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Barbara (Lapp) Kurtz has the distinction of being the first Amish Mennonite woman to lay claim to a parcel of land in Upper Canada. Barbara was born in 1768 to Michael and Mary Lapp in East Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. In 1793 she married David Kurtz, with whom she had eight known children. David died in 1815.(1) (See Notes below)

Barbara and her children, (probably four of them) including daughter Barbara and her husband Christian Stuckey, arrived in Upper Canada no later than the spring of 1824. Son David Stuckey is said to have been born in March 1824 in "Canada West, near Hamilton."(2) It is, indeed, possible that David was born at Dundas, near Hamilton, the last stopping off point before heading for the interior. They must soon have headed for Waterloo, however, because Christian Stuckey appeared in the Waterloo Township census lists of 1824 and 1825. The Kurtzes were probably part of the same household. "Rebecca" Kurtz was listed in 1826 and Barbara in 1827 in Waterloo. One suspects Rebecca should have been Barbara. After that, the Kurtz family had, no doubt, transferred to Wilmot, although there are no census or assessments lists for Wilmot for the 1820s.

Barbara, her son Michael, and her son-in-law, Christian Stuckey, all appear as claimants in the German Block by 1830 -- Barbara on Lot 12, South Erb's Road and Michael on Lot 11. Samuel S. Wilmot who filed the 1830 report spelled their name "Curtze." Barbara qualified for a Patent to the front 50 acres of her lot, indicating that she had cleared the roadway, had built a substantial cabin and had cleared 10 acres of the 200-acre lot she was claiming. Michael had not completed his "settler's duties," so probably the family concentrated on working on their mother's property.

Christian and Barbara (Kurtz) Stuckey claimed a lot on Snyder's Road, at what would become the east end of the village of Baden. Christian also qualified for a Patent in 1830, but by the end of the year he had died, leaving Barbara with four young children. By 1832 she had also died, and Grandmother Barbara was left with the care of the Stuckey children.

Barbara (Lapp) Kurtz, however, had married Christian Boesiger in December of 1831. Boesiger was a Mennonite deacon and widower who had come from France and whose first wife had died in Pennsylvania. This marriage between an Amish Mennonite woman and a Mennonite deacon by an Amish bishop was an early case of inter-Mennonite ecumenism, and for the next 150 years there would be few of them.

Although Barbara qualified to receive her Patent already in 1830, she did not receive it until May of 1834. Since she was the one who filed the claim, the Patent was issued in her name although she was already married. When it was sold a month later, it was Christian Boesiger who negotiated the “Bargain and Sale” to Barnabas Devitt.

The Boesiger-Kurtz family, along with the Stuckey grandchildren seem to have left in 1834 for the western part of the state of New York, but soon moved to Wayne County, Ohio. In 1835, Barbara and her husband moved to Putnam (later became Allen) County. Barbara died there on October 8, 1837.

Barbara's oldest son John was age 21 or older when the final distribution of his father's estate was made in 1823. He may have accompanied the family to Canada but could not have been here long. He was married to Lydia Zook and died in 1839 in Wayne County, Ohio.(3)

Son Michael had laid claim to Lot 13, South Erb's Road. His name appeared on an 1829 survey with the note, "the son of a poor widow." According to the 1830 report, he had made no improvements. In the fall of 1830, Michael petitioned, along with others, for more time to complete their work. It seems that either

57. KURTZ

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Michael was unsuccessful in meeting the requirements, or he gave up. In 1832, he purchased Lot 19, north quarter, South Bleam's Road from Daniel Unzicker. In 1833, Michael married Mary (or Maria) Miller.(4) Had Maria come to Canada, or did he make a trip south of the border to find her? In June of 1834, Michael sold the land on Bleam's Road to Joseph Becker. There is some evidence that Michael had already gone to Ohio to explore possibilities there in November of 1833. Michael and Maria settled near Orrville in Green Township, Wayne County. It may be that the Stuckey orphans remained with their uncle Michael, or else returned to their uncle Jacob's home after the death of their grandmother.

No doubt, Jacob, the youngest of the Kurtz family, accompanied his mother to Canada and then back to the United States with her and his step-father. After purchasing a plot of land in Wayne County, Ohio, he made a trip to Clarence Center, New York, to visit his cousin John Lapp. While there he met Anna Leib whom he married. They remained in Clarence Center and became members of Good's Mennonite Church.(5)

Scan of the German Block, central Wilmot Township, Waterloo County, Upper Canada Showing by whom the farm lots were settled in 1830. The farm lots owned by Barbara Kurtz (Curtze), Michael Kurtz (Curtze), and Christian Stuckey (Stuckley) are marked with red ovals.

