Peter Minnich the Elder and Peter Minnich the Younger

of Northampton County, Pennsylvania

John D. Sinks

District of Columbia Society, SAR

7 September 2021

Peter Minnich the elder was a Pennsylvania German.  He attended churches in Northampton County where German was the primary and probably only language used at the time.  His original will was written in German.  He made his mark rather than signed his name.

Peter Minnich and his wife Sibilla probably resided in Northampton County as early as 1767.  Their daughter Maria Margaretha was baptized at the First Reformed Church of Easton in the congregation at Easton on 25 January 1767, sponsored by William and Margaretha Menich.[1]  Peter resided in Forks Twp. in 1772.  He was listed as a laborer and taxed £1.6.8 and is the only taxpayer of that surname listed in Forks Twp.[2]  Forks Twp. was to the immediate north of Easton, Pennsylvania.  By 1775 he had moved to Allen Twp., where he is taxed for 50 acres of land, 20 acres of improved land, 1 cow, 1 horse, and 2 sheep.[3]  In 1779 Peter Minnich was taxed in Allen Twp. for 100 acres of land, 30 acres of cleared land, 1 cow, 1 horse and 3 sheep.   

Peter Minnich (spelled “Muench”) took the oath of allegiance to Pennsylvania on 2 June 1778 before Thomas Hartman.[4]  Nicholas Sterner, a witness to Peter’s will, is also on the Hartman list.  Pennsylvania required that “…all male white male inhabitants of this state (except of the counties of Bedford, Northumberland, and Westmoreland) above the age of eighteen years shall on or before the first day of July next take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation before someone of the justices of the peace of the city or county where they shall respectively inhabit….[5]

The History of the Zion Reformed Church states that Minnich was one of the members of the congregation who service in Capt. George Graff’s Company in the Flying Camp,[6] but neither the service of Minnich nor Graff in the Flying Camp is documented in the published Pennsylvania Archives.  Peter Minnich did serve in the Northampton County militia.  “An Act to Regulate the Militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” passed 17 March 1777, required that each constable compile a list of “…every male white person residing within his township, borough, ward or district between the ages of eighteen and fifty-three years capable of bearing arms” which were then divided into companies and classes.[7]  Classes were used for training and draft calls.  Older or younger men could volunteer for active duty, but would not be on a class list because they were not required to attend training and were not subject to the draft.  Peter Minnich appears on the 14 May 1778 Muster Roll of Fourth Battalion, Seventh Company, Fifth Class of the Northampton County Militia (Col. John Sigfried, Capt. George Roudebush), listed as Peter Mennech.[8]  The Seventh Company has been identified as an Allen Twp. Company by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission.[9]

Peter Minnich signed his will on 6 April 1779 and was living in Allen Twp. at the time.[10]  The will was proved on 15 May of the same year.  He empowered his wife Sibilla Margartha of selling as much of his personal estate to pay his debts and left her two acres so long as she remained a widow but was to live on the land until his youngest child turned 14, even if she remarried.   No children were named.  A good house was to be built on the land.  Sibilla and George Rautenbush were named executors.  After Peter Minnich’s death, his widow remarried.  An accounting in the probate files of the estate identified the executors as Francis Fuchs[11] and Sibilla his wife/late Sibilla M[illeg] [an]d George Routenbusch.

Six children of Peter and Sibilla have been identified:

Elizabeth  7 Oct. 1764                        Indirect evidence & Christ Church Cemetery tombstone  

Maria Margaretha  21 Dec. 1767        First Reformed Church of Easton

Maria Charlotte  27 April 1769          First Reformed Church of Easton

Abraham  27 April, perhaps 1772      First Reformed Church of Easton

John  4 Sep. 1773                                Egypt Union Church Cemetery tombstone

Peter  17 May 1776                             Zion Reformed Church, Allentown

Lorentz  2 Oct. 1778                           Zion Reformed Church, Allentown

The dates are dates of birth from baptism records and tombstones.[12]  The church records consistent and narrows the gap when the family moved from Forks Twp. to Allen Twp.  The tombstone of John names both of his parents.

