We are researching Sigmund Landart because some researchers have suggested that Sigmund Landart was the father of Mary Lenhardy [1], wife of John Moyer. However, in 1747, John Moyer and wife Maria Lenhardy signed a deed granting land to their son, Christian (apparently at least age 21 at that time). If Maria was the mother of Christian, then she was likely born before 1712. Maria Landart, daughter of Sigmund Landart, was age 11 in 1738 and died at age 48 in 1773, suggesting a birthdate of 1727. If these ages and dates are correct, then Mary Lenhardy, wife of John Moyer is a different person than Maria Landart, daughter of Sigmund Landart.
1712 Siegesmund Landtart was listed as a Swiss and German settler in Lancaster County. [2]
1720 A record in the journal of the surveyor general indicates Sigmund Landart purchased land. [3]
1724 An evangelistic meeting for the German Baptist Brethren sect called the German Seventh Day Baptists was held at Isaac Friedrich's house in Lancaster County. Peter Becker insisted on holding a meeting the following Sunday at Sigmund Landert's house. At this meeting, arguments broke out. After peace was restored, Sigmund Landert and his wife asked to be baptized and received in to communion. Peter Becker, asked for favorable witness from the neighbors about the Landerts, who were unknown to Becker. The baptism took place in a shallow, stagnant, muddy pool in a tributary of Mill Creek. Dated November 13. [4] [5] [6]
They formed the Conestoga Church, or "Gemeinde", with a congregation of 12, including Sigmund Landert and Johannes Meyer. Meetings were held at the home of Simon (Sigmund?) Landert. At one of the meetings at Sigmund Landert's during December, the question was raised about identifying a spiritual leader. Hans Mayer, a neighbor of Landert's, rose and pointed to Conrad Beissel as the man-elect chosen by God. Beissel was confirmed as the spiritual leader of the Conestoga Dunkers.
"Sigmund Landert followed Conrad Beissel and his Seventh Day Baptists to the Cloisters at Ephrata, becoming Brother Sealthiel 1st. His first and second wives became Sisters, the first dying in 1728, the second in 1735. Sigmund died in 1744. Also listed were Sisters Rachel, Mary, and Marie Landert." [7]
Sigmund Landert, Brother Sealthiel. "Was a housefather. In the year 1738 journeyed he to Ephrata with all that he possessed, built the Solitary Sisters a chapel, Kedar, that was its name; at that time had he two daughters; the one gave Ephrata good night about the year 1744. He entered himself also into the poor life and was a faithful follower of Jesu Christi, and did in peace fall asleep." Sigmund Landert became connected with Beissel as early as 1724. The first love feast of the Conestoga congregation was held at his house in December 1724, where Beissel officiated for the first time. His wife died in 1728 being the first recorded death of the congregation. He married again but became a widower the second time in 1735. He came to Ephrata in 1738 with his two daughters, where he built the prayer house adjoining Kedar out of his own means. [8]
"Brothers Sealthiel (Sigmund Landent) and Kenan (Jacob Funk) were master carpenters who directed the construction of buildings and crafted furniture for the community." [9]
1728 The wife of Brother Sealthiel (Sigmund Landert) died. [10] [11]
1735 The second wife of Sigmund Landert died. His oldest daughter, Maria, was age 11. [12] [13] [14]
1735 Sigmund Landart received a patent for 213 acres in Lancaster County, dated May 21. He had warranted the traact on March 5, 1719. [15] [16] [17] No map made. At the request of Sigmund Landart, late of Germany but now of this province that we would grant him to take up at or near Conestoga two hundred acres ... not already surveyed nor seated by Indians ... within 3 months.