150 Years - Sesquicentennial of the Amish Mennonites of Ontario Roth, Lorraine & Dorothy Sauder

Published by Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario and the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference, 1972

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THE KURTZ FAMILY (6) BarBara Lapp, dau. of Michael and Mary Lapp b. Jan 1768, East Whiteland Township, Chester, Co., PA d. 8 Oct 1837, Richland Twp., Putnam (later Allen Co.) Ohio m. 22 Jan. 1793 DaviD Kurtz, son of Abraham Kurtz and Barbara Bollinger b. 1769, Earl Township, Lancaster Co., PA d. 1813/15, Earl Township, Lancaster Co., PA

Barbara's 2m. 11 Dec 1831, Wilmot Township, Canada, by Bishop John Oesch Christian Boesiger, son of Hans Boesiger and Maria Luginbὕhl

b. 24 Nov 1770, Belfort, France d. 23 Jan 1847, Richland Twp., Putnam (later Allen) Co. 1m. in France to Elizabeth Steiner, d. 1824 in Pennsylvania Children born to Barbara and David Kurtz (7):

A. ?? daughter – b. ca. 1794, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

B. ?? son – b. by 1800, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

C. ?? daughter – b. 1800, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

D. ?? daughter – b. ____, Lancaster, Pennsylvania E. Barbara Kurtz, b. 1802-04 (age 21 or older in 1823) d. 1831/32, Wilmot Township, Canada m. ca. 1823, probably Lancaster Co., PA Christian Stuckey, b. Germany? (probably Alsace) d. late 1830, Wilmot Township (inventory of property dated 1 Jan 1831) Children: 1. David Stuckey, 15 Mar 1824, Waterloo Township, Canada 2. Christian Stuckey, b. 7 Nov 1825, Wilmot Township 3. Susanna Stuckey, b. 23 Aug 1827, Wilmot Township 4. Barbara Stuckey, b. 8 May 1829, Wilmot Township (See the STUCKEY Family Genealogical Introduction for more details on this family) F. John Kurtz, b. 1805-08, Caernarvon Township, Lancaster Co., PA d. 1839, Wayne Co., Ohio m. Lydia Zook, dau. of John Zook and Catherine Weidman b. ca.1808; d. Children: 1. ??Sarah Kurtz, b. 18 Sep 1828, Ohio; d. 6 Mar 1892 m. John Conrad 2. Catherine Kurtz, b. 7 Feb 1831, Ohio; d. 23 Jul 1879, Elkhart Co., IN m. David D. Blough, b. 13 Mar 1826, OH; d. 18 Sep 1911, IN 3. Gideon Kurtz, b. ca.1833, Ohio, d. ? 4. Lydia Kurtz, b. ca.1834, Ohio; d. 20 Jul 1899, Wayne Co., Ohio m. David Blough, b. 7 Jul 1826, PA; d. 30 Apr 1910, OH 5. Jacob Kurtz, b. ca.1836, Ohio; d. ? m. Catherine _________ 6. John Kurtz, b. ca.1838, Ohio; d. ?

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G. Michael Kurtz, listed as the owner of Lot 13 South Erb’s Road on the 1830 map of German Block, central Wilmot Township, Waterloo County, Upper Canada. His mother, Barbara, owned Lot 12.

