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Captain George Balser HESS (1747-1806) |
Captain George Balser HESS
George married Mary Eve HENSEL, daughter of John Michael HENSEL (HANSEL) and Anna Catherine DEWAIT, in 1782 in Bedford, Bedford, PA, USA. (Mary Eve HENSEL was born on Jan 22, 1763 near Bedford, Bedford, PA, USA, died on Jan 26, 1855 in Columbus, Franklin Co, OH, USA and was buried in Union Cemetery, Columbus, Franklin Co, OH, USA.) |
Noted
events
This
is the story I grew up with: "Our relative, Balser Hess, fought alongside
General George Washington
in the Revolutionary War and was with Washington at the crossing of the Delaware
River."
I lately learned that Hess was taken prisoner by Hessians during the war
and confined to an old sugar house in New York
that had been pressed into service as a jail.
After the
war, he came to the Ohio country, settling first at Hopetown and then later
in what is now
north Columbus along the west bank of the Olentangy River.
He set up a tavern, a tannery and a shoemaking business on part of his 320 acres.
In 1806, at
age 59, he died of what was described as 'brain fever' and was buried on his
family farm.
Additional Hess family members and other area families were buried at the
site over the next 40 years.
The land was purchased from the Hess family in 1847 and Union Cemetery was
established.
In the Centennial
Biographical History of The City of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio of
1901
this was written of The Hess Family:
George Bolser
Hess was born in the town of Wurtemberg, Germany in the year 1741 and at the
age of eighteen years
emigrated to America. He served during the seven years of the Revolutionary
war, participating in the battles of
Brandywine, Schuylkill, Cowpens and other engagements and was taken prisoner
at the battle of long Island by the
Hessians and confined in the old 'sugar house' in New York city, being one
of 50 out of 700 confined there who
survived the horrors.
He was with
Washington at the crossing of the Delaware river and heard him say, 'God will
build us a bridge before
morning', and before the break of day, the troops had been transported to
the other side.
At the close
of the war, Bolser Hess settled in Bedford, Pennsylvania with his wife, Mary
Eve Hensel, to whom he
was married in 1782. In the year 1798 he removed with his wife, two sons and
six daughters to Hopetown, near
Chillicothe, Ohio where he remained for two years.
Their son,
John M. was born at Chillicothe in 1800 and on the 3rd of October of that
year we find the family
living on a farm of 400 acres purchased by the father from General Jonathan
Dayton of New Jersey and situated
on the west bank of the Olentangy river, immediately northwest of the Ohio
State University in Clinton township,
Franklin County. The members of the household were himself and wife, three
sons: Daniel, Bolser and John M. and
six daughters.
To reach this
pioneer home, Bolser Hess, Sr. with his eldest son Daniel had to cut a wagon
road from Franklintown
up the Whetstone river through the unbroken forest, his wagon being the first
that ever passed north from
Franklintown. Bolser Hess died December 27, 1806 and his wife, who survived
him nearly 50 years, died on the 26th
of January, 1855. Their remains lie in the Union cemetery, just north of the
old homestead.
By will, the
father bequeathed to his sons: Daniel, Bolser and Moses his real estate. Bolser
disposed of his share and
in 1839 removed to Goshen, Indiana, where there is a numerous connection.
The members
of the Hess family are stalwart people. Bolser Hess, the progenitor was six
feet, four inches in height
and weighed two hundred and fifty pounds. They are known for their sound judgment
and safe counsel, honesty
and determination of purpose. Agriculturally inclined, they are models as
farmers and in whatever position they
have been called upon to occupy, they have reflected credit upon it and upon
the family name.
More information gathered:
Since finding
the (above quoted) Centennial History book written in 1901, I have acquired
a copy
of 'History of Balser Hess 1747-1806 and Descendants' compiled by
Frank E. Hess of Goshen, Indiana in 1950.
From the Hess book, a more comprehensive history of the Hess family is understood
and
it serves to correct some information that was given in the Centennial History
book.
George Balser (Bolser) Hess
Frank E. Hess takes us through
a journey back into the life of George Balser Hess, from the time of his childhood
until his early death in 1806. And, for me, he cleared up some questions I
had after reading the Centennial History and
looking at gravestone photos I have collected from Union Cemetery of various
Hess resting places.
Frank E. Hess tells us that, according
to family tradition, George Balser Hess was born in Wurtenburg, Germany in
1741.
He then provides a copy of a Court Record of the apprenticeship of George
Balser Hess to Michael Lederman (Leatherman)
of York, Pennsylvania when he was 12 years old.
It shows Balser born March 25, 1847 and his father, Casper Hess, died in York
and his mother had remarried a Phillip Peter in 1752.
The Document states that George
Balser was bound an apprentice to Michael Lederman to learn the trade or art
of a cordwainer (shoemaker) until he reached the age of 21 years.
And in consideration of this, Michael Lederman agreed to teach the said apprentice
the trade or art of a shoe and boot maker
and to provide sufficient meal, drink, apparel, washing and lodging and to
teach the said apprentice to read and write English
and arithmetic as far as the rule of three. At the expiration of the term
(Balser being 21 years of age), he would be provided
with two suits of apparel, one being new, and a complete set of tools of this
trade.
Sometime in early life, Balser
dropped the first name of George and signed most documents as 'Baltzer'.
He did, however, name his second son 'Balser' and signed his will as 'Balser'.
A CD-Rom in PDF format is available
of the book, as is a photocopy of the book,
which for me was easier to read.
The story of Balser Hess's life is quite a fascinating one.
Our ancestor WAS truly an incredible man, enduring hardships in life
that we can probably not even fathom.
The book also corrected other information about descendants of Balser Hess.
A significant 'read' for anyone exploring their Hess lineage!
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