In the 1790 United States Census book for Pennsylvania, this census was taken 36 years after CARL HENRY WERKHEISER, SR. arrived at the port of Philadelphia, and eight years after his death. With the means of travel by car, bus, train, and airplane available today we tend to overlook the conditions that our ancestor and his children encountered and experienced two hundred plus years ago.
The census taker of 1790 had problems getting around the country-side. In many localities there were no roads, and where they did exist, they were poorly maintained and frequently impassable. Bridges were almost unknown. Transportation was entirely by horseback, stage, or a private coach. A journey as long as that from New York to Washington was a serious undertaking, requiring eight days under the most favorable conditons. Mail was transported in very irregular fashion, and correspondence was expensive and uncertain.
I. CARL HENRICH WERKHEISER changed his name to CHARLES WERKHEISER by 1766, the year that his uncle Nicholas died. CARL HENRICH Sr. (1733-1782) married ANNA MARGARETH HAUSMAN (4/17/1737-1781) around the year 1757. ANNA HAUSMAN was the daughter of PETER HAUSMAN and CATHARINE WOLFF. PETER HAUSMAN and CATHARINE WOLFF were married on April 22, 1736. CARL WERKHEISER and ANNA HAUSMAN were both born in Germany. They lived in Upper Saucon and Forks Townships, Northampton County. We know that they were living in Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, when he bought the 272 acres in Forks Township. We assume that he rented land or sharecropped in Bethlehem Township because five of his children were baptized at the Dryland Church at Hecktown, Pennsylvania, and he and his wife were communicant members of the church. They also attended the Blue Church, behind Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, and the Forks Lutheran Church in Forks Township. He must have prospered because he paid 1,650 pound for the 272 acres in 1779. The farm was purchased from Conrad Ihrie and was deeded on January 7, 1779. Perhaps the family lived on the farm for several years before buying it, but we have no way of knowing. You may find a copy of the deed and what they did with the property when CHARLES WERKHEISER was convicted of murder on its own page. Just follow the link at the bottom of this page.
ANNA HAUSMAN died in what was the year that the last child, Elizabeth (September 1, 1781) was born. The story is that CARL WERKHEISER killed ANNA HAUSMAN. CARL WERKHEISER, Sr. had a tragic ending when he was hung on June 28, 1782 for murdering Anna. The hanging took place in Easton at the courthouse, which was then located in what today is called the Circle. The Northampton County Court of Common Pleas had seized his farm before the hanging and afterwards ordered the Sheriff to sell it at public sale to pay his just debts, maintenance in prison, and the charges of prosecution, trial, and execution.
If you would like to read about the records of the hanging that we have found just follow the link at the bottom of this page.
You may read about the stories of how CARL WERKHEISER killed his wife on their own page. Just follow the links at the bottom of this page.
Part of this farm is still owned by Warren Werkheiser and has been in the Werkheiser family's possession continuously, with the exception of a couple of years because of financial problems. Leon Brennan now owns one hundred and five acres of this farm. The rest of the acreage has the original stone house. The house still has deep-set windowsills, thick support beams, thick flooring, original fireplace, large cistern, and unique interior doors.
The ancestral home of CARL HENRY WERKHEISERThe barn is nicely painted to match the neatly kept premise and is quite obviously an eye catcher to passers-by.
The Werkheiser Barn
The property has an old iron fence along the front yard. The gate of which contains the name P. Werkheiser and the date 1895. Pete Werkheiser is Warren Werkheiser's great grandfather. He was born in 1823. Placed on the property is a memorial monument in memory of Ada (Mohr) Werkheiser and second to CARL H WERKHEISER. (1733-1782) and ANNA HAUSMAN (1736-1781), John, Sr. (1759-1831) and Anna (1761-1839), Valentine Werkheiser (1768-1858) and Sarah (1792-1867), Peter (1823-1895) and Sophia (1825-1911), Franklin (1856-1933) and Ida (1861-1892), Stephen P. (1884-1958) and Carrie (1885-1954), and Warren F. (1910) and Ada A. (1920-1992). Only recently have we learned that this is not part of the original 272-acre farm that CARL HENRY WERKHEISER SR.. bought from Conrad Ihrie in 1779.
The Memorial MonumentThe Forks Lutheran and Reformed Church was built on land owned by Andrew Stocker, who was a neighbor of CARL WERKHEISER SR. and John Sr. Werkheiser. In the beginning the Werkheiser's had a private cemetery right alongside the old Forks Cemetery until they buried the hatchet and joined in with the church cemetery. Later Valentine Werkheiser gave the land that the horse shed was built on to the Forks Church on March 4, 1837. CARL WERKHEISER'S descendants that remained in Forks Township were faithful Lutherans.
The Forks Lutheran and Reformed Church
With CARL WERKHEISER and ANNA HAUSMAN gone, this left a newborn or a couple of months old baby. Also, there were three sons that were 8, 11, and 13 and a daughter that just turned 16, and four sons 17, 19, 22, and 23. John Martin did not get married until he was about 47, and John Jr. married on March 18, 1782. This left a family of six to eight children with no parents. Imagine the burden that was placed on Catharine's shoulders. She would have to do all of the cooking, canning, cleaning, clothes washing, and discipline that were required under the pioneer conditions of years ago and all of that with no sisters to help.
