Niclaus Schrag

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: 24 Sep 1753, Philadelphia, PA

Notes:

The story of Niclaus Schrag b. 1717 is to say the least a very confusing one. Much of the confusion seem to stem from the assumption that the three Schrock men who came to Somerset Co. PA in the mid-1700s were brothers. DNA results seem to indicate otherwise. In fact there were likely two different families involved. The following scenario is derived from notes by Greta Schrock compiled in 2015.
An interesting note Greta shared is that once in America Claus changed his name to Michael, which would help explain the loss of a paper trail.
The name Niclaus Schrock was found in the registry of a ship named "Peggy” that arrived at Philadelphia PA in 1753. One small problem with this is that Peter Schrag states in his family tree that Niclaus died in 1748, at the age of 31. The registry said he was 34 and had 3 children with him. One child was aged 8 and there were 2 others, ages unknown. Using the birth date of 1745 for Caspar would make him the 8 year old. Mary Louise also quotes from a different source saying, “one of the boys, presumed 7 years of age, was very ill and was carried from Philadelphia to their first home in Berks County Pa on the back of his older brother.”
In July the 1984 Issue of “Mennonite Family History” is a deed showing that Casper got a deed to land in Somerset County, Pa in 1773 and an article by Joe Irvin says this is about year Casper came to America, which if you go by the 1745 date, he would have been 28 and at this age. He could have returned to Europe for family and returned around 1770. This land is where the old Schrock cemetery is today. There is also a findgraveIndex of a Casper Schrock 1745, who married a Catherine Bloug. There is little doubt that a young Caspar was accompanied by two brothers and we might even concede their name were John and Ulric. But not the two by the same name who came 15 or so years later.






Niclaus and (2?) sons migrated to America in 1754.

Immigration:
Aboard the ship Peggy, with his three sons

Family/Spouse: Christina ??. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Johannes Schrag was born in 1730 in Somerset Co., PA; died in 1796 in Elklick, Somerset Co., PA; was buried in Brothers Valley Twp., Somerset Co., PA.

Other Events and Attributes:

• HIST: "Schrag-Schrocks came to America at various times and by a number of routes--before 1800 via northern Alsace and the Palatinate, and after 1870 via Volhynia, Russia. The Schrags were one of only three prominent Amish names that originate in the Emmental (along with Troyer and Schwarzentruber)." (This couple may have had a daughter Elisabeth (b. 1722) who is now linked to Caspar Schrag who married Elisabeth Weiss. () It is possible that the Johann Schrag family of “The Children’s Blizzard” was a descendant of Caspar and Elisabeth Leyenberger.
• Religion: Anabaptist
• Baptism: 13 Dec 1685, Wynigen, Bern, SW
• EMPL: 1711, Jebsheim, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, FR
• Residence: 1712, Jebsheim, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, FR
• Residence: Aft 1712, Zweibrücken, Rheinland-Pfalz, GR
• Residence: 1713, Zweibrücken, Rheinland-Pfalz, GR
• Residence: 1714, Zweibrücken, Rheinland-Pfalz, GR
• Residence: 1733, Zweibrücken, Rheinland-Pfalz, GR
• Residence: Aft 1733, Somerset Co., PA

Notes:

The Schrag surname is interpreted as a nickname for a carpenter or a cabinetmaker. "Schrage" in German means a holder or frame from crossed woods used for framework building. The spelling of the surname changed to Schrack, or Chraque in France--Schrock in America. "Schrag/Schrock comes from Schrage (an old name for a special wood combination.)"

In Southern Alsace along the Rhine River, south and east of Colmar, refugees came directly to these towns from Switzerland. Among the refugees listed at Jebsheim after 1700 were: 1700-Ulrich Birky, Steffisburg, worker; 1712-Gaspard (Casper) Schrag and Elisabeth Leyenberger of Wynigen.

!!This individual, Caspar b. 1685, who married Elsbeth Leyenberger, can be traced back to Switzerland, and through him all of the other Anabaptist Schrag branches. 

Virgil Miller, in his book "Both Sides of the Ocean" lists the refugees at Jebsheim, Alsace after 1700 and includes the fact that Gaspard (Caspar) Schrag and Elisabeth Leyenberg of Wynigen were married in 1712 (evidently in Jebsheim). Virgil Miller's research is probably correct.  This means son Caspar was born no later than September/October of 1711 (in Wynigen?), since Anne was born in June of 1712. 

Caspar, as well as other Schrag families moved into the Palatinate area around Zweibrücken. They lived in various places in the Palatinate, including Heckenaschbacherhof, Kaplaneyhof and Ingeweilerhof before leaving for America or going to Lorraine.


