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Our 5th great-grandfather Hans Michael Wampler was born 1724, in Hinsingen, Alsace, France. He was christened November 19, 1724, at Keskastel, Alsace. He was the son of Johann (Hans) Peter Wampler and Anna Veronica Lung.
In 1741, Hans Michael's family immigrated to America from Rottendam aboard the ship "Lydia". They arrived at the Port of Philadelphia on September 29, 1741. The family settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Ship records list Michael as 16 years old at the time of his immigration.
Michael married our 5th great-grandmother Anna Elizabeth (last name unknown) on April 28, 1750, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Anna Elizabeth was born in 1727.
On March 25, 1751, Michael purchased 150 acres of land in Lebanon Township, in Lancaster County, from the executors of the will of John Connelly. Although the record of this transaction has been lost, Michael does appear on a tax list in Lebanon Township dated December 16, 1751. Michael was assessed 4 pounds, 6 shillings.
Michael Wampler, of Lebanon Township, became a naturalized American citizen on August 17, 1765, at the Philadelphia Courthouse. Foreigners who had resided in the colonies for seven or more years were granted citizenship and given the rights of natural born subjects of Great Britain after they produced certificates proving they had taken the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in some Protestant or Reformed congregation in the Province within 3 months before they took the oath of citizenship. The cost of naturalization was two shillings.
Prior to 1771, Michael became the first of the Wampler family to move into Fincastle County, in the Virginia Colony. He settled in the portion of Fincastle County that was formed into Montgomery County, Virginia in 1776-1777, and then into Wythe County, Virginia in 1789-1790.
Michael appears on William Crockett's list of tithables in 1771 in Fincastle County. In 1773, Michael appears on Capt. Doaks list of tithables with 2 tithables (males over the age of 16). The second tithable was Michael's son George, who would have come of age (over 16) at that time.
In 1774, Michael was listed among those from Fincastle County, Virginia, who served in Lord Dunmore's War. Lord Dunmore's War was a 1774 conflict between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations.
Records show that Michael had a 270 acre tract of land surveyed in Fincastle County in 1774. The land was situated on both sides of the south fork of Reed Creek. That 270 acres became part of Montgomery County at its formation in 1777. Michael's 270 acres appear on the 1782 Montgomery County, Virginia land tax records.
Michael was an Elder in St. Paul Lutheran Chruch in 1782 when a tract of land containing one hundred acres was surveyed for the use of the congregation.
Michael appears on James Newell's tithables list on June 21, 1787, in Montgomery County, with 2 tithables, 5 horses and 8 head of cattle.
On April 18, 1789, Michael transferred his land in Montgomery County to his sons Michael, Jr. and Christopher.
Michael died between April 18, 1789, when he transferred his land, and December 1, 1789, when Michael, Jr. and Christopher recorded the land deed from their father. Since the deed was not recorded by the two sons until December, we feel that Michael probably died in the month of November 1789. Michael is buried in St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery in Wythe County. There is no headstone marking his grave.
Wamplers in America compiled by Genevieve M. Shouse, and published by Gateway Press, Inc. of Baltimore in 1981, states that during the court proceedings of "Wampler vs Wampler" in Wythe County, Michael's widow, Elizabeth gave testimony that shortly before her husband died he had conveyed all of his personal property to Stophel (Christopher) and Michael, Jr., and said that he ought to have given it to George.
The names of Michael's surviving children were listed in a deed in Wythe County, in 1805. Following is a transcript of Wythe County Deed Book 4, pages 361-362, showing the Estate Settlement of Michael Wampler, dated July 15, 1805:
Michael Wampler Estate Settlement
Wythe County, Virginia
July 15, 1805
The Indenture made this 15th day of July in the year of our lord, 1805 between Elizabeth Abel, Michael Wampler, Loviec Wampler, Cathy Harden, Jacob Kinser and Esther his wife, which said Elizabeth, Michael, Lovice, Cathy and Esther are children of Michael Wampler, deceased, of the one part and George Wampler, Christopher Wampler and Peter Wampler who are also sons of the said Michael Wampler, deceased, of the other part, witnesseth that wheras the said Michael Wampler during his lifetime had surveyed under the Loyal Company a tract of 270 acres or therabouts, whereas the said George, Christopher and Peter reside, and it is known to the said party of the First part that the said Michael, now deceased, did in his lifetime intend that the said tract be for the said George, Christopher and Peter, now these presents witnesseth that the said Elizabeth, Michael, Lovice, Cathy, Jacob and Esther, in consideration thereof, and the sum of $100 to them in hand paid, the Receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted and released and transfered and by these presents do Grant, Release, and transfer to the said George, Christopher and Peter and their heirs will warrant and Defend against claim of them the said Elizabeth, Michael, Lovice, Cathy, Jacob and Esther or any of them or any of their heirs by these presents in Testimony whereof the said Elizabeth, Michael, Lovice, Cathy, Jacob and Esther have here unto set their seals and hands the day and year first above. Signed by : Elizabeth E. Able; Caty Harden; Lovice Wampler; Michael Wampler; Jacob and Esther Kinser. Witnessed as to the signatures of Eliza Able, Cathy Harden and Lovice Wampler: Test. Jacob Hitten. Witness: signed and sealed and delivered before William Ward; Eli McLaughlin and John Wampler.
