Greathouse of Philadelphia County, PA

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Records of St. Michael's and Zion Lutheran Church, Philadelphia

Greathouse or associated ancestor records found in the records of the church:

1745, Feb 12 - Friedrich Paul, a carpenter from Germantown, of Lutheran faith, and Margretha Kellerschen, of Reformed faith; m. in Philadelphia, February 12, 1745. Witness: Nicolaus Bauer, Leonhardt Wintergerst, Leonhardt Beyer, Jacob Schneider.

Footnotes:

1) Regarding Paul, Hannah Benner Roach provided documentation in "Back Part of Germantown" on a Jonathan Paul, who was the trustee of a school in Germantown. She thought Michael Schutz, as a carpenter, may have been contracted to build that school. She also suggested that young Jonathan Paul's death, at the age of thirty-five, which occurred during an epidemic of yellow fever which broke out in the city, in Sep 1747, may have attributed to Michael Schutz preparing his will, while he was very ill during the winter of 1747/1748.

2) Regarding Leonhardt Beyer who was named as a witness for the marriage of Friedrich Paul, a Leonard Bayer & wife were named as sponsors of the baptism of John Leonard, son of William & Maria Grothaus, born 10 Sep 1775, baptised on 5 Nov 1775 by Rev. John William Weber, at Plainfield Reformed Church, Plainfield Township, Northampton County, PA.

1746, Sep 15 - Marriage: Johann Nicolaus Neiss and Maria Barbara Basensteinin

Johann Nicolaus Neiss and Maria Barbara Basensteinin, m. September 15. Witness, J. Grothauser his family and others.

Footnotes:

1) Probably Johann Adolf Grothaus, his family and others. He was named as Johann Adolf Grotthausen in the will of his father-in-law, George Muller, for which he served as a witness, while his father, Herman Grothausen served as an Executor or Guardian.

2) If not Johann Adolf Grothaus, then likely his son, John Greathouse, born between 1720 and 1726. His parents could have been Johann Adolf Grothaus and Amelia Miller, whom were married on 10 Nov 1720, at Christ Church in Philadelphia, PA. A John Greathouse, born in Philadelphia between 1720 and 1726, would have attained the age of 21 between 1741 and 1747.

3) However, in Baltimore County, MD, a record has been found, where two Greathouse men, both named John, signed a petition to move the courthouse about May 1768. Those men signed the petition as Johannes Grothaus and John Greathous respectively. Their signing of the petition suggests that both men were age 21 or over, at the time, so their time of birth can be derived as follows:

Johannes Grothaus, age 21 or over in 1768, born about 1747 or before.
John Greathous, age 21 or over in 1768, born about 1747 or before.

4) One of those men, had adopted the anglicised spelling of their name, John Greathous; while the other, Johannes Grothaus was still using the German/Prussian spelling of his first name and surname. This could suggest that Johannes Grothaus may have been the elder of the two men and that he may have been born within fewer generations from his immigrant ancestor's arrival in America. If that were the case, then Johannes Grothaus could have possibly been the father of John Greathous, which would suggest that Johannes Grothaus was age 21 or over in 1747, revising his time of birth, as follows:

Johannes Grothaus, age 21 or over in 1747, born about 1726 or before.
John Greathouse, age 21 or over in 1768, born about 1747 or before.

1770, Dec 20 - Birth: Jacob Grothauss, Records of St. Michael’s and Zion Church, Philadelphia [ View @ Footnote ]

Jacob, son of Jacob & Catharina Sibylla Grothauss, born 24 Dec 1770, baptized 5 Febr. 1771. Sponsors: Parents.

Footnotes:

1) If Jacob Greathouse Sr., was age 18-21, when son Jacob Jr. was born, then Jacob Sr., would have been born between 1749 and 1752, probably in Philadelphia County, PA.

2) William Greathouse Sr. was named as an unmarried young man, whom with Anna Maria Pupp, had a son, William Jr., born on 2 Aug 1748 and baptized in Oct 1749, at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Germantown. William Greathouse Sr. next married Maria Barbara Schuetz at Christ Church, Philadelphia on 15 Feb 1750.

3) Between Apr and Sep 1771, a Jacob Greathouse was named as a hunting companion of Simon Kenton along the Cheat and Monongahela rivers in the area of Springhill which was in Bedford County, PA between 1771 and 1773, when Westmoreland County was created. This could suggest that a Jacob Greathouse moved from Philadelphia to Bedford County, PA, between Feb and Sep 1771.

4) A William Greathouse was taxed as a resident freeholder of Brothersvalley, Bedford County, PA on the tax list created in 1771, for the collection of taxes in Year 1772.

Questions:

1) If Jacob Greathouse was the son of Harmon & Mary Stull Greathouse, then did he move back to Philadelphia from Baltimore or Frederick County, MD prior to the birth of his son, Jacob Jr., on 24 Dec 1770? Harmon & Mary Stull Greathouse have been documented as residents of Baltimore or Frederick County, MD from 1747 through 1772.

2) Or was he actually the son of a Greathouse couple, whom were residents of Philadelphia from the time of Jacob Greathouse Sr.'s own birth?

