2008 Cradle to Grave

by Frank A. Disinger

Johan Nickel (Nicholas) Deissinger

"Cradle to Grave"

The purpose of this presentation is to trace the pilgrimage of our common ancestor from his birth on March 2, 1755 to the time of his death on June 18, 1841. To accomplish this task I will be using records of churches, births, taxes, real property, census, the historical writings of many and my own research during the past fifty years. Discoveries are still being made. Do not consider this the final word!

During the 1950's, our then reunion secretary, Christina Behe, provided me with a history of our family based upon presentations made by various "branches" at our first and sixteenth reunions. These were updated to about 1934 (the latest date recorded) and originally written by Myron Dysinger and Stephen A. Dysinger.

I must state that revisions in empires (George III of England), "The Penn Family Dynasty Land and Manors", then into the counties of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1682 thru 1820 with subdivisions of townships into several others have confused genealogists (myself included). Property originally purchased or claimed in an area didn't move, but those areas changed names often. I believe my research proves that confusion must have reigned in all agencies of record keeping. This is the environment into which Nicolaus traveled. Villages and most land masses changed names and spellings.

But let’s go on!

Berks County, PA

The first home of Nicolaus was formed out of parts of Philadelphia, Chester and Lancaster counties on March 11, 1752. This was three years prior to his birth which was recorded at Host Reformed Church on March 2, 1755. His grandfather's (Barthel's) land patent was about half way between Host and Rehrersburg. Both of the villages were in Tulpehocken Township. Barthel's original patent of 200 acres was located in the Thomas and Richard Penn Manor of Andulhea, Lancaster County. (28 July, 1750)

He served in the Berks Co. PA militia and was called to active duty during the Revolutionary War in the fall of 1780. Both his brothers William and George also fought in this war.

He must have remained on the family property, or close by, after his marriage to Eve Catherine in about 1779. The births of his first three children are also recorded at the Host Church and son Thomas' birth is recorded at Altalaha Lutheran Church in Rehrersburg, 2 miles away. He was taxed in Tulpehocken Township but with no land in 1780 and 1781 and his name does not appear on the 1785 tax roll.

His move from Berks County to Cumberland County occurs between son Thomas' birth 02 SE 1785 in Berks Co. and son George's birth in Cumberland Co. on 11 AU 1786. His travel distance between the two was approximately 60 miles.

Other names of family importance from Berks Co., PA: Dollinger, Hollenbach, Mayer, and Wiesner.

Cumberland County, PA

Why Nicholas, Eve and family moved west is not known. Ties with friends or Eve's family from Stony Run (Wessnerville) were assumed by F.D. Dysinger, a family historian, and by others to be the reason. But proof of either is not known. Also cheap land grants or service connected grants may have entered into their decision.

By 1792 Nicholas was owner of two adjacent farms in the Sherman Creek-Muddy Run valleys between Loysville and Landisburg, Cumberland County, PA. Loysville and Landisburg lie less than three miles apart in what is now Tyrone Township in Perry Co. Prior to 1820 that location was in the Toboyne Township in Cumberland County. I have been unable to find documents for his first farm but in 1793 he claimed vacant adjacent land for his second farm. Patent, warrant and survey records are available.

Late in September 2000 I visited the Cumberland Co. clerk's office. No record of Deissinger of any spelling was found even though in 1998 I received the information on Nicolaus' second land purchase from The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. His application for vacant land was dated 12 JN 1793, the patent dated 02 AU 1793 (book P, volume 51, page 33) the warrant also dated 02 AU 1793 (#282-(D)) and survey dated 18 AP 1803 (Book X page 72). His original land was south of this parcel. Though I have been unable to find records of his first purchase, I have been able to identify and locate it from records of adjacent land parcels at the Perry Historians Harry W. Lenig Library in Newport, PA.

Family records give birth dates of George-11 AU 1786, David- 03 AU 1791, and Susan- prior to 1800, all in Cumberland County. In 1997 I researched the records of 17 churches in the Loysville - Landisburg area at the county clerk's office in Carlisle, PA but was unable to find these births recorded.

Nicolaus was found on the septennial tax list for 1793 in Cumberland Co. and taxed in Toboyne Township for 200 acres of land, 2 horses and 3 cows in 1799.

Census records for Toboyne Township, Cumberland Co. for 1800 agree with his family at that time - 5 males and 4 females. By the 1810 census sons John and Thomas have moved on to Seneca Co., New York.

He is a constable in Toboyne Township in 1804 and is listed in the Pennsylvania index residing in Toboine township (note the spelling).

Inscription on Eve’s stone in cemetery.

Nicolaus’ original stone was damaged and replaced by an “historical” marker. Spellings of both of his names are changed. Note the inscription on Eve’s stone. The new stone now has historical meaning. Why?

Conclusion

What can be said about Nicolaus' 86 year 3 month long pilgrimage? He spent 31 years in Berks Co, PA; 27 years in Cumberland Co, PA; and 28 years in Seneca Co, NY

In miles it covered about 340.

He raised 7 children.

He has 42 grandchildren that we know of. Several more are possible since little is known about the descendants of his daughters. We have charted approximately 5,100 descendants.

Was he patriotic? He saw service during our country's "War for Freedom."

He must have been community minded since he served as a constable in Toboyne Township, Cumberland Co, PA in 1804.

Nicolaus was our family's first generation born in America. We have no indication that he lived anything other than an honorable life. He was frugal as most foreign families were and eager to improve their "LOT" in this new world. We should, as one of his now known descendants, give thanks and praise for his foresight and his contributions to our heritage.

Respectfully submitted,

27 July 2008 by

Frank A. Disinger

Deissinger Historian