b. 1 Feb 1809, Caernarvon Township, Lancaster Co., PA d. 7 Sep 1883, bu. Paradise Union Cem., Green Twp., Wayne Co., OH m. 5 Feb 1833, perhaps in Canada Maria/Mary Miller, dau. of Jacob Miller and Marie Peclere/Bechler b. 4 Nov 1815, Alsace, France d. 5 Mar 1882, bu. Paradise Union Cemetery Children: 1. Barbara Kurtz, b. 26 Mar 1834, Wilmot Township, Canada; d. 9 Apr 1920 m. Jacob Buerge, b. 19 Dec, 1830, Wilmot Township 2. Rebecca Kurtz, b. 23 Jul 1836, Wayne Co., Ohio; d. 26 May 1903 m. Henry Byler 3. Lydia Kurtz, b. 17 Aug 1838, Wayne Co., Ohio; d. in infancy 4. Jacob Kurtz, b. 20 Sep 1840, Wayne Co., Ohio; d. 20 Feb 1862 5. John Kurtz, b. 10 Jan 1844, Wayne Co., Ohio; d. 9 Jan 1916 m. Susan Orth/Oet 6. Daniel Kurtz, b. 6 Jun 1846, Wayne Co., Ohio; d. 20 Feb 1865, Nashville, TN (Union soldier) 7. Susan Kurtz, b. 2 May 1848, Wayne Co., Ohio; d. in infancy 8. Mary Kurtz, b. 12 Jun? 1849, Wayne Co., Ohio; d. 1882 m. Smith Boney 9. David Kurtz, b. 20 Jan 1852, Wayne Co., Ohio; d. 1924? m. Mary Bauman?: 2m. Mary Colby; 3m. ? 10. Henry Kurtz, b. 17 Oct 1854, Wayne Co., Ohio; d. 1 Nov 1934 m. Anna Heick H. Jacob Kurtz, b. 21 Mar 1813, Caernarvon Township, Lancaster Co., PA d. 24 Mar 1861, Clarence Township, Erie Co., NY m. 29 Feb 1839, Williamsville, Erie Co., NY Anna Leib, dau. of Christian Leib and Elizabeth Schue b. 17 Feb 1818, York Co., PA d. 30 Oct 1888, Mt. Pleasant, MI Children: 1. John Kurtz, b. 24 Dec 1839, Erie Co., NY; d. 21 Jun 1857, Erie Co., NY 2. Abraham Kurtz, b. 19 Nov 1841, Erie Co., NY; d. 19 Jul 1864, Erie Co., NY 3. Jacob Kurtz, Jr., b. 7 Jul 1843, Erie Co., NY; d. 15 Aug 1915 m. Susanna Diller 4. Elizabeth Kurtz, b. 9 Oct 1845, Erie Co., NY; d. 5 Jan 1936 5. Barbara Kurtz, b. 5 Jul 1847, Erie Co., NY; d. 17 Jul 1864, Erie Co., NY 6. Henry Kurtz, b. 16 Mar 1850, Erie Co., NY; d. 19 Apr 1938 m. Clara Jennings 7. David Kurtz, b. 12 Sep 1852, Erie Co., NY; d. 29 Jan 1912 m. Anna Maria Martin 8. Daniel Kurtz, b. 16 Jul 1855, Erie Co., NY; d. 6 Mar 1934 m. Nellie Lapp, b. 1862; d. 4 Apr 1893 9. Mary Ann Kurtz, b. 7 Feb 1858, Erie Co., NY; d. 16 Jun 1947 m. James C. Freeman

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1) The document appointing administrators for David Kurtz's intestate affairs was dated 27 Dec 1815.

2) History of Vernon County [Missouri], page 883

3) Amish and Amish Mennonite Genealogies by Hugh F. Gingerich and Rachel W. Kreider. Pequea Publishers, Gordonville, PA, 1986, pages 217, 221. Michael and Jacob's families are also found on this page with a few discrepancies in dates from the information I received through David M. Kurtz.

4) See "Louis (Joseph) Muller" in the MILLER file for more details on this Miller family.

5) A Record of the Kurtz Family by Jacob Kurtz, Jr. of Flint, Mich., Aug. 1911

6) Information gathered from the Jacob Kurtz family Bible, the record by Jacob Kurtz Jr. listed in Note #5, and other family records.

7) Amish and Amish Mennonite Genealogies by Hugh F. Gingerich and Rachel W. Kreider credits Barbara and David with four children between 1794 and 1800, but no names or specific dates.

This Kurtz family chart shows how the Barbara (Lapp) Kurtz family (widow of David Kurtz), who lived in the Amish Mennonite community in Upper Canada for ten years from 1824-1834, is connected to an extended Kurtz family, which includes the brothers Abraham and Jacob Kurtz, the progenitors of the Amish and Amish Mennonite Kurtzes of Pennsylvania, as well as the Nicolaus Brenneman Jr. and Barbara Kurtz family, who have many descendants in the Amish and Amish Mennonite congregations in Ontario today. Note: The information for this family chart was compiled by Bruce W. Jantzi from the following sources:

1) Amish Mennonites in Tazewell County, Illinois, by Joseph Peter Staker 2) Amish and Amish Mennonite Genealogies by Hugh F. Gingerich and Rachel W. Kreider 3) Amish Mennonites in Germany, Their Congregations, The Estates Where They Lived, Their Families, by

