NESS GENEOLOGY

Many years ago, my father gave me a list of my paternal lineage which my grandfather had accumulated. With the proliferation of genealogy information on the internet, I decided it was time to build on this list of names and investigate the Ness line back into the "old country" as well as research more details of the "new world" generations. With the following list and a paragraph stating that the first Ness (Matthias Ness Sr.) had arrived in Philadelphia on September 21, 1731, I began my search.

This site is constantly under construction, so stop back again. Additional information from the "old country" is being edited and will be posted. More information will also be presented on the later generations who lived in the "new world".

There is a certain amount of confusion with the various spellings of the name Ness in the Pennsylvania records. American records show Nehs, Nasse, Naesz and Na:ss. However, early researchers did not have access to the European records and the names could have been changed even in official recordings down through the years. Nehs comes from a German word, "nasse" which means "nose."

Matthias Nehs, Sr. arrived in Philadelphia aboard the ship Britannia of London. He came with his wife, Maria Barbara, children (including Matthias Nehs, Jr.) and grandchildren (including John Jacob Nehs). The passenger list spelled their last name Nehs. Following is the courthouse record of their ship's arrival.

"At the Courthouse of Philadelphia, 21st September 1731. Present: The Honorable Patrick Gordon, Esqr., Lt. Govr, Clement Plumsted, Esqr., Member of Council, Thomas Laurence, Esqr., Member of Council, Derick Jansen, Esqr., one of His Majesties Justices of Peace for the county of Philadelphia....A list was presented of the Names of One hundred and six Palatines, who with their families, making in all Two hundred and sixty-nine Persons, were imported here in the ship Britannia of London, Michael Franklin, Mr., from Rotterdam, but last from Cowes, as by Clearance from that Port. The Master, being Examined, said he had no particular License for their Transportation. They were then called in, and having declared that their Intentions were to settle and live Peaceably in this Province, the several persons whose names are subjoyned, did repeat and sign the Declaration inserted in the Minutes of the 21st September 1727 and likewise took and subscribed the Declaration of Fidelity and Abjuration."

It is interesting to note that also aboard the Britannia was Luke Vetter of Hesse, Germany. He was one of the eight founding members of the German Baptists (aka Brethren, Dippers, Dunkers, Dunkards, Church of the Brethren).

Other than knowing that the Britannia launched from London, the name Palatine was my only link to the "old country" and I decided this was the place to start, as I had no idea what a Palatine was.

The first three generations came over together on the Britannia. When they arrived in Philadelphia, Matthias Sr. was 58, Matthias Jr. was 27 and grandson Hans (Johan)(John) Jacob was only 5 years old.

1. Matthias (Matthis) Nehs, Sr. was born in 1673. There is some discrepency as to his place of birth. I plan on doing more research on this, but have found it difficult working through web pages written in German. Numerous sources indicated he was born in Mitschdorff or Mischdorf. However, I found some speculation to the contrary. One source indicated he may have come from near Krefeld and later moved to Mitschdorff. Another source indicated he was born near Lueneburg. The only "Mischdorf" I found on a modern day map is located in central Germany (old state of Thuringia), while Mitschdorff is apparently located farther west (Rhein valley). I recently received an e-mail from the conservator of the Archives du Bas-Rhin, who informed me that these villages are actually located in what is now France. He also gave a web page for more information on the Northern Alsace at www.multimania.com/chaan. I will check further on this apparent conflict.

Eighteenth Century Emigrants from the Northern Alsace to America, by Annette Kunselman Burgert, states that the Nehs family that arrived in the U.S. in 1731 on the Britannia were from Mitschdorff (Preuschdorff Lutheran Church records). Matthias, Sr. and Mary Barbara Barba (aka Barbary) were married in Bavarn Pflaz, Germany in 1699. Mary Barbara was born on March 20, 1667 in Wuertt, Schwaldkries, Germany. She was the daughter of Joseph and Anna Maria (Winterman) Barba.

