Johann Christopher ZENTMEYER

1746 - 1834  (88 years)

• Name	Johann Christopher ZENTMEYER
  Born	5 Sep 1746	Bischwiller, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Died	16 Dec 1834	Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania   [1, 2]
  Buried	Zentmyer Cemetery, Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania
  Person ID	I1628	Zentmeyer Main Tree
  Last Modified	20 Jan 2018

  
  

• Notes

  There is much additional material related to Christopher on the York Co. and Franklin Co. pages on this web site. The deed by which Christopher conveyed his farm to his son Daniel was also his will, a shrewd legal strategy, see 'Third' below. But it is an interesting document for several reasons. First, John Wesley Zentmyer was a special grandson to Christopher and Barbara Zentmeyer. When the will was written in 1824, there was a special provision for John to receive two hundred dollars from the estate at Christopher's death. By 1824 Christopher had as many as eighteen additional grandchildren, none of whom were similarly provided for. The will also indicates that one John Zentmyer was living nearby at that time, and since Christopher's son John was living in Brownsville, Virginia by then, one must conclude the John residing near Christopher's farm must have been John Wesley Zentmyer. The will also provided for a shed to be built and finished adjoining John Zentmyer's house for Christopher to enjoy during the remainder of his natural life. So it appears John Wesley Zentmyer and his wife Eleanor cared for grandparents Christopher and Barbara into their old age, and were therefore rewarded in the will. Second, the will illuminates for us the diversity of economic activity on the farm. There are references to crops of wheat, rye, corn, hay, and apples; a stable with cows, horses, cattle, and hogs; a weaver shop, and wool, so presumably sheep; and firewood production indicating logging. Third, the will presented an interesting legal question, namely do certain economic provisions in a grant deed survive a foreclosure. The deed stated that "Daniel Zentmeyer engages to give to his father Christopher Zentmeyer yearly and every year during his natural life and the life of his wife Barbara twenty bushels of wheat, twenty bushels of rye, and twenty bushels of corn, also two good loads of hay, and one third of the rows of apple trees divided the short way and pasture two cows and one horse with his own cattle also to let them keep four hogs which are to run with his hogs." Neighbor George Harbaugh took title to the farm in 1828 after a foreclosure sale, and ceased fulfilling the provisions Christopher had specified in the deed. The Zentmeyers sued Harbaugh. The court held: "I look upon it as a covenant to pay rent in kind; and if it be, it is a covenant running with the land, and the defendant is clearly liable; for, upon such covenants, which concern real property, or the estate therein, the assignee of the lessee is liable for an action for a breach of covenant after the assignment of the estate to him." So Harbaugh was required to continue to supply the goods and services to Christopher as required in the deed, a much better result than had Christopher simply written a will.

  
  

Father	Johann Bernhard ZENTMEYER,   b. 1 Jan 1707, Roigheim, Württemberg, Germany ,   d. 9 Mar 1784, Warwick Twp. (now Penn), Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania  (Age 77 years)
Mother	Maria Salome ROTH,   b. 16 Mar 1712, Bischwiller, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France ,   d. 1774, Warwick Twp., (now Penn) Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania  (Age 61 years)
Married	16 Feb 1739	Bischwiller, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France   [1]
Photos » Slide Show		Bernhard and Salome's Marriage Record from the Bischwiller Kirchenbücher (Churchbooks) "16 Feb recorded in a public setting per priestly ordinances Joh. Bernhard Zentmeӱers, remaining marriage-eligible son of Jacob Zentmeӱers, citizen and resident and farmer at Roigheim, in the jurisdiction of Württemberg, and Maria Salomina, remaining marriage-eligible daughter of Jacob Roth, citizen and resident and metal worker/fitter here" This marriage record was the clue which led us the family's origins in Roigheim and then earlier in Franconia and southern Bavaria. Image by Gary Zentmyer
		Bischwiller Street Scene, Cafe and Bar. The Cafe Au Lion d'Or operates to this day in the same location in Bischwiller, Bas-Rhin, Alsace (Bischweiler or Bishweiler, Elsaß in German) Image by Gary Zentmyer
		Notarial Register from Bischwiller for Centmeyer A recently discovered genealogical record from Bischwiller. The line under Jakob Centmeyer reads, 'Ackerer (farmer -Ed) in Roigheim, Württemberg.' The entry for his son Johann Bernhard reads, 'Lutheran, day laborer at the Keibelmühle (a mill -Ed) married on 16 Feb 1739 Maria Salome Roth.' The listing of their children reveals for the first time the death dates for Johann Jakob and Maria Salome.
Family ID	F014	Group Sheet




