Here's another post from ancestry.com that pertains to Joseph Bruner. I've edited out information that references family lines not pertinent to us. It's long.... but interesting... if you want the detail about what life was like for the family in Germany and when they arrived in America.
Knowing the Bruners
by Donald Lewis Osborn
desendants of JOSEPH BRUNER pages 54 thru 57
During the quest for information about Samuel Bruner's ancestors and the immediate family of each ancestor, considerable information was accumulated concerning collateral relatives of Samuel. Some of this has been organized below as a genealogy showing decendants of Joseph Bruner (married 1700) -incomplete as it is - so that this incidentally gained information may be available and of some use to anyone who might wish to work on other lines of Joseph's descendents. Perhaps here are some clues from which to work.
Someone may have already traced his Bruner ancestry back a few generations and can now connect to one of the branches shown here and go on directly back to Joseph. Although the numerous references are not shown, this material came from various census, probate, deed, marriage, family, church, local history, and other records. The author feels the information shown is accurate to the extent stated. However, source material should be consulted and analyzed before using it as a basis for any genealogy or family history. Public records in Wabash County, Indiana pertaining to Bruners of generations after Samuel's were by no means exhausted. No local public records of Jasper County, Indiana were consulted; however, Samuel may have been the only one of the family who lived there. Also, records in areas where Samuel's ancestors lived were not searched for collateral relatives in generations after the ones being researched to compile Samuel's family history.
THE BRUNER STORY - pages 1 thru 20
In the eastern part of the present Palatinate of the Rhine (Die Pfalz am Rhein), in Germany, lies the town of Schifferstadt (population 12,350 in1950). The small stream Rehbach flows through the town on its way to the RhineRiver, a few miles away. Schifferstadt is only a ten-minute train ride from the city of Speyer on the Rhine.
When the author of this book - along with his wife and their unborn child, a descendant of some long-ago residents of Schifferstadt - visited this town in early April 1966, they found the garden farmers of the area already harvesting lettuce and other spring crops, the flowers blooming, the Rehbach - now contained in strict man-made stone and earthen banks - flowing as it had for centuries, and the Martin-Luther-Kirche -where ancestors worshipped and were baptized, confirmed, and married - in excellent condition and current use.
The Martin-Luther-Kirche is in the section of Schifferstadt which, until incorporated with Gross Schifferstadt in 1709, was a separate village known as Kleinschifferstadt ("Small Schifferstadt") and owed its allegiance to a different family of nobility than did its larger neighbor. Kleinschifferstadt had been known as Schifferstadt auf der Wiesen or more simply as Wieser. When speaking of the two villages, one would call Gross Schifferstadt das untereDorf (the lower village) or Niederdorf while Kleinschifferstadt was das obereDorf (the upper village) or Oberdorf.
Kleinschifferstadt was a Protestant village after the Reformation while Gross Schifferstadt was Catholic. In the year 1655, there were eleven families totaling about 54 persons in Klein Schifferstadt. None were named Brunner, but there were two heads of families named Sturm-Lorentz (Schultheis or, in English, Mayor) and Philipp. In 1683, there were 12 families and 1739, 16 families in the village. So we mightassume that about 15 families lived there when the Brunners did (circa 1679 to1729).
Apparently most or all these families attended the Protestant church -or really it was a chapel or mission sponsored by the church at Iggelheim, a few miles away. It was built in 1688 or prior on the site of a chapel which had been mentioned (in the Limburger Kopialbuch) in 1501. The minister of theIggelheim church was responsible for both his own church and the chapel at Kleinschifferstadt and kept the records for the two congregations together in the same books.
It is in one of these Iggelheim-Schifferstadt church books, (Iggelheim Kirchenbuch No. III. This original record book includes births and baptisms 1692-1731, marriages 1695-1731, deaths 1695-1711 and 1713-1731, and confirmations. This book was examined (1966) at the Protestant Church Archives (Protestant Landeskirchearchiv), 6 Grosse Himmelsgasse, Speyer am Rhein, Germany. Correspondence may be addressed to Protestant Landeskirchenrat der Pfalz, Domplatz 5, Speyer am Rhein, Germany) now in the Palatinate's Protestant Church archives in Speyer, that we find records of the marriage of Joseph Brunner and the births of 8 children.
