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Wilhelm Wurtz
The history of Wilhelm Wurtz
Wilhelm Wurtz was
born about 1703 in the Tauberbischofsheim, Baden area of Germany.
His journey appears to have originated in Tauberbischofsheim, Landkreis, Baden,
Koenigsreich (Herzogsreich) Wuerttemberg (Deutschland). He would have taken a
boat down The Tauber, The Main, and Rhine rivers to Rotterdam, where the ship
Neptune would have set sail for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania arriving September
23, 1753.
With him was his wife Anna Catharina, sons, Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr., Peter
Philip Virtzs, Conrad Wirtz and daughter Maria Elisabeth Wurtz. Information on
Wilhelm’s origins is based on the authors of the Palatine Pamphlet. According
to their research those who arrived on the ship Neptune in September 1753 were
from Tauberbischhofsheim, Baden, Germany. They are reported to have settled in
Lehigh, Pennsylvania and to be of Lutheran faith. Wilhelm and his family
arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the boat the Neptune, John Mason, Master,
on September 23, 1753 from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Wilhelm's trip
originated in Tauberbischofsheim, Baden Germany. The ships log shows Wilhelm
Wurtz, Sr., and Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr. Only male passengers over the age of 16 are
listed in the logs. Conrad at the time of arrival would have been approximately
12-13 years old and Peter, even thou 16 based on his calculated birth date, did
not sign as he probably noted his age as 15 at the time. Wilhelm Wurtz and
Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr. signed next to each other on the Oath of Abjuration list,
logged at the Court House of Philadelphia, Monday, the 24th of September 1753.
Neither Wilhelm nor Wilhelm, Jr. could write, so their signatures were
transcribed for them. Wilhelm, Sr. did place his mark, an X. Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr.
signature is noted by the words On Board.
It appears that Wilhelm may have
spent the first few years in America in the Lancaster, Lehigh Valley area of
Pennsylvania and/or Maryland, because he does not appear in the Loudoun County,
Virginia (near Lovettsville) tax list until 1767, along with his son Conrad,
and he was shown living in Lancaster when he was naturalized on April 10, 1761
in Philadelphia. Also Wilhelm and Wilhelm Jr. appear in the 1754 Pennsylvania
Census as living in Philadelphia. By 1767 there was no trace of Wilhelm Wurtz,
Jr. His daughter Maria had married Michael (Laufer) Runner and was living in
Frederick, Maryland and would remain there until her death. Son, Peter, who was
naturalized in 1775 in New Jersey, appears to have spent a few years in the
Middletown, Maryland area for he does not appear in the Loudoun County tax list
until 1787. In 1772 Wilhelm leased 100 acres from Lord George William Fairfax
in Loudoun County. Wilhelm and his sons would remain in Loudoun County until their
deaths. Many of his descendants still live in Frederick County Maryland and
Loudoun County area today.
Many of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren
moved to the Roanoke area of Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia, Missouri,
Illinois and Ohio. Over the years the spelling of the last name has taken on
many variations such as Verts, Vertz, Virts, Virtz, Werts, Wertz, Wirtz and
Wirts.
Time Line
1753
Arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the boat the Neptune , John Mason, Master, on September 23, 1753 from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Wilhelm's trip originated in Tauberbischofsheim, Baden Germany. The ships log shows Wilhelm Wurtz, Sr., and Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr. Only male passengers over the age of 16 are listed in the logs. Conrad at the time of arrival would have been approxiamately 12-13 years old and Peter, even thou 16 based on his calculated birth date, did not sign as he probably noted his age as 15 at the time.
Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr. signed next to his father on the Oath of Abjuration list, logged at the Court House of Philadelphia, Monday, the 24th of September 1753. Neither Wilhelm or Wilhelm, Jr. could write, so their signatures were transcribed for them. Wilhelm, Sr. did place his mark an X. Wilhelm Wurtz, Jr. signature is noted by the words On Board.
1754
Wilhelm and Wihlem, Jr. are shown living in Philadelphia in the 1754 Pennsylvania Census.
1761 Wilhelm was naturalized on April 10, 1761 in Philadelphia, and was shown living in Lancaster, Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Foreign Oaths of Allegiance
1767
Wilhelm first appears in Loudoun County Virginia in 1767 in the Loudoun County Virginia Tax List as Wilhelm Werts. The the 1768 Tax List he apperas as Wilhelm Verts, 1769 as Wilhelm Wurts, 1770 as Wilhelm Verts, 1771 Wilhelm Verts, 1772 as William Worts, 1774 as William Worts, 1775 as Williams Worts, as William Wierts, and in 1782 as William Worts. Loudoun County, Virginia Tithables, 1758-1786.
1772
On November 27, 1772 Wilhelm leased 100 acres from George William Fairfax near Dutchmans Run called Piedmont in Shelburne Parish, Loudoun County, Virginia, Deed Book 71-73. 1782 Applied for relief from taxes and levies due to age and infirmities, Loudoun County, Virginia. Order Book G, page 397 - RDV RNOTES.
1782
Buried in the New Jerusalem Lutheran Church Cemetery, Lovettsville, Virginia, Row KK4. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
Immigration to America based on:
Palatine Pamphlet - It lists ships names, dates of arrival, imigrants places of orgin, loctaion settled and their religion. According to the researches those who arrived on the ship Neptune in September 1753 were from Tauberbischhofsheim, Baden, Germany. They are reported to have settled in Lehigh, Pennsylvania and to be of Lutheran faith.
Immigrants to Pennsylvania, Volume 1, 1727-1776 Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Volume 1, page 539 Pennsylvania Foreign Oaths of Allegiance, 1727-1776 LDS library, file number 1904036. LDS library, file number 1985231
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