On December 16, 1805, Peter Wampler, Jr. assigned his interest in his father's estate to his brother, Christopher Wampler. Apparently this was not a satisfactory arrangement, however, because less than two years later, in 1807, Christopher Wampler filed his bill in the Surerior Court of Chancery of Wythe County, against his brother, George Wampler. Following is a portion of that filing:
Surerior Court of Chancery
Wythe
County, Virginia
April 18, 1807
Christopher Wampler .... humbly complaining .... that on the __ day of ___ 1789 Michael Wampler departed this life intestate leaving Elizabeth his widow and relict, four sons towit: George Wampler, Peter Wampler, Michael Wampler and your Orator Christopher. Also four daughters towit: Elizabeth, Easther, Caty and Lovis .... that during his said father's lifetime it was well known to the family that he intended to divide the whole of his land amongst his sons. Your Orators sisters therefore released their rights of the whole of the said lands for the sum of one hundred dollars to your Orators said brother and himself. Your Orator further states that the said father in his lifetime had permitted the said George Wampler .... to settle on the lower end of that tract of land whereon he then lived and promised to give him a part thereof but had never divided off or conveyed the same....
Michael's widow, Anna Elizabeth, died in 1807, in Wythe County. She is probably buried beside Michael in St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery.
(Note: There is much speculation about the exact birth date and birth order of Michael's children. The order and dates given are the "best guess" estimates of this researcher, based on the information available to me.)
Children of Michael Wampler and Anna Elizabeth
1. Elizabeth Wampler was born Aug 12, 1752, at Cleona, Lancaster Co, PA. She married Ludwig Heinrich Abel. (our line)
2. George Wampler was born 1757, in Lancaster Co, PA. George was listed as a tithable with his father in 1773, in Fincastle Co, VA, but was not listed in 1771. Tithables were males over the age of 16 years. George was listed with his father as having served in Lord Dunmore's War in 1774. He was known as "George the miller" because he owned a mill which was situated on land given to him by his father. George married Anna Maria _____ in 1778, probably in Montgomery Co, VA. Anna Maria bore him at least 6 children before she died, prior to 1819, in Wythe Co, VA. All of their children were born in what is now Wythe Co, VA. On Nov 7, 1819, George married Cathy Rynow in Wythe Co. George died prior to April 1837, in Wythe Co. A court case where George Wampler was the plaintiff and Leonard Straw was the defendant was stricken from the court docket in April 1837, because George was dead. Children of George and Anna Maria included: (1) George Wampler, Jr., b. Feb 9, 1780; d. July 17, 1870, VA; m. Barbara Dancie Steffey, dau. of Peter Steffey, on Mar 14, 1804, Wythe Co; (2) John Wampler, b. 1781; d. 1822, VA; m. Elizabeth Steffey, dau. of Peter Steffey, on Jan 5, 1807, Wythe Co; (3) Barbara Wampler, b. 1783; (4) Mary Wampler, b. 1785; m. Eli McLaughlin on Aug 15, 1802, Wythe Co; (5) Elizabeth Wampler, b. Apr 1, 1790; d. May 30, 1871, Wythe Co; m. John Jacob King on June 19, 1818, Wythe Co; and (6) Christian Wampler, b. May 14, 1794; d. 1884, MO; m. Polly Wetzel on June 15, 1815, Wythe Co.
3. Catherine W. "Caty" Wampler was born 1760, in Lancaster Co, PA. She married ______ Harden. We believe Caty's husband died prior to 1805, as he was not listed with Caty in her father's estate settlement. Caty's sister Elizabeth was listed as Elizabeth Abel, as her husband was already deceased at the time of the settlement. Her sister Esther was listed with her husband Jacob Kinser, who was still living at the time of the settlement.
4. Michael Wampler, Jr. was born 1765, in Lancaster Co, PA. He married Susanna ____ about 1790, in VA. Susanna was born 1769, in VA. Michael's children were all born in Wythe Co, VA. Children of Michael, Jr. and Susanna included: (1) Anna Maria "Mary" Wampler, b. Sept 3, 1795; d. Apr 22, 1817, Greene Co, TN; m. John Cobble on Oct 18, 1813, Greene Co, TN; (2) Benjamin Wampler, b. July 30, 1798; m. Elizabeth Baughard on Mar 19, 1822, Greene Co, TN; Elizabeth Baughard d. 1859 and Benjamin m. Elizabeth Johnson on Feb 5, 1863, Greene Co, TN; (3) Solomon Wampler, b. Sept 1800; d. Oct 1881, Greene Co, TN; m. Mary Jane "Polly" Harmon on Dec 18, 1823, Greene Co, TN; Mary Jane d. Feb 23, 1869 and Frederick m. Christina Paxton on Nov 3, 1870, Greene Co, TN; (4) Frederick Wampler, b. May 1, 1804; m. Emaline Harmon on Aug 18, 1827, Greene Co, TN; and (5) Susanna Wampler, b. Jan 28, 1810; m. David Snider on July 24, 1828, Greene Co, TN.
