(UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
There were several Durrenberger families and individuals who immigrated to the American Colonies and the United States in the 18th century. These have for the most part been well documented elsewhere (see especially Early Families of Northwest New Jersey and A Terryberry Family).
At the risk of beating a dead horse, I present here information on the Durrenbergers of eighteenth century America, many of whom came originally from Alsace. Further information on this connection is forthcoming; although I have not yet consulted it, I am told reference [1] is a good source.
Durrenbergers Found in 18th Century Passenger Lists
I. Source: reference [2]. (Transcriptions of original lists now at the Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg.)
- Ship Robert and Alice from Rotterdam and last from Dover, arrived Philadelphia 11 Sep 1738.
- Passengers aboard:
- Hans Michell Torenberger
- Oygell Torenberger
- Phylip Toffer
- Jacob Toffer
- Stephen Jorenboxger
- Immigrants from:
- Hans Michel Torenberger
- Jon Jacob Torenberger
- Philip Tofort
- Jacob Tofort
- Stephen Durnbercher
- Palatines taking the Oath of Government at the Philadelphia Courthouse:
- Hans Michael Türenberger
- Hans Jacob Türenberger
- Philip Thiffort
- Jacob Thiffort junior
- Stephan Törreberger
[My note: For some ships, such as this one, there were more than one list of passengers compiled. The order of people in each list, however, tended to be roughly identical, making it easy to correlate the same people in each list despite differences in spelling. In each of the above lists, Hans Michael and Hans Jacob Durrenberger seem to have presented themselves together; thus, the bizarre "Oygell" can be safely assumed to be Jacob. The Dufforts, I understand, were the family of Stephan Durrenberger's wife, hence their inclusion here. Stephan, no doubt traveling with his wife, presented himself with the Dufforts (much farther down the original lists than the unmarried Michael and Jacob), hence the difference in (mis)spelling of the surname between Stephan and his brothers.]
- Ship Lydia from Rotterdam and last from Dover, arrived Philadelphia 27 Sep 1740.
- Passengers aboard:
- Johan Hend'k Ernberger, age 26
- Immigrants from:
- Palatines taking the Oath of Government at the Philadelphia Courthouse:
[My note: I'm not sure if Johann Henry was a Durrenberger or not; however, note the misspelling of Stephan Durrenberger's surname with a "J" in the first of the three Robert and Alice lists above. Also aboard this ship were families named Holumberger or Hollenberger or Hornberger. Possibly also a derivation of "Durrenberger," but less likely.]
- Ship Phoenix from Rotterdam and last from Cowes, arrived Philadelphia 28 Aug 1750.
- Palatines taking the Oath of Government at the Philadelphia Courthouse:
- Christopf Durrenberger
- Hans Jerg Dieren[berger]
[My note: Christoph and Georg were not found together in the list, hence the difference in spelling of the surname.]
- Ship Eastern Branch from Rotterdam and Portsmouth, arrived Philadelphia 3 Oct 1753.
- Passengers aboard:
- Immigrants from:
- Palatines taking the Oath of Government at the Philadelphia Courthouse:
[My note: Adam may or may not have been a Durrenberger; he always seems to have used the "Dornberger" spelling.]
- Ship Diana, arrived Philadelphia 10 Aug 1791.
- Peter Durenburgh, with
wife Eliza Durenburgh, and
children Solima, Philip, Jerry Frederick, and Hans Jerry.
- Peter Durenburgh, with
wife Margaret, and
children Hans Jerry and Magdalena.
[My note: I missed the second of the two Peters when consulting [2]; the second entry I found in [3] with a reference to [2]. The identities of these immigrants are known, all from Gundershoffen, Alsace:
- Johann Peter Durrenberger and wife Maria Elisabetha nee Muller, with their 4 youngest children Maria Salomea (b. 1777), Philipp Georg (b. 1775), Georg Friederich (b. 1779), and Johann Georg (b. 1782).
- Johann Peter Durrenberger (eldest son of Johann Peter above) and second wife Margaretha nee Diemer, with children Johann Georg (b. 1788 from Peter's first marriage) and Eva Magdalena (b. 1789)]
II. Source: reference [3]. (Evidence of immigrants compiled from numerous sources. Original references are given before entries therefrom.)
- Faust, Albert B. Lists of Swiss Emigrants in the 18th Century to the American Colonies.
- To Carolina and/or Pennsylvania, 1736:
- To Carolina and/or Pennsylvania, 1772:
- Durrenberger, Hans Joggi, with
wife Elsbeth Muller, and
children Hans Hendrich and Hans Jacob.