Hermann Guth. Generation I uLi Kurtz , b. ca. 1610, at Röthenbach, Canton Bern, Switzerland (15 km northeast of Steffisburg) m. Anni Zimmerman Their children baptized at the Protestant

Reformed Church in Steffisburg include: 1. Anna Kŭrtz, baptized Dec. 4, 1641. 2. Adam Kŭrtz (twin), baptized May 11, 1645. 3. Eva Kŭrtz (twin), baptized May 11, 1645. 4. Adelheit Kŭrtz, baptized Jan. 21, 1649.

Generation II aDam Kurtz, baptized 1645 at Steffisburg

m. May 26, 1673 at Steffisburg Margreth Schenk, from Diessbach Children: [1] Steffen Kurtz m. Magdalena Bürcki [2] Jacob Kurtz m. _______ Holly

NOTES:

A view of Steffisburg, Switzerland, where Adam Kurtz was baptized and married

Public Domain

KURTZ ANCESTRY – FAMILY CHART

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In 1713 Adam Kurtz was a leaseholder at Mühlhofen (10 km southeast of Berwartstein castle); this was the first year that Mennoniten were permitted by law to lease properties in the area. The Mennoniten who leased his fields were first brought in to improve the rundown property. Their success encouraged the bishop-prince to build four houses specifically for them, and to invite their relatives to settle on his other properties including the Mechtersheimerhof near Speyer.

The extended families of the children of Adam Kŭrtz and Margreth Schenk include:

[1] Steffen/Stephan Kurtz, baptized at Steffisburg Oct. 4, 1674 m. ca.1712 to Magdalena Bürcki.

In ca.1713 they left Steffisburg and went to the Steinweiler estate near Mühlhofen in the Pfalz. Their sons Hans and Stephan sailed on the Muscliffe Galley with Samuel König/Koenig in 1744.

Children: a. Anneli Kurtz, b. Dec. 16, 1714, and died as an infant.

b. Two sons, b. ca 1716, and died as infants.

c. Maria Kurtz b. April 9, 1720 on the Steinweiler estate near Mühlhofen. m. Jacob/Jakob Holly, son of minister Christian Holli/Holly and Magdalena Stagman.

Maria was Jacob’s second wife. Jacob Holly became a minister/elder at Mühlhofen, representing the congregation at the assembly of Amish Mennonite ministers at Essingen in 1759.

d. Hansli/Hans Kurtz, b. Dec. 11, 1722 on the Steinweiler estate near Mühlhofen, d. 1796 in Berks County in.

m. Elizabeth Rickenbach, dau. of Henry Rickenbach and Barbara Thommen b. 1724 at Basel; d. February of 1796 at Womelsdorf , Heidelberg Twp., Berks Co., Penna.

Hans and his younger brother Stephan sailed on the Muscliffe Galley with Samuel König/Koenig in 1744. Hans became a deacon for the northern part of Berks County.

e. Steffeli /Stephan Kurtz, born July 23, 1724 on the Steinweiler estate near Mühlhofen m. Freni/Veronica Yoder,

He became a deacon of the Conestoga congregation in Lancaster County, Penna. daughter Catherine Kurtz, b. Jan. 28, 1763 in Mifflin or Berks County. m. Christian King, a son of Samuel König/Koenig.

f. Adam Kurtz, b. May 24, 1729 at Tiengen bei Breisach, and died as an infant.

g. Abraham Kurtz, b. Nov. 15, 1730 at Tiengen bei Breisach, and died as an infant.

Generation III [2] JaCoB Kurtz, is thought to belong here as the son of Adam Kŭrtz and Margreth Schenk ,

though no baptism entry has been identified b. ca. 1690 m. __________ Holly, dau. of Christian Holly (d. 1748 at Barbelstein, Germany)

and Magdalena Stagmam (see below for further Holly ancestry) Children of Jacob Kurtz include:

A. Abraham Kurtz 1m. Margaret Bollinger; 2m. Barbara Bollinger; 3m. Catherine _______ B. Jacob Kurtz m. Maria Elizabeth Eberly C. Barbara Kurtz m. Nikolaus Brenneman. D. Veronika Kurtz m. Rudolf Eyer. E. Jakobina Kurtz m. Benedict Eyer [Jr.]. F. ______ Kurtz m. David Holly

The families of these 6 Kurtz children are expanded below

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In 1714, 1723, and 1732 Jacob Kurtz held leases at Mühlhofen in the Pfalz. He also became a deacon there. He may have served a wide area; in September 1729 he signed a petition from the ministers of the Hohenwettersbach estate. He came to the Katharinentaler Hof in 1728 and entered into a lease agreement as a partner with Hans Hürzler. The estate was located 10 km north of Pforzheim. The estate became the central meeting place for Amish Mennonites in Baden-Durlach. Hans Hürzler functioned as a minister while Jacob Kurtz served as his deacon.