1736 Sigmund Landert purchased land from John White in Cocalico Twp, Lancaster County. Dated November 19. [18] On the same day, George Cook purchased land from John White. [19] George Cook sold the land to John Meiley in 1737. [20]
1738 Sigmund Landart moved to Ephrata with his two daughters. [21]
1742 Sigmund Landart witnessed a deed [signed in German] for the sale of land by John Maile and wife Catharine to John Sproegel and wife Maria. The land had been originally patented by John White and was adjacent to land of Henry Hageman, Frederick Oss, and Henry Creibill. Dated February 15. [22]
1744 Sigmund Landert sold land to Christian Graff in Cocalico Twp, Lancaster County. [23]
1744 Sigmund Landart's daughter died [sources are unclear]. [24]
1752 Margaret Graff, widow of Christian, and other heirs, sold land to Henry Mohler the Elder, all of Cocalico Twp, Lancaster County. Christian Graff had purchased the land from Sigmund Landart in on October 15, 1744. Sigmund Landart had purchased the land from John White on 19 November, 1736. Dated May 13. [25]
1757 Sigmund Landert served as a skilled carpenter at Ephrata until his death in 1757. [26]
1763 Landeid widow, possibly Sigmund Landert's widow but plausibly Landis, was taxed in Cocalico Twp, Lancaster County. [27]
1773 Maria Landert; Sister Rahel. "On the 11th November in the Lord fell asleep; her age was 48 years 9 months; oldest daughter of Sigmund Landert, who built the chapel adjoining Kedar, so that the latter be changed into a Sister Convent, and his two daughters received among their number. The younger daughter soon returned to the world." [28]
Research Notes:
John Moyer reportedly married Mary Lenhardy; daughter of Sigmund Landart (died 1744), "Brother Sealthiel" at Ephrata Cloister. [29] Subsequent research has attributed this John Meyer family to different Meyer parents.
[1] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for Mary Lenhardy, [JRWolfeGenealogy].
[2] I. Daniel Rupp, A Collection of Upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776, 2nd ed. (1875), 437, [GoogleBooks], [HathiTrust].
[3] Dorothy Adams, Myers History: some descendants of Hans Meier of Pequea, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (1987), 50, [GoogleBooks].
[4] Brothers Lamech and Agrippa, Chronicon Ephratense, a history of the community of Seventh Day Baptists at Ephrata (1899), 25-26, [GoogleBooks].
[5] Julius Friedrich Sachse, The German Sectarians of Pennsylvania: 1708-1742, Vol. 1 (1899), 104, 104, bottom, to 105, [InternetArchive].
[6] Martin Grove Brumbaugh, A history of the German Baptist brethren in Europe and America (1899). 298, [InternetArchive].
[7] Dorothy Adams, Myers History: some descendants of Hans Meier of Pequea, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (1987), 50, [GoogleBooks].
[8] Julius Friedrich Sachse, The German Sectarians of Pennsylvania: 1742-1800, Vol. 2 (1900), 496, [InternetArchive].
[9] John Bradley, Ephrata Cloister: Pennsylvania trail of history guide (Stackpole, 2000), 46, [GoogleBooks].
[10] Julius Friedrich Sachse, The German Sectarians of Pennsylvania: 1742-1800, Vol. 2 (1900), 485, [InternetArchive].
[11] Julius F. Sachse, "The Registers of the Ephrata Community," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 14 (1890), 297-312, at 299, [HathiTrust].
[12] Julius Friedrich Sachse, The German Sectarians of Pennsylvania: 1742-1800, Vol. 2 (1900), 496, [InternetArchive].
[13] Julius F. Sachse, "The Registers of the Ephrata Community," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 14 (1890), 297-312, at 299, [HathiTrust].
[14] Jeff Bach, Voices of the Turtledoves: The Sacred World of Ephrata (Pennsylvania German History and Culture series; no. 3: 2005), 118.
[15] Pennsylvania Land Patent, A7-179, [PAPatentBookLinks].
[16] Pennsylvania Records of the Land Office, RG-17, Old Rights index, Chester County, 1682-1740. (series #17.78), page 54, item 8, [PAHistoricalMuseum].
[17] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, D74-89, [PASurveyBookLinks].
[18] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed S-28 to 29, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[19] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book DD, 480-482, [480], [481], [482], [FHLCatalog].
[20] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book DD, 482-484, [482], [483], [484], [FHLCatalog].
[21] Julius Friedrich Sachse, The German Sectarians of Pennsylvania: 1742-1800, Vol. 2 (1900), 496, [InternetArchive].
[22] Recorder of Deeds, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book DD, 484-486, [484], [485], [486], [FHLCatalog].
[23] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed S-28 to 29, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[24] Julius Friedrich Sachse, The German Sectarians of Pennsylvania: 1742-1800, Vol. 2 (1900), 496, [InternetArchive].
[25] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed S-28 to 29, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[26] Jeff Bach, Voices of the Turtledoves: The Sacred World of Ephrata (Pennsylvania German History and Culture series; no. 3: 2005), 118.
[27] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Tax Records, 1763 Cocalico, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[28] Julius Friedrich Sachse, The German Sectarians of Pennsylvania: 1742-1800, Vol. 2 (1900), 502, [InternetArchive].
[29] Jane Evans Best, "A Bear Saga: The Birmensdordf Connection," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 11 (April, 1988), 31-45, at 41, family MA413, Mary Lenhardy was the daughter of Sigmund Landart.