Pennsylvania Family Group Sheet for the Henrich SCHILDT Family *********************************************** Copyright © Jean NEWMAN HOPPER. All rights reserved. http://www.fgs-project.com/copyright.html *********************************************** Submitted by: Jean NEWMAN HOPPER Email address: jeanhopper2@aol.com Husband: Henrich SCHILDT Birthdate:1700-1720 Birthplace: Unknown Death date: 1776 Place of death: Alsace Twp., Berks County, PA Burial: Berks County, PA Father: Unknown Mother: Unknown Marriage date: Marriage place: Wife: Susannah ? Birthdate: Birthplace: Death date: Place of death: Burial: Father: Mother: CHILDREN Child No. 1: Honetta Frederika SCHILDT Sex: F Birthdate: About 1740/45 Birthplace: Unknown Death date: About 1799 Place of death: Unknown Burial: Marriage date: Unknown Marriage place: Spouse's name: Johan Christian GOSCH Child No. 2: Andreas SCHILDT Sex: M Birthdate: October 22, 1744 Birthplace: Unknown Death date: August 12, 1812 Place of death: Alsace Twp., Berks County, PA Burial: Schildt Farm, Alsace Twp., Berks County, PA Marriage date: Unknown Marriage place: Unknown Spouse's name: Catharine Elisabeth Gehret Child No. 3: Henrich Schildt Sex: M Birthdate: 1748 Birthplace: Unknown Death date: February 8, 1820 Place of death: Germany Twp., Adams County, PA Burial: Unknown Marriage date: Unknown Marriage place: Unknown Spouse's name: Magdelena FRUENFELDER Child No. 4: Elisabeth SCHILDT Sex: F Birthdate: Unknown Birthplace: Death date: Unknown Place of death: Burial: Unknown Marriage date: Unknown Marriage place: Spouse's name: John BARD Child No. 5: Susannah Margaret SCHILDT Sex: F Birthdate: March 8, 1861 Birthplace: Alsace Twp., Berks County, PA Death date: August 17, 1842 Place of death: Reading, Berks County, PA Burial: Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading, PA Marriage date: June 27, 1779 Marriage place: Unknown Spouse's name: John HABERACKER II (1st Marriage) =========================================================================================== Documentation: Documents and resources: The earliest reference to the name SHILDT, that I have found, was in the records of the Anibaptists, Mennonites and Reformed church members in Switzerland in 1709. H. Frank ESCHELMANN, in his book "SWISS AND GERMAN PIONEERS OF SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA wrote that among others, Henrich SCHILDT of SCHANGNAU was being forced to leave Switzerland by the Catholic rule. He used excerpts from a book called MARTYR'S MIRROR and quotes from letters and other documents as his sources. Money had been collected by Mennonites and Baptist churches to pay the fines and debts incurred by the religious prisoners with the understanding they all leave the country after they were released. Henry SCHILDT's debt was 25 dollars or whatever the monetary units were. He started the trip and sailed down the Rhine towards Holland, but when the ship stopped at a place called WANGEN, it states he "decamped". Records of PALATINE EMIGRATION by Knittle, states that a JOHN HENRIG SCHILT and wife left Holland in 1709 and returned in 1711. Records show a Barbara SCHILD of Rothenburg leaving in 1745 and most likely going to the Alsace Region. A fellow researcher who is working on the HERSHEY surname says that HERSHEY and SHILDT are registered family names in SHANGNAU and the local history talks of a Christian HERSHEY, justice of the peace, married to Henry SHILT's sister Madleni (Magdelena?), but they can't find the records to prove it because if one was convicted of being a baptist, their names were removed from the church registry. Henrich SCHILT and his sister were referred to as prominent Anabaptist leaders in SCHANGNAU about 1690. A fictional book "DIE FURGGE" based upon a true story about Madleni and Heini SCHILT was written by Katharina ZIMMERMAN. I'm told the book was very carefully reesearched and the sources of information are mentioned in the bibliography. The book records the persecution of the Schangnau baptists by the Gnadigen Herren of Berne. The book goes on to say that Heini and others were imprisoned, but some of the lords of Berne said that would'nt ever recant, so they arranged with some of the Dutch nobles to send them to Holland, where they were tolerated. Ships were arranged to go down the Aare to the Rhine and then to Holland. Madleni led a protest march from the villages of Berne and the prisoners were released on the condition they would leave and never return. They were bailed out on a form of bond. Madleni and several of the women chose to go with the men into exile. In this story Heini escaped from the boat and fled back to Schangnau, as in the nonfictional book of Eschelmann. His family gave him refuge when he returned and were forced to sell their farm to pay the penalty for harbouring a Baptist fugitive. Heini was sentenced to death, but he died in prison before Spring from the cold and inhumane treatment before they could kill him. No mention of any children. The next SCHILT I came across was a Nicholas and a John Nicholas SCHILD arriving in America on September 3, 1739. He could be a son of Henry, but I haven't seen any records of a SCHILD named Nicholas in our line. The earliest records of our Henrich SCHILDT in America was in the 1759 TAX lists of Alsace township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Other sources of info from the Reading Public Library, tax records, and the time consuming research of Donna Morganti. If anyone is researching this name I would love to know more.