Establishing that Elizabeth was a daughter of Peter and Sibilla requires the use of indirect evidence.  One other known child of the couple appears not to have an extant baptism record: John, whose tombstone names both of his parents.  Elizabeth was born prior to the three children being baptized at the First Reformed Church of Easton.  No baptisms were recorded the year of her birth by that church.  Elizabeth’s tombstone in the Christ Church Cemetery at Schoenersville in Allen Twp. is very informative.  She was born l 7 October 1764 and died on 4 March 1835, her husband was Johannes Rockel, the date of marriage was 24 August 1782, and her maiden name was Minnich.  Johannes “John” Rockel’s tombstone is adjacent to hers, with dates of birth and death as 23 March 1749 and 4 January 1838.  Peter Minnich and Baltzer Rockel were both on the 1775 and 1779 tax lists for Allen Twp.  Northampton County probate records show that 1800 John Ruckel “eldest Son of Balzer” posted a bond to administer Naltzer’s estate.[13]  The families were in proximity for courtship and marriage between John and a daughter of Peter Minnich in 1782.  Franz Fuchs/Francis Fox, who married Peter’s widow, is on the Allen Twp. tax lists with Balzer Rockel for 1781, 1782, and 1783.  John Rockel is also on the 1782 and 1783 lists.  No household headed by a Minnich is on these lists, Sibilla and the Minnich children presumably residing with their Francis Fuchs.  Francis sponsored the baptism of Anna Catherina, daughter John, and Elizabeth Rockel, on 2 November 1792 at Christ Church, Schoenersville.  The direct evidence from the tombstone that Elizabeth, wife of John Rockel, was a Minnich, the proximity of the families in Allen Twp., and the absence of another Minnich family who could have had Elizabeth as a daughter, make a clear and convincing case that Elizabeth Minnich was the daughter of Peter.

Maria Margaret Minnich was born on 21 December 1766 and baptized at the First Reformed Church of Easton on 25 January 1767.  William and Margaretha Minnich were the sponsors.  Some researchers believe Maria Margaret married Niklaus Bicker or Bickert.  Both are buried in the Schoenersville Cemetery in what is now Hanover Twp. of Lehigh County but was in Allen Twp. of Northampton County until 1798.  Nicholas was born on 30 March 1754 and died 28 December 1835.  According to her tombstone, Maria Margaret was born on 19 December 1767 and died on 1 July 1831.  The cemetery is contiguous with the Christ Church Cemetery of Schoenersville and often confused with the cemetery because there is not a clear boundary.  The location is certainly plausible for a daughter of Peter Minnich.  The date of birth is inconsistent with the date of birth given in the church record by almost exactly one year.

Maria Charlotte Minnich was born on 27 April 1769 and baptized at the First Reformed Church of Easton on 18 June 1769.  No information about her after her baptism has been found.

Abraham Minnich was baptized on the 27^th of April, but no year of baptism or date of birth for any child for over a dozen children is listed contiguously in the church record.  1771 or 1772 are possibilities, given the years of birth for children immediately before and after the group.  Abraham Münch and his wife Elizabeth had a child, Elizabeth, born on 14 November 1793 and baptized at the Christ Reformed Church at Schoenersville.[14]  Ludwig Keiper and his wife were the sponsors.  Elizabeth Kaiper, daughter of Ludwig and Catherine Keiper, was baptized by the Rev. Christopher Gobrecht at the Lower Saucon United Church of Christ in Lower Saucon Twp. of Northampton County.[15]  She was born on 9 January 1769.  Some researchers have identified Abraham as Abram Minich, born 9 March 1771 and buried at the Conyngham Union Cemetery in Luzerne County.  A number of Northampton and Lehigh County families, some with no known relationship to one another, moved to Luzerne in the early 19^th century.  Abram died on 12 January 1842.  This is consistent with the incomplete evidence from the record of baptism.  Abram’s wife is buried in the cemetery also, but the tombstone has sunk so neither the date of birth nor age is not visible in a photograph of posted at findagrave.com.  Her dates of birth and death are given as 9 January 1769 and 12 January 1842.  Abraham purchased 83 acres & 26 perches of land in Sugarloaf Twp., Luzerne County from Samuel and Barabara Yost on 6 March 1835.[16]  The heirs sold the land from the estate to Abraham Minnick, Jr. on 7 April 1837.  The grantors were John & Mary Minnich, Peter & Margaret Minnich, Jacob & Sarah Minnich, Joseph & Susana Minnich, Charles & Nancy Minnich, John & Elizabeth Clase, formerly Minnich.  The grantors and grantee were heirs of Abraham Minnich and all residents of Sugarloaf Twp., a township in the southwestern corner of Luzerne County.