Other records of interest in this book concern the Strum and Gotzendanner families which married into the Brunner family. According to Georg Sturm in his 1961 book of 271 pages about Schifferstadt, the name Brunner first appeared in Schifferstadt records in the year 1679 and the family came there from Rothenstein, Switzerland. However, Georg Sturm is now deceased and the record has not been located nor has any other proof been found that the Brunners came from either of two villages in Switzerland named Rothenstein.
The church records of interest pertaining to the Brunners in Schifferstadt, Germany are summarized: (pages 4 and 5, of Knowning the Bruners). The last records in the above church records for the Joseph Brunner family is of the confirmation of Maria Catharina Brunner, Joseph's daughter, on 17 April 1729. Later that year, the family emigrated to America. Only three other records of the Brunners were noted on the Illelheim-Schifferstadt church books. Two are for the births of Johann Henrich and Anna Margaretha Brunner, children of Jorg or Gorg Brunner and his wife, Anna, in 1702 and 1705, respectively. The other is for the birth of Anna Magdalena Brunner, daugther of Hanss Georg Brunner and his wife, Magdalena, on 17 August 1698.
There was no such evidence noted, but perhaps Hanss Georg and Jorg were brothers of Joseph Brunner. At least they appear to be of the same generation with children born around 1700. The Christian Sturm records from the Iggelhiem-Schifferstadt church book are summarized on: (pages 6 thru 8, of Knowing the Bruners). The ancestry of Christian Strum (married 1695) could not be determined from the church record books; however, some Sturms are mentioned in the records for the period 1654 to 1659. For example, on easter Monday, 27 March 1654, Phillipp Sturm, son of Georg and Catharine Sturm, married Anna Maria Hauss, daughter of Ludwig Hauss. Because there were so few families living in Klein Schifferstadt,it is very likely these were ancestors of Christian Sturm but this author has not discovered such proof.
From Germany to America Jacob Sturm or Storm, apparently the Johann Jacob Sturm born in 1701, emigrated to America in 1728 on the ship with Johann Jacob Brunner, son of Joseph Brunner. Joseph Brunner, probably with his wife and definitely with someof his children, followed in 1729. The Brunners had been in Schifferstadt for approximately 50 years. The Sturms had been there for centuries - since circa 1470.
The Thomasaes were first noted in Schifferstadt records in 1679, the Gotzendanners in 1694, and the Gahs in 1695. Why did the Brunners, Sturms, and other related families leave Germany for America? We can only suppose that they, like hundreds of other Germans, were made quite miserable by the four wars of Louis XIV of France during the period 1667 to 1713.
However, their real desire to leave probably resulted from the continuing religious intolerance and persecution experienced by them because they were Protestants. The Holy Roman Empire's Elector of the Palatinate was the Roman Catholic ruler of the area where the Brunners and Sturms lived. Because of the great persecution, many Germans and Swiss became interested in the invitations of England and of the New World colony of Pennsylvania. Many had already gone to America and yet the Brunners and Sturms were really quite early among the thousands who made the move.
In 1728, Johann Jacob Brunner, usually known as Jacob, the eldest son of Joseph and Cathrina Elisabetha Brunner, was 25 years of age. Johann Jacob Sturmor Storm, also better known as Jacob, a son of Christian and Anna Barbara Sturm, was 27 years old. These young men and their wives and children were brave enough to leave their relatives and friends in Klein Schifferstadt and go to the New World. Apparently, they sailed down the Rhine River to the Netherlands, for we know that the ship which took them to America sailed from Rotterdam. This ship, the Mortonhouse, was commanded by John Coultas, Master, and after it made its last loading stop at Deal, set sail on 15 June 1728 with 205 people on board, all or almost all Palatines, consisting of 80 males above 16 years of age, 69 women, and 56 children.
We can reasonably assume that the families of both Jacobs (including Johann Peter Brunner, grandfather of Samuel Bruner) accompanied them, considering the number of women and children aboard.The ship arrived at the port of Philadelphia in the English colony of Pennsylvania on 23 August 1728, after more than two months on the Atlantic Ocean. The Jacobs took the oath of allegiance to England on 24 August 1728. Apparently Jacob Brunner wrote to his parents that life in America was better than in Schifferstadt. The next year, the rest of the Brunner family emigrated from Germany to America.
