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466. Barbara Wurtzin (Wirtzin) (Wurtz) (Married Antoni Reger (#465) about 1729) [The source of orange information is an e-mail from Jim Reagor on 17 June 2009. The source of green information is Notes of Gwen Reger (Reger family historian), posted on the internet. The source of purple information: Decendants of Hans Jacob Rueger by Henry Koffman (Reger Family Genealogist) via Internet posting). Source of wine colored information: Reger WV Tree on ancestry.com posted by Larwvusa)]

Born: ? of Unknown Father(931) and Elsbeth Scholerin (#932)

Died: ?

[Her siblings, if any are unknown.]

 

Miscellaneous Information:

Bob Reger and Gwen have" traced the Reger family back over 400 years to several villages neal Basel, Switzerland. The ancestor of all the Regers in our area was born in 1690 in Benken, Switzerland. His name was Antoni Ruger (John J , grandson of youngest son, Jemima-great grandaughter of eldest son). Benken is a small village in the Canton of Basel, about 10 miles southwest of the City of Basel. (She and Bob were there in 1985) The city had control of the whole Canton and kept its subjects in a state of serfdom until 1790. Times were hard as Antoni grew up. There was no religious freedom and higher taxes were levied. By 1736, he was having difficulty in providing for his large family. He tried to get permission from authorities in Basel to emigrate to America. His request was denied, but he was allowed to go to Germany where he was able to make the necessary arrangements. His family consisted of his family by his first marriage, a little girl from his second marriage, his four year old son, Hans Jacob, by his third wife, Barbara Wurtz, her children from her first marriage and her mother.

The ship left Rotterdam, Holland on May 11, 1737. They sailed from Rotterdam to Cowes, England then across the Atlantic. Their ship, the "Virtuous Grace," captained by John Bull, arrived in Philadelphia on September 24, 1737. On the ship's roster Antoni signed his name Ruger, while his eldest son signed Reuger. The passenger list shows the spelling of the last names of Antoni and his two sons Anthony and Burtgart as Reigel, Reugel and Ruger. Ruger being the correct spelling.

The family went to a German speaking community in what is now Berks County, PA -- Bob and Gwen found in the original records of the Bern Reformed Church in Leesport, PA, that Antoni and his wife were godparents of a child baptized there in 1745.

By the next year 1746, they were in what is now Hardy County, WV on the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potamac near Mooresfield. There Anthony (now spelled) Reager received two land grants from Lord Fairfax: 375 acres in 1748 and 498 acres in 1749.

According to the History of Hardy County "In Novemebr 1749 two Morovian Missionaries met an old Swiss Antoni Reager who occasionally read sermons for his neighbors and had baptized his own children since no minister had ever visited the settlement before the Morovians."

The family worked, worshipped and thrived. Antoni died in 1770 leaving all of his property to his eldest son, Antony, Jr. Jacob, the youngest son, had to look elsewhere for land."

(The following was taken from "Highlights of the Journey from Switzerland to Virginia).

" Antoni Ruger/Reger, the elder, at age 47, his wife Barbara Wurtz Reger, also 47 and Elsbeth (Scholerin) Wurtz, age 72, his mother-in-law by his first (should be third) marriage, asked permission to go to the American Colonies because of excess taxation. Permission was denied because of quotas.

May 11, 1737: Antoni (age 47), leaves Rotterdam, Holland with his family and mother-in-law on the "Virtuous Grace" with Capt. John Bull at the helm.

The voyage takes all summer, arriving in Philadelphia on Sept. 24, 1737. The mother-in-law died during the voyage. Antoni was now 48. Adult males (older than 16) were "immediately naturalized" American colonials and British subjects." The ships manifest lists Anthony Reigel, age 48, Anthony Reigel, age 24 and Burghart Reigel age 21, the latter 2 being sons of the first marriage."

(Note: The spelling of the names was from the Captains list and often prepared phonetically and not necessarily correct as to spelling. A second list of the passenger listing signers of the oath of allegiance to England shows the spelling as Antoni Ruger, Antoni Reuger and Burckhart Ruger.)

" Soon after arrival, the family moved to Dolben Hagen, PA (now named Womelsdorf) about 75 miles northwest of Philadelphia. ( Womelsdorf is roughly midway between Harrisburg and Reading on US 404). They were in Dolben Hagen at least as late as 1739, but soon moved to Lancaster Co, PA."

[Note: On 18 October 1738 200 acres of land was deeded to an Anthony Reyger in Lancaster County. This could be Antoni Reger.]

Hans Jacob would have been 3 years old when the family arrived in America. Eventually, in 1760, he would marry Barbary (Barbara) Crites, another German immigrant. She had arrived in Philadelphia with her father, Hans Kritz (Crites) aboard the "Osgood" in 1750. Jacob and Barbary had 11 children born in Hardy Co. (formerly Hampshire) WV and did not cross the Alleghenies into Lewis (Barbour, Upshur) Co. until near the end of the Revolutionary War. Jacob received a land grant for Big Run, Barbour(Upshur) Co. in 1781.

Antoni Reger/Ruger patented 375 acres of Lot 5 in 1748 and 498 acres of lot 6 in 1749, located along Kade Run and Baker Hollow Run on the west bank and reaching towards Shooks Run on the east on the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac in Hampshire/Hardy Co., Virginia/West Virginia.

(Land Information, Hampshire Co., WV -Now Hardy Co., Hampshire Co.,
V/WV Land Grant Book G...pgs. 131 & 273......Lot 5, 375 acres, Map 8970
Grid 410.....Lot 6, 498 acres, Map8970, Grid449.)

Two Moravian missionaries traveled the South Branch of the Potomac River in 1749. While traveling up the South Fork preaching, they "met an old Swiss, Antoni Richart"(Reger) who occasionally read sermons for his neighbors and had baptized his own children since no minister had ever visited the settlement before the Moravians.

In 1750 Anthony Reger and Anthony Reger Jr. had to pay taxes while living on the South Fork.

Antoni died in 1770 leaving all of his property to his eldest son, Antony, Jr. Jacob, the youngest son, had to look elsewhere for land.

Anthoni Reger's will was dated November 4, 1769 and proved May 8, 1770 in Hampshire Co., Virginia (now West Virginia)

(The passenger list shows the spelling of the last names of Antoni [aged 48] and his two sons Anthony [aged 24] and Burtgart [aged 21] as Reigel, Reugel and Ruger. Ruger being the correct spelling.)

German Pioneers to Pennsylvania
Passenger Ships' Lists
Includes People from the Palatine

THE VIRTOUS GRACE
[List 46 A] [Palatines imported in the Ship Virtuous Grace, John Bull, Master from Rotterdam & Cowes. [Qualified Sept. 24, 1737]

Barbara and Antoni had two children: Maria Ruger, born about 1730, and Hans Jacob Reager (Reger) (#233) born 22 April 1734.

 

Contact person for this website is Susan Snyder: susanleachsnyder@gmail.com