Johannes "Hans" Dietrich was probably born near the little villiage of Adelshofen in what today is Baden Wurttemberg, Germany. At the time of his birth it was still one of the Palatine States (small domains ruled by Princes of The Mother Church in Rome) that was enduring famine and religious wars. Some of the Princes, tired of paying tribute to the church were in the process of breaking away and Protestantism in the form of Luther's followers (and French Calvinists emigrating to the Palatine to escape persecution and death) was gaining strength.
Records there at the Luthern Church in Adelshofen show that on 15 November 1687 Johannes Dietrich Kasselmann, son of the late Johannes Kasselmann married Anna Rinderin, daughter of the late Johannes Peter Rinder of Glottfelden Zurcher Gebieth, Switzerland.
Because no records found at Adelshofen indicate otherwise it is speculated that some of the family moved to a different area in Southern Germany, possibly near Eppingen where Joh, Dietrich's first child's birth is recorded.
Evidence suggests that Joh. Dietrich and Anna had 7 children. It would seem that the family must have been on the move as the birth of Andreas Lodewich (evidently the given name of the father being automatically passed on was no longer practiced or was inadvertantly dropped at some time) was recorded at the church at Adelshofen, none of the other subsequent offspring were recorded as being born there. Anna ??, may have been a still birth as her death was recorded there at Adelshofen. Another son Johannes Vilhelm was born after their arrival at West Camp, Albany Co., NY.
Shortly after the birth of Anna in 1708, Joh. Dietrich with his family apparently began the migration to America via Holland and England in the second wave of Palatines fleeing oppression in Germany, an exodus known as the "1709ers". The family are listed with the group of Palatines gathered in Walworth England in 1709 who had seeked and been granted refuge by Oueen Anne.
Immigration records (London 1709 census of Palatines) indicate that children numbers - 2,3,4,6 & 7 - were with Joh. Dietrich and Anna as 1709 er's , migrating from Germany through Holland and England to New York by 1710. His occupation was shown as "husbandsman and vinedresser". Also, in the records of the Board of Trade, under miscellaneous, Vol 2 D.64: compiled 27 May 1709 by German ministers Tribbeko and Rupert, were listed " Casselmann, John age 49 yrs, with his wife Anna, sons 10, 3, daughters19, 13, & 6mos, Lutherans". The name was first anglized to John Casselmann at this time.
Passage for the 1709ers to the new world was arranged by Queen Anne as indentured workers to make lumber, pitch & tar for the british navy. They arrived in New York on 14 June 1710 aboard the ship Midfort. Later in1710, the rations lists of Govenor Hunter has the family living in West Camp, Albany Co., NY: "Kasselmann, Dietrich #1102004. (1 man, Johannes Dietrich, 1 lad 9-15, Andreas, 2 women, the wife Anna Elizabetha and Anna Greta, 4 people total). It is thought that daughter Anna Elizabetha at age 20 was either married or working (domestic) outside the family by 1710 and did not draw rations there. There is good reason to believe that Johannes Dietrich Jr. and the child Anna ?? did not survive the voyage from England. Son Johannes Vilhelm was born there at West Camp the following year.
The Simindger List of Palatines in America, taken in 1713 and published in 1717 in Germany, shows Johannes Dietrich and wife Anna living in Stuttgart, now the Schoharie , NY area, with two children (probably Andreas Ludwig and Johannes Vilhelm as by this time Anna Greta would have been 17 and most likely married or working outside the home also).
The Palatines that were unable to pay for their voyage from England to the New World and had their passage paid by Oueen Anne as indentured workers (to make pitch & tar from the pine forests of New York for the british navy until their debt was repaid), were supposed to receive food, shelter and clothing as part of the agreement. Due to mismanagement, the project was not successful and the rations supplied to the Palatines was stopped leaving them to forge for themselves in the Winter of 1712. To survive, the Palatines left West Camp to take up farming where they were promised land in the Schoharie Valley, NY.
After building several villages and cultivating the land it became apparent that there was a problem involving the title to the land and they would most likely never be able to own their homes and farms. A period of civil unrest ensued, a series of riots and general disorder including running the High Sheriff out of town on a rail. To quell the riots, and as compensation for their labors, the Palantines were offered land in the Stone Arabia Area. Many took the offer including Joh. Dietrich and his family, others made arrangements to stay on the land at Schoharie. Dietrich's nephew Kristianus Kasselman and family was one that stayed.
On 19 October 1723 Dietrich along with his son Andreas were two of the original patentees of a 12,700 acre land patent near the Mohawk River in Albany Co., NY. Each patentee received a 28th share of the whole, Dietrich drew lots 23 & 39, each 50 acres. The patent area became known as Stone Arabia.
Records at Albany New York reflect that both Johannes Dietrich and Anna Casselmann died there, dates and place of interment unknown.
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