Family	Barbara LAUMAN,   b. Abt 1750, Pennsylvania ,   d. Jan 1844, Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania  (Age ~ 94 years)
Married	22 Apr 1777	St. James Episcopal Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania by Rev. Barton   [1]
Children	+ 1. John SANTMYER,   b. 1776, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. Aft 1860, Warren Co., Virginia  (Age > 85 years)   2. Mary ZENTMYER ??,   b. 1777, Washington Twp, Franklin, Pennsylvania ,   d. 19 Feb 1851  (Age 74 years) + 3. David ZENTMYER,   b. 28 Dec 1781, Cumberland Twp, York Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 27 Jan 1867, Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland  (Age 85 years) + 4. Jacob ZENTMYER,   b. 18 Oct 1784, Cumberland Twp, York Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 2 Aug 1854, Wolfsville, Frederick Co., Maryland  (Age 69 years) + 5. Daniel ZENTMYER,   b. 1 Jan 1786, Cumberland Twp, York Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 17 Nov 1832, Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania  (Age 46 years)   6. Isaac ZENTMYER,   b. 20 Nov 1788, Cumberland Twp, York Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. Died young probably in Cumberland Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania   7. Catherine ZENTMYRE,   b. 20 Nov 1788, Cumberland Twp, York Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 16 Dec 1857, Washington Twp, Franklin, Pennsylvania  (Age 69 years) + 8. George ZENTMYER,   b. 7 Feb 1790, Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 10 Nov 1844, Sharpsburg, Washington Co., Maryland  (Age 54 years)   9. Maria Barbara ZENTMYRE,   b. 25 Dec 1791, Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania ,   d. 15 Aug 1866, Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania  (Age 74 years) + 10. Elizabeth ZENTMYER,   b. 04 Jan 1798, Washington, Franklin, Pennsylvania ,   d. 20 May 1865, Washington, Franklin, Pennsylvania  (Age 67 years)
Photos		Marriage Record for Christopher Zentmeyer and Barbara Lauman In the St. James Episcopal Church records, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Last Modified	21 Jun 2018
Family ID	F238	Group Sheet




• Photos » Slide Show		Birth Record for Christopher in Bischwiller Kirchenbücher (Churchbooks) Joh. Christoph. Zentmeӱer 5 Sept. 1746 son of Bernhard Zentmeӱer Image by Gary Zentmyer
  		Christopher's Farm, Cumberland Twp., York Co., Pennsylvania Christopher purchased and farmed this land, about 260 acres in present-day Arendtsville, Franklin Twp., Adams Co. for approximately a decade between 1779 and 1789. He and Jacob Arendt donated the parcel at the lower left in 1781 to the Lutheran and Reformed Churches for the purpose of a church, school, and cemetery. The farm was sold to Jacob Arendt, founder of Arendtsville, at a Sheriff's Sale (foreclosure) in 1789. Image by Gary Zentmyer
  		Notice of Sheriff's Sale, 7 Jan 1789 This notice was published in the Pennsylvania Herald and General Advertiser. A Sheriff's Sale is a foreclosure sale, which was to be held 27 Jan 1789. Christopher subsequently moved into Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania Image by Gary Zentmyer
  		Christopher's Farm, Washington Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania This view shows Christopher's original holdings between Rouzerville and Penmar Pennsylvania, which were foreclosed on and sold off over the years after his death in 1834. A small farm containing the house and cemetery still exists, it was owned in the year 2007 by Robert Mong, who died in 2014. We do not know the identity of the current owner.
  		Christopher's House Located on a farm past the end of Blue Mountain Rd., Rouzerville, Pennsylvania. Your webmaster and his sister are pictured. The farm was owned in the year 2007 by Robert Mong, who died in 2014. We do not know the identity of the current owner. Image by Gary Zentmyer
  		Pardoned by Gov. Thomas Mifflin Christopher was fined 10 pounds in 1795 for operating a Tippling House, essentially an unlicensed drinking establishment. At this time, Christopher was living on his farm in present-day Rouzerville, which was a scant 1/8 mile off the Great Wagon Road. Who can blame him for seizing the opportunity . . . maybe the Governor was a customer! Image by Gary Zentmyer
  		Christopher in the 1800 US Census as 'Christopher Zantmire' In Washington Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
  		Christopher in the 1810 US Census as 'Christopher Santmire' In Washington Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
  		Christopher in the 1820 US Census as 'Christopher Sentmyer' In Washington Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
  		Christopher in the 1830 US Census, as 'Christopher Zentmire' In Washington Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
  		Headstone for Christopher Zentmeyer Located in a small cemetery on Christopher's farm, between present-day Rouzerville and Penmar, Pennsylvania. Inscription: "Sacred ● to the Memory of ● Christopher Zentmyer ● Who was Born in the ● Year 1751 and Departed ● This Life Dec 16 1834 in the ● 84th Year of His Life" Birth year on headstone is at odds with the Kirchenbücher (church records) in Bischwiller, Alsace. Image by Gary Zentmyer

  
  

• Sources

  [S05794] Information contributed by Gary Zentmyer, Site Administrator. Christopher born Zentmeyer, Died Zentmyer.