Jacob Kurtz became the leaseholder on the adjunct farm Karlshäuserhof at nearby Dürrn in 1740. From that year forward it was held by Kurtzes, Hürzler, or Brennemans related by marriage (Nikolaus Brenneman, the younger, married Jacob Kurtz's daughter Barbara). In time Benedikt Eyer Sr., and his two older sons, Rudolf and Benedikt Jr. (both of whom married daughters of Jacob Kurtz) were also involved with the leasing of Katharinental. The Katharinental was later rebuilt as an agricultural complex, and nothing survives today of the original.

The extended families of the children of Jacob Kurtz and _______ Holly

Generation IV A. aBraham Kurtz, b. ca. 1719 near Mühlhofen: d.1782, Lancaster Co., PA

He is listed as a co-leaseholder of the Mechtersheimerhof in 1743. Abraham is thought to have made 5 transatlantic passages, the first to Philadelphia in 1740, and his 5th crossing in 1754. His first three sons were born on the Mechtersheimerhof. He settled on the Conestogo Creek in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, and became a deacon in the Conestogo Amish congregation. The Pequea congregation alms book he kept after 1768 has been preserved.

1m. Margaret Bollinger at Mechtersheimerhof, dau. of Rudolph Bollinger. 2m. Barbara Bollinger, dau. of Rudolph Bollinger 3m. Catherine ________, known only through his will (no known children)

1) Christian Kurtz (1747- ) 1m. Barbara Sollenberger, dau of Ulrich and Maria Sollenberger 2m. Magdalena Yoder, dau. of Michael Yoder

2) Jacob Kurtz (1748-1816) m. Barbara Ritter Children from second marriage 3) Abraham Kurtz (1753-1831) m. Barbara Ritter 4) Joseph Kurtz (1754-1815) m. Veronica Miller 5) Barbara Kurtz (1755-1834) m. Henry Zook, son of Moritz and Maria Zug/Zook 6) Peter Kurtz (ca.1757-1793) 1m. Esther Lapp;

2m. Mary Blank, dau. Hans Blank and Maria Eichelman Mary rm. Bernard Wolff

7) John Kurtz (1759-1822) m. Barbara Gerber/Garver, dau. John and Cath. Garver 8) Catherine Kurtz (1761-1837) m. Christian Miller,

son of Christian Miller and Veronica Mishler 9) Mary Kurtz (1767-1811) m. Abraham Zook, son of Moritz and Maria Zug/Zook

This list is continued on the next page

The Katharinentalerhof Estate

(Durlach Congregation)

Credit: Ernst Jung Scanned from Amish

Mennonites in Germany by Hermann Guth, published

by Masthof Press, Morgantown, PA

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10) DaviD Kurtz (1769-1813) m. Barbara Lapp, dau. of Michael and Mary Lapp Widow Barbara (Lapp) Kurtz) lived to Upper Canada 1824-1834 as a widow with her children. See above for extended family chart

Barbara rm. 1831 to Christian Boesiger in Wilmot, Canada 11) Samuel B. Kurtz (1771-1835) m. Barbara Showalter,

dau. Jacob Showalter and Barbara Eyer 12) Elizabeth Kurtz (1773-1810) m. Philip Landes,

son of Frederick Landes and Elizabeth Hoch

B. Jacob Kurtz, b. ca. 1722 near Mühlhofen d. May 26, 1792 at Salisbury m. Maria Elizabeth Eberly in 1746, dau. of Michael Eberly and Veronica Ulrich. b. 1722 at Schwarzenau (now in North RhineWestphalia)

d. 1797 at Manheim, Lancaster County He sailed on the Francis and Elizabeth, arriving at Philadelphia Sept. 21, 1742. They settled at Manheim, where Jacob purchased 75 acres on May 24, 1748.

