John Hendrick Gesner (born Johan Heinrich Geßinger; 1680 – 1748) and Anna Elisabeth Schmidt (c.1684 – after 1748) were Palatine immigrants and my 6th-greatparents, being the father of John Henry Gesner, father of Henry Gesner. It was common German practice that the second name is the primary forename, and thus the couple were generally called simply Hendrick and Elizabeth (thus spelled in America). The surname is recorded with many variant spellings, such as Gessinger, Gossinger, Gessener, and even Kissinger, but eventually stabilized in North America as Gesner, so I conventionally use that here.
The Palatinate (German: der Pfalz) had been the frequent site of war, depredations, and plunder in the 1680s through 1700s during the Nine Years’ War and the War of the Spanish Succession, especially at the hands of the French Army. Moreover, the so-called Great Frost of 1709, during the early months of that year, brought record-breaking cold temperatures which devastated agriculture. England offered settlement opportunities, particularly in the New World, to the suffering Palatines, and a large number, around 15,000, migrated that year by various routes, mostly through Amsterdam, to England, many with plans to journey onward to America. These Palatines were colloquially known as 1709ers.
The number of migrants exceeded expectation, depopulating the Palatinate as well as neighboring regions suffering similar woes, and created difficult conditions of crowding and famine in both Holland and England, which cost many lives. It wasn’t until 1710 that passage to America was arranged for about 3000 Palatines, also under poor, crowded, and unsanitary conditions, many of who were expected on arrival to work off the cost of their passage. New York City was in no position to process so many newcomers, so the migrants were subjected to more indignities on arrival. Records show 847 families on the so-called “Hunter lists” (named for the governor) compiled in New York. Political changes in England resulted in loss of financing of their subsistence in 1711, and they continued to suffer disease and famine.
In time, survivors were able to make their way to unsettled areas or small towns, and settle there.
Genealogist Hank Jones has compiled extensive records on the Palatine migration. He has a one-page section covering the “Gesinger” family.⟮1⟯Jones (2001), p. 281. Ancestry$/Lib
Hendrick and Elizabeth were both from the town of Kallstadt, of which more see below.
Hendrick was the son of a man recorded as Mattheus Geßinger, identified as a miller from Trarbach.⟮2⟯Marriage in Kallstadt. FamilySearch No further information has been found.
Elizabeth was the daughter of Johan Heinrich and Anna Elisabeth Schmidt.⟮2⟯Marriage in Kallstadt. FamilySearch⟮3⟯FamilySearch Again, little information is available, although baptisms and burials of siblings of Elizabeth have been found in Kallstadt (but no baptism of Elizabeth herself).
Both their fathers were noted as deceased by 1708 when they married.
Claims about the ancestry of this couple can be found online, but so far I have found all information beyond the above to be due to misidentification with people of the same or similar names.
The small town of Kallstadt, Germany, with a population today of about 1300, has gained fame in America due to the fact that two prominent Americans had roots there: businessman Frederick Trump, whose son Donald was twice elected president of the United States, was the son of parents born in Kallstadt; and his second cousin, once removed businessman Henry J. Heinz, founder of the Heinz Corporation, was the son of a man from Kallstadt. The town has drawn increased tourism especially as a result of the first connection.
Frederick Trump’s great-grandfather Johannes Trump only moved to Kallstadt in the early 19th century, and so well after the Gesners had left, but others ancestors of his are found there as early as the 17th century, and so may be related. Heinz’s male line was in Kallstadt in the 17th century and so may also connect. However, no common ancestor with Hendrick or Elizabeth has yet been found.
The family, then consisting of the couple and their infant daughter, arrived in London in probably May 1709. They then made the voyage to New York City, arriving in June 1710. The following records of the family are provided by Jones:
| Date | Record | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 1709 | London Lists | Hendrick aged 28, his wife, and a daughter aged ¼ |
| 1711 | NYC record | Hendrick aged 31, Elizabeth aged 27, and Anna Margaret aged 2 |
From this the estimated births above are computed.
They may have lived for a short time in Yonkers in 1710⟮4⟯See discussion in Gesner (1912), p. 17., before settling in Tappan, New York, in Rockland County, where Hendrick, and likely Elizabeth, lived out the remainder of their lives. The couple were committed Lutherans.
“Hendrick Gessiner” of Westchester County was naturalized on 1716-01-07.⟮1⟯Jones (2001), p. 281. Ancestry$/Lib
Hendrick and Elizabeth married in Kallstadt on 1708-02-07 NS.⟮2⟯Marriage in Kallstadt. FamilySearch They are known to have had two children, named in Hendrick’s will:
Hendrick’s will was dated 1745-10-30 and probated 1748-07-16⟮6⟯FamilySearch, so presumably he died not long before the latter date. Elizabeth attested to his will during probate, so was still alive in 1748. No death record has been found for either.