They were among the approximately 126 people, mostly or all Palatines, who were on the ship Allen which, commanded by James Craiges, left from Rotterdam and on 7 July 1729 cleared from Cows in the Isle of Wight. They arrived at Philadelphia on 11 September 1729 and the heads of families subscribed to a declaration at the courthouse there on 15 September 1729. The ship's list shows the name Brunner spelled as Prunder and Prundar, but Joseph Bruner is on another document which lists the heads of families subscribing to the declaration. We know that these of the Brunner family were on the ship: Joseph, Caterina Lisbet, Johannes (shown as "sick"), and John Henderick (under age of 15). Also there were Anna Barbara and Christian Kitsintander. Although they were not listed, apparently Joseph's two youngest children, Maria Catharina (probably known as Catharine), age 11, and Elias, age 6, accompanied them. Probably the Gotzendanners had their two young children accompanying then also.
Did Joseph's wife, Cathrina Elisabetha, accompany the Brunner family from Germany to America? It would seem that she would be the Caterina Lisbet shown on the ship's list. However, the 126 people on the ship Allen were all accounted for on the list of names. Where were Maria Catharina and Elias, the young children? (Also, where were the Gotzendannners' 2 and 5 year old children?) Perhaps they were omitted both from the count and the list but this seems unlikely. It is possible that the Caterina Lisbet listed was actually Maria Catharina since both had the name Catharina in common. If this were the case and the mother had died in Germany, perhaps young Elias accompanied his eldest brother, Jacob, to America the previous year. This might be the case since we know that Jacob was married and had a child of his own. Perhaps he and his wife could have taken care of Elias better than his wifeless father could. This is all speculation onthe part of this author as to the possibilities but it would account for the whole family. (Women and children were not listed when Jacob made the trip to America in 1728, but the passengers are categorized as to men, women, and children with a number for each.)
However, if Joseph's wife, Cathrina Elisabetha, had died in Germany, it is very likely that her death would havebeen recorded in the Iggelheim-Schifferstadt Protestant Church book which lists deaths for 1692-1711 and 1713-1731. If she die before the family made the move to America, she died after Elias' birth in 1723 and before the 1729 movement.The absence of a death record in Germany and the fact that a Caterina Lisbet was shown on the ship's list constitute a good argument that Joseph Brunner's wife accompanied him to America.
We are uncertain as to where the Brunner first settled in America, but there is some record that Jacob Storm and his wife were at Lancaster, Pennsylania in1739 and 1741. It would seem that their relatives, the Brunner (Jacob Brunner's wife was Barbara Sturm, apparently a sister to Jacob Storm), would also have settled there for a few years; however, we have no proof of such. Stephen Ramsberg, who is said to have married Joseph Brunner's daughter, Catherine, is reported to have lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania before going to Maryland.
The Brunners in Maryland
There is evidence that the Brunners and Henry Sinn were in Maryland in 1736- in the Monocacy area near what a few years later was Frederick City. This 1736 record was made by a visiting minister, Reverend John Casper Stoever, ofthe Lutheran Church. Also, the Storms and Brunners are listed on the 1744 Maryland Rent Rolls. These families settled on land known as Tasker's Chance, a tract of 7,000 acres patented in 1727 by Benjamin Tasker, President of the Council of Maryland. On 30 February 1744, Tasker sold the land to his son-in-law, Daniel Dulaney. Then, commencing in 1746, Dulaney sold several tracts of Tasker's Chance to German settlers, some of whom may already have been in possession of the land. In fact, Daniel Dulaney bought the land at about $1.20 per acre and sold it for much less - indicating that these first settlers had acquired some rights in the land by having located upon it and made improvements.