Children: 1) Jacob Kurtz (1747-1822) m. Magdalena 'Martha' König/King, 2) Christian Kurtz (1749-1837) m. Mary Ropp 3) Anna Kurtz (1751- ) m. Christian Weidman 4) Catherine Kurtz (1754- ) m. John Kurtz,

son of Hans Kurtz and Elizabeth Richenbach 5) Abraham Kurtz (1754-1799) m. Barbara Blank 6) John Kurtz (1756-1826) m. Veronica Zook 7) Barbara Kurtz (1753-1832) m. Jacob Kurtz

son of Hans Kurtz and Elizabeth Richenbach

birth order of the four daughters could not be identified:

C. Barbara Kurtz, b. ca 1736 on the Katharinentaler Hof; d. 1770 on the Braunshardt estate m. Dec. 1, 1756 Nikolaus Brenneman, son of Nikolaus Brenneman

b. ca 1736; d. May 5, 1789 Nikolaus 2m. Feb. 2, 1771 to Magdalena Unzicker (6 children) Children of Nikolaus and Barbara:

1) Jakobina Brenneman (1757-1836) m. Jakob Güngerich 2) Samuel Brenneman (1759-1834) m. Marie Schwartzentraub (descendants in the

U.S and Canada) 3) Jakob Brenneman (1762-1763) died young 4) Jakob Brenneman (1764-1848) m. Anna Güngerich (descendants in Ohio and Ill.) 5) John Brenneman (1766-1848) m. wife’s name unknown (to Canada 1823) 6) Daniel Brenneman(1769-1842) m. Marie Bender (migrated to Somerset Co., Pa)

D. Veronika Kurtz m. Rudolf Eyer, son of Benedikt (Benz) Eyer Sr. (d. 1754 at Steinisch Estate)

grandson of Benedicht Eyer and Leni Henni Rudolf Eyer is the leaseholder in 1751 of the estate in Johlingen; from 1754 he was the leaseholder of the castle estate Remchingen

Children: 1) Daniel Eyer m. Barbara Dettwiler, dau. of Jacob Dettweiler 2) Jacob Eyer, leaseholder of Remchingen in 1818 3) Christian Eyer (1757-1812) m. Verena Jordy

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4) Barbara Eyer m. 1798 to Johannes Kempf 5) Elisabeth Eyer m. Peter Kennel

E. Jakobina Kurtz m. Benedict Eyer Jr. son of Benedikt (Benz) Eyer Sr. (d. 1754 at Steinisch Estate)

grandson of Benedicht Eyer and Leni Henni After 1754, Benedict Kurtz is co-leaseholder with his father-in-law Jacob Kurtz, of the Katharinentalerhof Benedict 2m. to Magdalena Roggy, of the Diefenbacherhof in Alsace

Children of Benedict and Jacobina: 1) Elisabeth Eyer (b. 1757 ) m. Johannes Roggy of Diefenbacherhof 2) Jacob Eyer (b. 1758) m Katharina Schenk, dau. of Chr. Schenk-Barbara Imhoff 3) Barbara Eyer (b. 1760) m. Johannes Holly of Nehweiler 4) Jacobine Eyer (b. 1772) m. Daniel Holly of Mulhofen

F. _______ Kurtz m. David Holly, b. on the Bärbelsteinerhof son of Christian Holly and Magdalena Stagman

David 2m. Susanne Fischer (two known children)

Further Holly Ancestry

Gen. I. Christian and Madle (Wiedmer) Holi

Generation II Christian Holli/Holly, Amish Mennonite Minister,

b.1660 at Kurzenberg, Canton Bern, Switzerland (baptized Aug. 24. 1660-Oberdiess Church Books) d. ?1748

m. ca.1697 to Magdalena Stagman/Stegman In 1718 moved to Barbelsteinerhof in Palatinate (near Erlenbach) (3)

Gen. III. __________ Holly, dau. of Christian Holly and Magdalena Stagmam m. Jacob Kurtz, b. ca. 1690

see Extended Kurtz Family above

An extensive compilation of the Holly family was received from Steven R. Estes, Chenoa, Illinois and additional details from John H. Holly. Estes used the extensive research of Hermann Guth, of Saarbrucken, Germany, whose articles have been published in Mennonite Family History and in his book Amish Mennonites In Germany: Their Congregations, The Estates Where They Lived, Their Families

