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The First Generation in America
They were redemtioners who spent the first years in America as servants to pay for their ship passage. But they got on with life and in a few short years Christopher and Catherine had another child named Catherina who was baptised in Lancaster 22 Jun 1787. The same year that the Constitution of the United States was ratified at Philadelphia.Below is evidence of our immegrant grandfather Christopher, his family and decendants. 1. Johann Christph1 Versch was born 20 May 1745 in Bestenheid, Wertheim county, Germany. He was the son of Johann Wilhelm Versch and Anna Kunigunda Dosch. He was married 28 November 1769 in Wertheim to Catharina Barbara Eirich the daughter of Johann Paul Eirich of Bestenehid. They lived in the villiage of Bestenheid until the time of their immigration.7 The villiage is located in the modern state of Baden-Wurtemberg, Germany. In the old principality of Loewenstein-Wertheim. Christoph requested a sale of his property from his local governmnet to come to America on 31 Mar 1785 with his wife and two children.8 They arrived at the port of Philadelphia on the 31st of Aug 1785. The passenger list recorded the family as Christopher, Catherine, Catherine and George.9 Upon arriving in Philadelphia the family was sold into servitude as redemtioners. The first to be sold was Christophs daughter Catharina on 1 September. She was bound as a servant to Edward Williams a merchant from Philadelphia and was assigned by him to Daniel Williams, Gentleman of Northern Liberties Township, Philadephia County Pennsylvania. She was to work for five and half years ending 1 March 1791, she was only 12 years old when her servitude begain. Her father Christoph, mother Catharina and brother Christopher Versch of York County, Pennsylvania Georg were bound servants on 30 September to Abraham Herr a farmer from Manor Township, Lancaster county. They were to work for him for three and a half years ending 30 March 1789.10 While working as servants for Abraham Herr their second daughter Maria Catharina was born 13 June 1787 and was baptized in the city of Lancaster on 22 June 1787.11 The next evidence for the family appeared in 1796 in a small ad that ran in the Pennsylvania Harald and York General Advertiser. "Christopher Feirst has taken up in Chanceford Township a black year old filly. Strayed or stollen out of the pasture of John Mitchel, Monaughan Township."12 Then in 1797 the tax rolls of Fawn Township showed Stophel Ferst with 200 acres and three cows, value $327, tax 1.44.13 The glass tax of 1798 for York Township, York County had Christopher First as an occupant of land owned by Mathias Dillenger or Dissenger near the land of Johnathan Hartman. He had one house and one barn.14 In 1799 York Township, the tax rolls showed 5 cows at a value of $30 and a tax of 13 cents.15 He was also listed in the York Township taxes of 1804.16 In the 1800 census of York Township there was listed one male under 10 years, one male of 45 and up, two females 26-45 and one female 45 and up.17 Christopher was 55 in 1800. Christopher shows up in the tax list for Dover Township 1810-1812.18 In the 1810 census of Christopher Versch of York County, Pennsylvania Dover Township there was shown one male 10-16, one male 45 and up. Two females under 10, two females 16-26 and one female 26-45.19 I have always felt that if Christopher had 200 acres in 1797 that he must have fallen on hard times. I have found no deeds for Christopher. Christopher's will was written 22 December 1812. He mentions his two daughters Catherine married to Samuel Kepler and Daniel Ernst respectively. Also his grandson Adam Grish. One daughter was married twice, however I don't know which one, the oldest Catherine is the most likely.20 This is his signature as taken from his will.
4 hoggs £4/06/00 Samuel Kepler reported the balance of $233.82½ cents from the estate 19 September 1815.23 From the above evidence it is shown that Christopher died in 1814 in Hellam Township, York County, PA.24 Catherine probably died before 1810 as the 1810 census indicates.25 It appears that Christopher was primarily a farmer. Children of Johann Christoph Versch and Catharina Barbara Eirich are shown below.27
i. Margaretha Barbara, born 30 January 1770 in + 2. ii. Catharina + 3. iii. Johann Georg
iv. Johann Christoph, born 25 May 1780 in Bestenheid.
v. Johann Nicolaus, born 16 August 1781 in
vi.Johann Nicolaus, born 12 March 1783 in + 4. vii. Maria Catharina The First Generation Reference
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His will was probated and his son in Law Samuel Kepler appointed Executor 18 April 814.21 An inventory of the Estate of Christopher Versch deceased was filed 3 May 1814.22 The inventory of his estate reads as follows. 'A True and conseintious appraisment of the goods and chattles of(Christuffussel Farst - crossed out) Christopher Versch late of Hellam Township York County deceased taken this nineteenth day of April AD 1814.' George Druck Appraisers. (Another name in German that I can't read). NOTE: all values are listed in Pounds Sterling. Shown below is the first page of six. The appraisers list is of interest because it gives some insight into the kind of life that this ancestor had. His list of possessions was fairly lengthy and shows he was a well established person at the time of his death. 