John Minnich was born on 4 September 1773 according to his tombstone, which gives his name as “Johann Minnich”, born 4 September 1773.  The tombstone names his parents as Peter and Sibilla Minnich.  John died on 4 October 1863.  Adjacent to his tombstone is that of his wife, Susana Minnich, born 26 February 1777 and died 16 January 1854.  It says she had 9 children and was married to Johannes Minnich for 55 years.  The death record of Simon Minnich, who died on 15 February 1888 aged 73 yrs., 10 mos., 29 d., names his parents as John Minnich and Susan Balliet.[17]  A posting at findagrave.com reports that Susan was baptized at Zion Stone Church in Allen Twp. on 23 March 1777 and that her parents were Jacob and Anna Maria Bolliet.

Peter Minnich was born on 17 May 1776 in Northampton County.  He is listed on the 1800 Census of Allen Twp. in Northampton County as Peter Mönig, Jr., distinguishing him from a man who will be referred to in this paper as Peter Minnich the Younger who is listed on the same page as Peter Mönig (p. 548).  Peter, Jr. is aged 16 to 26, with the females in the household aged 16 to 26 and under 10.  It is clear from this and many other records that Peter, Jr. and Peter the Younger both had “Peter” as their rufname.  Parents would not give a child the same rufname as a living sibling.  Contrary to numerous postings at ancestry.com, Peter, the Younger was not the son of Peter the elder.  Peter and Magdalena Münch sponsored the baptism of Simon Peter Münch, born 18 March 1814 and baptized 16 April 1814 at the Christ Reformed Church inn Schoenersville.[18]  

Lorenz Minnich was born on 2 October 1778.  No tombstone photograph is posted at findagrave.com, but a memorial says that he was buried at the Schoenersville Cemetery by the Rev. Joshua Yeager.  His date of death was 28 January 1845, aged 66 years 4 months, 10 days.  The calculated date of birth would be 18 September 1778.  He is listed on the 1810 census of Lehigh County (p. 75A).  The eldest female was aged 16 to 26 and four children under 10 were in the household.  On 10 June 1827, he married a second time at the Christ Lutheran and Reformed Church.[19]  Hannah Nagel was his bride.

Another Peter Minnich resided in Northampton County during the Revolution and had military service in the Revolution after the elder Peter Minnich died.  This Peter Minnich was under 18 in 1778, making him too young to have taken the oath of allegiance or to have been on a militia class roll that year.  His tombstone in the Hanover Green Cemetery, Hanover Twp., Luzerne County, Pennsylvania gives his dates of birth as 28 October 1761 and date of death as 25 April 1826.[20]  This Peter Minnich, Peter Minnich the Younger, was the only man of the name in Northampton County who was of an age to perform military service in 1781, 1782, and 1783.

Peter Minnich the Younger appears on two class lists of the 3^rd Company, Fourth Battalion of the Northampton County Militia (Capt. George Shriver, Col. Philip Boehm) in 1781 and 1782.[21]  He was in the 3^rd Class and listed as Peter Manch and Peter Mench respectively.  This company was from Northampton Town (now the historic district of Allentown).  In 1782 the 3rd class was drafted for two months of active duty on the frontiers.[22]  He served from 11 June to 12 August 1782.  George Plank (W1994), one of the privates on the muster roll of the company, testified that he was called out to serve against the Indians.  The company marched over the Blue Mountains and did not encounter Indians.  Plank was not sure of the year (thought it was 1781) and did not know the names of officers because, being German, he did not speak English. 

