-standing member of the Ephrata Community up to his death, I assume that Fronica Graff was a daughter of Jacob Graff and the wife of Peter Eichenberger (who would later become elder in charge of the Conestoga Congregation prior to moving on to Virginia and Ohio). Peter and Fronica were married about 1758 as their oldest child Susannah was born in 1759. Page 312 – 1754, October 20, Hannes Graff was baptized at Conestoga. Was “Hannes a son of Jacob Graff (1699-1776)? (To be continued.) Comments welcome! Dwayne Wrightsman