3) Could a William Greathouse Sr. and Jacob Greathouse Sr., both residents of Philadelphia, have moved to Bedford County, PA, between Feb and Sep 1771?

4) If so, what relation were they to each other? Father and son? Uncle and nephew? Or perhaps, if Jacob Greathouse Sr. was the son of Harmon & Mary Stull Greathouse, then Jacob Sr. would have been the son of William Greathouse Sr.'s first cousin?

1772, Jan - Marriage: Johann Bernhard Fischer and Catharina Rothhass [ View @ Footnote ]

January 2, 1772 - Johann Bernhard Fischer and Catharina Rothhass

Footnotes

1) A Jacob & Catharina Sibylla Grothauss had previously baptized their son Jacob, born 24 Dec 1770 on 5 Feb 1771 at St. Michael's and Zion Church, Philadelphia, so a marriage having been recorded within eleven months for a Catharina Rothhass, where Rothhass may have been a mis-spelling of the Grothaus surname, could suggest that Jacob Greathouse Sr. had died before 2 Jan 1772.

2) A similar mis-spelling of the Grothaus surname was recorded in the 1772 tax list for Upper Saucon Township, Northampton County, PA, with William Rothauss taxed as a single man in the township.

3) However, the appearance of a Jacob Greathouse along the Cheat River, near its mouth, between Apr and Sep 1771, within two to six months from the baptism of Jacob Greathouse Jr. in Philadelphia, could suggest that Jacob and Catharina Greathouse had separated, with Jacob Greathouse Sr. moving elsewhere, perhaps along the Cheat River, near its mouth, present-day Point Marion, Springhill Township, which was in Bedford County, PA in 1771.

3) William & Barbara Schuetz Greathouse had settled near Henry Abrahams in 1771. Before 1768, Henry Abrahams had located on the point of land situated between the junction of the Youghiogheny and Castleman rivers, present-day Confluence, which was in Brothersvalley Township between 1771 and 1773, then in Turkeyfoot Township after 1773. Confluence lies within 36 miles to the east of Point Marion.

Sources:

Pennsylvania-German Society, Proceedings and addresses, Volume 14. (Lebanon, PA: 1905). Record of the Marriages in the St. Michaelis and Zion Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Phildelphia. Page 1, 12 Feb 1745 - Marriage: Friedrich Paul and Margretha Kellerschen, Witness: Leonhardt Beyer. Online: Google Book.

Hannah Benner Roach, "Back Part of Germantown: A Reconstruction", Jefferson M. Moak, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, 2001. ISBN 188709914x, 97817887099141. Page 16-17, death of Jonathan Paul prompted Michael Schutz to prepare his will.

Greathouse Point, Greathouse of Plainfield Township, Northampton County, PA. Sponsor for baptism of John Leonard Grothaus: Leonard Bayer & wife.

Pennsylvania-German Society, Proceedings and addresses, Volume 14. (Lebanon, PA: 1905). Record of the Marriages in the St. Michaelis and Zion Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Phildelphia. Page 5, 15 Sep 1746 - Marriage: Johann Nicolaus Neiss and Maria Barbara Basensteinin, Witness: J. Grothauser his family. Online: Google Book.

Philadelphia County Wills, 1682-1819. Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1900. Extract: Will of George Muller, 21 Sep 1719. Executor or Guardian: Herman Grothausen. Witness: Johann Adolf Grotthausen.

Email from Scott Giltner to Vivian Taylor, Subject: Philly Records, 3 Aug 2010. Attached were photos of Church Record Book, St. Michael's and Zion Church, Philadelphia. Page 49, Jacob Greathouse, son of Jacob and Catharine Sibylla Grothauss, born 24 Dec 1770, baptized on 5 Feb 1771. View @ Footnote.

Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biograpy, Vol. XXXII, Philadelphia: Publication Fund of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, No. 13 Locust Street, 1908. Page 71: Helen Jordon. Pennsyslvania Marriage Licenses, Issued By Governor James Hamilton, 1748-1752 - Online: Google Book. Page 86: Greathouse, William, and Barbara Shatzin, 1749, March - Online: Google Book.

Greathouse Point, Greathouse County Project, Bedford County, PA, article online: Hunting with Greathouse and Kenton 1771 - 1774.

Ibid., article online: Greathouse of Bedford County, PA.

Pennsylvania Archives, Series 2, Vol. IX, Marriage Record of St. Michael's and Zion Church, Philadelphia. 1745-1800. Page 359, Marriage: Johann Bernhard Fischer and Catharina Rothhass. View @ Footnote.

Deed Abstracts, Somerset County, Pa., Book 1, page 257, Deed: Abel Falk sold land adjoining William Greathouse and Henry Abrahams to John Nicola, Turkeyfoot Township. Online: View @ PA Roots.

Greathouse Point, op. cit., article online: Hunting with Greathouse and Kenton 1771 - 1774.

E. Howard Blackburn, William M. Welfley and Hon. William H. Koontz, editor, History of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, With Genealogical and Personal History, New York/Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906. Page 24, Henry Abrahams had located on the point of land situated between the junction of the Youghiogheny and Castleman rivers.