Peter Minnich next served in the Continental Line as a private in Capt. Philip Shrawder’s Company of Rangers under Major James Moore.  A record of enlistments under Major Moore states that Peter was 19, born in Allen Twp. of Northampton County, was a laborer, and enlisted on 3 November 1783.[23]  His appearance on a 1781 class list indicates he was 18 or over at the time, supporting 1761 year of birth reported on his tombstone.  The place of birth in Allen Twp. is also questionable.  Minnicks do not appear in Allen Twp. until after 1772.  Peter appears on the extant muster and payrolls of Capt. Shrawder’s Company from December 1783 through May 1784.[24]  His name was recorded in a book under the heading, “Return of the Pennsylvania Line, entitled to Donation Lands, reported by the late Comptroller General.”[25] He was entitled to 200 acres.

Peter Minnich married Elizabeth Rockel, daughter of Balzer Rockel.  This provided a connection by marriage to the family of Peter Minnich the elder, whose daughter Elisabeth married John Rockel, the eldest son of Baltzer and Elizabeths (Kehler) Rockel.  The younger Elizabeth was born on 17 January 1752 and died on 11 December 1824 according to the Minnich grave information in DAR documentation files for applications on Peter Minnich.  The evidence for the marriage is indirect.  Peter Minnigh was one of the two men who posted bond on 15 December 1800 to the administrator of Balzer Ruckel’s estate.[26]  The accounting of the estate listed £1,340.9.9 ins Bonds, Notes, and Book Debts.  A breakdown of this below the estate inventory named the individuals who owed the estate money.  Peter Minnich owed a large amount, £229.16.6.  Others owing money to the estate were John Ruckel, Melchior Ruckel, George Ruckel, and Ulrich Michael.  On 6 March 1796 Ulrich Michael and his wife Maria sponsored the baptism of Maria Magdalena Muenich, born 2 December 1795 to Peter and Elizabeth Muenich.[27]  On 31 December 1797 Peter and Elizabeth Muennich sponsored the baptism of Johannes Rockel, born 28 November 1797 to Johannes and Elizabeth Rockel, and on 13 January 1799, they sponsored the baptism of Peter Rockel, son of Melchior and Maria Rockel.[28]

Peter Minnich moved from Northampton County to Hanover Twp., Luzerne County about 1819, a common migration pattern.[29]  That year on 4 May Peter Meneg “late of the County of Northampton” purchased 283 acres of land in Hanover Twp. of Luzerne from Abraham Bradley, Jr.  On 27 December 1819 Peter Menich, Sr. of Hanover Twp., Luzerne County purchased five horses, harnesses, a wagon body, and other articles from Henry Ash.  Hanover is roughly in the center of Luzerne County and not proximate to Sugarloaf Twp. where Abraham Minnich lived.  The two families stay close to these two townships and apparently did not intermingle. 

The 1800 census for Hanover Twp., Northampton County shows that Peter Minnich was 26 to 44, with male a male child 16 to 18 in the household (p. 540).  The eldest female in the household 26 to 44 with two female children 10 to 16 and two under 10 household.  The 1810 census of the same township lists Peter Minnig over 45, the eldest female over 45, and one female 16 to 26 and two 10 to 16.  Some children were certainly old enough to remain in Northampton and Lehigh Counties rather than accompany Peter and Elizabeth to Luzerne.