- Durrenberger, Jacob, with
wife Verena Burgin, and
children Verena, Jacob, Barbara, and Maria.
- Durrenberger, Verena.
- Hinke, William J., and John Baer Stoudt. List of German Immigrants to the American Colonies from Zweibrucken in the Palatinate, 1728-49.
- From The Palatine Immigrant (? Sorry, I need to double-check this reference.)
Durrenbergers in 18th Century New Jersey Records
I. 1793 Militia Census, Roxbury township, Morris Co.
- Stephen Dernberger, junior
- Philip Dernberger, junior
II. New Jersey Rateables, Roxbury township, Morris Co. (Mar 1779 and Feb 1780)[4]
- widow Derenberer, 150 acres (2 horses, 2 cows, 4 pigs)
- Philip Derenberer, 130 acres (3 horses, 5 cows, 1 pig)
- Frederick Derenberer, 170 acres (2 horses, 5 cows)
III. New Jersey Rateables, Tewksbury township, Hunterdon Co. (Aug 1779 and Aug 1780)[5]
- Jacob Derreberry, 50 acres (3 horses, 3 cows, 5 pigs)
IV. Marriage records, Zion Lutheran Church, Oldwick, Hunterdon Co.[6]
- 12 May 1772. Adam Säger (Johannis Säger's son) and Elizabeth Dürrebergerin (Stephan Dürreberger's daughter), in the Valley, in the church.
- 10 May 1778. Daniel Landerman and Maria Dörreberger.
- 8 Feb 1789. Stephen Dörreberger and Elisabeth Laurentz.
- 19 Jun 1794. Jacob Dörreberger, widower, and Elisabeth Hildebrand, widow.
- 4 Feb 1810. Philipp Baker, 58 years old, and Mrs. Elisabeth Duerrberger, 78 years old.
- 15 Dec 1810. Jacob Derrenberger and Rachel Fritz.
- 23 Feb 1811. George Fritz and Mary Derreberger.
- 21 Jan 1813. John Derreberger and Mary Tuffert.
- 1 Oct 1814. David Derrenberger and Margaret Welsh.
V. Morris Co. marriage records[6]
- 14 Aug 1802. Morris Dernberger and Marcy Yongs, both of Washington [Morris Co.], by Nicholas Neighbor, J.P.
- 23 Feb 1811. George Foite and Mary Derreberger, by Ernest Lewis Hanlies, minister.
VI. Hunterdon Co. gravestones (Spruce Run Lutheran Churchyard)[7]
- Dernberger, Jacob, d. 6 Nov 1868 age 82.4.24, with
wife Rachel, d. 6 Apr 1862 age 71.2.13,
son Jacob, d. 23 Sep 1838 age 14 years 1 month.
VII. New Jersey wills[8,9]
- "[no date] Durenberger, Stephen, of Roxbury, Morris Co., farmer; will of. Wife, Mary, to have all while she goes by my name. Oldest son, Philip Durenberger, £8. Sons, Philip and Jury Frederick Durenberger, the farm where Philip lives. Youngest son, Stephen, horses. My 3 youngest daughters, Anna Lizabeth, Margaret and Mary, as they arrive to age, an outset as the rest of the daughters. Executors - wife, Mary, and John Sayger. Witnesses - John Sayger, Jacob Hager, David Fetter. Proved Jan. 23, 1776.
1776, Jan. 16. Inventory, £290.1.0, made by Anna Mary Dirburger, widow, and John Sager. Executors, and Roelof Roelofson and Christopher Kerns, appraisers."
- "[no date] Dorreberger, Jacob, of Lebanon, Hunterdon Co., will of. Wife Elizabeth, remainder of estate. Relation, Jacob Dorreberger (who liveth with me), 2 horses, 1 plow, gears, and tackling. Executor - friend, John Swackhammer. Witnesses - Daniel Trimmer, John Swackhammer. Proved Oct 29, 1794."
Sources:
[1] Burgert, Annette Kunselman. Eighteenth Century Immigrants from the Northern Alsace to America.
[2] Strassburger, Ralph Beaver. Pennsylvania German Pioneers. Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1980.
[3] Filby, William P., and Dorothy M. Lower. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index
[4] Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, vol. 46.
[5] Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, vol. 49.
[6] Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, vol. 40.
[7] Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, vol. 41.
[8] Calendar of Wills 1771-1780.
[9] Calendar of Wills 1791-1795.
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