THE FLORY FAMILY IN THE RHINELAND   PALATINATE

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FLORY FAMILY IN THE RHINELAND PALATINATE 

RHINELAND PALATINATE, GERMANY 

Most of the information in this chapter comes from the Palatine Mennonite Census List (Gust and Mast) unless another source is mentioned.  

The Flury, Weiss, Wuertz, Frey and Durst families arrived safely in the Rhineland Palatinate.  They met new Swiss friends along the way named Meyer, Beutler/Beidler and Lichti.  They arrived in between the 1685 census and the 1717 census (Palitine Mennonite Census List (Gust and Mast).   

Archive Number 77/4237-1717, Folio 16:  Destination of the Mennonites staying in the Obermt Lautern:  Friedrich Wuertz,  Hans Weiss, Hans Durst, Johannes Lichti, Hans Martin Frey, Johannes Frey.   

Jacob Flury, Franz Flory and Christian Beutler and his siblings are left out of this group as their destination was Otterberg City.  The census records for Otterberg City and the village of Flurhof are missing from the official records at Heidelberg.  This is not unusual.  Many records were lost or destroyed by war and various other reasons.                 

The strong bond between the Flury, Weiss and Wuertz group from the northeastern part of Switzerland and their involvement with the Lichti and  Beutler/Beider family from the southwest corner of the capitol city of Bern is curious.  These families must have met along the way.  They could not  make the long journey without extended layovers.  Peter Meyer was from Baerschwil.  Catharina must have met and married Peter in Baerschwil.  Baerschwil is also the logical route for those coming from Bern to get to the Rhineland Palatinate.  Maybe the Beutlers and Lichti’s were also there.   

    FLORY/MEYERS ESTATE DOCUMENT

A few years ago, Sabine Schleichert, a German genealogist, discovered a 1735 estate settlement for Peter Meyer and Catharina Flory.  Since they had no children, the estate was divided among their siblings.  Peter’s only heir was his brother Hans who lived at Baerschwil, (Canton Solothurn) Switzerland.  The heirs of Catharina were her brothers and sisters:    

(Source:  Institute fur Pfalzische Geschichte)

FRANZ, MAGDALENA, ANNA, JACOB and BARBARA (DECEASED SISTER’S TWO CHILDREN?)

1. CATHARINA FLORY m. PETER MEYER: They were living in Lautern when one or both died in 1733 when an estate inventory was taken. The estate was settled in 1735.  They may have been living at Lautern when the 1724 census was taken: “One Anabaptist who owns no property, but operates Mr. Rettig’s grist mill on a temporary tenancy.  He has capital of 120 florins (PMCL, p. 26).  Some census takers got their information from one of the citizens in the town if the family was away or if he did not want to go out of his way.          

2. DECEASED DAUGHTER.  Her name is said to be Barbara but there is no proof.  It is not known if she died in Germany, went on the same ship with Jacob and died at sea or died in America.  Her husband is not mentioned so he may also be dead.   Her heirs were her “two children living in the new world” (America).  There was also a comment that the shares of those in the new world would stay under administration in Germany.  It usually took the services of an attorney to resolve these issues.     

3. ANNA FLORY.  She was “living in the rear of Lenzburg Castle” when the estate was settled.  I took a tour of Lenzburg Castle in 2002 and asked specific questions about the castle.  The large front rooms were for entertaining.  The Vogt (district official) and his wife had separate bed rooms and sitting areas in the back of the castle.  To me this meant that Anna was married to the district official DANIEL STURLER.  Swiss women always retain their maiden names.     

4. JACOB FLORY (ca. 1681 - aft 1750).  His wife is said to be named ANNA but nothing else is known.  Jacob probably met his wife in Switzerland.  Swiss names of Lack or Weiss are the best possibilities.   Jacob and Anna are known to have had three children:  ANNA ELIZABETHA (ANELLE), ABRAHAM and JACOB.  Abraham is the only one who is believed to have an accurate birth date (1710).  ANELLE died in 1775 in York Co two years before her brother Abraham.  Her first husband Cornelius Cooper died in 1759.  It is unknown if Jacob Jr. is the oldest, middle or youngest child.  His name is mentioned in the Berks County, PA records.  More information about this family is in the Berks County, PA section.              

Jacob and his brother Franz located near OTTERBURG instead of locating in LAUTERN where his sister Catharina and the Wuertz family located.  This might explain the close ties between Jacob Flury and Ulrich Beidler in Berks County, PA that continued in York County where Abraham Flury and Ulrich Beidler bought adjoining property.              