Schrag-Schrocks came to America at various times and by a number of routes--before 1800 via northern Alsace and the Palatinate, and after 1870 via Volhynia, Russia. The Schrags were one of three prominent Amish names that originate in the Emmental (along with Troyer and Schwarzentruber).

"In a list of Anabaptists in the Staatsarchiv in Bern, Switzerland, two brothers, Christian and Bendicht Schrag, sons of Ulrich Schrag, are named in 1765. They move from Wynigen-Leumberg in Switzerland to the Munstertal. About this time Schrags of Zweibrücken were already living here. Ulrich Schrag, who is leaseholder (Bestander) on the Ernstweilerhof in 1735, was a son of Caspar Schrag. A Casper Schrag is on the Ingeweilerhof in 1761. It is not clear whether these two individuals were father and son or brothers; the author assumes the latter. In that case, they would both be sons of Caspar Schrag, the father of Ulrich Schrag, who does not otherwise appear in the Palatinate. The following arrangement of descendants of the two brothers has not been proven and is based in part on assumptions."

Birth:
Leumberg farm

Baptism:
Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche (Reformed Church)

EMPL:
Transient farm workers

Residence:
Ingweilerhof

Residence:
Ernstweiler

Caspar married Elsbeth Leyenberger on 9 Aug 1711 in Jebsheim, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, FR. Elsbeth (daughter of Ulrich Leyenberger and Anni Zougg (Zaug, Zaugg, Zook)) was born in 1690 in Jebsheim, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, FR. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Anabaptist

Notes:

Married:
They were given a Catholic marriage ceremony, even though they were Anabaptists.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Anabaptist
• Residence: 1684, Leumberg, Wynigen, Bern, SW
• Residence: 1685, Leumberg, Wynigen, Bern, SW
• Residence: 1688, Leumberg, Wynigen, Bern, SW
• Residence: 1693, Leumberg, Wynigen, Bern, SW

Notes:

The record of child Hans Schrag (b. 1684) reads: “Niclaus Schrag zu Leumberg, Wittlig (widower) ...Dises Kinds Eltern habend einander die Ehe versprochen...(The parents of this child have promised to marry). They married 30 May 1684.”

Nicolaus noted as Widower at baptism of Hans in 1684.?

Birth:
Leumberg farm

Niklaus married Christina Schneider (Scheidegger) on 30 May 1684 in Wynigen, Bern, SW. Christina (daughter of Uli Schneider (Scheidegger) and Barbeli Cunrad) was born on 12 Feb 1655 in Hauseren, Wynigen, Bern, SW. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 12 Feb 1655, Wynigen, Bern, SW

Notes:

Married:
The entry described them as parochiales – residents of the parish.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Weaver
• Baptism: 10 Jul 1659, Wynigen, Bern, SW
• Residence: 1712, Jebsheim, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, FR

Notes:

Domicile: Wynigen, , , Berne, Suisse
Domicile: [1712] Jebsheim, 68320, Haut-Rhin, Andolsheim, France

Residence:
At the birth of daughter

Ulrich married Anni Zougg (Zaug, Zaugg, Zook) on 11 Dec 1686 in Wynigen, Bern, SW. Anni died in 1711. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• EARL: Y
• Religion: Anabaptist
• Baptism: 28 Feb 1623, Wynigen, Bern, SW
• Residence: 1660, Leumberg, Wynigen, Bern, SW
• Residence: 1662, Leumberg, Wynigen, Bern, SW

Notes:

Resided in Leumberg.

“There is a Bible donated to “The Lancaster Historical Society” that was brought to America by Ullrich Schrock (1251??) b.1740. The Bible states that it was given to a Nikolas Schrag in 1634 who in turn gave it to his son Ulrich. This date has been the source of much confusion to Schrag historians. However, if one thinks of the term “son” as the Biblical “Son in the Faith” as Timothy was to Paul, then Nikolas (1X) b. 1623 and Ulrich (125) b. 1641 fit the bill. “

Birth:
Leumberg farm

Baptism:
Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche (Reformed Church)

Died:
At age 50

Niklaus married Margreth Reinhard on 22 Mar 1666 in Affoltern, Bern, SW. Margreth (daughter of Claus Reinhard and Elsbeth Ryser) was born in 1624 in Sumiswald, Bern, SW. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: 23 Nov 1624

Notes:

Uli + Barbeli Cunrad. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Uli married Susanna Schar (Scher) on 10 Oct 1642 in Wynigen, Bern, SW. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Of Durrenroth.

It is suspected that Anni was the Anna Zo?g baptized at Eriswil (12 miles east of Wynigen) March 1, 1663, a daughter of Caspar Zo?g and Cathrina Reiss.