Martin Heydt

This was donated for use by USGenWeb Archives by: Rosetta Heydt.

Descendants of Martin Heydt

    In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and there was darkness in the void. God said, let there be light, and there was light. It was good. Than God created man and woman in his image and called them Adam and Eve. God send them out of the Garden of Eden and they begat children; and their children begat children. Generations have come and gone.

  1. Generation I: MARTIN1 HEYDT was born Abt. 1611, and died September 26, 1675 in Grotzingen, Margraviate of Baden-Durlach. He married ANNA. She was born Abt. 1616, and died September 14, 1688.
    Child of MARTIN HEYDT and ANNA is: i. HANS MARTIN2 HEYDT, d. February 16, 1691/92.
  2. Generation II: HANS MARTIN2 HEYDT (MARTIN1) died February 16, 1691. He married ANNA KROPF 1680. She was born 1657, and died 1694.
    More About HANS MARTIN HEYDT: Christening: July 24, 1655, Grotzingen, Margraviate of Baden-Durlach.
    Child of HANS HEYDT and ANNA KROPF is:
    1. CHRISTOPH3 HEYDT, d. September 27, 1742, Grotzingen, Margraviate of Baden-Durlach.
  3. Generation III: CHRISTOPH3 HEYDT (HANS MARTIN2, MARTIN1) died September 27, 1742 in Grotzingen, Margraviate of Baden-Durlach. He married ANNA CATHERINE HEIM January 01, 1715/16 in Grotzingen, Margraviate of Baden-Durlach, daughter of REICHARD HEIM and ANNA HEYDT. She was born October 31, 1697, and died April 27, 1774.
    More About CHRISTOPH HEYDT: Christening: November 10, 1686, Grotzingen, Margraviate of Baden-Durlach
    Children of CHRISTOPH HEYDT and ANNA HEIM are:
    1. JACOB4 HEYDT, b. May 30, 1717, Grotzingen, Baden, Germany; d. December 11, 1780, Berks County, PA. 5.
    2. JOHANN5 GEORGE HEYDT, b. Grotzingen; d. Grotzingen.
  4. Generation IV: JACOB4 HEYDT (CHRISTOPH3, HANS MARTIN2, MARTIN1) was born May 30, 1717 in Grotzingen, Baden, Germany, and died December 11, 1780 in Berks County, PA. He married (1) MARIA CATHERINE KROPF, daughter of HANS KROPF and ANNA BENTZ. She was born September 09, 1719, and died about 1755. He married (2) SOPHIA BARBARA CATHERINE JAUSS Abt. 1755. She was born November 30, 1737 in Mulhausen on the Enz, Alsace, and died December 01, 1813.
    Notes for JACOB HEYDT: So it came to pass that one Jacob Heydt was born in a land we now call Germany. He left his homeland to find a better life in the New World called America. In this new land Jacob and his wife being fruitful begat several daughters and sons. This is a record of their family.
        Jacob Heit or Hydt received permission to emigrate to Pennsylvania from Groetzingen in the Margraves of Badem Durlach. This is recorded in Don Yoders book "Rhineland Emigrants". His name also appears on the boat list from "The Brothers" which arrived in Philadelphia on September 16, 1751. The list is found in Straussberger-Hinke books, list number 169c. The list included his signature, which indicates some degree of education. The 1751 immigrant, Jacob Hydt, based on a comparison of his signature on his will to the signature on the shipping list is the same. InGermany, another signature of Jacobs' can be found. He inherited some property from his great-uncle (also named Jacob Heydt). In all cases, he signed his name "Heit". However, the spellings used by others varied. To confirm Yoder's data the book "Auswanderrunger Aus Baden" records a Jacob Heit citizen of Grotzingen, butcher by trade, selling his property to pay a tax of 150 Florin. Jacob Heydt and his first wife, Maria Catharina Kropf, left Germany on April 27, 1751 with their only surving child (Jacob, born in 1749). Within the first couple of years of their arrival, George was born to them. Maria Catharina died about that time, possibly when George was born.
        Jacob may have been a Huguenot. That is what they called the French Protestants during the seventh century. The Catholic King of France authorized bloody persecutions of the Protestants. Their escape route was over the Rhine River into southwest Germany, and onto Rotterdam, a region known as a source of major emigration to William Penns' Pennsylvania. This was the same path Jacob and his family used. One of the largest settlements of the Huguenots was in the Oley Valley in Berks County. An article "Huguenots in Berks County" by Patricia Weiherer is printed in the Berks County Genealogical Society Publication. It included a list of at least 200 names of these families. Among those is HEYDE and HEYDT!! Take your choice German or French.
        The fact that the family stayed together and traveled together proves that they had money to pay their ship passage. Upon their arrival we know that Jacob Heit and his family settled in the "Oley Valley". This was a region in the recently formed Berks County. (It was part of Philadelphia County until 1752.) When Berks County was divided into townships this became District Township.
        Jacob was an educated man, and a "lehrer" or schoolmaster in Berks County long before the establishment of a public school system, following the profession for many years, and was well known by the youth of his time. He was a true Christian man, being well versed, and a strict member of the Lutheran Church.
