Nan, In looking for a possible relation of your Hart (Hardt, Herdt) and our Harders (Herder, Harter), I looked at the baptism records of the family of William and Hannah: Germantown Reformed Church #4331 Child: Jacob, Bp. 01 Dec 1808, B. 18 Oct 1808 Parents: William Herdt jr, Annatjen Schermenhoren Sponsor: Jacob Schiffer, single; Catharina Butzer, single Germantown Reformed Church #4439 Child: Elisa Anna, Bp. 19 Dec 1810, B. 14 Nov 1810 Parents: Wilhelm Herdt jr, Anna Schermenhoren Sponsor: William Herdt; Elisabeth Hochdehl Germantown Reformed Church #4597 Child: Pieter, Bp. 26 Apr 1813, B. 15 Mar 1813 Parents: William Herdt, Anna Schermenhoren Sponsor: Peter Rockefeller; Becki Herdt Germantown Reformed Church #4734 Child: Lena Malandy, Bp. 23 Jul 1815, B. 22 Jun 1815 Parents: William Hardt, Annatjen Schermenhoren Sponsor: John Heermanns; Lena Schiffer Germantown Reformed Church #4857 Child: Anson, Bp. 03 Aug 1817, B. 22 Jun 1817 Parents: William Hardt jr, Hanna Schermenhoren Sponsor: Philipp P. Clum; Maria Hyser Germantown Reformed Church #5013 Child: William Henrich, Bp. 26 Dec 1819, B. 02 Sep 1819 Parents: William Hardt jr, Anna Schermenhoren Sponsor: Henrich Schiffer; Bettzi Jacoby Germantown Reformed Church #5157 Child: John, Bp. 16 Jun 1822, B. 28 Feb 1822 Parents: William Hardt, Hanna Schermenhoren Sponsor: John Miller; Kitti Blass There is no connection with our Harders, who were numerous in the area, but there is a Schermerhorn/Schiffer relationship that is supported also by this record: Linlithgo Reformed Church #: 1971 Child: Annatjen, Bp. 11 Apr 1790, B. 10 Feb 1790 Mother: Lena Shever, unmarried Sponsor: Casparus Schermerhorn; Naatje Shever Although your Hannah could be the "fatherless" Annatjen (assuming she was taken in by the Schermerhorns), a stronger candidate is: Linlithgo Reformed Church #2175 Child: Anna, Bp. 15 Dec 1794, B. 23 Apr 1794 Parents: Casparus Schermerhorn, Anna Sheffer Sponsor: John Sheffer; Anna Snyder The sponsors of Anna would be her grandparents, the parents of Anna Sheffer and her wayward sister Lena: Germantown Reformed Church #1176 Child: Anna, Bp. 16 Oct 1768 Parents: Johannes Schiefer, Anna Schneider Sponsor: Samuel Schneider; Anna Schiefer Germantown Reformed Church #1234 Child: Lena, Bp. 10 Jun 1770 Parents: Johannes Schiefer jr, Anna Schneider Sponsor: Samuel Muller & wife Lena Platner A possible baptism of Casparus: Linlithgo Reformed Church #1007 Child: Casparus, Bp. 29 Jun 1766 Parents: Teunis Schermerhoorn, Hendrikje Konyn Sponsor: Casparus Konyn; Dorothea Fryenmoet [All from A.C. Kelly: Baptism Record Linlithgo Reformed Church 1722-1889 and Baptism Record of Reformed Church, Germantown, New York 1729-1898] You should be aware that both Schermerhorn and Sheffer (Schaffer) were very common names in this area. Jacob Janse Schermerhorn (1622 - 1689), my ancestor also, was in Albany before 1648 and had hundreds if not thousands of descendents by this time. H.Z. Jones' Palatine Families 1710 records 12 Schaffer families in the settlements at Germantown and across the river. Some of these moved early on, but I'm sure others came from Germany after that. Good luck, Jim Harder

Jim, do you have excess to records in Germantown?? I am trying to find out if my family came from there. I really need some help with this family, it has been a mystery to me for ever. I am looking for a George Howell and possible wife Emma. 1880's late, like 1887-1889