For example, Joseph Brunner purchased his 303 acres, named Sheverstadt after his hometown in Germany, for only 10 pounds or about 16 1/2 cents per acre. Joseph Brunner's deed date 28 July 1746 shows that he was of Prince George's County (part of which later became Frederick County), Marylandand that Mr. Dulancy was of Annapolis in Ann Arundel County and states the land is "in his Actual Possession," indicating that Joseph Brunner was already in possession of the land. However, it is not clear from reading the deed whether it is Mr. Dulaney or Joseph Brunner who is in "Actual Possession."
Others who purchased tracts of Tasker's Chance fron Daniel Dulancy on 28 July 1746 include Jacob Brunner (Samuel Bruner's great-grandfather) who paid 15 pounds for 248 acres called Rich Levells, adjoining John Brunner's land; John Brunner who paid 20 pounds for 232 1/4 acres called What-a-Will (or, as shown in John's will, What You Will), near Joseph Brunner's land; Henry Brunner who paid 30 pounds for 186 acres called Carroll Creek; Jacob Storm who paid 15 pounds for 202 acres called Indian Field; Stephen Ramsberg who paid 15 pounds for 473 acres called Mortality; and Henry Sinn who paid 25 pounds for 125 1/4 acres known as Loom.
Joseph Brunner's son-in-law, Christian Getzendanner, settled about 2 miles west of where Frederick was afterwards located and he purchased a 3,000-acre tract from the Indians, extending from the foot of the Mountain easterly towards the Monocacy River. He was relaying upon the title from the Indians, but found that a Mr. O'Neal had obtained a patent for about 1,000 acres on the eastern part of his land. Therefore, Getzendanner applied for a patent which he obtained for 930 acres on 17 April 1754. His first house of logs stood until about 1866, according to Schultz. Schultz mentions an interesting note that one of Getzendanner's grandsons, which would be Joseph Brunner's great-grandson, was a captain in the fleet of Lafitte, a noted pirate chieftain in the forayson the ocean.
When did Joseph and Cathrina Elisabetha (nee Thomas) Brunner die? On 17 January 1753, Joseph sold his Sheverstadt of 303 acres to his son, Elias, who would have been 30 years of age. No wife is mentioned when Joseph conveyed the land to Elias so we can assume that Cathrina Elisabetha died sometime between her coming to America (assuming she did come to America) in 1729 and the date of this deed, 1753. We have no record of Joseph later than 1753. Considering his position as an elder in the German Reformed Church in 1748 and the fact his 4 sons were among the 89 signers of the 1756 Chuch Ordinance of this "Christian Reformed Church" in Freiderichstadt, it would seem that if Joseph were living in1756 he would have signed this document. Likely he was too old to farm when he sold his land to Elias and probably he died sometime before 1756.
Schultz stated in 1896 that the Joseph Brunner farm, Schiefferstadt, was still in the possession of Joseph's descendants and made the following comments about the house on the farm and the Brunner family: There is on this property a very old and quaint two-story stone dwellinghouse. It is not known when it was built, but it has all the appearanceof having been built in the "long ago." From the substantial manner in which it is constructed, the walls being three feet in thickness, and the cellar ten to twelve feet deep, vaulted roof, which can be entered only from the outside of the house, leads one to imagine that it may have been intended as a shelter against attacks of the savages, as well as a shelter from the weather.
During the troublesome times of the French and Indian wars a grand-daughter of Joseph Brunner was captured by the Indians and held in captivity by them for several years. She, however, finally made her escape, and was married subsequently. Some of her descendants are now living in Indiana. The Brunners and their descendants occupied these lands for over a century, but there are now but few of the name residing on the lands taken up by their forefathers. The family took an important part in the building up of the town and county, and were particularly noted for their earnestness and zeal in the affairs of the German Reformed Church. An atlas of Frederick County, Maryland published cira 1855 or later shows Sheverstadt Farm on a map of "frederick Dist. No. 2."