See also the HOLLY Family Genealogical Introduction

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ADDITIONAL KURTZES IN CANADA [1] Michael “Curtz” appeared on an 1809 list of persons who were influenced by Christian Troyer to come to Vaughn Township, York County, Upper Canada. (1). (see Notes below) This was probably the Michael Kurtz who was the subject of an article by Elizabeth Hancocks. (2) A summary of that Michael Kurtz family is a follows: Michael Kurtz, b. 1760, Somerset, Pennsylvania d. 1833, York, Upper Canada, (Toronto, Ontario) m. 1788 at Berlin, Somerset, Pennsylvania Elizabeth Cober, dau. of Peter Cober and Margaret Stroeher b. 15 Aug. 1765, Lebanon, Penna. d. at York, Ontario

Michael & Elizabeth had several children baptized in the Lutheran church in Berlin, Somerset, Pennsylvania. They migrated to York County, Upper Canada after 1797 and received a Crown grant of 200 acres on Yonge St. (Lot 42, Con. I, west of Yonge St.) in 1803. The family also lived on and purchased Lot 20, Con. III, W of Yonge St., from King’s College in 1849.

Child of Michael Kurtz and Elizabeth Cober Michael Kurtz II, b. ca.1798, Somerset, Pennsylvania

d. 7 Jan 1856, York, Ontario m. Mar. 1828

Mary Bennet, b. 1808, Pennsylvania d. 4 Sept 1853, Aurora, Ontario They had nine children

Some information for this family chart was found online: fitzgeraldvalleygenealogypages

Fort York, Upper Canada in 1804 Credit: Sempronius, Public Domain [2] A “Nicholas Kurts late of Pennsylvania Yeoman, a Mineonist, . . .made a solemn Affirmation of Allegiance” on May 3, 1805. (3) It seems a bit strange that this person does not appear on the 1809 list mentioned above. [3] Closer to the Waterloo area, a son was born to Johann Kurtz and Sophis Berling recorded at St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Plattsville, Oxford County. The father was from Mazof, Mecklenberg, Schwarin. The child, Johann Christian was born June 12, 1866, baptized July 22, 1866. (4)

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1) List reproduced in the article “From Switzerland to Pennsylvania, Ontario, and Ohio: The Christner, Troyer, and

Holly Families” by J. Virgil Miller in Mennonite Family History, Vol. VI, No.3, July 1987. A copy of the complete article is found in the Documents, Notes, Photos section of the TROYER file.

2) “The Kurtz Family of Pennsylvania and York” by Elizabeth Hancocks, in Families, Vol. 14, Summer 1975, No. 3, published by Ontario Genealogical Society.

3) Reg Good noted this entry from a list of Oaths and Affirmations reproduced in the York Pioneer.

4) Waterloo-Wellington OGS “Branch Notes” Vol. IV,No 1

LIST OF DOCUMENTS, ETC, (at end of KURTZ file). The files referred to in these notes are kept in Lorraine Roth’s Collection in the Mennonite Archives at Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ontario. Digital copies of some these documents, including the transliterations and translations of records in Bibles or other old books, can be obtained from Bruce W. Jantzi at bwjantzi@gmail.com 1) Photocopy of page from AAMG by Gingerich and Kreider re Barbara (Lapp) Kurtz/Boessiger (sic)

2) Kurtz notes by Jacob (Kurtz) with comments added by DMK (David M. Kurtz)

3) (a) Note by Reg Good re oath of allegiance of Micholas Kurts (sic) (b) Notes re Michael Kurtz and Elizabeth Cober (on reverse side)

4) Photocopy of the Afffidavit and bargain and Sale by Michael Kurtz to Joseph Becker – north quarter (50 acres), Lot 19, South Side Bleam’s Road, 5 June 1834.

5) Photocopy of Bargain and Sale by Christian Bessiger (sic) and his wife Barbara Bessiger of the front quarter (50 acres) of Lot 12, South Side of Erb’s Road to Barnabas Devitt, June 13, 1834. (A certificate of marriage of Christian and Barbara by Bishop John Oesch had accompanied these documents. It has been removed, but do not know where it is now lodged.)

6) Correspondence with David M. Kurtz, 12 Sylvan Ave., Pleasant Ridge, Mich. 48069-1234 (last correspondence in 1998)

Lorraine Roth Tavistock, Ontario Feb. 2010. ~ Updated and Reformatted by Bruce W. Jantzi, Feb. 2019

NOTES: