Stephen Hotzenbella, The Immigrant 1710 - 1778

6th Great Grandfather Maternal Side

Stephen came from the Palatine region of Germany aboard the ship Mortonhouse which arrived in Philadelphia in the summer of 1728. Having paid his own way he came as a free man. Stephen signed the Oath of Allegiance with his mark and was noted as Staffen Hattsebeiler one of the many different spellings his last name would later morph into. There were 80 families listed on this ship which made it's way from Rotterdam to America.

Since Stephen was a Blacksmith by trade he found his way to Virginia where Alexander Spottswood had encouraged immigration to work the mines. While there he met and married Elizabeth Brumback between 1732 and 1736. Elizabeth was born at Germanna about 1715 and educated at Germantown. She and Stephen had many children before 1767 when it is believed that she died.

Stephen Hansonbella, recorded a deed on March 20, 1736 in Orange County, Virginia for 450 acres of land near the mouth of the Opequon Creek (Cartmell's History of the Shenandoah Valley, Page 14).  On September 3, 1755 he procured a grant for 400 acres of land on the Capon River in Virginia.

In 1743, Stephen Hansenbella was appointed County Constable in Frederick County. 

After Elizabeth's death Stephen married a second time to a widow, Barbara Renner or Brenner, maiden name unknown, who survived him. He provided well for her in his will (Frederick Co. Will Book 6, pp 628-629) which he made on April 2, 1778 and signed by his mark. This will was probated on May 7, 1778 with his son, Jacob, and his son-in-law, Valentine Switzer as executors. Five pounds each were left to the Lutheran and Calvinist churches or the “Reformed Calvinist ministry from Palatine.”

Stephen lived in America less than 50 years. He embraced the economic, civic, and religious life of his adopted country. He left a comfortable estate but perhaps the greatest contribution of this pioneer was his family of twelve children, seven daughters and five sons:

1. Mary; b about 1737 married Valentine Switzer
2.  George; b about 1738 married Catherine McKeever
3.  John, Sr.; b. about 1739 married Barbara Schurf
4.  JACOB; b. about 1740 married Elizabeth Huber (5th great grandparents)
5.  Agnes; b. about 1741 married Rudolph Bomgardner
6. Catherine; b. about 1742 married Kerns
7.  Elizabeth; b. about 1743 married Jacob Hoover (Huver most likely brother to Elizabeth who married Jacob Hostenpiller)
8.  Peter; b. about 1745 (was not listed in will)
9.  Anna Maria; b. about 1747 married William Stroop, II (Stroup)
10. Sarah; b. about 1749 married Hopliel Coffman
11.  Susannah; b. about 1750 married Siegler
12.  Stephen, Jr.; b. about 1752 (was not listed in will)

Stephen Hotzenbella died on May 7,1776 in Germantown, Virginia. He was most likely buried on his plantation.

Sources:

1.      www.hathitrust.org

Brumback-Hotsinpiller Genealogy. Some of the Descendants of Melchoir Brumback of the 1714 Germmana Colony in Virginia through his daughter Elizabeth who married Stephen Hotsinpiller and Allied Families; Dixon, E. C. (1961). Englewood, New Jersey

Library of Virginia, Online Catalog
Early Records of Hampshire VA by Sage & Jones

A history of Halifax County (Virginia) by Wirt Johnson Carrington, (1924); Appeals press; Richmond, VA

Genealogical Abstracts from 18th-Century Virginia Newspapers by Robert K. Headly, Jr. (1987); Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.; Baltimore, Maryland

U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Yates Publishing, Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2004

Breitbard, Gail. Some Names from Virginia Wills & Administrations. In The Lost Palatine, no. 22 (1985), p. 2.
Pennsylvania German Pioneers by Ralph Beaver Strassburger and William John Hincke, (1934); Pennsylvania Germann Society; Norristown, PA; Vol.1, Page 19

From research of  Nadine Peterson (NPeter2089@aol.com) & Frank Thomas Switzer (Ancestry.com)Contact: Thom Switzer: ranglesmite@hotmail.com