Valentine Zahniser and Julia Ann Clemens

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Husband Valentine Zahniser ^{1 2}

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            AKA: Valentine Zahneisen 3
           Born:  - Germany
     Christened: 
           Died: Abt 1753 - on the Atlantic Ocean
         Buried: 

       Marriage: 24 Sep 1743 - Germany 2

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• Family History: Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906).
To read about the origins and early history of this family, click here.

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Wife Julia Ann Clemens ¹

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            AKA: Julianna Clemens 2 4
           Born: Abt 1717
     Christened: 
           Died: 1790 or 1801 - ? Mercer Co, PA 2
         Buried:  - Zahniser Cemetery, Jackson Twp, Mercer Co, PA

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   Other Spouse: Henry Stout (      -Bef 1789) 1 5 - Aft 1753

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Children

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1 M Matthias Zahniser ^{1 5}

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           Born: 1749 - Germany 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 28 Apr 1833 - ? Mercer Co, PA 6
         Buried:  - Zahniser Cemetery, Jackson Twp, Mercer Co, PA

         Spouse: Mary Lint (Abt 1754-1829) 1 5
           Marr: 1774 - Lancaster Co, PA 1

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2 M [Unk] Zahniser ²

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Abt 1753 - on the Atlantic Ocean
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Did Not Marry

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General Notes: Husband - Valentine Zahniser

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According to family tradition, the old home of the Zahniser family was situated in Highland, Germany, not far from the River Rhine, nor far from the Swiss boundary, with which the family evidently was early connected.

Being in poor health, his physician advised an ocean voyage. He concluded to come to America with his family, which consisted of his wife and two children, Matthias and the other unnamed. The father and the nameless child died on board the ship, but the mother and Matthias came to America, landing at Philadelphia in 1753, and thence going to Lancaster. [HMC 1888, 1018]

Failing health led him to start with his little family for the great land across the sea, a land apparently flowing with milk and honey and doubtless one where health could also be found. The voyage proved long and rough and before the shores of the promised land came in sight, both Valentine Zahniser and his youngest son had succumbed and their burial was at sea. The widow, with her remaining son, Mathias, were safely landed at the port of Philadelphia, in the autumn of 1753. After much hardship the widow and small child succeeded in reaching the German settlements in Lancaster County and there she was sheltered and comforted and subsequently spent many happy years, surviving until 1790.

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General Notes: Wife - Julia Ann Clemens

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She came to America from Germany with her husband and two children about 1753. The father and one of the children died on board the ship, but the mother and son Matthias landed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and went from there to Lancaster. Mrs. Zahniser was there married again. In 1789 she (a widow a second time) removed to Allegheny County with her son Matthias, and in 1797 she landed in Mercer County. Matthias arrived in the summer of that year, and made an improvement, consisting of the clearing of five acres. [HMC 1888, 1018]

During her last year of life, she was almost helpless as a result of a stroke of paralysis. She died in 1801 at the age of 84.

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Notes: Marriage

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They were married either in the village of Ilbesheim or Moersheim in Germany.

1 Editor, History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Its Past and Present (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 1018.

2 Joseph F. McFarland, 20th Century History of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1910), Pg 598.

3 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 22.

4 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 23.

5 Kate M. Zahniser & Charles Reed Zahniser, The Zahnisers - A History of the Family in America (Mercer, PA: Kate M. Zahniser, Publisher, 1906), Pg 32.

6 Joseph F. McFarland, 20th Century History of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1910), Pg 601.