While searching for the children of Uli Flury in Germany in 2002, I found FLURHOF the first place our Fluri family lived in Germany.  It is very near the boundary line between the ALSEY and LAUTERN districts in an isolated area.  I had a hard time finding it.  I can understand how the ALSEY census taker missed it.         

Jacob and Franz lived at Flurhof but conducted their business in the nearby town of Otterberg.  Franz was a miller and Jacob a linen weaver.  They also farmed.  Giving the family background of operating a tavern, they may have distilled liquor which has had many uses throughout recorded history.

Previously I believed that their father Uli also came to Germany.  It is more likely that he stayed at Lenzburg Castle where his wife and daughter Anna lived.  More about this Flury family is in the Berks County PA section.              

5. MAGDELENA FLORY.  She is the second wife of Ulrich ELLENBERGER (b. Nov 1693), RUDERSWIL, Bern Switzerland.  He died in 1766 in RUSSINGEN, Palatinate, Germany, which is very near the villages where her brother Franz lived.  His father was Ulrich Ellenberger (born 12 Jan 1655) at Ruderswil who married ELSBETH THOMI.  He was called an Anabaptist at the baptism of his children in 1701 and 1703.  He was living in Biglen in 1686 when his son Peter was baptized.  Magdalena’s husband was a hereditary tenant of the OTTERBERGERHOF in RUSSINGEN, a village south of IMMERSHEIM.  In 1757 he transferred his farm to his son Rudolph (ca 1723-ca 1768) who married Katharina Stauffer of Bolanderhof, Germany (RWD Vol. 1, pages 138-139 has the Swiss Ellenberger genealogy).     

CHILDREN OF MAGDALENA

       (1)ULRICH ELLENBERGER) ( born ca. 1728- bef 1790).  Both brothers arrived on the Ship Andrew 9 SEPT 1749 in Philadelphia, PA.  They initially stayed at the home of their Uncle JACOB FLURY and his son ABRAHAM in HELLAM TWP (now WRIGHTSVILLE) PA.  Jacob had a small house on the property of his son Abraham and family.  The two Ellenberger sons found a place in Manchester Twp near their cousin Daniel Flury, son of Abraham.  Ulrich bought 200 acres of land in Windor Twp.  He died before 1790. His wife Veronica was listed as widow on the 1790 census.  Veronica was still alive in 1793 but deceased by 1799 at Manor Twp, Lancaster Co.    

      Children:

     (a) Eve (ca 1760) m. Christian Kauffman before 1793. 

     (b) Anna (1764) m. Christian Ellenberger before 1793.

     (c) Ulrich (ca 1770).  He was living with his mother in Windsor Twp, in 1790.  He married Madalena Funk of Manor Twp. before 1804.  He was living in Manor Twp in 1810.     

       (2) PETER ELLENBERGER (b. ca. 1730-1796). He lived his entire life in PA in Manchester Twp.  He wrote his will in German but it is not recorded in the York County will book. His executors were Henry Strickler and Abraham Lieb.  He was married to Eve who died about 1802. In 1780 he was taxed at Manchester Twp, York County in 1780 on 126 acres.  He was living at Manchester Twp.  

The 1790 census shows one male over the age 16 and two males under age 16 and also two females in his household.  He had at least two sons and probably had other children.  He witnessed his brothers will in 1793. He arrived on the ship “St. Andrew” with his brother Ulrich.       

  VISITING WHERE THEY LIVED 

In 2002 I visited the towns and villages and took pictures where the Flory family once lived.  Descendents of Franz Flory had lived at Harxheim, Immersheim, Einselthum and Eisenberg.  Descendents of Magdalena Flory Ellenberger lived at Russingen where boys were playing soccer that Saturday.  The last stop was Wellers Weinhaufel (Wine House) in Einselthum.  A break was needed. The villagers were friendly and helpful but language was a barrier.  No one named Flory was living there now.    

 Jacob and Franz had lived near Otterberg and they had done business in Otterberg when they first arrived in Germany.  Flurstrasse Street was on the map so I went there.  An old man walking a dog asked me if I was looking for someone who lived on that street.  He was very friendly and helpful.  He explained that persons named Flory had lived there years ago and gave me their names.  Nothing checked out.  I assumed the Flory families he knew were probably descendents of Franz Sr. whose descendents had moved back to Otterberg.  It appeared to be a thriving town and much more populated than the villages where Franz Sr. and his offspring had lived.  No one named Flory was found.  Even so the trip was fun despite getting lost a few times.  U.S. troops were stationed just down the road.  They were friendly and seemed were very willing to give directions and aid two tired and helpless but happy USA citizens.