Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Johan Franz Hilgert (Hilliard) (1721 - 1797)

Johann Franz Hilgert who was born February 1, 1722 in Germany immigrated to America in September of 1751.  Records show that he was from a town called Argental in the District of Simmern, west of Mainz.  He arrived in Philadelphia aboard the  Ship  Edinburgh along with  others from Germany.  Pennsylvania  German Pioneers, pgs. 460-462 (List 167 C) "At the courthouse in Philadelphia, on Monday, the 16th September 1751.  Present: The Worshipful, the Mayor, Joshua Maddox, Esqr.  The Foreigners whose names are underwritten, imported in the Edinburgh,  James Russell, Master, did this day take the usual Qualifications & subscribed them."   The name  Frantz Hihgert  appears.

Twenty years later a record of him is found in Williams Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania.  The 1772 property tax list  shows that France Hilgert  was a farmer  who paid 1.12.0  pounds tax on his property. Williams Township is to the  south of Easton, Pennsylvania.

Some time after this he relocated to Mount Bethel, north of Easton, Pennsylvania.  On July 30, 1778 Francis Hillyard took the Oath of Allegiance  in Mount Bethel under the direction of Justice of the Peace, Judge Benjamin Depui.  His sons Isaac and Peter had signed the Oath declaring their allegiance to the support of war against England one month earlier on June 29, 1778.

His name is found on the 1781 tax list for Mount Bethel: Hilliard, Francis, 3.10 pounds.
He settled in the area of Centerville, Upper Mt. Bethel Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. 

Johann Franz Hilgert service in the Revolutionary War is evidenced by his having signed the Oath of Allegiance.  The DAR  application names him as Von Johann Franz Hilgirt.  He is Ancestor #: A056226 also known as Francis Hilliard and recognized for Patriotic Service.

He married Christina Mauny/Mohney   Johann Franz and Christina Hilgert had nine children (six sons and three daughters).  His will, written on May 16, 1797, was probated September 21, 1797 and provides us with the names of his children.  Hilgert, Francis, Upper Mt. Bethel, yeoman: wife Christina, sons  Peter,  Isaac, John,  and George, Ann-Mary, wife of Abraham Houck,  son Jacob, Catharina, wife of Adam Mauny,  and son Abraham who was deceased and  his widow and 4 children.

The inscription on his gravestone in the Old Union Cemetery in Upper Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania is in German. It says,  "Hier ruhet der leib Van Johann Franz Hilgert  Er ward zur welt geboren den 1st February 1722 Ist gestorben den 19 August 1797 Alter 75y 6m 4t





Her  gravestone, also in German  reads: "Hier ruhet der leib Christina Hilgertin   Sie war  geboren den 7 Ma..."  and the rest is buried in the ground.





His gravestone translation is: Here lies the body of Van Johann Franz Hilgert   He was born into this world Feburary 1, 1722 and died August 19, 1797. 75 years 6 months and 4 days.   Her gravestone translation is: Here lies the body of Christina Hilgert  She was born on May 7...   However it is known that  she died on June 9, 1797, at the age of 73.

Johann Franz and Christina had a son named Peter,  who also fought in the Revolutionary War.  He  married Elizabeth Emrich.  Peter and Elizabeth's daughter Christine married  Jacob Eilenberger.  Their daughter Catherine Eilenberger  married John Correll.  They had a daughter named Josephine Correll who married Henry Good and had a son named George.  George Good was the grandfather of Dorothy Alice Good Smith.


Sources:
Eyerman, John, WILL ABSTRACTS OF NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, PA; 1752-1802. Vol. 2,   1897, p108.
Eyerman, John. THE OLD GRAVEYARDS OF NORTHAMPTON.

                      Please see this list of all My Revolutionary War Ancestors.

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