        In the next township (Pike) was one of the earliest Lutheran and Reformed Churches. In tradition it has been called the "Heydt" church. It is here at Hill Church that the first record of the Heydt family is noted. It is the baptism of Sophia Catherine Barbara Heit. I would assume that she was either a Catholic or an Anabaptist and a baptism into the Lutheran faith was required for her to share in Communion with her husband Jacob.
        In 1753, the family of Martin Jauss arrived form Muhlhausen on the Enz. Among them was Martin's 16-year old daughter, Sophia Barbara Catharina. By 1755, she had married the older widower, Jacob Heydt, and soon began having children with him.
        In his will Jacob gives his property to his oldest son Jacob, as was the custom of the day. He bequeathed to his wife all his personal property and to live on the property as long as she lived. When she died the remaining assets of his personal estate were to be divided evenly among all his children except George and Mathelina. To these two children he gave them 5 shillings silver each, no more, no less. The witnesses present at the time of the signing were Michael Bahr and Daniel Hunter. This was delivered to the Registers Office at Reading in Berks County the fifth day of June 1781. The will was written in the English language by some one other than Jacob. It was signed in his hand. Why Mathaline was cut off we will never know. George was probably cut off because he left the farm. His later history shows he was working in Colebrookdale Township as a single Freeman.
        The family name of Heydt goes back to a Teutonic origin before the year 1100 and appears first in the ancient records of Bavaria. The surname HEYDT was phonetically misspelled and Anglicized from the German spelling of Heit. Immigration, tax, land and church records, of early years in America include the following spellings, Heid, Heit, Haet, Heud, Heat, Heyd, Hed, Herd, Hait, Hate, Hide, Haett, Head, Hayd.
        Today, Heidt is almost universal in Germany. Names with "ei" forming the "i" sound today, were almost all "ey" in the 17th century. The "ei" is simply the modern form. This transition began in the 18th century.
        German dictionaries give the word Heide (from which the name is derived) two meanings. One, which is apparently the one it is derived from is heath-an open field or waste land. The other meaning is "heathen" which is apparently a reference o such areas that were among the last in Western Europe to come under the influence of Christianity.
        Grötzingen, is quite an attractive village, though it is rapidly becoming a suburb of the city of Karlsruhe, Which is just a bit to the west. Grötzingen is relatively large as far as villages go, approximately 10,000 people. There are some very old buildings there. The church building dates from sometime in the 1600's, though the church was established in 1255. Baptismal records date from 1636 and marriage records from 1645. The church is a large white building, rather impressive, but pretty typical of the area.
    More About JACOB HEYDT: Baptism: Grotzingen Burial: A field behind Huffs Church Will: December 11, 1780
    Notes for SOPHIA BARBARA CATHERINE JAUSS: The birth date of Sophia proves that she was 16 years old in 1753 when she left Germany. This was taken from her head stone in the Hope Cemetery. The tombstone also states she was the mother of 11 children. If George and Jacob were Maria Catharina Kropf's children (and I am certain they were, unless there was a second son Jacob) then there are two possible explanations for the "11 Children" comment on Sophia Barbara Catherine's tombstone. One is that there were two other children that died. Another, more likely one, is that for the two oldest sons, she had been the only mother they ever really knew and so they thought of her as their mother even though she really wasn't.
    More About SOPHIA BARBARA CATHERINE JAUSS: Burial: Hope Cemetery at Christ's "Mertz" Church, Dryville PA
    Children of JACOB HEYDT and MARIA KROPF are:
    1. BARBARA5 HEYDT, b. September 10, 1744, Grotzingen; d. October 20, 1744, Grotzingen.
    2. CATHRINA HEYDT, b. October 09, 1745, Grotzingen; d. July 14, 1746, Grotzingen.
    3. MAGDALENA HEYDT, b. February 10, 1747/48, Grotzingen; d. February 21, 1747/48, Grotzingen.
    4. MARGARETHA HEYDT, b. February 10, 1746/47, Grotzingen; d. February 25, 1746/47, Grotzingen.
    5. JACOB HEYDT, b. April 06, 1749; d. 1837; m. MARIA BAER OR BAHR, October 07, 1783; b. 1766; d. 1841.
      More About JACOB HEYDT: Occupation: 1780, Mechanic, iron ore worker; Religion: 1750, Lutheran
    6. GEORGE5 HEYDT, before 1753; d. 1837; m. ELISABETH MUTHART; b. December 07, 1764, Pike Township, Berks County, PA; d. 1840, District Township, Berks County, PA.
      Notes for GEORGE HEYDT: The 1790 census for Colebrookdale Twp. listed George Head with a wife and two children, one son, one daughter. His name was listed next to Adam Muthard, his father in law. This indicates that he may have given part of his property to George. We know that George left the farm of his father because his name appears on the tax roll of 1774, 1779, and 1781 as a single Freeman, living in Colebrookdale Twp. During the early history of this township it was noted for its' iron ore production. It supplied this colony with iron ore products. These workers were paid money for their labor, while back on the farm you worked for no pay, but received food and clothing. This may be why George was given only 5 silver shillings from his fathers will.