It has been written that the Monocacy German Reformed Church was erected between 1732 and 1734 and was the first German church in Maryland. Probably the Brunners had a big part in organizing this church under the guidance of Rev. Michael Schlatter, a noted German Reformed missionary and organizer. There is an interesting letter to Schlatter filed with papers in the Archivaris der Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk in the Hague, Netherlands. The letter, dated 1 March 1748, is an appeal by the congregation at Manaquasey (Monocacy) for Schlatterto [to] make another visit to them. The letter tells of competition from the DunkerSect (Church of the Brethren) in the area and ask him to come help them set up some order among the Reformed Church, whose names are affixed to the letter: Christian Geldtzendaner, Jacob Brunner, Jacob Strom, Stephen Remensperger, and Josep Brunner. The remaining name is that of Thomas Schley, Schoolmaster, who undoubtedly drafted the letter and signed the names of the five elders. These 5 elders were all related to Samuel Brunner (1808-1886) - 3 were direct ancestors and 2 were Joseph Brunner's sons-in-law!
Before continuing with the Brunners and their leadership in the Reformed Church, it would be well to observe that the town of Frederick was laid out in 1745 and Frederick County was created out of Prince George's County in the year 1748. Joseph Brunner was present and assisted in laying out the town he preached at a new chruch - "not yet finished" - in Fredericktown. Also about this time, Load Baltimore and Daniel Dulancey were encouraging Germans to come directly to Maryland rather than via Pennsylvania. Dulancey had a brochure distributed in the Rhine area to advertise Maryland's advantages. In 1748, Maryland's Governor Ogle allowed four of the Monocacy group to return to Germany, perhaps to promote immigration into Maryland.
The certificate or passport issused to them by Ogle reads as follows: To all to whom these presents Shall come Samuel Ogle Esquire Governor ofthe Province of Maryland in America Sendeth Greeting. Know ye that Whereas Stephen Remsperger of Fredrick County in the said Province Wheelwright, Nicholas Benedick, Jacob Bruner of the Same County Farmer and Henry Thomas of the Same County Waggon-Maker all Natives of Germany Have lived within the Said Province for Many Eight Years past and hath taken Oaths by Law prescribed and have been Naturalized according to Law Whereby they are here Intitled to the Protection of the Govmt as one of the Subjects all the Rights Liberties Privileges Franchises & Immunitiesof the Subjects of his Majesty King George the Second by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France & Ireland and all other Dominions & Countrys thereto belonging whereof Maryland is part Defender of the Faith &c and ought to be deemed Reputer and taken as faithful & Leige Subjects of his said Majesty, and Whereas the Said Nicholas Benedick Stephen Remsperger Jacob Bruner and Henry Thomas Have declared to me that they Intend with all Convenient Speed to visit their Native Country and their Relations and Friends there and to return again to their Families & Habitations and have Requested me to give them proper Testimonials of their Condition and Character. I have at their Instance and request as by these presents I do Certify and declare that they are men of good Reputation and have always been as good & Faithfull Subjectsto his Sacred Britannic Majesty and I request that all Princes States Magistrates & others whom it may concern will be pleased to treat them the said Nicholas Benedick Stephen Remsberg Jacob Bruner and HenryThomas (they always behaving as they ought) and with Justice and Humanity to suffer them to pass and Repass upon their Lawfull Business and occasion without Hindrance or disturbance, hereby promising to treat any of the subjects of such Princes & States whose affairs may Induce them to come into this Province in like manner In Testimony Whereof I have to these presents set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the said Province to be affixed to the same Given at Annapolis in the said Province this 20th day of October in the -- year of the Reign of his Said Majesty Anno Dmi 1748
While in Germany, Jacob Brunner purchased in Frankfurt am Main a book which was later to be used as the first of three original record books of the Reformed Church of Frederick, Maryland. Handwritten on a fly leaf of this book (now in the Hall of records at Annapolis, Maryland) is the inscription, in German, perhaps wriiten by Jacob Brunner himself: Johann Jacob Bruner Kauftedisses Schreibuch fur 50 Tr in Frankfurt am Mayn. Anno 1749. d 16 Aprile.
Jacob Brunner's 1749 purchase was first used as a register or record-book of the Frederick Reformed Church in 1753 after their first resident pastor, Theodore Franckenfeldt, arrived. However, a few entries are for baptisms prior to the date the book was purchased. The Frederick Reformed Church's original Church Ordinance was written in 1756. The Brunners and their relatives were among the 89 heads of families who signed the document. The signers included Stephen Remsperger, Johannes Brunner, Philip Heinrich Sinn, Peter Bruner (apparently Jacob's son, born 1726, who was Samuel Bruner's grandfather), Jacob Bruner, Heinrich Bruner, and Elias Bruner.