5. Stophel "Christopher" Wampler was born 1768, in Lancaster Co, PA. He married Elizabeth Kettering on Aug 25, 1796, in Wythe Co, VA. Elizabeth was born 1775, in Washington Co, VA, the dau. of Johann Jacob Kettering. Stophel was called "Christopher". Christopher's children were born in Wythe Co, VA. Christopher moved to Washington Co, VA prior to 1830. He died prior to 1840, probably in Washington Co. Children of Christopher and Elizabeth included: (1) Mary Magdalena "Molly" Wampler, b. Jan 3, 1797; d. 1871-1878, Pulaski Co, KY; m. Henry Vaught on Mar 4, 1815, Wythe Co, VA; (2) Michael W. Wampler, b. Oct 7, 1798; d. Sept 8, 1852, Monroe Co, IN; m. Elizabeth Coppenhafer on May 6, 1819, Wythe Co, VA; (3) Abraham Wampler, b. Apr 10, 1800; m. Eva Dorothea Grubb and Mary Kimbler; (4) Elizabeth Wampler, b. May 3, 1804; (5) Christenia Wampler, b. 1810; m. George W. Scott on July 12, 1843, Smyth Co, VA; (6) Adam Wampler, b. 1811; d. Feb 23, 1852; m. Sarah See on Feb 23, 1833, Monroe Co, IN; (7) Alexander Wampler, b. Sept 3, 1812; d. 1845, Smyth Co, VA; m. Matilda Brown on Mar 11, 1835, Smyth Co; (8) John Wampler, b. 1816; d. 1855, Tazwell Co, VA; m. Catherine Grogan; and (9) Stephen Wampler, b. 1818.
6. Peter Wampler was born 1770, in Lancaster Co, PA. He married Mary Magdalena Wolf in 1788, in Montgomery Co, VA. Mary was born in 1770, the dau. of John Wolf, Sr. Peter signed his will in Wythe Co, VA on Oct 29, 1823. He died in late Dec 1823 or early Jan 1824. Peter's will was probated on Jan 13, 1824, in Wythe Co. Peter's children were all born in Wythe Co. Children of Peter and Mary Magdalena included: (1) Mary Magdalena "Molly" Wampler, b. Apr 11, 1789; d. Nov 7, 1876, Wythe Co; m. Peter Vaught on Sept 11, 1810, Wythe Co; (2) Jacob Wampler, b. Nov 20, 1791; d. Sept 30, 1872, Ellettsville, IN; m. Mrs. Mary Magdalena (King) Koenig, dau. of John King, on Dec 8, 1814, Wythe Co; (3) John Henry Wampler, b. 1793; m. Margaret Wampler, dau. of George Wampler, Jr. (son of Hans Georg Wampler); (4) Mary Margaret "Peggy" Wampler, b. 1795; m. Peter Etter on June 20, 1811, Wythe Co; (5) Anna Maria Wampler, b. Aug 14, 1796; d. bef 1824, Wythe Co; (6) Joseph Wampler, b. Oct 8, 1799; d. bef 1824; (7) Elizabeth Wampler, b. Aug 19, 1804; d. Aug 28, 1864; m. Martin Wampler, son of Henry Wampler (son of Hans Georg Wampler); and (8) Peter Wampler, b. June 16, 1808; m. Rebecca Kirkham on July 23, 1829, Monroe Co, IN.
7. Esther Wampler was born 1772, in Fincastle Co, VA. She married John Jacob Kinser about 1791, in Wythe Co, VA. John Jacob Kinser was born 1770, possibly in Lancaster Co, PA. Their children were born in Wythe Co. We believe Jacob died prior to 1810. Children of Jacob and Esther Kinser included: (1) Esther Kinser, b. 1793; (2) Henry George Kinser, b. Dec 28, 1794; m. Rachel Etter; (3) Leah Kinser, b. 1796; and (4) Adam Kinser, b. 1802.
8. Lovice "Louisa" Wampler was born 1774, in Fincastle Co, VA. Louisa never married. She was listed in the St. Paul Lutheran Church baptismal records of Wythe Co, VA, as "Louisa Wampler (unmarried)" giving birth to a daughter, Catherine Wampler, on Sept 15, 1799. The child was christened on Oct 17, 1799. Catherine Herdenwelty was listed as witness (or godmother) for the child.