John Werkheiser, Sr. was the second born son of CARL and ANNA WERKHEISER. He married Anna Margaret Diehl in 1782, the year that his father died. At this time John was 22 years old. We know that he bought back the family farm after the sheriff's sale that was held after his father's death. He and his brothers and sisters probably lived on and worked the farm during that three-year period. He must have played his cards right because he owned 18 parcels of land and over 1,350 acres when he died. Fortunately for us, his descendants had no will. So the Orphan's Court had to oversee the disposal and distribution of his estate. This gave us information and insight about him. There will be a report on his will later on.
The fact that he seemed to be the leader and took over his father's farm caused his brothers and sisters to move off the homestead as they got married. John Martin raised his family on a 26 acre farm in Plainfield Township near what is now called the village of Edelmans. He did not marry until he was almost 50 years old. So he may have been something like a hired man for his brother on the home farm until he married. George Adam owned and lived on a farm in Plainfield Township. John Peter married, bought, and lived on a small farm near the home farm. After the birth of several children, John Peter sold his farm and moved to and settled at Briar Creek, Columbia County.
Catharine married Andrew Albert and moved with her husband to a farm near Minisink Hills in Monroe County. We think John Nicholas lived in Easton, Pennsylvania. After marrying and having several children, Valentine moved to Monroe County. Carl Henry, Jr. also settled in Monroe County. William Henry probably moved to Easton. When William Henry's estate was settled he was known as Henry and owned 4 parcels of land (87 acres) in Plainfield Township. Elizabeth married Abraham Bellesfield and lived on a farm near her brother John Martin.
Such a scattering of the nine children was a normal occurrence, because in the north the farmers opted for large families so that they would have children to help with the farm work. But once grown and married, they had to strike out on their own. Down south, native Africans were forcefully imported so that the large landowners had slaves to help them farm their plantations. Both cases are a form of migration. One was forced migration and the other was voluntary. It was necessary because the homestead could not possibly have supported ten families who totalled more that 120 souls.
Migration is an important aspect of any society whether it be in the formation or the duration of its existence. CARL HENRY WERKHEISER and his wife ANNA HAUSMAN migrated from Germany to Pennsylvania to find peace and better living conditions. The migration of their grand children had to happen simply for the sake of room. At the time of the American Revolution, ninety percent of the population farmed. Today two percent of the population feeds the people of our nation and one-third of our production is exported. The established ethnic immigrants (like the British, Irish, Germans, Italians, etc.) living for one hundred years or more, no longer produce large families on the average.
CARL WERKHEISER and ANNA HAUSMAN had ten children:
1. John Martin Werkheiser (3/28/1757/58-2/7/1829) who married Barbara Itterley (8/7/1785-5/12/1855). They are buried in the Plainfield Cemetery. You may read more about John Martin and Barbara on their own page. Just follow the links on the bottom of this page.
2. John Werkheiser, Sr. (11/1/1759-10/11/1831) who married Anna Margaret Diehl (3/2/1761-11/21/1829) on March 18, 1782. They are buried in the Forks Cemetery. You may read more about John, Sr. on his own home page. Just follow the links on the bottom of this page.
3. George Adam Werkheiser (4/22/1762-9/13/1833) married Elizabeth Diehl (10/28/1763-8/31/1829) on March 18, 1782. You may read more about George Adam on his own home page. They are buried in the Plainfield Cemetery. Just follow the links on the bottom of this page.
4. John Peter Werkheiser (12/26/1764-11/9/1843) married Anna Margaret Miller (1769-5/25/1842). They are buried at Briar Creek in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. You may read more about John Peter on his own page. Just follow the links on the bottom of this page.
5. Catharine Werkheiser (B. 1765) married Andrew Albert (B. 1742). Catharine was baptized on November 16, 1765. You may read more about Catharine and Andrew on their own page. Just follow the links on the bottom of this page.
6. John Nicholas Werkheiser (12/16/1766-10/21/1830) married Rosina Sickman (5/6/1788-8/9/1828) on October 20, 1830. They are buried at Easton, Pennsylvania. You may read more about John Nicholas on his own page. Just follow the links on the bottom of this page.
7. VALENTINE WERKHEISER (8/6/1768-12/31/1846) married CHRISTINA FENNER (8/3/1768-7/12/1843) in 1790. VALENTINE WERKHEISER and <>CHRISTINA FENNER are buried in the Neola Cemetery in Monroe County. You may read more about VALENTINE AND CHRISTINA WERKHEISEr on their own home page. Just follow the links on the bottom of this page.
8. Carl Henry Werkheiser, Jr. (6/27/1770-12/25/1827) married Margaretha Fenner (10/27/1777-8/10/1810) and Margaret Arnold (B. 11/27/1784). Carl married Margaret on March 3, 1811. You may read more about Carl Henry on his own page. Just follow the links on the bottom of this page.
9. William Henry Werkheiser (4/2/1773-8/8/1825) married Elizabeth Sickman (8/31/1780-3/9/1854). They are buried in the Plainfield Cemetery. You may read more about William on his own page. Just follow the links on the bottom of this page.
9a. Elizabeth Werkheiser (9/1/1781-1/27/1845) married Abraham Bellisfield (5/14/1777-12/16/1854). They are buried in the Plainfield Cemetery. You may read more about Elizabeth on her own page. Just follow the links on the bottom of this page.
These sons and daughters produced 100 grandchildren.
