I have been stuck for a very long time in the Shenandoah Valley. My ancestors were German and may have been old German Baptist or possibly Brethren. Since there's seems to be a conversation going on about 2 things I've been stuck on, I thought I'd jump in here. My ancestor Stophel Auckerman may have been a Hessian soldier who was in SW Pa. during and after the The Revolution. His children were born in Va. and Pa., the last one in about 1790 reportedly in Pa.. Does anyone know if Hessian soldiers might have been connected to the Brethren? I have read that many or most were Protestants. In 1795, in Frederick Co., Va.(Shenandoah Valley) his wife, Elisabeth, passed away. Three (3) different men were listed as guardians for her three children ages 5, 9, and 13. There was nothing stated about the husband, Stophel. I have found a man by similar name in PA. in the 1810 census in Northumberland Co. and again in 1820 in Allegheny Co.. Any educated guesses what might have been the case. Should I assume Stophel has died? Divorced Elizabeth? Is it likely that any or all of these men might have been relatives? Does the Brethren Church in that area have any records? Their son John (1786-1874) reportedly born in PA., was living in Shenandoah Co. in the 1810 census before going to southern Ohio the following year. I have very little about this family and can't seem to find anything else either. The surnames of the guardians were Rhodes/Roads/Zink/Zinck and Bittman/Pittman. Thanks for any suggestions! Christine in NE Ohio

The brethren were generally pacifists so would not likely have been connected to the brethren at that time. However it would be possible that after finishing his service he was later drawn to the faith of the other Germans around him. The names Auckerman and Rhodes can be found among the brethren. John Shafer Sent from my iPhone > On Feb 18, 2014, at 11:51 AM, "Christine" <cwelch@neo.rr.com> wrote: > > > > I have been stuck for a very long time in the Shenandoah Valley. My > ancestors were German and may have been old German Baptist or possibly > Brethren. Since there's seems to be a conversation going on about 2 things > I've been stuck on, I thought I'd jump in here. > > > > My ancestor Stophel Auckerman may have been a Hessian soldier who was in SW > Pa. during and after the The Revolution. His children were born in Va. and > Pa., the last one in about 1790 reportedly in Pa.. Does anyone know if > Hessian soldiers might have been connected to the Brethren? I have read that > many or most were Protestants. > > > > In 1795, in Frederick Co., Va.(Shenandoah Valley) his wife, Elisabeth, > passed away. Three (3) different men were listed as guardians for her three > children ages 5, 9, and 13. There was nothing stated about the husband, > Stophel. I have found a man by similar name in PA. in the 1810 census in > Northumberland Co. and again in 1820 in Allegheny Co.. > > > > Any educated guesses what might have been the case. Should I assume Stophel > has died? Divorced Elizabeth? Is it likely that any or all of these men > might have been relatives? Does the Brethren Church in that area have any > records? Their son John (1786-1874) reportedly born in PA., was living in > Shenandoah Co. in the 1810 census before going to southern Ohio the > following year. I have very little about this family and can't seem to find > anything else either. The surnames of the guardians were > Rhodes/Roads/Zink/Zinck and Bittman/Pittman. Thanks for any suggestions! > > > > Christine in NE Ohio > > > > > > > ------------------------ > Search the Archives at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/BRETHREN > ------------------------ > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to BRETHREN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

The area the Hessian's came from in Europe is not associated with the European version of the German Baptists. By the American Revolution, the European version was likely extinct. It was not uncommon for Hessian soldiers to go AWOL from the British Army. They likely joined in the first place out of economic needs. King George was of German ancestry and had alliances with Hesse, including using Hessian soldiers to fight in America. The 'House of Windsor' used by the Royal Family is a recent term, which came about during World War I, since having a King with a fancy German name, wasn't a politically correct thing to do when you were fighting the Germans. Especially when the Kaiser was the King of England's cousin. One of my ancestors was an AWOL Hessian. He was Lutheran. Bill Thomas