          He and Elizabeth were Godparents to Esther Barto youngest daughter of Christian Barto. George's only getting five shillings in Jacob's Will could be explained any number of ways. It may be that Jacob had already given George his share of the estate. It may also be that George had already amassed some land on his own and had told his father that there was no need to include him in the will. A quarrel is possible, but that is by no means the only possible explanation. As for Michael, he was certainly included in the will, but he was only three when his father died. It is certainly possible he could have died a few years later before reaching adulthood. I have never been able to find any other information on him.
      More About GEORGE HEYDT: Burial: Have been told in Oley; Military service: 1785, Militia Company, 4th Battilian, Col. Geo. Ox; Occupation: 1790, Iron Ore Worker and Farmer
      More About ELISABETH MUTHART: Baptism: February 20, 1765, Hill Church, Pike Twp., Berks Co., PA; Sponcer: February 20, 1765, Peter Walter and Elizabeth
      Children of Jacob Heydt and Sophia Barbara Catherine Jauss
    7. MATHALINA HEYDT.
    8. EVA ELISABETH HEYDT, b. September 28, 1762.
      Notes for EVA ELISABETH HEYDT: No record of a marriage has been found. The Administration of Goods, Chattel, and Rights of an Eva Heit, dated 1786, was found at Berks Co. Court House, Reading, PA. She was noted as a widow at age 24, the date of 1786 minus her age of 24 agrees with her birth date. Until more information is found, we will accept this finding. No record of children.
    9. CATHERINA HEYDT, b. July 08, 1764; m. MICHAEL BROWN, 1784, Hill Church; b. From Old Country; d. 1799, Rockland Twp. Berks County.
      Notes for CATHERINA HEYDT: Catharina was Baptized and Married at Hill Church. She married Michael Brown, they had five children and lived in both Pike and Rockland Township, Berks County, PA.
      More About CATHERINA HEYDT: Baptism (LDS): Hill Church, Pike Township, Berks County
    10. DOROTHEA HEYDT, m. JOHANNES JAUS; b. 1747, Germany; d. 1823, Rockland Twp. Berks County.
      More about DOROTHEA: She is the Grandmother of the Youse family of Berks County.
      More About JOHANNES JAUS: Military service: 1776, Revolutionary War under G. Washington; Other: 1823, Obit. in Reading Adler March 4, 1823; Religion: 1776, Christ Mertz Lutheran Dryville, PA
    11. MATHIAS HEYDT, b. March 21, 1769; m. ANNA MARIA KEIM, January 24, 1790, Schwartzwald Reformed Church, Berks County, PA; b. January 17, 1772, Oley Hills, Pike Twp., Berks County, PA.
      Notes for MATHIAS HEYDT: Mathias was Baptized at Hill Church. The census of 1790 lists him in East District Township with a wife and no children. This indicates he was married about this time. He married Anna Maria Keim, born 1771, the daughter of Conrad and Anna Maria Keim.
      More About MATHIAS HEYDT: Baptism: Hill Church, Pike Township, Berks County
      More About ANNA MARIA KEIM: Baptism: May 14, 1772, St. Joseph's Hill Church Cemetery, PA; Sponcer: May 14, 1772, George Lintz and Elizabeth
    12. MARGARETH HEYDT, b. 1771; d. 1841; m. ADAM DIROFF, 1792, Hill Church, Pike Township, Berks County, PA; b. 1770; d. 1848.
      Notes for ADAM DIROFF: Information provided by Lindsay Dieroff of Barto, PA
    13. ANNA MARIA HEYDT, b. September 01, 1773.
      Notes for ANNA MARIA HEYDT: She was Baptized at Hill Church.
    14. SOPHIA HEYDT, b. December 27, 1775; d. 1862; m. ABRAHAM FREY, January 29, 1793, St. Joseph's Hill Church, Pike Twp., Berks County, PA; b. May 30, 1773, Berks County, PA; d. Aft. April 01, 1843, Mifflin Twp., Columbia County, PA.
      Notes for SOPHIA HEYDT: She married Abraham Frey at Hill Church. She was widowed in 1816. She renounced the Will of her father. She sold 80 acres in Pike Township to Daniel Imbody.
      More About ABRAHAM FREY: Baptism: August 02, 1773, St. Joseph's Hill Church Cemetery, PA; Burial: Mt. Grove Cemetery, Luzerne County, PA Sponcer: August 02, 1773, Christoph Shoch and Dorethea
    15. MICHAEL HEYDT, b. April 16, 1778, Pike Township, Berks county, PA. 5. JOHANN GEORGE4 HEYDT (CHRISTOPH3, HANS MARTIN2, MARTIN1) was born in Grotzingen, and died in Grotzingen.
      More About JOHANN GEORGE HEYDT: Burial: Grotzingen
      Child of JOHANN GEORGE HEYDT is:
      1. CHRISTOPH5 HEIDT, b. 1759, Grotzingen, Germany; d. 1834, Grotzingen, Germany.
    References: Thomas Beil
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