Matthias Sr. and Mary Barbara were the parents of at least Johan Jacob (b. 1700), Hans Michel (b. 1701) who married Anna Dorothea Pfeiffer at Mitschdorff in 1728, and Matthias Jr. (Matthis) (b. 1704).

Matthias Sr.'s first wife Mary Barbara died between September 1731 and November 1733. He then evidently remarried. In the records of John Casper Stoever, a Lutheran Minister from 1730-1779, there is listed a marriage between Mattheis Naesz and Maria Barbara Hoerdter of Skippack Pennsylvania, on November 28, 1733. This information is somewhat suspect though, as first and second wife are identified with very similar first names.

Matthias, Sr. died in 1741 in Salford Township, Philadelphia County (now Montgomery County) Pennsylvania, and is reportedly buried in the Indiandfield Lutheran Church Cemetery near Telford (Franconia), where he and his family were members. I plan on searching for this cemetery, as I live only about 100 miles from Telford. If found, I will post a photo of the grave stone on this page, as I know there are numerous descendents of Matthias Sr. around the country who may be interested in this.

The Philadelphia Wills F: 276, 1741, Estate #252, stated the inventory of blacksmith "Mattes Nees, date 27 Feb 1741/42, includes among other items, improvement on 150 acres of land and five books. His estate totaled L138.10.2. The inventory was taken by Jan Jansen and Jacob Reiff". His wife, along with son, Dewalt, is named as executor. Dewalt is on the Britannia list and was stated to be 24 years old at the time of arrival in Philadelphia in 1731.

2. Matthias (Matthis) Nehs, Jr. was born in 1704 in Bavaria, Germany. He married Anna Catharina Motz in Preuschdorf, Germany, on January 6, 1722/23. After coming over on the Britannia, he and his wife and children migrated to York County, Pennsylvania. He received a warrant for 50 acres in Springfield Township on March 18, 1746 that was surveyed as 173.8 acres on January 22, 1754. He also received a warrant for 50 acres on December 3, 1764. Matthias, Jr.,died on June 30, 1767 in Manchester, York County, Pennsylvania, and is reportedly buried in York County. I have been hunting for his grave site, most likely in a nearby Lutheran cemetery.

Matthias Jr.'s wife, Anna Catharina Motz, was born on October 20, 1701 and was baptized October 22, 1701. Anna Catharina's brother, Hans Michel Motz was also aboard the Britannia. Burgert's book states that the children of Matthias Jr. and Anna Catharina were Maria Magdalena (b. 1723), Hans Jacob (b. 1726), Anna Catharina (b. 1729), Susanna (b. 1732), Peter (b. 1738 approx.), Matthias (b. 1740 approx.), Susan (b. 1742 approx.), Maria (b. 1744 approx.), Henry (b. 1746 approx.).

3. Hans (Johan)(John) Jacob, who was born in Mitschdorf on July 25, 1726. He married Maria Magdalena, daughter of Johan Martin and Anna Johanna Josi. They were married in York, Pennsylvania on November 22, 1748. He received a warrant for 100 acres in Springfield Township, York County, on March 19, 1746 and 50 acres on June 1, 1767, that was surveyed as 235.48 acres. He died in Shrewsbury Township, York County, in 1782 (approx.) and was probably buried in the Friedensaal Church yard (Shuster's/White Church in Seven Valleys, York County).

My lineage is actually fairly simple to trace, as Matthias Jr. migrated to York County within 15 years after landing in Philadelphia. The rest of my direct line has remained in York County to this day.

4. Johan (John) Jacob, was born in York County on May 26, 1766, son of Hans Jacob and Maria Magdalena. He was baptized June 15, 1766 at the Friedensaal Church. He married Christina, daughter of Frederick and Anna Maria Fissel about 1795. He died in Shrewsbury Township, York County, in December 1817.

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This Eastern Pennsylvania Genealogysite is owned by Paul Ness

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