On 14 November 1763, the consistory of the church vested four members of the congregation with power to contract for the building of a stone church. One of the members of this building committee was Jacob Brunner. Also, on 12 May 1764, Daniel Dulancy, Jr. deeded to four "Elders of the Dutch reformed or Presbyterian congregation" the land on which the new church was being built. Two of these four elders were Stephen Ramsburg and John Bruner. Apparently the Brunners were faithful to the Reformed Church for decades for it is in its record books, including the one purchased by Jacob Brunner, that we find numerous records of their births, confirmations, marriages, and deaths.
During the years 1748 through 1792, at least 57 Brunner children were baptized in this church. Some of those which appear to be children of Joseph's four sons and children of Johann Peter Brunner (1726-1821) and George Peter Brunner (1766-1834) are as follows:PARENTS CHILD BORN BAPTIZED Brunner, Elias & Albertina Stephen 7 May 1749 John Peter 31 Mar 1753 Brunner, John & Anna Maria Elisabeth 22 May 1748 John 11 Aug 1751 Charlotte 27 Mar 1754 Brunner, Henry & Magdalen Anna Maria 18 Jan 1753 Brunner, Peter & wife Susanna 8 Oct 1758 Brunner, Elias & Albertina John 21 Oct 1759 Brunner, Henry & Magdalen Anna Margaret 16 Mar 1761 24 May 1761 Brunner, Peter & Anna Maria Maria Elizabeth 16 Feb 1761 31 May 1761 Brunner, Elias & Albertina John 21 Jun 1761 2 Aug 1761 Brunner, Peter & Anna Maria Jacob 19 Aug 1763 16 Oct 1763 Brunner, Henry & Magdalen Jacob 16 Mar 1764 18 Oct 1764 Brunner, Peter & wife (blank) 5 Jun 1766 Brunner, Peter & Catharine Daniel 16 Mar 1790 3 Aug 1790 Brunner, Peter & Catharine Peter 2 Nov 8 Apr 1792
The Reformed Church marriage records show that Peter Brunner and Cath Sinnwere married 26 April 1789 which agrees with the record by Samuel Bruner in1881 for the marriage of this couple, Samuel's parents. Also an index of marriage licenses (examined 1966) in the Frederick County Courthouse shows thata license was issued 25 April 1789 for the marriage of Brunner Peter of Peter and Catherine Sinn. Several Brunners, including a Peter (probably Johnann Peter, (1726-1821),are on the list of members of the church in 1775. We have mentioned the name of Stephen Ramsberg several times. Traditionally, his wife was Joseph Brunner's daughter, Catharine (apparently Maria Catharinewho was born 9 September 1718: however, she may have used other names at various times). Stephen Ramsberg was a leader among his people for we have already noted his name on the church records and on the passport to Germany.
In addition, he was Captain of the Militia, according to a 1767 muster roll (which, incidentally, included Elias and some other Brunners). Also, he made a deposition which was read before the Maryland Assembly when he was acting as aspokesman for his German relatives and neighbors of the Monocacy area who had been taxed in excess of the legal rates in 1748. The tax collector, who was the sheriff, had collected these taxes or quit-rents and kept the excess for his personal use. In the case of the overtaxing by the sheriff, we find the familiar names of Joseph, Henry, John, and Jacob Browner (a misspelling of Brunner) and Stephen Ransberger (Ramsberg).
Stephen Ramsberg's deposition to the Maryland Assembly stated that he "took particular notice that Jacob Brounner was Charged SixPence Sterling for half a Years Rent of 25 acres which was in a Seperate Tract which he paid and also paid the Sheriff fifteen Shillings Currency for his fee." Ramsberg stated he had "heard of the Sheriffs having a List/ called blackList/..." and "...that a Great Number of the Germans and some others were so much alarmed by the Sheriffs Proceedings, that Several of them have alreadyLeft the Province, and others have declared, that as soon as they could Sell what they were Possessed of, They would go away, many of the Germans declaring,
[the text is cut off at this point, apparently there was more to the story.....]