Henry Minnich was born on 10 August 1785 died on 5 October 1845, according to the dates on his tombstone in the Hanover Green Cemetery in Luzerne County.  His wife, Elizabeth, was born on 13 October 1781 and died on 2 October 1828.[30]  On 1 November 1806 Peter and Elizabeth Munch sponsored the baptism of Peter Munch, son of Heinrich and Elizabeth Munch, at the Christ Reformed Church in Schoenersville.[31]  Henry Menich as listed with Peter Menich on the 1820 census of Luzerne County in Hanover Twp.  On 20 April 1826 Peter Menig sold Henry Menig Land in Hanover Twp. of Luzerne County that he purchased from Henry Ash in 1819.[32]  Although direct evidence that Henry was the son of Peter the Younger has not been found, the connections in Schoenersville and in Hanover Twp. of Luzeren County provide convincing evidence of the family relationship.  The daughters of the American Revolution has accepted an application on services of both Peter Minnich the Younger and Baltzer Rockel that go through Henry and Minnich.

Susanna, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Münch, was born on 16 June 1788 according to records of the Christ Reformed Congregation at Schoenersville, Allen Twp.  Some researchers believe that she married Jacob Rumage and died in Luzerne County.  The surname appears to have been spelled Romich or Rumage in Northampton records.  A tombstone in the Hanover Green Cemetery in Luzerne County gives the date of death of Susanna Rummage as 1 August 1839, aged 51 yrs., 1 mo., 15 days.  From this a date of birth of 16 April 1788 can be calculated.  Jacob Rummage is listed on the 1820 census in Luzerne County (p. 372) but is not found in Northampton or Lehigh County.  His tombstone in Hanover Green Cemetery gives his date of death as 11 February 1856, aged 66 yrs., 6 mos., 4 d., from which a date of birth of 17 October 1792 is calculated. 

Catherine “Katie” Romich is also identified by researchers as a daughter Peter Minnich.  Moreover, the Daughters of the American Revolution has accepted two applications on lineage through Catherine to Peter the Younger.[33]  Catherine was the wife of Conrad Romich.  Conrad Rumage of Hanover Twp. died testate, signing his will on 27 April 1867 (Will Bk. D, pp. 321 & 322).  He provided for this widow, Catherine, and Peter Rumnage was to pay $50 to bequests to daughters Mary Van Dormark, Polly Bowman, and grandson Mallery M. Rumage.  He said he had already provided for daughter Eliza Van Norman and named son-in-law Mahlon Van Norman was name executor.  Catherine Rumage was born in 1794 and died on 27 Jan 1876, according to a memorial at findagrave.com.  She is buried in the Hanover Green Cemetery, but no photograph of the tombstone is posted.

Others have been named by researchers as children of Peter Minnich the Younger, but there is less information connecting them to Peter.

To summarize, two Minnich men with the rufname of Peter provided Revolutionary service from Northampton County, Pennsylvania.  The elder was married to Sibilla and was old enough to have children born in the 1760’s.  He took the oath of allegiance and was enrolled in the militia of Allen Twp. in 1778, Fourth Battalion, Capt. George Roudebush.  He died testate in 1779.  The younger was born in 1761 according to his tombstone, making him too young to take the oath of allegiance or be on a militia class list in 1778.  He was not the son of Peter the Elder, who did have a son named “Peter” who was born in 1776.  Peter the Younger appears on 1781 and 1782 class lists of the Northampton County Militia in the Fourth Battalion under Capt. George Shriver, Col. Philip Boehm.  He was on active duty in 1782.  He served in Capt. Philip Shrawder’s Company of Rangers under Major James Moore, Continental Line shortly before the end of the Revolution and continuing into 1784.  Peter the Younger married Elizabeth Rockel, daughter of Baltzer and Elizabetha (Kehler) Rockel.  John Rockel, son of Baltzer and Elizabetha, married Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Minnich the Elder.  The two families attended the same church after the Revolution and were connected by marriage into the Rockel family and may well have been connected by blood.  Peter the Younger removed to Luzerne County, Pennsylvania about 1819 where he died in 1826.

Four men have approved applications in SAR on the services of Peter Minnich the Elder (P-334709) and four ladies have had approved applications in DAR, although the lines were closed on the first two due to incorrect service (A080348).  SAR has no approved applications on Peter the Younger; DAR has four (A080345). A080345